Myanmar Visa

[mrmazinkle]

2 brits wanting to go Myanmar in October for 2 week holiday..My question is is the visa easy enough to make at the embassy in Bkk?How long does it take and any thoughts as to how I can get US dollars in Bkk to as I am told there are no atms in Myanmar..thank you in advance..thomas

[FRM-BKK]

Mrmazinkle,

My friend and I have just been through the very process you are asking about and have been to Myanmar.

The whole process is very easy.

Go to the Myanmar Embassy on Sathorn North Road (BTS Surasak) to submit your application at the Visa section, which is in the side road.

You need an application form, two passport photos and 820 Thai Baht for a 30 day tourist visa.

You submit in the Morning between 8.30 and midday. If your application is accepted, it will be ready two days later and can be collected after 3.00pm.

Once you arrive in Myanmar and get to immigration, the process is almost identical to the Thai system.

Crisp new Dollar notes are easily available on the first floor of Bangkok bank HQ in Silom road. They understand exactly why you want new notes; just tell them you are going to Myanmar. They are only open during normal banking hours.

Once in Myanmar, Dollar bills are easily accepted. The exchange range varies from 800 to 900 Kyats per US Dollar. They will only accept new crisp notes. We had a few older notes from previous holidays to other countries and we tried a few times to use them; they wouldn't accept them.

I hope this helps....

Frm-Bkk

[Naam]

Once in Myanmar, Dollar bills are easily accepted. The exchange range varies from 800 to 900 Kyats per US Dollar. They will only accept new crisp notes.

both statements are highly "exaggerated". last january each of my non-crisp notes were accepted at a rate of 1,400-1,450 Kyats.

[Skink]

Once in Myanmar, Dollar bills are easily accepted. The exchange range varies from 800 to 900 Kyats per US Dollar. They will only accept new crisp notes.

both statements are highly "exaggerated". last january each of my non-crisp notes were accepted at a rate of 1,400-1,450 Kyats.

Options for getting a visa without going to Bangkok? I'm in Ubon, keen to go later in the year.

[friendphil]

My two cents worth-- (I've been to Myanmar four times in the last four years): Once you have a visa, you need to use it within a month. So you wouldn't want to get it too far ahead of time.

Anytime I've exchanged money in Myanmar, any notes that were not clean and crisp were not accepted. Better to have nice, new bills and be sure about them. The gov't there does not give a good exchange rate-- it is better to exchange possibly at your hotel or guest house, or at the market.

Plan ahead for your return. I think you need ten US dollars to exit the country. (that is per person) I once saw a fellow who didn't have it in a panic, as he wasn't going to be let out of the country until he'd paid the ten (clean, crisp) US dollars at the airport. I didn't know the need, either, but fortunately had that much in Thai baht that I easily traded for dollars from another person in the line.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy Myanmar!

[Naam]

The gov't there does not give a good exchange rate-- it is better to exchange possibly at your hotel or guest house, or at the market.

best rate in shops owned by ethnic Indians. changing at hotel =

[ga3443]

hi ,i was in yangon 4 weeks ago ,i travelled from pattaya and applied in person for the 30 day visa at the burmese embassy in sathorn (SURASAK STATION)...........i gave the application form,passport and photos to the officer about 9.30am and was told to return between 3.30 and 4.30 pm that same day .........this one day servise costs a little extra ,if u are happy to return to the embassy after 2/3 days and collect yr passport the fee is approx 800bht ,one day service is 1200bht but worth extra for me as i wanted to return to pattaya that same day .........i was a little surprised how many questions i was asked when i gave the application form but in the end no problem .<BR><BR>dollars need to be clean and unfolded..........i met a couple guys in the street that told me they wanted to exchange thai bht instead of dollars although they are happy with dollars ...........the dollar is very weak now in yangon ,not long ago 1200 to one dollar now approx 800 to one dollar ,many places only offering 750 to the dollar <BR><BR>have fun ..............gaz

[Halfaboy]

The exchange rate on the 5th of August was 1US$ = 762 Kyat’s. Info can be found on http://www.irrawaddy.org/ somewhere in the middle of the page (close to the cartoons).

In Yangon try to change in one of the jewellery shops at Scott market and not on the street.

Some upscale hotels accept Visa credit cards although this is not always a straight forward procedure.

[falang07]

The gov't there does not give a good exchange rate-- it is better to exchange possibly at your hotel or guest house, or at the market.

best rate in shops owned by ethnic Indians. changing at hotel =

Central Hotel provides a pretty good rate, though.

[falang07]

Once in Myanmar, Dollar bills are easily accepted. The exchange range varies from 800 to 900 Kyats per US Dollar. They will only accept new crisp notes.

both statements are highly "exaggerated". last january each of my non-crisp notes were accepted at a rate of 1,400-1,450 Kyats.

Options for getting a visa without going to Bangkok? I'm in Ubon, keen to go later in the year.

any Myanmar travel agency can do it for you (I have used Magado Travel <[email protected]>). A little more expensive ($60 or $70, I do not remember already, it was lsat year) but well worth it + they can make a reservation of the hotel. Good thing is you can pay by Paypal.

[FRM-BKK]

Once in Myanmar, Dollar bills are easily accepted. The exchange range varies from 800 to 900 Kyats per US Dollar. They will only accept new crisp notes.

both statements are highly "exaggerated". last january each of my non-crisp notes were accepted at a rate of 1,400-1,450 Kyats.

It is not in my nature to "highly exaggerate".

However, it seems that you are rather quick to jump the gun. Weren't you lucky to get such a good exchange rate for your old notes .

You probably also got the cheapest air-fare to Yangon and the best taxi fare from the airport into town and got into the cheapest hotel booked on-line.

Good for you !

[tombkk]

When you apply for a visa at the embassy in Bangkok now, come early. I arrived at 09:30am and was out just before noon. That was in late March 2012. In November 2011, it took me 15 minutes total.