Entry Permission to Myanmar

Myanmar land border crossing

Myanmar is connected with China, Thailand, India, Bangladesh and Loas by land. Currently Border-crossing tours are possible only with China, Thailand, India and Laos. One of the standard immigration rule in Myanmar is that traveller/tourist/foreigner has to leave the country the same way as entered apart from the two international airports (Yangon and Mandalay)
If travellers are deviated from this rule, need to apply special permission from several Ministries in Yangon. Any travel agency can apply permissions for the overland border crossing, providing the guests with full book package. Therefore only booking border crossing is not possible but with full book package. Travellers need to understand clearly that special permission is not visa to enter but for entering to Myanmar from border, visa is still required to apply at embassy or consulate beforehand.
Special permission is required to take at least two weeks in advance of travel date. Currently border crossing from three countries are open for tourists.

Crossing From Thailand

Mae Sot (Thailand, Tak Province) is connected to Myawaddy (Myanmar, Kayin State). This crossing point is the most practical place to cross for onward travel into Myanmar, because of its relative proximity to the main Myanmar transport network and along the way there are many places of interest such as Mount Kyaiktiyo (the Golden Rock), Hpa An and Mawlamyine.
At the passport control points which is located on either side of the ‘Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge’ river crossing), there are separated windows for foreigners. The border is located about one kilometre from Myawaddy bus station on the Myanmar side and five kilometres from Mae Sot town on the Thai side. There are usually plenty of motorbike taxis on both sides. Mae Sot has daily direct flights and frequent buses to Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Travellers can cross the border at Mae Sai (Thailand, Chiang Rai Province) to Tachileik (Myanmar, Shan State) and travel as far as Keng Tung in Myanmar. Tachileik is about 163km South of Kyaing Tong, facing the town of Mae Sai across the Thai-Myanmar border. For those who enter at Tachileik border and exit from a different point (eg either Yangon or Mandalay International airport) a visa is required before traveling plus a border crossing permission.
• Day Visa : For those (including Thai Nationals) who enter and exit Myanmar at the same place, a day visa can be obtained. A day visa only allows a visit to Mae Sai (within city limits) and not further.
• Entry Permit : With a special entry permit issued locally at the border, visits to Kyaing Tong and Mong La for up to about 14 days are permitted.
• Overland trips are possible for both ways between Tachilek and Kyaing Tong, but driving from Kyaing Tong to Taunggyi / Inle Lake is not allowed.

This remote border crossing allows access between Phunaron (Phu Nam Ron) (Thailand – nearest town Kanchanaburi) and Htee Kee (Myanmar, Tanintharyi Division – nearest town Dawei).
There are four buses per day from Kanchanaburi to the small border town of Phunaron (70 baht), which has one guest house. The Thai and Myanmar border posts are separated by six kilometres of no-mans land that can only be crossed by vehicle (walking is not permitted); you can take a motorbike taxi (around 100 baht) or try to hitchhike.
From the Myanmar side of the border, it takes 4 to 5 hours to get to Dawei. There are usually cars or minibuses waiting, costing around K30,000 (bear in mind that if you arrive late in the day there may be no transport, and the road can become impassable during the rainy season).

There are regular 1 hour 40 minutes flight from Yangon to Kawthaung (Victoria Point). It takes about 30 min from Kawthaung Airport to Kawthaung jetty by car.
• Visa : A Myanmar visa is required for tourists visiting the Mergui Archipelago.
• Entry and Exit : It is possible to enter the country in Kawthaung and exit via Yangon or another route.
• Permission : Special permission is not required for Kawthaung and Myeik or for entry or exit via Kawthaung to Ranong for the time being. Special permission is required for those visiting the Mergui Archipelago.

Currently the crossing at Sangkhla Buri (Thailand, Kanchanaburi Province) and Payathonzu (Myanmar, Kayin State) This is one of the most interesting and accessible of the border crossing points. Now there is also legal trade such as exchange the products between two countries, going (Sangkhlaburi-Three Pagodas pass, Phayathonezu)

Crossing from China

Muse / Ruli (Yunnan China)
There are more than 3 border check points between Myanmar and China. However, the border crossing between Mu-se (Myanmar, Shan State) and Rulli (China, Yunnan Province) in China is open to travelers at the moment. Foreigners are banned from traveling to Muse from Lashio. However, it is possible to cross the border at Muse from China and travel south to Lashio by road.
• For those who enter at Muse border and exit different points (either Yangon or Mandalay International airport) a visa (a regular 28-day tourist visa) is required before traveling plus a border crossing permit.
• The same permission is needed for any overland drive after Lashio (driving up from Mandalay)
Getting the permit to cross from Myanmar to China can be difficult, but from China to Myanmar is usually straightforward – although you will need to apply at least two weeks ahead of your travel date. The Myanmar consulate in Kunming may tell you that the border is officially shut, but this, in fact, will probably not be the case.

Tar Law’/Kyaing Tong
Originally built to supply the Chinese forces in its struggle against the Japanese, the famous “Myanmar Road” runs from Kunming in China’s Yunnan province to the City of Lashio. Nowadays the road is open to traveler carrying permits, from the Chinese Side (Ruili) into Myanmar.

Via Muse
Three hours drive (90 km) from Kyaing Tong is another Myanmar-China Border, Mine Lar. This access will bring us to China-Xishaungbanna province. The permits from Myanmar can easily be arranged but only if the travelers book the whole arrangement with the local tour operators and travel agents in Myanmar.

India crossing

In the remote north of Myanmar, a crossing exists between Moreh (India, Manipur state) and Tamu (Myanmar, Sagaing Division). Locals are allowed to travel between the countries at this point on day trips, but currently foreigners require special permission from a Myanmar embassy, which can be difficult to obtain. However, permission is no longer required for foreigners to travel in these parts of Sagaing Division (Myanmar) and Manipur State (India) in general.
The Bangladesh and Laos crossing
Border crossings at Bangladesh and Laos are currently shut downed.

Need More Info? Contact Us