Is this a big problem?
 

For our trip to Myanmar we will fly from Bangkok arriving in Yangon on February 10, 2014 at 5:05 pm. Our return flight leaves on March 10, 2014 at 12:50 pm. The only agent who has brought up a potential problem and is asking us to change our itinerary is Santa Maria. The rep says in an e-mail that our trip is over 28 days, policy doesn't allow for that, and could we please readjust the dates. The day we are departing is day 29. Will this be a big problem?

The Myanmar tourist visa is only good for 28 days. So yes, you will need to change your itinerary.

Craig is correct that the visa is for 28 days. I've read reports of people just paying a penalty at the airport when they leave, having overstaye4d their visas, but of course, there are risks to that. Hotels typically won't allow you to stay if your visa is expires, and you may not be allowed to take a domestic flight if your visa has expired.

Change your flight. I have to admit that as much as I love visiting Burma, it's a place where I wouldn't want to cross the authorities.

That sure looks like 28 days to me. Slightly under, in fact, in terms of elapsed time, although it encompasses portions of 29 days.

If travelling with an organized group or tour, which has operated previously, you should be ok. If independent, ensure that your main travel source has done this before without problems. Elsewise, cut off a day (but there's no rush to do so).

It's a local travel agent calling this to their attention. I'd listen.

Kathie-None of the other agents had a problem with this. And these were mostly local agents. I got almost 30 replies and only Santa Maria had mentioned this. If you want to be real picky we have 27 full days in Myanmar. 7 hrs. on day 1 and 12 hrs. on day 29.

Anyway I have friends who are in the US diplomatic corps-not for Myanmar but did serve in Cambodia-and I'm waiting to see what they can find out for me. I do have plenty of time before our trip so I can make changes but i really don't want to have to cut any time away from Myanmar. I'd really like an additional 2 weeks but I'm happy with my current plan.

<I>Kathie-None of the other agents had a problem with this</I>

Now you know which agent you can trust.

Kathie is trying to be helpful not picky.

Enjoy your trip!

Burma is not the place where you would want to test any rules...!!

On TA I got different responses. Most saying I may have to pay a fine of $3 but with it being just one day not to worry. There also was a thread running on Thorn Tree/LP forum where people had much longer overstays with no problem. I could change my flight but it will cost $$. So many different opinions/answers. One said that when they arrived in the evening Myanmar immigration didn't count her day of arrival as day 1. If that's the case I'll be fine.

At least I have plenty of time to make a change is I decide to do that.

hawaiiantraveler-I didn't mean that kathie was being picky. If you look at a day being 24 hrs. (definition) then I really am only in Myanmar for 27 days. Maybe "picky" was the wrong word. I should have said "technical."

Why not just do it so you can move on to thinking about something more interesting.

Chris, as I mentioned in my first response to you, there are people who have just paid the overstay penalty at the airport. I believe the fine is $3 plus $3 per day overstay. But there are others who had problems - not being able to stay where they had reserved a room as their visa had expired, or in one case I remember, being escorted to the airport by the immigration authorities and told to get on a plane. Buying a walk-up plane ticket is much more expensive than any change fee.

Every hotel and guesthouse has to turn in a complete list of all guests every night. The list includes passport and visa numbers and expiration dates. Depending on how picky the immigration officer in that town is (and whether this place has previously had difficulties with the immigration officer), you may or may not have difficulties.

There have been many, many threads on Thorntree about visa overstays over the years. Some people had no problem others had problems. You have to decide whether you are willing to risk the hassle.

Days are counted with your arrival day being "1." They are not counted by 24-hour periods.

If you really want another two weeks in Burma, then go for 28 days, fly out to Bangkok, get another visa in Bangkok and fly back for up to another 28 days.

If I were in your situation, I would change my ticket just so I didn't!t have the uncertainty hanging over my head. While it probably would work out okay, why travel with the anxiety that you might have some problems? One more "extra" expense will probably won't be felt in the overall cost of the trip. My own opinion of course. Each of us have different things we're willing to risk and what is important for our comfort levels.

chris---I've looked at your picture... you don't look dumb.. why would you question or test this??

We here at Fodors are telling you it is a problem and one none of us here would travel with hanging over our heads waiting to spoil a great trip. TT and LP people obviously think and travel much differently. You get to make the choice.....

To quote a famous fodorite "it is what it is"

Aloha!

Because only one agent brought up the issue and others didn't doesn't mean that the others don't consider it an issue. Maybe they are not smart enough to work out 28 days. How is 1 day less going to affect the quality of your holiday?

I wouldn't want the worry hanging over my head in an Asian country.

