Myanmar hastens approval of e-visas

Myanmar, known formerly as Burma, launched a fast-track tourist visa in the first week of April to offer confirmation within one day of applying, all through the year, including on public holidays.

A new trial, the Tourist Visa Express Service is an efficient approval process for all countries where an e-tourist visa for Myanmar is accepted.

Made online at the website of the Asian country’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, the application costs $56 (non-refundable) as against $50 for the conventional e-tourist visa. This service is not available for applicants of e-business visas.

TTR Weekly says that the additional $6 assures an approval within 24 hours through an email confirmation.

For the standard e-tourist visa, the response period is three days, but in most cases, an email approving the e-visa arrives earlier than usual if online applications are lodged on a working day.

The e-visa of Myanmar, which is also valid for more than 100 countries, allows entry and exit through six ports of entry which include three gateway airports of Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay and three land checkpoints at the border of Thailand and Myanmar border.

The ministry was stated as saying that payment channels were also being enhanced after the Alipay was adopted for e-Visa online payments now in a trial of Beta version.

The ministry confirmed that more payment channels were also being considered to supplement credit cards.

In April, nationals of Ukraine became qualified to apply for the Southeast Asian country’s Business e-visa, besides the tourist e-visa.

Barring Malaysia, nationals of all other ASEAN countries can enter the country with e-visas and stay for up to 14 days if they arrive in the country at one of three gateway airports, which are designated.

If you are looking to travel to Myanmar, talk to Y-Axis, the world’s No.1 immigration and visa consultancy, to apply for a visa.