Lao People's Democratic Republic
Amending Law on Land
12 Aug 2020
On 12 August 2020, the amended Law on Land No. 70/NA was published in the Official Gazette of the Lao Ministry of Justice, replacing the previous amendment of the law from 2003. While permanent land use rights remain prohibited to foreign nationals, the new law for the first time opens the possibility for foreign nationals to own and invest in certain immoveable properties in Laos.
The amended Law on Land permits foreign nationals to own structures on Lao land. Specifically, Lao citizens and foreign nationals—regardless of their residency or employment status in Laos—are now allowed to own apartments in condominiums whose construction was authorized by the government.
Condominium construction is another area that is open to foreign-owned companies. While the construction must be carried out by a legal entity, the law does not restrict foreign ownership of that entity, and in fact expressly provides that condominium construction is open to foreign and domestic investors alike.
While the former version of the Law on Land made the Lao People’s Court responsible for settling civil claims, the newly amended law now allows these matters to be filed before the Economic Dispute Resolution Center, a local arbitration center, for mediation or arbitration.
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Type:
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Entry and establishment (Access to land)
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Industry:
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Services (Construction, Real estate activities)
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