Pre arranged visa Burma available again.
 

According to Santa Maria website the pre arranged visa is available again.

On the Belgian Myanmar embassy website the message that VOA was suspended has disappeared. Application forms can be downloaded.

http://www.myanmartravels.net/onarrival-myanmarvisa.htm

The pre-arranged visa is available and has been for a while, but it is more expensive than getting your visa ahead of time in your own country or in Bangkok where the visa fee is $20.

The pre-arranged visa is $30 according to the website. I don't know whether there are additional charges on arrival or not.

Visa on arrival was suspended prior to last year's election and has not been re-instated.

Interestingly, there is a visa on arrival if you fly direct from Siem Reap to Yangon on Myanmar Air (the govt airline)

Yes, Lori, that's true. It just shows what is possible if you have the right connections ;-)

Many people have wondered whether this arrangement is a precursor to re-introducing the VOA, but interestingly, this is the only Myanmar Air route they do allow VOA>

Myanmar travel agencies can arrange VOA if you book an itinerary with them. Santa Maria charges $50 for VOA.

In Canada the visa fee thru the Myanmar Embassy in Ottawa is $30. Return courier fees are about $30 as well. So I have decided to have SM do VOA for me.

I didn't know the visa fee in Canada was higher than in the US. Let us know how you like the pre-arranged visa - how much time does it take at the airport, etc.

I did not realize that you could get them on arrival. I just sent ours off last week to Ottawa and return Priority post was $32 , $16 each way, so yes more expensive but split by three. I will be interested in how it goes for you Smacdvanbc. You leave soon dont you?

To clarify, it's a pre-arranged visa, not a visa on arrival. It's confusing because Burma had a VOA briefly, before suspending it. And they sometimes use the term VOA to mean a pre-arranged visa.

VOA means you can just show up and buy a visa. What is being talked about here is a pre-arranged visa. You fill out forms, forward them to the travel agency, which must get them reviewed and approved by a government agency. Then you are sent an approval email, which you have to present in order to board your flight. When you get to Yangon, you go to what they call a visa on arrival desk (really, other than the one Myanmar AIr flight from Siem Reap, it's a desk for pre-approved visas) and get the visa put into your passport.

I know this sounds picky, but it's an important distinction.

SM is meeting me at the airport and is able to 'pluck' me out of the line prior to Immigration because of the pre-arranged visa, they say. They will then 'guide' me through arrival procedures.

And Kathy, eventho the Canadian and US dollars are virtually the same these days, we seem to pay more for everything in Canada than you do in the US....except perhaps water and electricity.

And live42day, I am leaving Vancouver on Cathay Pacific at 2:00am Dec 25th with a 3 night stopover in Hong Kong and a one week visit to Bangkok before arriving in Myanmar on Jan 5th.

Ah, flying on Christmas - I've done that often. There are usually plenty of empty seats!

Do let us know how the pre-arranged visa goes for you.

Santa Maria is great. They are even going to change some money for us on arrival, since we're headed straight for a flight to Mandalay.

I'm looking forward to all of the Burma trip reports!

Thanks for the clarification Kathy. I personally feel better knowing I have things in my hot little hand, especially when I am arranging everything for two others as well.

I am looking forward to your report Kathie, as Smacdvanbc is going to be there the same time as we will. I am curious as to whether I will be able to use my little lap top and do some of my own report while in Burma,or if I will have to wait until I get to Thailand

It's been awhile since I've been here -- happy to read more details as they evolve from all of you -- Kathie -- nice blog you've put up!
We are still fleshing out plans (had thought to go to Marrakech but that looks unlikely now). Last year planning Turkey -- I definitely missed the incredible detail of the Asia boards.

jenskar bringing this back up to the top reminds me of a report I read recently on Thorntree. A guy reported that his visa on arrival was decline by the government. He has no idea why and there is nothing he can do about it but apply elsewhere. So if you want the pre-arranged visa, apply well in advance, so you still have other options if you get declined.

I hope you can go to Burma, jens, it's an amazing place.

I just received my Burma Visa today. It took under three weeks to get it back from Ottawa and cost $36 rtn in postage.
FYI Kathie, in Canada they are only valid for three months from the date of issue. My visa says it expires Jan 18 2012, and we leave Burma on Jan 16th.

Kathie,never mind. It is valid for 28 days after I arrive and good for arrival up until Jan 18th as you said. Simple things confuse me......

That is the same in the US. I believe it means that you can use the visa to enter Burma until Jan. 18. And once you enter, it is good for a maximum of 28 days. I just had Fedex pick up my visa application going to the Embassy in Washington DC. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to be returned.

what date are you leaving Shelley?

I leave the US on Jan.14 and arrrive in Myanmar on Jan.16.

the day we leave. Too bad

My husband and I will arrive in Myanmar on Thursday-Oct 27th! We have a non-stop flight from Hanoi. Based upon comments on this board, we are using Santa Maria and I must say they have been great so far!

They arranged our visa and the email documents arrived last week. And like others, because of late arrival and early departure the next day, they will exchange money for us.

Stay tuned for more reports!

Gail, I will look forward to your report!

For the record, I wanted to report that in the end I decided to apply for my visa in Canada. I got freaked out that my VOA through Santa Maria might be declined and I wouldn't know until almost departure.

So I applied to the Myanmar Embassy in Canada. It took exactly 2 weeks to process including return courier times. It cost me about $75 all in, including photo costs....about $25 more than the all in cost for VOA. But I now have it in hand. For me, the extra $25 has been worth the reduction in anxiety.

I am glad you did too. I know that I never like leaving things to chance or other peoples control. I guess you are getting excited about going, I know I am.

I always prefer to have my visa in hand, so I KNOW I will not have any problems. I too would consider the extra £££ worth it. Hope you will do a trip report? Myanmar is now one of my most favourite places I have visited and we only had a very short 6 days there.

I dont know what I would do without this website. Ok - two questions.
1. We are going to Burma In January - working on the visa applications. Do I need to fed-ex them separately or can they go together , and can I use one return fed-ex - or do I need two?
2. I arranged my flight from BKK to Rangoon - and have the itinerary. Santa Maria is arranging the flight back to BKK. They are not responding to my repeated requests for evidence of the flight back to BKK. I do have the flight number. Is that enough evidence for the visa?

I called the embassy in DC and got a fast busy signal.....

Thanks in advance for your help...

You can fedex them in one envelope and have them returned in one fedex envelope. Sorry, I can't help with the other question. After many repeated tries, i finally did get someone to answer at the Embassy.

What dates in Jan. will you be in Myanmar. We are going mid Jan. to early Feb. BTW, I sent SM an email last Thursday and have not had a reply as yet, so maybe there is a problem with their email.