Payment service provider licence (new / renew / add service / cross-border)
金融/外汇/支付许可
ໃບອະນຸຍາດ ຜູ້ໃຫ້ ບໍລິການ ຊຳລະ ເງິນ (ຂໍ / ຕໍ່ອາຍຸ / ເພີ່ມ / ຂ້າມແດນ)
Handling agency: Bank of the Lao PDR / MOF
Source: 老挝央行BOL/财政部官方站 (https://www.bol.gov.la/fileupload/23-08-2022_1661233996.pdf)
Where to apply
Register the enterprise with industry & commerce first (Art.31), then apply to the BOL Payment Systems Management Department (Art.12); licensing and supervision sit with the BOL.
Procedure
- Register the enterprise first (Art.31); banks/MFIs are exempt, retail payment operators must apply
- Prepare the Art.14 dossier: #245 + registration + feasibility + business plan + internal rules/manuals + source-of-funds + 6-month statements + management CVs (≥1 resident Lao) + continuity plan; translate foreign docs
- File at the Payment Systems Dept (Art.12); approval or written refusal within 30 days (Art.15 / IP Law Art.33), more docs may be requested
- Before issuance: pay capital in full (Art.18 tiers per BOL), complete staff, modern secure IT connected to BOL, transaction data stored in Laos (Art.15)
- 5-year term, renew 45 days before expiry (Art.16); add-service via Arts.20-28, cross-border via Arts.35-40
Statutory time limit
Approval within 30 days of complete documents (Art.15 / IP Law Art.33); 5-year term, renew 45 days before expiry (Art.16); per BOL notice.
Common questions and pitfalls
- Data localisation + Lao shareholding are hard conditions (Arts.13/15): plan equity and IT architecture early
- Pay the Art.18 tier in full, in cash held in a Lao bank: cards 20bn / e-money 10bn / others 1bn kip; card & international-card tiers are highest (20bn), plan equity early
- Do not miss the 45-day pre-expiry renewal line (Art.16); the licence is non-transferable (IP Law Art.34)
- Use current Arts.29-34 for remittance; banks/MFIs are exempt from this licence (Art.31)
16 items to fill in