How To Get the Myanmar Visa in Laos

Obtaining the Myanmar visa in Vientiane, Laos was the easiest thing ever. You have to go to the Myanmar Embassy (take a tuktuk from downtown for 60.000 KIP – bargain hard, the starter price is over 100.000KIP…), fill in the forms, leave your passport there and pick it up next day.

How long does it take to get it?

Officially they state it takes 3 working days but in reality you can get it the next day. The staff is very nice and helpful. We were the only ones there on both occasions when we visited the embassy.

Opening Times of the Myanmar Embassy in Vientiane?

Monday to Friday 

Visa application: mornings and Visa pick up: afternoons

However we applied in the afternoon and picked it up before noon. So it seems to be quite flexible.

What will you need?

original passport, 1 photocopy of the passport and 3 passport photos

Do you need to have the flights and accommodation booked for Myanmar?

Nope, not necessary at all. We did not have the flights booked and it was not a problem. (As far as we know, the application requirement for the E-Visa are different – you are asked to have the flights and accommodation)

How much does it cost?

We were charged 30 USD per person. Accepted currencies: USD and KIP.

How long is the Myanmar Tourist Visa valid for?

The Myanmar visa issued at the embassy in Vientiane is only valid for 28 days from the day of the issue.

That means, if you apply for the visa from Vientiane, you will have to enter Myanmar asap, as the validity will be over very soon. We got the passports in our hands in the morning and flew to Yangon the following day.

If you want to have more flexibility, do the E-visa or apply from Bangkok or Chiang Mai in Thailand.

For us it was a perfect option, well suited for our spontaneous way of traveling.