Getting Your Myanmar Visa in Bangkok

This hub will discuss exactly what you need to get your visa at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok. It is possible to get your visas elsewhere, but if you want to pick it up same-day or next day, Bangkok is the place to be.

Some things to know before we start: as of right now (July 2013) there are no visas on arrival to Myanmar. Any site that is advertising this, or offering to get your visa for you is either gouging you, or, worse, scamming you. You do not want to show up at the Yangon airport without a real visa. It is worth it to take a few hours out of your trip to make sure that you have the correct documentation.

Your passport

A photocopy of your passport

2 passport sized photos of yourself

A copy of your flight itinerary

The address you are staying at in Yangon

Your work history for the past ten years

ADDRESS:

1 Sathorn Soi 3 South Sathorn Rd

Bangkok 10120, Thailand

02-2340278

HOURS:

It is open from 9AM to 12PM, Monday-Friday.

PRICES:

Same day visas cost: 1260Baht or 40USD

Next day visas cost 1000Baht or 32USD

Three day visas cost 810Baht or 26USD

You can get there by cab or subway. This is just a general Bangkok tip, but if you take a cab make sure you ask them to run the meter. Otherwise, a 3 dollar cab ride can easily cost 15 dollars.

If you take the SkyTrain, the embassy is close to the Surasak stop. Walk down Sathorn Road till you hit Thanon Pan. You should see the embassy. There will be a line of people at the entrance, and a sign that says “VISA HOURS.”

Show up early. The embassy accepts applications from 9-12. We got there at 7AM and there was already 30 people in line. Give yourself plenty of time. The embassy can experience random closures. We were lucky because the day we were there was the day before they closed for a “meeting,” and two days before they closed for New Years.

Have all your documents ready, and while one person stays in line, have another person run down the street to one of the conveniently placed copy shops. They have extra copies of the visa application forms, and you can fill them out while you wait in line. This will save you time once you’re allowed in the embassy.

Once you’re in the embassy, assuming you have your documents ready you will skip the line waiting to receive documents and skip straight to the line to drop them off. You will hand them your passport, and get the time and day you can return to pick them up.

There are plenty of rumors about people of certain professions not being allowed into Myanmar. If you are a writer, or are involved in politics it’s better to err on the side of safety and to avoid leaving obvious red flags on your application. I think I said I was a student. I was told they will google your name to see if anything shows up, but I’m not sure if that’s true. Googling my name brings up a lot of my activism work, and I was given a visa, no problem.

Once again, show up early to pick up your visa. There is no AC in the building and it will be hot midday. There will be plenty of Thai locals there who get paid to pick up visa for the pay sites. They will cut in front of you and request twenty or thirty visas each. This is normal, and it’s up to you whether or not you fight it, or you let it bother you. I was appalled to see the way normal society broke down in the embassy. Hot sweaty humans were pushing and shoving eachother to get their applications. Hopefully, it won’t be like this for you, but be ready. Maintain your ground, and you’ll get your visa, no problem.

Good luck, and have fun in the most beautiful place in the world.