Permanent Residency for Foreigners to Begin Next Month

A “permanent” residency system of sorts will be introduced in Myanmar next month, according to a senior official with the Ministry of Immigration and Population, The Irrawaddy reported.

The official, who asked not to be named, says that the long-term residency programme will commence on Dec 5, with successful applications to be granted an initial five-year period of residency. Professionals, technicians, investors and former Burmese citizens will be eligible for consideration.

“The applicants will be permitted to stay in the country for five years, and after that time they can extend their residency,” he said.

He said that the criteria for the applicants, the permitted period for extension and application fees will be confirmed when the bylaw governing the residency system is publicly released in the middle of this month.

Vice President Nyan Tun told a Nov 7 meeting in Naypyidaw of the Management Committee for Permanent Residence System for Foreigners that the system would be the first of its kind in the history of Burma.

“The system will strengthen the favorable conditions of Myanmar at right time and it will enable scholars, experts, intellectuals and investors from other countries as well as former Burmese citizens to contribute to national development,” he said, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/permanent-residence-former-citizens-foreigners-start-next-month/