Contents
I always thought Indians can visit only two neighbouring countries without Visa or a passport; they are Nepal and Bhutan. But my visit to Manipur proved me wrong. Myanmar is another neighbour which allows Indians to enter without a visa. Though you can visit only upto Tamu, a border village in Myanmar. Beyond Tamu, you will need a valid visa. But still, I think a day trip to Tamu may give you a glimpse of Myanmar. This is what I felt during my visit to Tamu in early 2015. Read my travelogue “Tamu: Now Indians can visit Myanmar without Visa” to know how to cross the India-Myanmar border from Moreh. You can also watch the video which I made during the visit explaining the whole entry process.
Several Indians and Burmese people cross the Moreh-Tamu border on a routine basis to earn their daily bread and butter.
Process of crossing India-Myanmar border from Moreh (only for Indians)
- Reach Moreh, the border town. It is a 3 hours drive from Imphal to Moreh.
- Cross the border from the ‘India-Myanmar friendship gate’
- Approach the Myanmar officials. The counter is on the left side of the road
- Provide the desired documents and pay the entry fees of Rs. 20 in cash
- Get an entry ticket and visit Tamu
- Surrender the entry ticket after coming back and take back your documents
Remember to approach the right gate. There are 2 gates to cross the border. Gate no. 1 (also known as the Iron bridge) is meant only for those having a valid visa and ‘Special permission’ to cross the border. Tourists going beyond Tamu use this gate. So if you have plans to visit Mandalay or Yangon, then this is the gate for you. Gate no. 2 (a.k.a ‘India-Myanmar Friendship Gate’) is only meant for Indians and Burmese. Citizens of both the countries are allowed to visit the nearest town across the border. Burmese visitors are allowed to go only upto Moreh in Manipur, whereas Indians can go upto Tamu in Myanmar.
This permit is allowed only for one day. Do not forget to come back by the gate closing time. Otherwise, you may land into some serious problems.
Moreh-Border opening and closing time
- Border opens at 7 AM (Gate 2)
- Border closes at 4 PM (Gate 2)
Documents needed for Indians to cross India-Myanmar border
- Voter ID card in original, or
- Aadhar card in original
- Rs 20 in cash
Indians are just required to submit their Voter ID or Aadhar card to the Burmese immigration authorities on the border. Pay Rs. 20 as entry fees and they will give an entry ticket. Keep this ticket safe till you come back. You have to surrender this ticket while going back to India, only then your documents will be returned to you.
How to reach Tamu from Moreh
- Cross the border from Moreh
- Walk a little in the market of Namphalon
- Catch an Auto Rickshaw; They charge Rs 20 per person
- Auto takes 15 minutes to reach Tamu
Watch this playlist of videos to know how I reached Tamu in just Rs 20
Things to do in Tamu
- Visit Tamu market, Purchase a locally made item as souvenir
- Visit Pungi Chow, a Buddhist Monastery located on a hill in Tamu
- Get panoramic views of Tamu town and Indo-Myanmar border from the ‘stupa’ at Pungi Chow (My video)
- Talk to the locals. They are friendly. Some of them understand English and Hindi (My video – Talking with locals)
- See the eco-friendly houses in Tamu. (Here is my video)
- Walk in Tamu town and get a glimpse of Myanmar
- Do not forget to come back India before the border gate closing time
Watch this playlist of videos to get a detailed idea of 'what to do' in Tamu, Myanmar.
FAQ – Myanmar Visa
Do Indians require visa for Myanmar?
Yes, Indians also need a Visa to visit Myanmar. But Indians can cross the Myanmar border to visit Tamu village without any visa.
Where to get a visa for Myanmar in India?
Indians can get Myanmar visa from the Embassy of Myanmar. Address of Myanmar Embassy in Delhi is 3/50F, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Phone numbers +91 11 24678822 & +91 11 24678823. Website of Burmese embassy http://myanmedelhi.com.
What is the Myanmar’s visa fees?
Myanmar’s Tourist visa in India costs Rs. 2,800. It is valid for 28 days, but only Single entry is allowed.
Documents required getting Myanmar’s Visa?
- Duly filled up application Form
- Passport having atleast 6 months validity
- Photocopy of passport
- Two colour photos with white background (should not be old than 6 months)
- Copy of round trip air ticket
- Hotel booking confirmation (Get confirmed hotel bookings without payment – Click here)
1 comment
interesting… never knew Indians can go to Myanmar (peripheral) without visa. I’m very curious about North East esp. Tripura, Mizoram & Manipur. Though they are part of India it feels as if they are cut out from rest of India (& probably world too..)
And it is fascinating to see that humanity has reached to the remote-st part of the world…!!