Tourist Visa Required Before Business Visa?

[laffterty]

Hi all,

I've heard conflicting answers on this topic. My question is whether you must first enter Myanmar on a tourist visa prior to being eligible for a business visa.

Some people say it's not necessary, some say you need one tourist visa stamp, others say you need three tourist visas before you can get a business visa. Also, is there a difference between business VOA and business visa (not-on-arrival) in terms of how often you must leave the country and validity period?

Eventually, I'm hoping to obtain a long-term, multiple-entry business visa.

Any clarity on the issue would be quite helpful.

Thanks,

L

[SeaVisionBurma]

Not necessary. You are not required to have visited Myanmar on a Tourist Visa before you can be issued a Business Visa.

As long as your documents are in order for obtaining the Business Visa, then you will have no problem.

My first arrival to Myanmar was on a Business Visa, as was the case for many colleagues and friends working there.

[hellodolly]

I was wondering about long term residency there. Like retirement in Thailand.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I was wondering about long term residency there. Like retirement in Thailand.

hellodolly,

Myanmar is many years away from being a place for long term foreign retired residents - if it ends up ever allowing them at all in that capacity.

The country is still very wary of foreign visitors, and the only way to live there long term is to have a business visa (through either employment or company ownership)

Having said that - if you are legally working in Myanmar - in some ways it is easier to stay there long term than if you are in Thailand.

With the appropriate visa and stay permit - there are no reporting issues and no need to leave the country at regular intervals.

As far as retirement goes - this is not something which has been considered by either the people or the government there. Totally alien concept for them to have foreign retirees living there.

Edited May 29, 2013 by SeaVisionBurma
fixed up my typos

[hellodolly]

I was wondering about long term residency there. Like retirement in Thailand.

hellodolly,

Myanmar is many years away from being a place for long term foreign retired residents - if it ends up ever allowing them at all iin that capacity.

The country is still very wary of foreign visitors, and the only way live there long term is to have a business visa (through either employment or company ownership)

Having said that - if you are legally working in Myanmar - in some ways it is easy to stay there long term than if you are in Thailand.

With the appropriate visa and stay permit - there are no reporting issues and no need to leave the country at regular intervals.

As far as retirement goes - this is not something which has been considered by either the people or the government there. Totally alien concept for them to have foreign retirees living there.

Thanks for your reply.

Not really considering it but like to keep my eyes open in case some reason comes up to leave Thailand North America is a poor choice for me. Still have Lao and Cambodia wish TV had forums in both of them. But it might not have the internet support.

[hyperdimension]

From what I've read in other threads, you need to have had at least 3 Business Visas in order to qualify for a Multiple Entry Business Visa.

But could 3 Tourist Visas qualify for a Multiple Entry Business Visa?

[SeaVisionBurma]

From what I've read in other threads, you need to have had at least 3 Business Visas in order to qualify for a Multiple Entry Business Visa.

But could 3 Tourist Visas qualify for a Multiple Entry Business Visa?

To set the record straight - there is no hard and fast rule on this issue.

If you have the right contacts in Myanmar (ie an established Myanmar company or business contact, government contact, ministry contact etc) - then you can get a multiple entry business visa as your first ever visa if the right supporting documents are supplied.

I know this for a fact, as my first entry into the country was on an MJSRV. I had never visited the country before even as a tourist.

However given the recent increase in interest, the Myanmar Embassy consular section has come up with a guideline for those wanting to go there on business. As a general rule - they would prefer to see several single entry business visas before they issue a multiple.

My understanding of this is it is a filter to sort out who has serious interests in doing business in the country, as opposed to those who are interested in the hype but don't stick around after their first trip.

As for using 3 tourist visas to get a multiple business visa question - common sense dictates the answer to this is NO. See the first point above - if you have the right documentation, then you can get a business visa.

Hope this clarifies things a little.