Myanmar starts easy visas

YANGON, 6 June 2012:  Tourists could soon be eligible for a visa-on arrival, according to a report in the Myanmar Times Monday.

A visa-on-arrival for business visitors started 1 June.

According to the local press, the Ministry of Immigration and Population’s Immigration and National Registration Department director general, U Maung Maung Than,  said the airport lacked capacity to expand the simplified visa system to tourists.

“We are receiving about 1500 visitors a day. The capacity of Yangon International Airport is not able to receive and manage all the tourists it has today. That’s why we didn’t include tourist visas at this time. But we will extend this service to include tourist visas in the near future once the service is running smoothly,” he said.

Currently business travellers, conference and workshop attendees and transit visitors from 27 countries can obtain a visa-on-arrival.

“Initially, the VOA service will be available only at Yangon International Airport. But in the near future, we have it at Nay Pyi Taw International Airport and Mandalay International,” he said.

The 70-day business visa costs US$50, while a 28-day entry visa for meetings, workshops and events costs US$40. A 24-hour transit visa costs US$20.

The VOA is available to nationals of 27 countries, including all ASEAN member states, Australia, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Visitors must have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Myanmar and they need to provide two recent (4 cm x 6 cm) colour passport photos (head and shoulders only).

Visitors who overstay for up to 90 days will be fined US$3 a day, while those who overstay more than 90 days will need to pay a fine of US$5 for each day in the country after the visa expired.

“Business visas can be extended on the recommendation of the ministries concerned,” he added.

Applicants must also have a letter of invitation from a sponsoring company to cover the first business trip which cannot be extended.

The sponsoring company must produce copies of company registration, business license, or evidence of permission to do business issued by the ministries concerned.

The application must also provide details of the workplace, including its location, as well as the sponsor’s name and position they hold in their business.

Visa-on-arrival application forms can be obtained from the Immigration department, airlines that fly to Myanmar or online at the ministry’s website (www.mip.gov.mm/visaonarrival).