Want to travel to Myanmar? Confused about where to start? Well, we here at Tourist visa online will guide you to the destination right on time. All you have to do is follow some of the instruction which is laid down by the government of Myanmar regarding the visa taking and its application. These laws combine to form something called the visa policy of Myanmar. This visa policy if you follow will lead you to get a confirmed visa to your final destination! So no waiting anymore, let's dive in! But before we get to the actual content let’s take a quick look at what Myanmar is all about!
About Myanmar:
Myanmar more commonly known as Burma or the republic of the Union of Myanmar is a place where the pagodas stand tall and have attracted a lot of tourists from worldwide just to see its wonders. This country located in Southeast Asia has always had immense popularity attached to it. It has also been a member of the association of the Southeast Asian nations more commonly called as the ASEAN since about 1997. Pagoda being mentioned clearly states that this country has a dominant Buddhist religion followed by the people. It is also a country that you will find filled with all sorts of natural products right from jades and gems to oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources. This makes one big part of the economy of the republic of the union of Myanmar! Now that we know a bit about the country it is time that we check how is it that you will be able to enter this amazing country by getting your visa.
What is a visa?
One of the most asked questions that first-timers always have to face! This answer can be answered by some in a simple manner but there is no way anyone can put this document into a single sentence. This visa is a document that carries your identity to another country. It is because the identity card that you might own in your own country will be an invalid one in another foreign country; this is why a visa has to be taken when you go to a foreign country. Now let it be for a business or a tour trip, you always will have to identify yourself in a foreign country to be able to live there. This is why you also need to take a visa to Myanmar as well!
Myanmar Visa exemption List:
Well, sure not everyone requires a visa when you go to Myanmar. So here’s a list that will help you get an idea of whether you should take a visa before going to Myanmar or not!
Visa-free travel for 30 days:
The people of the following countries can go to Myanmar without a visa and stay for 30 days:
| 30 Days Visa Exempt Countries for Myanmar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Vietnam | Hong Kong |
| Japan | Macao | South Korea |
All of the above-mentioned countries are those whose nationals can go to Myanmar and stay for up to 30 days. It can either be for a business tour or even for a tourism purpose, either of these two purposes will allow the foreigner to stay for 30 days in Myanmar. However, those who belong to Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, and South Korea can stay in Myanmar for only about 30 days if they go for a tourism purpose, these citizens cannot enter on a business purpose and stay without a visa.
Visa-free stay for 14 days:
Apart from those countries that can stay for about 30 days, Myanmar has also allowed some of the other countries to stay for about 14 days. The countries can be listed as below:
| Myanmar Visa Exempt Countries For 14 Days | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | Cambodia | Indonesia |
| Laos | Philippines | Thailand |
Those people who belong to any of the above-listed countries can get a visa-free stay of about 14 days in Myanmar. However according to the rule set by the government of Myanmar, any of these countries’ nationals who wishes to enter Myanmar without a visa must arrive and depart only through Yangon International Airport, Nay Pyi Taw International Airport or Mandalay International airport or else they will not be able to avail this service.
Visa on arrival for foreign countries:
Those citizens of the following countries are allowed to go to Myanmar and then take a visa once they arrive at the airport. The list of countries is as follows:
| Myanmar Visa on arrival countries list | ||
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Austria | China |
| Czech Republic | Germany | Hungary |
| India | Italy | Luxembourg |
| New Zealand | Russia | Spain |
| Switzerland | ||
All of the nationals from any of these countries can have a stay of 30 days once they take a visa on arrival at any of the following airports:
- Yangon International airport
- Nay Pyi Taw International Airport
- Mandalay International Airport
Availability of an electronic visa:
Apart from the visa on arrival option, people can also avail of an electronic visa which was launched on the 1st of September in the year 2014. This electronic visa for people can only be given for two purposes, either for a business purpose or for a tourism purpose. Apart from these, you cannot avail of the other types of visas through an online method. The visa once issued will be valid for a total of 90 days and will allow the people to stay for 28 days if on a tourist visa and will allow 70 days for those people who enter on a business visa. The visas which have been issued for children who are under 7 years of age will get it for free.
