Myanmar
MMRMyanmar (formerly Burma) is a large Southeast Asian nation bordering Thailand, Laos, China, India, and Bangladesh. Following the February 2021 military coup, the country has been under junta rule (State Administration Council), with ongoing civil conflict, widespread human-rights abuses, and international sanctions from the US, EU, and UK.
Foreign investment has collapsed and the kyat has devalued sharply. Expat arrivals and long-term residency are minimal given security conditions. Dual citizenship is not permitted. Taxation is territorial in principle, but enforcement is inconsistent under the current political environment. Travellers should consult their government's travel advisory before any visit.
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Tax system
- Territorial
- Currency
- MMK
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Region
- asia
- Population
- 54,409,800
- Cost-of-living
- 23 /100
Passport Rank
#107
Visa-Free
40
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Myanmar passport has visa-free access to 40 destinations. See the full Myanmar passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Myanmar without a prior visa (15)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Myanmar
Current IRCC processing times for Myanmar nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 43 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | 5 weeks |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Currency
- MMK
- Languages
- Burmese
- Population
- 54,409,800
- Tax System
- Territorial
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Tropical monsoon; hot dry season (February–May), heavy rains June–October; cooler highland zones in Shan and Chin states
- English Proficiency Rank
- #88
- GDP per capita
- $1,489
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 yrs
- Population growth
- 0.64%/yr
- Territorial Taxation
- Yes — foreign-sourced income may not be taxed
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
23
Safety
28
Healthcare
31
Quality of Life
42
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Territorial
- Territorial Taxation
- Yes — foreign-sourced income may not be taxed
- Naturalisation
- 10 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yangon | — | $196 | — | — | — |
| Mandalay | — | $140 | — | — | — |
| Naypyidaw | — | $138 | — | — | — |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Yangon
Rainfall range: 2–624 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)
Mandalay
Rainfall range: 3–182 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)
Naypyidaw
Rainfall range: 1–320 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 13h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist eVisa
- Business eVisa
- Stay Permit
- Investor Visa
- Student Visa
- Family Visa
- Diplomatic / Official Visa
- Transit Visa
- Multiple Journey Visa
- Authority
- Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population
- Official Portal
- www.mip.gov.mm
- Phone
- +95 1 657 942
- contact@mip.gov.mm
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 5
- Language Test
- Yes (Burmese)
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $50
- Processing
- ~24 months
Safety
GPI Rank
#148
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠Jade and gem fraud at Bogyoke Aung San Market (Yangon) and Zegyo Market (Mandalay) — vendors substitute fake or low-grade stones at point of sale using sleight-of-hand, often providing counterfeit authenticity certificates
- ⚠Taxi meter manipulation near tourist sites such as Shwedagon Pagoda, with drivers charging double the correct fare; airport taxis especially aggressive on pricing
- ⚠Counterfeit kyat banknotes passed as change in markets exploiting the cash-only economy, plus coercion into unfavourable USD-to-kyat exchange rates using the junta's artificially low official rate
Examples of areas to avoid: Sagaing Region — primary resistance heartland facing near-constant military airstrikes and heavy civilian casualties; effectively off-limits to all foreigners, Rakhine State — active frontline between the Arakan Army and junta forces with widespread landmines; US, UK, and EU governments advise against all travel, Mandalay's northern outskirts and Shan State border zones — armed conflict between ethnic resistance organisations and junta forces with documented road ambushes; Mandalay city itself carries a 'against all but essential travel' advisory
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Myanmar, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Myanmar eVisa
eVisaOfficial Ministry of Immigration and Population electronic visa site for Myanmar tourist and business eVisa filing, notices, approval-letter and arrival-stamp handling.
Myanmar eVisa tourist notice
Tourist noticeOfficial tourist eVisa notice listing passport, photograph, biodata-page, return-ticket, accommodation and payment evidence points.
Myanmar eVisa business notice
Business noticeOfficial business eVisa notice listing invitation, company-registration, DICA extract, annual-return and activity-limit requirements.
Related Guides
Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list
Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.
Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave
Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Myanmar, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Short-term / business
Business eVisa
Short-term / businessMyanmar business eVisa route requiring a registered Myanmar company or registered Chamber of Commerce Association invitation.
Tourist eVisa
Short-term / businessMyanmar tourist eVisa route through the official Ministry of Immigration and Population eVisa system.
Work (sponsored)
Work, Study or Residence Authority Check
Work (sponsored)Myanmar cautious authority-check route for work, study, residence or non-eVisa cases outside the public tourist and business eVisa notices.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified