YANGON, 9 April 2018: Myanmar introduced a fast-track tourist visa, last week, that delivers confirmation within 24 hours of the application, year-round, including public holidays.
The Tourist Visa Express Service is a new trial with a streamlined approval process for all nationalities that are eligible for an e-tourist visa.
The application is made online at the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population’s website and costs USD 56 (no refunds) compared with USD 50 for the standard e-tourist visa.
The fast track service is not applicable to for the e-business visa.
The extra USD 6 guarantees a 24-hour turnaround approval via an email confirmation, 365 days of the year.
The standard e-tourist visa has a three-day response period, but in most instances the approval email arrives much earlier for online applications filed on a working day.
Myanmar’s e-Visa is hosted on the most user-friendly e-Visa website of all its ASEAN neighbours. It offers a selection of credit card payment options and easy-to-understand procedures for attaching photographs.
It is also valid for more than 100 nationalities and entry and exit can be executed through three gateway airports (Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw) and three land checkpoints (Thailand-Myanmar border).
Payment channels are also being improved with the adoption of Alipay for e-Visa online payments now in a Beta version trial, according to the ministry’s statement.
More payment channels to supplement credit cards are also being explored the ministry confirmed.
This month, Ukraine citizens became eligible to apply for a Business eVisa in addition to the tourist version.
Citizens of ASEAN countries, with the exception of Malaysia, enjoy a visa-free privilege for a stay of up to 14 days if they enter the country at one of the designated three gateway airports.
