Lao-Viet Bank SWIFT/BIC code

What LAOVLALA means for a payment to Lao-Viet Bank

Whether a recipient gives you LAOVLALA or LAOVLALAXXX, you are looking at the identical identifier for Lao-Viet Bank in Laos. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to route payments between countries to the right bank. In practice you mostly see the code on international invoices, in your banking app and on the account details of Lao-Viet Bank customers.

On this page you can read what the code is put together, when it matters and what else you need for a transfer to or from Lao-Viet Bank. Remember that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Sending money abroad from Lao-Viet Bank

When you send money abroad via Lao-Viet Bank, the fee you see is only part of the cost. On top of the transfer fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency, the bank usually uses a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest cost even though it is not listed as a fee. Check their rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients receive with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Lao-Viet Bank – you pay the provider from your own account.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Stay wary when a contact suddenly asks you to pay into another account. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Before paying, verify changed bank details by phone on a number you know, not one from the message. Pressure or requests to keep it quiet are warning signs. When a payment was sent to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately.

Scams also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent too much and asks you to return the extra. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

Choosing between the 2 SWIFT codes of Lao-Viet Bank

Our database contains 2 SWIFT/BIC codes for Lao-Viet Bank. Next to the head office code LAOVLALAXXX, there are codes for branches, departments or specific services.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code LAOVLALAXXX is the right choice. Just use a branch code when the account holder explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

Unsure which code applies? Ask the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Lao-Viet Bank. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Is LAOVLALA still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. If the code you have differs from LAOVLALA or LAOVLALAXXX, stop and ask – contact the recipient or Lao-Viet Bank.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may be delayed, be returned or cost extra – sometimes after weeks of searching. An error in the IBAN or account number can be more serious.

Many banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending gives an extra layer of safety. When you pay someone new, many people start with a small test amount before sending the rest.

Why Lao-Viet Bank has an 8- and an 11-character code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has an 8-character core: four letters for the bank, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. Together, those parts form LAOVLALA, the code most people search for.

XXX at the end of LAOVLALAXXX does not stand for a placeholder or an error: it stands for the main office of Lao-Viet Bank. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply add XXX after LAOVLALA.

In practice the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. A wrong letter can send the money to another bank, so copy it carefully.

Tracking a transfer to or from Lao-Viet Bank

How quickly a transfer reaches Lao-Viet Bank depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually start the next business day. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking in their app showing where the payment is.

Only the sending bank can start an official trace or a recall. Ask the sender for the payment receipt with the date and reference.

Incoming international payments to Lao-Viet Bank

If you expect a payment from another country, send the payer all details at once. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code LAOVLALAXXX and sometimes your postal address.

It helps to include the bank name and Vientiane as well, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. Double-check every detail before you share them.

The amount you receive is often less than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank; check the price list of Lao-Viet Bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes here are taken from publicly available data. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Figures such as the number of codes are from our own dataset and may differ from what Lao-Viet Bank publishes.

Treat the information here as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or Lao-Viet Bank have the final say. GoldexPay has no connection to Lao-Viet Bank. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page.