Mar 25 2011
How to get a Burmese visa in Singapore
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With affordable flights to Rangoon (Yangon) courtesy of JetStar Airways, Singapore is second only to Thailand as a launching point for travels to Burma. And if you’re considering a visit to Burma now that Aung San Suu Kyi has given the nod to independent travellers visiting, Singapore is a good spot to get your visa, as it has a Burmese Embassy where you can apply for a four-week tourist visa.
Burma: it's worth the visa hassle
Officially, this is what you need to apply for a visa if you are a “Foreign Independent Traveller” (i.e. not on a package tour):
- 2 completed visa application forms (you can download it here)
- 2 passport-sized photos
- a photocopy of the picture page in your passport
- a passport valid for at least 6 months
- S$35 fee payable in cash
Despite following these instructions perfectly (they’re also posted at the Embassy), I was turned away on my first attempt to get a visa. I was told that, as a tourist from a Western country, I also had to provide the following:
- a letter stating the purpose of my trip and where in Burma I would visit
- proof of my occupation (a business card would suffice)
- a copy of my flight itinerary
This may sound a bit extreme, but remember that the issuance of tourist visas is entirely at their discretion so there is no use debating the visa requirements with the embassy staff. After returning with the additional information my application was accepted.
Visa application hours are from 9:30 – 12:30 Monday to Friday. Visas take 3 or 4 working days to process and can be collected 15:00 – 17:00. It’s also possible to apply for a business visa or a social visit visa (for visiting family or a spouse in Burma). Full details can be found on the official website.
The Embassy of the Union of Myanmar is located at 15 St. Martin’s Drive, within walking distance of Orchard Road MRT station. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 17:00. Questions can be directed to (65) 6735 0209 or ambassador@mesingapore.org.sg.
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Tags: visas
Please, visit Myanmar. I know about the issues, but I can assure you, it is a great country to visit, with absolutely adorable people and unparalleled temples. Me and my company loved it so much last December, we pledged to return soon.
By the way, procedures and requirements to get a tourist visa in the The Embassy of the Union of Myanmar in Jakarta, are more or less the same as those of the Singapore branch. Initially they try to discourage you, but once you are past the Immigration thing, it is all highlights !
The information about the procedure of getting the Burmese visa in Singapore is really good .It seems to be beneficial to all the people who need it.Thanks for this post.
I really enjoyed my time traveling in Myanmar – the visa hassle was worth it!
[...] proof of our lodgings or event present our plane tickets. Which is contrary to what I read in this blog which state he/she needed a statement of intent, a copy of his.her business card and printed [...]
Don’t wait to get your Visa in Singapore unless you’re Singaporean. I did that and after waiting in line for over 3 hours out in the heat, they told me it would be a minimum of 10 working days processing time, despite having all over their website that it was only 2 days. Really messed up my travel plans. Did require a business card too, so make sure to have some printed up. Best option is to apply in your own country before leaving on your trip, but we were on a long trip and the Visa is only good for 3 months so we couldn’t do that.
Just a little clarity for those departing from Singapore – it only requires 10 working days if you’re not based in Singapore (e.g. a tourist in Singapore applying for a visa to Myanmar for the next leg of his/her trip). The reason why it takes so long is because the embassy in Singapore will send your application to the embassy in your home country.
If you are working / studying / a PR in Singapore, and have the documents to prove it, you get the same process as Singaporeans – sometimes you can submit and collect on the very next working day.
Also, if you’re not keen on waiting 3 hours out in the heat, why not check out some online visa application sites? http://www.myanmarvisa.com.sg does an end-to-end home/office pick-up and delivery service.