Myanmar Introduces Visa-On-Arrival To Facilitate Foreigners' Entry

[RogueLeader]

Just noticed this:

"Stay at the hotels, motels and guest houses holding legal licenses issued by Myanmar Government, and factories and workshops legally permitted as well as human dwellings; and exactly mention the address he will stay at."

Will anyone really do VOA?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

wow "Business visa will be allowed for 70 days by paying 50 U.S. dollars"

compare to the very difficult thing to obtain a work permit in thailand

Apples to oranges. Business visa (not difficult for Thailand either BTW) has nothing to do with a work permit.

[falang07]

Pretty cheap compared to some other countries.

In Cambodia, it is $20 for 30 days, and it is a real visa on arrival, even at the land borders. So yes, it is way overpriced.

[IsaanUSA]

Pretty cheap compared to some other countries.

In Cambodia, it is $20 for 30 days, and it is a real visa on arrival, even at the land borders. So yes, it is way overpriced.

I guess you've never been to Vietnam or China

[RogueLeader]

Pretty cheap compared to some other countries.

In Cambodia, it is $20 for 30 days, and it is a real visa on arrival, even at the land borders. So yes, it is way overpriced.

I guess you've never been to Vietnam or China

A 30-day visa for Vietnam costs $20 at Sihanoukhville and is issued immediately. It's usually best to get your visa from a neighbouring country.

[IsaanUSA]

Pretty cheap compared to some other countries.

In Cambodia, it is $20 for 30 days, and it is a real visa on arrival, even at the land borders. So yes, it is way overpriced.

I guess you've never been to Vietnam or China

A 30-day visa for Vietnam costs $20 at Sihanoukhville and is issued immediately. It's usually best to get your visa from a neighbouring country.

lol, so I need to spend $20 to go to Cambodia and then another $20 to get to Vietnam?

[tjeffrutherford]

There are three types of visa available on arrival; Business; Entry and Transit. The term "Tourist Visa" is misquoted in the news. Visa on arrival for "Tourist" is only available if it is arranged through travel agencies in advance. (http://www.myanmarvisa.com/ for more details)

Apart from valid passport, photos and fees;

Business visa requires the "letter of invitation from the sponsoring company in the event of first trip of business study" or "copies of company registration/business license/ evidence of permission to do business issued by the ministries concerned together with the application if he is working in Myanmar". Entry visa is granted for the purpose of attending meetings, workshops, events and ceremonies and requires letter of invitation by the ministries concerned. (http://http://www.mip.gov.mm/visaonarrival/ for more details and application form)

Thanks, Zanaka. My travel agent in Chiang Mai tells me the same. It's not quite as easy as all the press, including above, would have us believe. Every option requires documentation. Fortunately, there's a service here that can get me a tourist visa in two days. Cheers

[impulse]

Pretty cheap compared to some other countries.

In Cambodia, it is $20 for 30 days, and it is a real visa on arrival, even at the land borders. So yes, it is way overpriced.

A traveler that frets over $40 for a visa probably isn't their target demographic.

[23962323]

It is VOA,but not quite......looked at it as it read,turned up at airport ,argued with them on VOA ,but no...AirAsia too, anyway still need that letter from embassy for tourist visa....good for Air Asia though ,gave me free ticket as and when I want to go again,told them forget it ,its a dump anyway Ill go to Cambodia instead, bur Air Asia told me no ,you have to go to Burma....oh hell ,might just say forget it

[RogueLeader]

A traveler that frets over $40 for a visa probably isn't their target demographic.

No, that;s true. Their target demographic is people who'll hand over as much money as possible to the regime and not ask any questions. I'm proud not to count myself in that segment.

[RogueLeader]

anyway still need that letter from embassy for tourist visa....

Do you? I wasn't aware of this requirement when I went last year.

[23962323]

anyway still need that letter from embassy for tourist visa....

Do you? I wasn't aware of this requirement when I went last year.

anyway still need that letter from embassy for tourist visa....

Do you? I wasn't aware of this requirement when I went last year.

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

[23962323]

....and if I may point out last year was erm...last year New visa rules (or supposed to be) 1 June 2012

[RogueLeader]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

[23962323]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

Not exactly a visa on arrival then.

[23962323]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

Not exactly a visa on arrival then.

Another thing,...why these tin pot countries take a full page is beyond me for visa stamp, not 12 months old yet my passport three quarters full now,pick and choose which countries I go to in next few years ,smallest stamp gets the money

[RogueLeader]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

Not exactly a visa on arrival then.

Well spotted.

[RogueLeader]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

Not exactly a visa on arrival then.

Another thing,...why these tin pot countries take a full page is beyond me for visa stamp, not 12 months old yet my passport three quarters full now,pick and choose which countries I go to in next few years ,smallest stamp gets the money

You can get extra pages added to your passport, although it does cost.

[23962323]

Not well spotted or advised,not on UK

[impulse]

You can get extra pages added to your passport, although it does cost.

