Myanmar passport
Passport issued to Myanmar citizens
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The Myanmar passport is the passport issued to citizens of Myanmar, formerly Burma, for the purpose of international travel.
April 2010 (machine-readable passport)
2025 (enhanced security features)
| Myanmar passport နိုင်ငံကူးလက်မှတ် | |
|---|---|
Front cover of an ordinary Myanmar passport. | |
 Biometric data page | |
| Type | Passport |
| Issued by |  Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| First issued | 1948 (first version) April 2010 (machine-readable passport) 2025 (enhanced security features) |
| Purpose | Identification and international travel |
| Eligibility | Myanmar citizenship |
| Expiration | 5 years |
| Cost | Ks 45,000 |
Offices
In 2014, authorities opened new passport issuing centres in Myanmar in addition to the existing two offices in Yangon and Mandalay. The new offices were opened in each of the seven states and seven regions of Myanmar, and also in the country's capital Naypyidaw. [1]
In 2022, a new QR code system was introduced as a requirement for applicants. The system was taken offline in December 2022. Many passport applicants now rely on brokers who charge different prices for faster appointment dates. Overseas embassies often require applicants to visit in person to schedule appointments, placing burdens on applicants in foreign cities without an embassy or consulate.[2]
Types
In April 2010, the Myanmar passport was upgraded from a handwritten format to a machine-readable passport (MRP) compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. This modernisation brought the passport in line with international norms for automated border processing.[3]
There are three types of passport issued primarily by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Government officials are issued with a green passport. Diplomats are issued with a blue passport. All other citizens receive a red passport.[4] The red passport is valid for 5 years and the green passport for 3 years.[5]
| Cover colour | Type | Issued to | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Ordinary passport | All eligible citizens | 5 years |
| Green | Official passport | Government officials | Varies |
| Blue | Diplomatic passport | Diplomats and senior officials | Varies |
In 2016, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that nine types of passports in different colours would be issued to Myanmar citizens. The nine types are:
- PB – Business Passport;
- PT – Dependent Passport;
- PJ – Job Passport;
- PR – Religious Passport;
- PS – Seaman Passport;
- PE – Student Passport;
- PV – Visit Passport;
- PD – Diplomatic Passport and
- PO – Official Passport.
The three most common types issued are PV, PS and PJ passports. PJ passport holders have been required to present an additional Overseas Worker Identification Card since the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.[2]
Passport information
Identity information page
The Myanmar passport includes the following data:
- Photo of passport holder
- Type
- Country code
- Passport no.
- Name
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Sex
- Place of birth
- Date of issue
- Date of expiry
- Authority (issuing passport)
- Holder's signature
The information page ends with the machine-readable zone.
The passport does not include a given or last name section as Burmese names do not typically have a serial structure or patronymic/matronymic names.[6]
Languages
The data page/information page is printed in English.
The passport is printed in English and Burmese.
Visa requirements
In 2019, Myanmar citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 46 countries and territories, ranking the Myanmar passport 95th in the world according to the Visa Restrictions Index. The political consequences of the coup have also affected the passport's international standing. The number of visa-free destinations available to Myanmar passport holders declined from 46 in 2019 to 43 by February 2026, according to the Henley Passport Index.[7]
From 1 October 2025 onwards, Myanmar ordinary passport holders can travel to ASEAN member countries without a visa for tourism purposes. They are permitted to enter and remain in those countries for not more than 14 days without a visa except for Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, which permit a stay of up to 30 days. There are some Central Asian and African countries that permit a stay without a visa. [8]
Visa on arrival for Myanmar citizens is available in the Maldives and Macau while an eVisa is available to enter India and some other countries.[9][10] The Transit Without Visa (TWOV) is applicable at KLIA and KLIA2 airport for Myanmar citizens holding ordinary passports for a maximum of 120 hours stop-over in Malaysia.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Former passports
Prior to Burmese independence in 1948, British Indian passports were issued to residents of Burma when it was part of the British Raj.[18]