Burma introduces visa on arrival

[MidTMike]

The Burmese gov't has started to issue Visa on Arrival at their 2 International airports. This is great news for those of us that want to visit there.

The Burmese government has begun issuing visas on arrival for all nationalities at Rangoon and Mandalay international airports, immigration officials say.

The initiative began on 1 May, according to an official in Rangoon. Staff at the Myanmar Hotel and Tourism Enterprise’s information desk at Rangoon’s international airport said however that those who are blacklisted by the Burmese government will still be denied the visa.

“There is a restriction,” he said. “[Visa applicants] should not be on the blacklist; this will be check upon arrival at the airports. There will also be some questioning. A return ticket, sufficient amount of money and an address of the place staying also need to be declared. These are the basic requirements,” said the official.

There are different types of visas on arrival: the tourist visa for $US30 which grants 28 days to stay and cannot be extended; the business visa for $US40 for 70 days stay in the country, which can be extended; the visa for “social reasons” at $US40 for 28 days which allows extension, and the transit visa on arrival, which costs $US18 for 24 hours stay.

The Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association, which first called for use of the visa-on-arrival in 2008, has speculated there will be more tourists in Burma with the new system, which mimics that of other countries.

For the entire article:

Burma introduces visa on arrival | Democratic Voice of Burma

[Thaimo]

Though I, like most of the world, despise the Burmese government, I still have been interested in visiting Burma. This will make it easier to do.

[Wino]

The visa on arrival is good news. The generals are a bunch of power hungry idiots, but the people I have met there are some of the nicest anywhere in the world.