The Myanmar passport is the passport issued to citizens of Myanmar, formerly Burma, for the purpose of international travel.
| Myanmar passport နိုင်ငံကူးလက်မှတ် | |
|---|---|
 Front cover of a Myanmar passport. | |
 Bio data page | |
| Type | Passport |
| Issued by | Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| First issued | 1948 (first version) April 2010 (machine-readable passport) 2023 (current version) |
| Purpose | Identification |
| Valid in | All countries |
| Eligibility | Myanmar citizenship |
| Expiration | 5 years |
| Cost | Ks 40,000 |
Offices
editIn 2014, authorities opened new passport issuing centres in Myanmar in addition to the existing two offices in Yangon and Mandalay. The new offices were opened in each seven states and seven regions of Myanmar, and also in the country’s capital Naypyidaw. [1]
In 2022, a new QR code system was introduced as a new requirement for applicants. The system was taken offline in December 2022. Many passport applicants now rely on brokers who charge different prices for faster appointment dates. Overseas embassies often require applicants to visit in-person to schedule appointments, placing burdens on applicants in foreign cities without an embassy.[2]
Types
editIn April 2010 the Myanmar passport was upgraded from hand-written to machine readable passport.[3]
There are three types of passport issued primarily by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Government officials are issued with a green passport. Diplomats are issued with a blue passport. All other citizens receive a red passport.[4] The red passport is valid for 5 years and the green passport for three.[5]
In 2016, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that nine types of passports in different colours would be issued to Myanmar citizens. The nine types are:
- PB – Business Passport;
- PT – Dependent Passport;
- PJ – Job Passport;
- PR – Religious Passport;
- PS – Seaman Passport;
- PE – Student Passport;
- PV – Visit Passport;
- PD – Diplomatic Passport and
- PO – Official Passport.[6]
The three most common types issued are PV, PS and PJ passports. PJ Passport holders have been required to present an additional Overseas Worker Identification Card since the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.[2]
Passport Information
editIdentity Information Page
editThe Myanmar passport includes the following data:
- Photo of Passport Holder
- Type
- Country Code
- Passport No.
- Name
- Nationality
- Date of Birth
- Sex
- Place of Birth
- Date of Issue
- Date of Expiry
- Authority (issuing passport)
- Holder's Signature
The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone.
The passport does not include a Given or Last Name section as Burmese names do not typically have a serial structure nor patronymic/matronymic names.[7]
Languages
editThe data page/information page is printed in English.
The passport is printed in English and Burmese.
Visa requirements
edit
As of January 2018, Myanmar ordinary passport holders can travel to Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam without a visa. They are permitted to enter and remain in those countries for not more than 14 days without visa except the Philippines and Singapore, which permits a stay of up to 30 days. [8]
Visa on Arrival for Myanmar citizens is available in Maldives and Macau while eVisa is available to enter India.[9][10] The Transit Without Visa (TWOV) is applicable at KLIA and KLIA2 airport for Myanmar citizens holding ordinary passport for a maximum of 120 hours stop-over in Malaysia.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Former passports
edit
Prior to Burmese independence in 1948, British Indian passports were issued to residents of Burma when it was a part of the British Raj.[18]
References
edit- ^ "Myanmar Govt Opens 15 New Passport Issuing Offices". 10 January 2014.
- ^ a b Aung Naing (10 February 2023). "As many head for the exits, Myanmar junta slams door on hopes for better life abroad".
- ^ Kyaw Hsu Mon (1 April 2015). "Home Affairs Ministry to Overhaul Burmese Passports". The Irrawaddy.
- ^ "9 types of passports to be issued for Myanmar citizens".
- ^ "Online passport applications temporarily suspended". Mizzima. 7 December 2022.
- ^ "9 types of passports to be issued for Myanmar citizens". 1 November 2016.
- ^ "Burmese Names: A Guide". Mi Mi Khaing. The Atlantic. February 1958
- ^ "List of Countries Having Bilateral Visa Exemption Agreements with Myanmar" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ^ "A thirty day free visa is issued on arrival for all Nationalities". Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ^ "e-Visa Facility is available for nationals of following countries/territories".
- ^ "Transit Without Visa (TWOV), Malaysia".
- ^ "Transit Without Visa (TWOV), Malaysia". Archived from the original on 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
- ^ "Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar Get Visa-Free Entry to Indonesia - News - PATA". pata.org. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Vietnam Waives Visa Requirement for Burmese Travelers". irrawaddy.org. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ "Visa-free deal signed with Cambodia". mmtimes.com. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ^ "Myanmar, Indonesia hammer out visa-free agreement". ttgasia.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ "PHL-Myanmar agreement on visa exemption takes effect on January 4, 2014". gov.ph. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "Dominions 1931-1947". Historical Atlas of the British Empire. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 16 December 2015.