Ok Fodorites. I was just on the Santa Maria website checking out some stuff and decided to click on this which I had not done before. Imagine my surprise. Now I have to have Karene from the SM agency check this for me. It's an interesting read as it clearly states there is a way to stay more than 28 days for extra visa fees, strong reason, and a lot of time which I have.

www.myanmartravels.net/passportandvisa.htm

Here is the quote about visa extensions: " they can be extended up to 14-days with additional visa fees, strong reasons & a lot of your time! " A lot of time doesn't mean a lot of time to travel, but your willingness to spend many hours on many days at the office in Yangon trying to get the visa extension. While the visa extension rule has been on the books for years, no one I know (and not one of the people I know on Thorntree) has ever managed to get the visa extension. Indeed, the standard advice on Thorntree for those wanting to stay longer is to exit to Bangkok when your first visa is up, get a new visa and return to Myanmar. You might ask on Thorntree whether anyone has managed to get a visa extension. I haven't been on Thorntree for a few months, maybe something has changed.

There is a guy on Thorntree who decided to test this a few years back. He spent several weeks in Yangon trying to get an extension, finally had to leave because his visa expired, and decided the extension existed in name only.

Do let us know how you do with this.

You can overstay but at your own peril. Santa Maria is just letting you know. I dealt with them also and I did change my trip by 1 day, it was less of a worry in case it was a bad day for immigration and they want to make an issue. If you really want to stay I would suggest that you contact the local embassy where you would get your visa and inquire about overstay as the rules are always changing.

"...contact the local embassy ... and inquire... as the rules are always changing."

Indeed, and could again after the OP gets an answer. I see no up side in giving this a try.

Many of us here have been in a number of consulates in our time and there's often one someone who didn't bother to read the rules and are carrying on loudly, even berating the staff because they're being denied for a perfectly preventable reason. My most recent experience was observed, coincidentally, at the Myanmar consulate in Hanoi. The OP, I think, is one of these.

didn't we warn you???

I was told I would be approved for an extra 2 weeks even though I only need 1 day. Some extra paperwork, an extra small fee. The permanent mission of the union of Myanmar in NY City as I live in NY state. With perseverance you can triumph! I'm glad I didn't rearrange my entire schedule!

MmePerdu-No one has ever considered me to be as the type of person you were describing in your last paragraph. I am a retired first grade teacher who also has done social work with neglected and abused children. I would never act in the kind of manner you described and your words were very hurtful.

I do follow the rules and that's why I posted my question to see if my 29 day proposed trip would be a problem. Initially I didn't realize I had 29 days. I thought it was 28. Because I am mindful of rules, etc. I had decided to check further into the overstay question. I e-mailed the main embassy in Washington, DC and received a quick response.

I thank everyone for their advice and words of caution but the original problem no longer exists. Now I don't have to try to reschedule our 3 month trip. The only issue at hand now is whether or not we will be able to do our days in Mrauk U due to the shaky situation in that area. Our back up plan would be to extend our time in Ngapali and Yangon.

kathie-The reason some may not have bothered to carry through with getting the extension is that there are pages of extra paperwork and the fee for the extension is way more than the fine/penalty fee for a 1 day overstay. About 10X more but I am a rule follower so I will fill out the paperwork, pay the extra money, and have a fun time.

chris, do you now have a visa extension in your passport? Or have you just been assured that it will be approved? As I think about this, others have been told the extension can only be entered into the passport in Yangon - Is this what you have been told? I will be very interested in how this all works out for you. Please do let us know. If you get an extension, you will be the first person I know of who has succeeded in this.

I e-mailed the Myanmar Embassy in Washington, DC and this is the response I got. I need to make my request specific to the extension when I will apply for our regular visa. We don't arrive in Yangon until 2/10/2014 so I won't be applying for our visas until late November 2013. I'll certainly let you know how it all goes!

I'll look forward to your report!

Chris, there are those who come here not to accept answers to their questions but to have their intended course of action supported. I cannot conceive of going to the bother and feeling the uncertainty for 1 extra day. The course is obvious, to leave on the proscribed day as good authority, Santa Maria, has instructed. And, please, do not go tooting your own horn. It has no bearing on your predicament whatever. Tell it to the guys at Myanmar immigration

Perhaps you might muffle your own horn, MMe. It's jarring for the collegial Asia board.

Muffle muffle.

Given the many years when a visa extension has been "on the books" but impossible to get, I'm very interested to see what Chris's experience with it will be.

Immigration and law enforcement in Burma is not predictable, and bureaucrats interpret the law different ways (or simply ignore it). When an immigration officer wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and decides to detain someone in a Burmese holding cell because they felt it absolutely necessary to stay one extra day, I don't have an ounce of pity.