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Okay, first thing first to all those backpackers who love to show up in a country expecting to simply walk through the immigration check, here’s the newsflash: You need a visa to enter Myanmar no matter what passport you hold.
Now, the good thing, it’s damn easy to get a Myanmar visa, all you have to do is submit an online evisa application, take the printout and show it to the immigration check at the airport. The single entry visa for the tourists comes with a validity of 28 days.
More than hundred countries are eligible to apply for the eVisa, thankfully the list includes India as well.Visit the Myanmar’s Ministry of Immigration and Population website: http://evisa.moip.gov.mm. Fill in your passport and travel details, you also have to submit your accomodation details (your hotel address). If you have not done any hotel booking yet, don’t worry pick any decent three star hotel in the city you are arriving and use the address. Alternatively, you can book with booking.com, many of the listed hotels don’t charge any fee at the time of booking.
The Myanmar eVisa costs US$50 and the payment can be made easily using a credit card. Upon successful processing of your application you’ll receive an approval letter in your email. The letter typically takes 1-2 days to arrive.
Keep the printout of the approval letter and show it to the immigration officer at the airport or at the border crossing with Thailand. The visa is instant, and you will receive a stamp – your ticket to the wonders of Myanmar.
The visa can be obtained at any of the international airport at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw. The visa is a also available at three border crossing with Thailand: Tachileik, Myawadi and Kawthoung.
My Myanmar Visa experience
For me, getting the Myanmar visa turned out to be really smooth, textbook smooth in-fact. I applied online at the Myanamar govt. site and I received my approval the very next day. The only challenge I had was figuring out the ‘address in Myanmar’ For the eVisa form the address field is mandatory. But fear not, simply visit any of the online booking sites such as agoda.com or booking.com and simply copy the address of a decent looking hotel.
I didn’t book the hotel in advance but it is possible to book one as there are many hotels which don’t charge any booking fees.
My port of entry in Myanamar was Yangon international airport, I caught a flight from Bangkok. The ticket was dirt cheap! (around 3000 INR). The immigration process was very simple and quick. My flight arrived early morning around 7 so that probably helped too. There is no special kiosk to issue visa, you simply need to pass through the check and there officer will check your visa and then stamp you passport. And that’s it, you are in!