Visa on US passport

Washington State
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Visa on US passport
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My husband and I have tickets to Burma, leaving Seattle on December 27th. We have not been able to get through to the Myanmar Embasy and have some questions on obtaining a visa.

The official application does not state that we need to send in our passports with the visa application. Has anyone recently obtained a tourist visa and did you send in your passport to get it? We need to get this right because of time constraints and the holidays.

Also, can both my husband and I mail our applications in the same mailer and pay with 1 money order, or is it better to have separate?

Thanks, I have obtained so much valuable travel advice from this forum so hope that someone can help us out.

Washington State
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12 reviews
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11. Re: Visa on US passport
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Wow....never would have thought of ordering a new passport! I'll keep that in mind as a last resort. Thanks. And I will be sure to post the turnaround time.

Wilton, Connecticut
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12. Re: Visa on US passport
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Thank you. Will do. Probably won't need the Passport until January unless my husband needs it for business. Have a wonderful trip!

Boston...
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13. Re: Visa on US passport
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We recently sent 3 passports in one envelope with a paid return envelope.At the 2-3 day fedex rate.Make sure you send 2 passport photos.It took 21 days from mailing of passports,until we received the visa.

Oakland, California
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14. Re: Visa on US passport
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They received mine November 17. I absolutely need my Passport shipped back by next Monday Dec.5.

Do you think this is possible?

San Francisco...
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We received ours today via Fed EXp. so relieved. they sent it out on the 11th business day. like I said, I sent emails and faxes daily that I needed my passport back for another trip next week. you better start emailing and faxing them that you need it back by the 5th.

Washington State
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Update: Now not only are the phones constantly busy, but attempts at Faxing to the Embassy in Washingon DC are denied with the message: "This number has been disconnected." Today we priority mailed an urgent request to expedite our application and included a label for Fed-Ex Overnight delivery for the return. This is very nerve-wracking!

Los Angeles...
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I don't think they have visa on arrival any more since a few months ago. I think you need to get visa before you leave. I booked with Tour Mandalay and they sent a letter to the Myannar Embassy in Washington to verify our visit. We sent two passports with two money orders in the same envelope along with a single return envelope. It took a little over 2 weeks for them to be sent back to us. I called them after 10 days and, although it took a lot of calls to finally get through to someone, when I did, they were pleasant, and helpful. Found my info quickly after I simply told them my name. They told me they would be sent out in 2 days, and they were. I had good experience with them. My trip is in late December just before Christmas. Maybe we'll see you there. I'll be the 58 yo white guy in the longyi. ;)

Washington State
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Phillip, Thank you for the encouraging words. I had given up calling the embassy because I had not heard of anyone actually getting through on the phone. I will start trying again today. We leave December 27 and the mail arrives slowly to our neck of the woods. We are so looking forward to this trip and I just won't relax until I have our Visa's in hand! Yes, keep your eyes open for a 50+ pasty white couple mispronouncing all the Burmese words. :)

Warks.England
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for Myanmar, Yangon (Rangoon), Ngapali, Tossa de Mar
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19. Re: Visa on US passport
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Phillip

you will find quite a few 50-60 year old white guys in longi's nowadays......

Better than knobbly knees.

Washington State
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20. Re: Visa on US passport
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OK, we received our passorts with visas yesterday! That is the happy ending; here is what it took to get there....

We started off badly when the US postal service took 7 days to deliver a priority package! No explanation from them....maybe it was a snafu or a reflection of the cutbacks.

We started calling at that point and were unable to get through. We tried email without response, and when attempts at faxing failed, we sent an overnight letter with an enclosed Fedex "overnight delivery" label for passport/visa return and an urgent request to expedite our application.

As the days ticked by, we looked into "second passports" and even considered flying to DC (from Seattle), as a last resort. Eventually we were able to get through on the phone, (I was so surprised I was nearly speechless!), and they were very nice and reassuring that they were "on time" with visa processing. The concerning news was that they could not confirm that they received the overnight return label.

Several phone calls and emails later, we got the news that the visas had been sent, using FedEx overnight. The turnaround time was 21 days from the day we mailed in the application and with only 4 days to spare considering holiday closures.

My advice is to apply sooner rather that later, because the unexpected may happen. I'm also convinced that our efforts (let's face it, downright begging), helped out. On the rare occasion when we got through to a human, they were sympathetic and supportive.

We are leaving right after Christmas and I'll send a trip report on the return.

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