The number of countries that could access this facility was low and hence the expansion of the list took place twice. Once in October 2014 and the other time the expansion took place in January 2015. It was during July 2015 that the business electronic visa was also included in the list.
The holders of the electronic visas must enter only through one of the following entry points:
- Yangon International Airport
- Nay Pyi Taw International Airport
- Mandalay International Airport
- Kawthaung land border checkpoint with Thailand
- Myawaddy land border checkpoint with Thailand
- Tachileik land border checkpoint with Thailand
- Rihkhawdar land border checkpoint with India
- Tamu land border checkpoint with India
The list of the countries that can get the electronic visas can be given as follows:
| Citizens of the following countries can get a Myanmar tourist e-visa. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Algeria | Argentina | Australia | Austria | Bangladesh |
| Belarus | Belgium | Bhutan | Bolivia | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Brazil |
| Brunei | Bulgaria | Cambodia | Cameroon | Canada | Chile |
| China | Colombia | Costa Rica | Cote D'ivoire | Croatia | Cyprus |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Ecuador | Egypt | Eritrea | Estonia |
| Fiji | Finland | France | Georgia | Germany | Ghana |
| Greece | Guatemala | Guinea | Hungary | Iceland | India |
| Indonesia | Ireland | Italy | Jamaica | Japan | Jordan |
| Kazakhstan | Kenya | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Latvia |
| Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malaysia | Maldives | Malta | Mauritius |
| Mexico | Monaco | Mongolia | Morocco | Nepal | Netherlands |
| New Zealand | North Korea | Norway | Pakistan | Panama | Peru |
| Philippiness | Poland | Portugal | Qatar | Romania | Russia |
| Saudi Arabia | Serbia | Singapore | Slovakia | Slovenia | South Africa |
| South Korea | Spain | Sri Lanka | Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan |
| Thailand | Turkey | Uganda | Ukraine | United Kingdom | United States of America |
| Uruguay | Uzbekistan | Venezuela | Vietnam | ||
Passport based visa exemptions:
Myanmar allows a visa-free visit to the holders of diplomatic and official or service passports and can be divided into two categories:
1. 90 days visa-free stay for foreigners:
| 90 Days Visa Free Stay for Myanmar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | Colombia | India |
| Israel | Japan | South Korea |
| Morocco | Nepal | Russia |
| Serbia | ||
These citizens can stay for 90 days without a visa in Myanmar.
2. 30 days visa-free stay:
| 30 Days Visa Free Stay for Myanmar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Belarus | Brazil | Cambodia |
| China | North Korea | Laos |
| Malaysia | Mongolia | Sri Lanka |
| Philippines | Thailand | Vietnam |
These people can stay without a visa in Myanmar for 30 days.
Recent developments in visa strategies:
There have been advancements made in the recent technologies and how the visas are provided. For instance, the business visa on arrival is now available for about 52 countries once they enter through any of the three airports which have already been mentioned. However, they will have to show all the necessary documents which include the invitation documents and the company registration where they will be working. Without these documents obtaining a business visa on arrival will be quite difficult.
There have also been claims that the Myanmar airways allow all of the nationalities irrespective of their origin can get a visa on arrival provided that they arrive at Yangon International Airport and that too, on a specific flight which will be coming from Guangzhou.
FAQs:
Q. Can I go to Myanmar without a visa?
If you are a part of the visa exemption list then you are eligible to go to Myanmar without a visa but getting your passport and other requirements become a must.
Q. Do US citizens need a visa to visit Myanmar?
Yes, the citizens of the United States need to take a visa before they go to visit Myanmar. If it for business or tourism purposes, the people can also apply for it through an online medium which will help them get an electronic visa.
Q. Can children go to Myanmar for free?
While the children need a visa that can be obtained for free, getting children inside the country without a visa and for free will not are possible.
Q. Who needs a visa for Myanmar?
All those who do not belong to the visa exemption list must take a visa to Myanmar as stated through the visa policy of Myanmar.
