Thinking about to go to Burma or Laos to get a VITAS

[Saudade]

Once again I have to go outside Indonesia to get a VITAS to apply for a KITAS Keluarga, after failed and went trough the wrong path last month, when I entered Indonesia with a Budaya Social Visa with the intention to convert it to a KITAS Keluarga.
This time again, I would like to visit a country I have never been before (if I success to persuade my husband, who doesn't like to travel at all, this time will be the three of us), taking advantage of our daughter summer holidays from school at the end of June or July, probably for 2 weeks (she is 14 years old).
I am thinking about to go to Burma or Laos, please if any of you have been there, would you mind to share your opinions about these countries or recommend things to do or places to go.
I guess to get the Vitas from the Indonesian Embassy in Laos or in Burma, would be the same than to get it in Singapore or KL, I am a little bit worry because I guess these countries are not the "popular" ones to do these kind of applications, but shouldn't be different isn't it? what do you think?
Terimakasi
Have a beautiful day

 

[R Cameron]

I can't say for those specifically, but what about Vietnam or Thailand? Those you can get to with a direct flight from Jakarta (and Bali?) and I would guess their Indonesian embassies are larger and more accustomed to processing VITAS.

 

[harryopal1]

Burma - Myanmar
It might be as well to ring the Indonesian Embassy in Myanmar first as I can't imagine they would get many requests for processing a Vitas there. To enter Myanmar you must first make an application through the Myanmar Ministry of Labour and Immigration. You can download and process an evisa from this site https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/

If you Google evisa Myanmar there is a host of sites purporting to be official government websites for processing an Evisa. The web sites look very authentic and are very efficient at taking your money and application but they are a scam. Use only the link above. Myanmar is hot but has a range of attractions for pagodas, and historic sites.

 

[Jamu]

You would first need to check if the embassy you wish to collect the Vitas stamp from is in the drop down list of Indonesian embassies in the on-line Kitas application. If Laos or Myanmar aren't listed, then you'll have to go somewhere else. If one or both are listed, then there shouldn't be any issue.

 

[atlantis]

I have been in both countries several time and love both of them.

My first visit in Lao was in 1989 when they resumed the process of issuing visa to evil foreigners. By then, just Vientiane and the Nam Ngum dam area could be visited without the need of an expensive travel permit. I think that in the 7 days I stayed (tourists were not tolerated more than for a 7 day period). I saw no more than 30 or 40 private cars. The country (and economy) was really 100 years or so behind the one of the developed world.

I then visited again in 1992 and a bunch of time after that when all the country was accessible. My last trip there was 15 years ago or so when I took my mom on a motorcycle and boat trip down Mae Nam Kong river from Vientiane to the Cambodian border and on to Ratanakiri province. Memorable experience... especially for my then 58 or 60 y.o mom.

I also visited several time Myanmar, both legally and illegally, and also loved it, especially areas where the military government had less influence. My last trip there was in the early 2000 when we started a 4 weeks hiking trip in Muang Xing (Lao) to Mae Nam Kong shores, crossing in and out of Burma several time to visit the Shan State, staying in hill tribe villages who were welcoming us with Lao-Lao, bamboo shoots and jungle rat (the only edible thing they had to share). Got pissed drunk for 4 weeks, which in fact doesn't really help to hike uphill and downhill, but it has probably been one of my most thrilling travel experience.

I wouldn't be able to tell you how much these two countries have changed since then. Certainly a lot. However, there is one thing for sure that has certainly been a constant over the past years is the fact that the Indonesian embassy certainly doesn't issue many visa.

The KBRI in Myanmar is probably more used to it than its Lao counterpart, considering the fact that there is much more foreigners visiting Myanmar than Lao, but I don't see the process being as fast and easy than in KL or Singapura.

One can probably count on having to leave one's passport a few days in the hand of the KBRI, which may be a problem to visit the rest of the country. This being said, many of the KBRI are now directly connected to the SISKIM so you may perhaps have a good surprise

This is a link to the KBRI in yangon... not a good start though since the layanan visa page is not exactly packed with info.
https://kemlu.go.id/yangon/en/pages/layanan_visa/1744/etc-menu

The link to the KBRI Vientiane would offer the same amount of information, albeit they had the energy to create sub paragraphs to their layanan visa page.. A sharp advance compared to KBRI yangon:

https://kemlu.go.id/vientiane/id/pages/visa_tinggal_terbatas_/605/etc-menu


An interesting and good source of information for you would be to contact @Joko who is is/was a teacher in Myanmar. PM him, it should be redirected to his email address.

