Problems relating to Trade and Investment on Myanmar

16. Employment
Issue	Issue details	Requests	Reference

(1) Delayed, Vexatiously Complex Visa Issuance Procedures

- 1) It takes much time to get the visa issued.
2) Letters of recommendation required for visa acquisition take much time to obtain.
- Entry visa is necessary upon entry.
- It takes much time and effort to obtain letter of recommendation (by the competent authority necessary for acquisition of Residence Permit and re-entry visa).
- Responsive action on visa issuance varies within the ministries and agencies.
Clerical work necessary for visa acquisition is complex and time consuming.

- It is requested that GOM:
1) cuts down the time required for visa issuance, and
2) accepts residential certificate issued by the Japanese Embassy, obviating the need for letters of recommendation from Japanese Embassy, landlord of expatriates' residence, and local governmental offices.
- It is requested that GOM repeals the entry visa requirement.
- It is requested that GOM obviates the need for the letter of recommendation.
- It is requested that GOM harmonises the rules and standards for visa issuance in the ministries and agencies.
- It is requested that GOM enhances efficiency and simplifies the standard for visa issuance.

- At "Myanmar-Japan Joint Initiative" step-by-step improvements have been achieved.
It requires careful follow up from now on.

(2) Difficult Renewal of the accompanying Family Members of Expatriates

- Renewal of visas for expatriates' family members cannot be made by Entry Visa.

- It is requested that GOM streamlines the visa renewal procedures.

(3) Vexatiously Complex Temporary Exit Procedures

- Aliens residing in Naypyidaw must surrender Foreigner's Residence Certificate (FRC) upon temporary exit, provided, however, that another trip to Yangong is necessary for the sake of FRC retrieval, even if his/her entry/exit are both made at Naypyidaw. It is extremely inconvenient.
- Resident aliens must surrender FRC upon each temporary exit. Upon re-entry, FRC gets returned from the immigration office in Yangong in exchange for payment of USD6.00. It is bothersome and time consuming, and frustrates frequent exits and entries.
- GOM requires each alien's exiting Myanmar to surrender FRC at the at the airport immigration office, and upon return, must make another trip to the immigration office to get FRC back in exchange for payment of USD6.00 (or USD12.00 if the retrieval date exceeds 1-week) each time.
- Foreign Residence Certificate (FRC) printed on paper is unsuited to carry around in person. It must be surrendered at the immigration office upon each exit.

- It is requested that GOM obviates the need for surrendering the original FRC, if not, makes its retrieval possible also at Naypyidaw.
- It is requested that GOM immediately discontinues this protocol.
- It is requested that GOM takes step to repeal FRC.
- It is requested that GOM improves employment of FRC.

(4) Excessively Short FRC Validity

- The authorised stay period under FRC scheme has been contracted much to the inconvenience of the FRC holders, 3-months for the 1st time, 6-months for the 2nd time, and a year for the 3rd time.
- The authorised stay period under FRC scheme is for 3-months for the 1st time, 6-months for the 2nd, and a year for the 3rd time with re-entry visa.

- It is requested that GOM issues FRC valid for one-year from the first time for the sake of assuring stable status of the expatriates.
- It is requested that GOM takes step to enable issuance of residence certificate with one year validity plus re-entry visa.

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