Burma Starting Visa-on-Arrival from June 1

Burma will issue visa on arrival and business visa to certain tourists and business travellers arriving in the country starting June 1, 2012.

The visa on arrival facility will be available to the citizens of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are the other member countries of ASEAN.

The citizens of 27 countries which have bilateral business relationship with Burma will receive business visa on priority when they arrive at an airport in Burma on a business trip to explore business opportunities or conduct business.

Immigration Department Director-General Maung Maung Than said the visas will cost US$50. It will be available to business persons from 27 counties including United States and UK.

Burma had to abolish visa on arrival programme temporarily in September 2010 as Burmese were going to general elections to elect the new government in November 2011.

The hotel and tourism industry in Burma had observed a 26 per cent increase in 2011 compared to 2010. Tourism sector generated US$ 319 million in 2011, an increase of US$65 millions from the previous year.

The statistical data from the Burma’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism indicates that over 800,000 tourists entered Burma in 2011 with a 3 per cent increase compared to 2010.

About 100,000 foreigners arrived in the country during the first two months of 2012 according to the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board.  The majority of the tourists were the residents of North America, West Europe, East Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The visas on arrival and business visa programme are expected to substantially increase the number of foreign tourists and revenue for the country once the programmes are implemented on June 1 this year.

Tags: Burma, Business Visa, Tourism, Tourist Visa, visa-on-arrival, visit visa