There are generally two visa options for people who want to enter Myanmar to meditate: a Tourist visa or a Religious (Meditation) visa.
A Tourist visa allows people to enter the country for twenty-eight days. This type of visa is available at the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok and should also be available at the Myanmar Embassy in your country. However, because the tourist visa only allows a twenty-eight day visit, it is not ideal for people who plan to attend the 60 day retreat at the Panditarama Forest Meditation Center.
Religious visas allow people to stay in Myanmar for ninety days. You will need to apply for a religious visa about 3-4 months in advance. When completing the application, you must apply specifically for a ninety day Religious visa from the Myanmar embassy in your country, and you will need a sponsorship letter provided by the Saddhamma Foundation or Panditarama. If you have to overstay your visa (which is allowable for short periods of a month or so), you will be charged $3 per day which you must pay at the airport before you leave Myanmar.
Follow the directions in the application and send the completed application and the sponsorship letter to:
The Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
2300 S. Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20008 - 9044
Phone: (202) 332-9044
Call the Embassy 2 months later to check if your visa has been approved; the Embassy will not automatically call you.
Once you have confirmed that your visa has been approved, you will need to send your passport and a payment of $30 with a prepaid self addressed envelope to the Myanmar Embassy. The Embassy will send your passport back to you with the meditation visa.
NOTE: Do not send them your passport until your visa has been approved. Make sure your passport is current and will not expire while you are in Burma. It can be quite a hassle to renew it in Burma. Also bring extra passport photos (8-12).
If you have any question about this call or email Saddhamma
Foundation for assistance:
Phone: 925-944-1203 / email: retreat@saddhamma.org
ARRIVAL INFORMATION
When you arrive at the Yangon airport, take a taxi (about $5-$7 US) to the Yuzana Hotel (address below).
Yuzana Hotel
Shwe Gon Dine Road
Yangon, Myanmar
Phone: 549600, 543367, 543370 / Fax: (951) 544998
Your group will be listed under Panditarama. A single room is approximately $20 a night, and two people can share a room. Breakfast is included.
REGISTRATION
Yogis need to come to the Panditarama city center office on either:
1. November 27th – between 1 – 4 PM
2. November 28th – between 8 – 10 AM
You can easily get a taxi outside the Yuzana Hotel; it is a 10 minute ride from the Yuzana to Panditarama.>
CHANGING MONEY
In Burma, the local currency is called the Kyat (chut). The Kyat is used in all market transactions. However, hotels and
airlines will not take Kyats as payment from foreigners. Therefore, you must have US dollars. (Travelers cheques are difficult to exchange.) The best rates are obtained with US dollars. Bring $100 and $50 bills that are as new as possible with no tears or markings.
