Photo:CJ
Pan Pan
The cost of obtaining a passport in Yangon, Myanmar, has skyrocketed, raising concerns and frustration among citizens seeking to leave the country. Brokers and applicants report prices exceeding 3 million kyat (about US$900) for expedited processing, compared to the regular fee of around 50,000 kyat (US$15).
“The broker quoted 2.5 million (kyat), and it would only take one or two weeks,” said a teenage passport applicant. “He said that the price range has increased by almost 3 million (kyat). You must pay that amount if you want your passport expedited. I believe I might have to wait a whole year if I do it on a regular schedule. Some claim that going to other states or regions to obtain the passport would cost you between 1.9 and 2 million kyat, making things more difficult for those from Yangon”
Adding to the anxieties, online appointments through the QR code system are booked solid until September this year. A young man who secured a September appointment expressed his fear of the mandatory conscription law coming into effect before then.
“I’ve booked the appointment via online and I received the appointment in September but I have to wait for a long time. The military conscription law might already be in effect by the time of my appointment. What if, after receiving my passport, the military told me that I couldn’t travel overseas because I hadn’t yet served in the military? That would worry me. I had intended to study in Thailand before relocating to Japan, but the process of obtaining a passport proved to be challenging,” he said.
The surge in applications, fueled by the military council’s recent conscription law, has overwhelmed the system. Thousands queue daily at embassies and passport offices. Brokers, capitalizing on this desperation, offer expedited services at exorbitant prices.
The number of passport applicants has increased, and as of mid-2024, all advance appointments are full. As a result, the brokers work with the visa authorities to expedite passports for those who want them quickly. Brokers claim that the cost is close to three million kyat.
On 19 February, two women died of suffocation due to a crushing queue at the passport issuing office in Mandalay at night. The public in Myanmar is being negatively affected by the conscription law passed by the junta.
