Anna is a co-founder of Adventure in You and has been traveling the world for the last 9 years. She has spent time living in Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, and Spain and is our local expert in these areas. Her expertise on travel, gear, and building businesses have been featured on Foundr, Business Insider, Yahoo Travel, and more.
Given that traveling to Myanmar is becoming more and more popular, one of the most common questions that we get from our readers who read our Myanmar content is regarding visas and how to get them.
Between the stunning pagodas, beautiful sunrises, and incredible local culture, it is no surprise that more and more travelers and visiting Myanmar while in Southeast Asia. In fact, Myanmar is now a common stop in the usual Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam sojourn that most backpackers go on.
In this article, I will cover exactly how to get a visa for Myanmar, including its validity and rough costs.
A few years ago, getting a visa on arrival was possible, but nowadays, the Burmese government seemed to have taken this away except for a few nationalities. If you are from any of the neighboring ASEAN nations (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, or Vietnam), you are able to enter and get a visa on arrival, allowing you to travel freely within the country.
For those who are not ASEAN residents and who wish to go to Myanmar, you have two options. You can either enter the country by applying in a designated Myanmar embassy or through their Electronic Visa application.
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For those applying electronically, while there are a few travel agents who claim that they can arrange this for you, you can also visit the Ministry of Immigration’s website to apply for your own. The downside is that it is often unreliable and is only slowly making strides.
As of April 2018, they announced that they are now able to expedited services, allowing you to apply for a regular Tourist Visa with results being e-mailed to you within 24 hours. As this is all relatively new, we are still waiting on feedback from people who have tried this service themselves. If you want more information, click here to complete the application for Myanmar eVisa
Prior to applying though, the e-visa has a few rules to abide by:
Currently, passengers with eVisa are only permitted to enter via following ports :
Yangon International Airport
Mandalay International Airport
Nay Pyi Taw International Airport
Tachileik Land Border Checkpoint
Myawaddy Land Border Checkpoint
Kawthaung Land Border Checkpoint
If you are traveling to Myanmar via boat, you will need to secure a visa beforehand as electronic visas are not honored in any of the seaports. You can check the rest of their rules and regulations in applying for a eVisa for Myanmar here.
Myanmar Visa Validity & Cost:
It is important to note that the validity of the eVisa approval letter is 90 days from the issued date. If it is expired, your entry will be denied. Your visa is valid for 28 days, plus the chance to extend for another 14, giving you a total of 42 days.
You will also need to have the information of where you are staying in Myanmar as you are only allowed to stay in registered hotels, motels, inns, guest house and resort during your stay in Myanmar.
Myanmar eVisa Cost: $56 (as of May 2018) for updated prices, please check the website linked above.
Myanmar Visa from an Embassy
Apart from the eVisa, a more reliable option on how to get a visa for Myanmar is by applying in your nearest Burmese/ Myanmar consulate. If you’re already in Asia, the most convenient one is located in Bangkok.
Here, you can get a visa in 1-2 days or they also have an express, same day service which is a lot more expensive. It is important to go here ahead of time as their visa center is only open from 9am-12pm. The lines can get pretty long so make sure you go early. When we were living in Thailand, we learned from experience that it is best to check government websites ahead of time in case they were closed for a public holiday!
Documents for Myanmar Visa
In order to get your visa from the nearest consulate, you will need two passport photos, cash, and a photocopy of the photo/personal details page of your passport. If you are having your visa expedited, you need to show your plane ticket to Myanmar. Sometimes, they will also ask for the name of your guesthouse or hotel so keep this in mind.
Myanmar Embassy Bangkok
Train Station :Â Surasak
Address : 132, Sathorn Nua Road, Bangkok, 10500
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As soon as you get to Myanmar, there is no shortage of things to do. We highly recommend that you check out this Myanmar two-week itinerary that we created, featuring the best things to do in the country. If you’re looking for a one stop shop for flights, tours, and activities while in the country, I also recommend that you check out Flymya, a local tour operator which offers reasonable local tours around the country.
For more travel inspiration, check out our comprehensive guide on Myanmar travel tips as well as our What to Wear in Myanmar guide to help you figure out what to bring with you during this trip.
There you have it! Hopefully, this article has helped you figure out when and where to apply for a visa for Myanmar.
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