 

[harryopal1]

As mentioned previously, you can use this website https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/ to quickly and painlessly get a visa for Myanmar. The website is surprisingly efficient and you pay on line. The process is completed in a couple of days and you receive an email with visa application that you print out. This is linked to having been processed by the Ministry and you then present this on arrival at the airport immigration and it is accepted without hassles.

 

[Jaime C]

I went go Myanmar a few times when they had some $100 first class airfares back in 2013 or so. Seemed pretty undeveloped to me at the time, but I’m sure was much more so when Atlantis visited.

Not much in the way of chain hotels I was used to, but lots of independent places. I stayed at a hotel that used a “chicken bus” to drop you at the airport.

My last couple of visits, prices started skyrocketing for even basic rooms. These days, there’s been a hotel building boom, so probably much better.

 

[Saudade]

Thanks a lot to everybody for sharing your experiences about Myanmar and Laos. I have to say that after I wrote this post, I send an email to each embassy and they replied right away, which surprise me and I was very happy with, beside they told me as long I do the process in Jakarta to get the Vitas send it to their embassy will be not problem for them to process it for me.
Reading the post of Atlantis, I didn't realize about I have to leave my passport on the Indonesian Embassy to get the Vitas stamp, and I don't know how long this it could take, better to send them another email and ask, usually in Singapore or KL I guess it is only one or two days isn't it? Because I don't want really to be long on the capital. I haven't choose yet which one I will go.
Have a beautiful day

 

[Jamu]

Thanks a lot to everybody for sharing your experiences about Myanmar and Laos. I have to say that after I wrote this post, I send an email to each embassy and they replied right away, which surprise me and I was very happy with, beside they told me as long I do the process in Jakarta to get the Vitas send it to their embassy will be not problem for them to process it for me.
Reading the post of Atlantis, I didn't realize about I have to leave my passport on the Indonesian Embassy to get the Vitas stamp, and I don't know how long this it could take, better to send them another email and ask, usually in Singapore or KL I guess it is only one or two days isn't it? Because I don't want really to be long on the capital. I haven't choose yet which one I will go.
Have a beautiful day

In Singapore, you leave your passport in the morning, and collect it the very next business day in the afternoon. People who use an agent in Singapore have reported that same day service is possible.

 

[R Cameron]

In Singapore, you leave your passport in the morning, and collect it the very next business day in the afternoon. People who use an agent in Singapore have reported that same day service is possible.

Yes, I have done same-day service in Singapore with an agent. I've also done KL and it was 3-4 business days (no agent).

 

[javasatu]

I am in the same boat as you. I have a one year social visa and need to leave the country every 2 months. Myanmar was in my bucket's list.

I visited Myanmar five year ago with my friend and I took Singapore Airlines from Jakarta to Yangon International airport. After 1.5 hours wait at the airport, we took Air Bagan to Bagan. We spent 5 nights in Bagan and 2 nights in Yangon. Bagan was was awesome; thousands of Buddha temples everywhere and remember to bring your camera and respect the local cultural. In Bagan, all tourist must paid a $10.00 heritage fee for the temples.

A general note, most places like restaurants, etc quote in USDs. Also, we booked our air ticket from ?Yangon to Bagan from Myanmar online airline. Traffic is crazy in Yangon.

PM if you need my past detailed itinerary for Yangon and Bagan from a tour agency in Pondak Indah Mall.

Have a nice trip and PM if you have any questions.

 

[R Cameron]

I am in the same boat as you. I have a one year social visa and need to leave the country every 2 months. Myanmar was in my bucket's list.

With that visa you simply must leave Indonesia and come back, correct? No need to visit the Indonesian embassy abroad?

 

[javasatu]

I leave Indonesia to another country in SE Asia every two months. If you already have a Social Cultural Visa, on your return trip just go straight to "Foreigner" at Immigration Indonesia.

Please note that some airline front ticket counter will give you problems if you do not have a departure or return airline ticket from Indonesia. In that is the case, show the the front ticket counter staff your Social Cultural Visa and that should do the job.