Myanmar Relaxes Visa Rules for Indian Travelers

The South East Asian country of Myanmar relaxed visa rules for Indian travelers and said Indian citizens can now apply for visas on arrival (VOA) at the country’s three international airports in Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw.

The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population said the rules will be effective this month.

“We informed travel associations on Monday. The VOA for Indian citizens is similar to the one offered to mainland Chinese who are able to apply for them at the three international airports,” local newspaper the Myanmar Times quoted U Myo Win Nyunt, director of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism as saying.

The announcement was made as Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is in the country on a four-day visit.

Although the rule should have come into effect Dec. 1, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism said the Labor, Immigration and Population Ministry was late in issuing the new regulations, causing a delay in the rule becoming effective.
On. Oct. 1, the Labor Ministry had relaxed the visa regulations for visitors from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau. It also accorded Visa in Arrival to mainland Chinese visitors.

Quoting data from Hotels and Tourism Ministry, the newspaper said 41,197 Indian tourists visited Myanmar in 2017.

It added that from January to October this year, about 35,412 Indian tourists visited the country, an increase of 4.27 percent compared with the same period last year.

The newspaper quoted U Naung Naung Han, general secretary of Union of Myanmar Travel Association, as saying that the number of visitors from India is not substantial yet but there is a huge potential for growth. “We should prepare for the India market from now on because of a lot of Indian people are going to other countries for holidays. They may be interested in pilgrimages tours to Bagan, Mandalay and Yangon and some of Myanmar’s beautiful beach areas as well,” he said. “India is a potential market for Myanmar’s tourism offerings because we have similar religious belief as Hinduism. They also like to pay homage to pagodas such as the Shwedagon, Bagan.”

Myanmar allows visitors from over 50 countries to apply for visas on arrival at the country’s three international airports.

In Sep. 2017, the Indian government introduced free visas for all Myanmar citizens. This announcement came during the visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Myanmar.

According to India’s Tourism Ministry, there has been a 10 percent rise in travelers from Myanmar due to relaxation of visa by the Indian government.
Many Myanmar travelers go to India to visit the Bodh Gaya religious site and about 30,000 Myanmar pilgrims visited India annually. Last year more than 50,000 Myanmar pilgrims visited India, the newspaper wrote.