Travellers headed to Myanmar would do well to apply for a Myanmar visa on time. Arranging this document in advance will allow you to avoid going through the hassle of the visa on arrival once you land in Myanmar.
Attention with Visa on Arrival
The visa on arrival isn’t meant for tourist travellers but for business people that meet certain strict requirements. Furthermore, the possibilities with a visa on arrival are limited. That’s why we strongly discourage using this method. Apply for a Myanmar visa in advance, that is the best and safest way to travel to the country.
Myanmar visa or visa on arrival?
In some cases, it is possible to purchase a visa on arrival. However, this only applies to business people. Tourists cannot apply for a visa on arrival at any of the border crossings. This includes the very popular border with Thailand.
At the Thailand-Myanmar border, a visa on arrival can theoretically be applied for, but certain very strict requirements apply. This visa for business trips is only valid for 70 days, and you can only stay in the border place Tachilek for a maximum of 24 hours. It is not permitted to travel to other parts of the country, as this is forbidden under the rules of the visa on arrival. A visa on arrival is purely a transit visa. The visa costs 20 dollars and might seem cheaper, but it is also a lot more limited.
On top of that, the chance exists that the immigration service of Myanmar will consider you a tourist rather than a business traveller. As tourists cannot apply for a visa on arrival, this could lead to serious trouble. That’s why it is strongly recommended to apply for your Myanmar visa online, whether you are a tourist or a business traveller.
Don’t take any chances, get your Myanmar visa
A Myanmar visa is the best way to be certain that you will be allowed to enter the country. All travellers headed to Myanmar are required to get this visa in advance. The only exceptions are inhabitants of Myanmar that carry a valid passport. This means that all British travellers need a visa.
It is important to note here that the visa has no age limit. This means that people of all ages need to apply for one, including minors. The application can be easily submitted online and costs £79.95 per person. No visit to the embassy of Myanmar will need to be made.
The Myanmar visa is basically an electronic document, which is why it is also often referred to as an e-visa. This document states that the traveller has been granted permission to travel to the country, and will be allowed through the passport check on arrival. This is the reason it is also called an ‘approval letter’. The actual visa itself will be stamped onto the passport at the passport check.
A visa on arrival comes with extra costs, a so-called stamping fee which is charged on top of the application costs for a visa on arrival. In the case of the digital Myanmar visa, all costs have already been charged during the online application procedure. This means that once you arrive in Myanmar, you won’t need to pay again.
Myanmar visa requirements
A business visa is only valid for 70 days, while the Myanmar visa is valid for 90 days. You can stay in Myanmar for a maximum of 28 consecutive days. Even if you arrive on the 90th day of the visa, you can still stay for 28 days. It is also possible to change the date of arrival once the visa has been issued.
Keep the Myanmar visa requirements in mind. This concerns a single entry visa, which means you can only enter the country once. On arrival, the passport must be valid for at least 6 more months, and an overnight stay must have already been booked if you want to apply for the visa. Working on this visa is not permitted. This also applies to volunteer work. On arrival, the traveller must be able to present a return flight ticket.
Furthermore, travellers are only allowed to arrive at a select few locations, namely: Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw or via Kawthaung, Myawaddy, Tachileik, Tamu or Rih Khaw Dar. The same holds for leaving the country. If you want to arrive at or leave from a different location, you need to apply for a special visa at the Myanmar embassy.
Urgent Myanmar visa
It is possible to apply for a Myanmar visa 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is recommended to arrange your visa several weeks before departure. You do not need to have booked a flight ticket yet to apply for a visa. It takes an average of 7 days for the visa to be approved. Travellers that are going to Myanmar in less than 9 days are advised to submit an urgent application.
Please note: this news article about the visa for Myanmar is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Myanmar.