True for some countries' passports, not true for others. (Except the part about costing money- true for all)

[Asiantravel]

Told at airport...either letter or visa......showed me letter too...are you tourist or business....? anyway went tp embassy this morn 810 Baht visa,,, pick up in 2 days

Tourist visa. I just presented my passport and application form at the embassy on Sathorn Nua and picked up the visa three days later.

UK Passport, by the way.

Not exactly a visa on arrival then.

Another thing,...why these tin pot countries take a full page is beyond me for visa stamp, not 12 months old yet my passport three quarters full now,pick and choose which countries I go to in next few years ,smallest stamp gets the money

it's not just tin pot countries that have no regards for these matters

I arrived in Los Angeles airport and they placed their stamp directly in the middle

of the two centre pages of the passport

[SeaVisionBurma]

Off topic reply to a very old post removed.

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D

[Tomtomtom69]

Anyone know if you can still go overland via Maesai for $10...? looks like the one day has been changed to $20... man they capitalized quick...double the entry fee??

500 baht per person as of last Sunday (and a couple of months ago) - they won't take US $ any more. We tried everything, thought we wouldn't have to pay or at least get a discount if we weren't actually going into Burma. We got our in and out stamp done by the same official in less than a minute each. That's a lot of money they're making.....

Although I haven't been across to Tachileik for close to 6 years, I have just been to Myawaddy. US$ were accepted (I went twice, two days in a row) without any fuss whatsoever. I don't think US$ are refused at Tachileik either, you just need new notes and pretend you don't have Baht if questioned. The 500 Baht charge is a scam, especially if you only stay for a day.

[Tomtomtom69]

It's not actually visa-on-arrival as most people understand it. You apply for it before you go and get it at Yangon airport when you arrive. Personally, I'd rather have the visa in my passport before my (overpriced) flight leaves BKK.

Will the visa on arrival be available at airport only or as well for land travellers?

Unlikely. How will they keep the forced labour camps and drug factories secret if they let people in overland?

And look at the list of preconditions:

http://www.mip.gov.mm/visaonarrival/

It's going to be a long time before Yangon is the new Bangkok.

That's true, but in preparation for AEC 2015 and since they are opening up the country in general, overland access is said to become possible within the next 2 years or less, all the way to Yangon. I suspect that the travel restrictions were originally to do with security issues as there have been lots of fighting between rebel armies and the central government over the years, and while many groups in the east have effectively laid down their arms, it's anyone's guess why they haven't officially opened more overland routes. You can get through with special permission or if you can find a guide with the right connections though.

There are however areas which are still very dangerous, even more so than in years past and are thus likely to stay closed for now. This includes much of Kachin State (currently fighting has resumed between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army or KIA) and the western Arakan region bordering Bangladesh, home to many Rohingyas, which are heavily persecuted both by the central government and local Burmese of other ethnic groups, particularly Buddhists. This means overland access to/from Bangladesh and India will remain restricted, whilst overland access from Thailand to at least Yangon/Mandalay/Irrawaddy delta etc. looks set to be allowed in the near future.

[asiamint]

is the opening post compleatly wrong? should it be taken down?

[SeaVisionBurma]

is the opening post compleatly wrong? should it be taken down?

The opening post is a news article, which is eight months old.

It was based on press releases given by the Myanmar Government at the time. Following this the government didn't follow through with the online application process for these visas.

Other threads and responses in this forum have commented on, and corrected where appropriate - this information

[Tomtomtom69]

All very well, but you are still not permitted to drive from Tatchilek to Yangon, maybe all in good time Here's hoping!!

With an MT&T guide you should be able to, but that's expensive. By next year you should be able to drive from Myawaddy to Yangon though - no more restrictions or asking for official permission. However, coming from Tachileik might be a different story though.

[RogueLeader]

All very well, but you are still not permitted to drive from Tatchilek to Yangon, maybe all in good time Here's hoping!!

With an MT&T guide you should be able to, but that's expensive. By next year you should be able to drive from Myawaddy to Yangon though - no more restrictions or asking for official permission. However, coming from Tachileik might be a different story though.

Yes. Those opium refineries and hidden prisons don't just hide themselves, you know.

[IsaanUSA]

Forum broken? Can't quote people

[Tomtomtom69]

It's not actually visa-on-arrival as most people understand it. You apply for it before you go and get it at Yangon airport when you arrive. Personally, I'd rather have the visa in my passport before my (overpriced) flight leaves BKK.

Will the visa on arrival be available at airport only or as well for land travellers?

Unlikely. How will they keep the forced labour camps and drug factories secret if they let people in overland?

And look at the list of preconditions:

http://www.mip.gov.mm/visaonarrival/

It's going to be a long time before Yangon is the new Bangkok.

Yes. Check some other posts on this forum to see details - each entry point has slightly different rules but they should be unified eventually.

Regarding the forced labour camps and drug factories - that's garbage. That's not why they prevent overland entries. It's security related to ethnic conflicts but in eastern Myanmar, things are settling down. Forced labour camps if they still exist, are run mostly by ethnic minority armies and not the central government. In terms of drug factories - they are on wheels these days (inside trucks) to avoid detection. Many of them, especially yaba factories, are probably also located in Thailand not only in Myanmar.