Traveling to Myanmar on a Dominican Passport

By P. T. Freeman

I'm in Yangon, Myanmar after a long airplane ride across the Pacific from Canada and an overnight layover in Thailand. 

Entering Myanmar on my Commonwealth of Dominica passport was uneventful, as it has been for most other countries I have entered using it.  Since Dominica is a small, peaceful country, it doesn't draw undue attention—or hostility—as the U.S. passport I once carried does.  I find I'm much more free and inconspicuous while traveling on a Dominica passport. 

I landed at the Yangon airport, went down the escalator at the new terminal and went to the desk marked "Visa on Arrival".  The uniformed officer behind the desk gave me a one-page application to complete.  I also needed to provide a passport-size photograph.  I've learned to carry several of these with me when I travel internationally.

A few minutes after I submitted the form with my passport and photo, the officer instructed me to pay $30.  When I did so, he returned the passport to me with a Myanmar visa stamp.  Once I gave him my Disembarkation Card, I was admitted to Myanmar.  Next, I went to Passport Control where my particulars were entered into a computer and another photo taken.  Finally, I reclaimed my luggage at Baggage Claim, cleared Customs, and finally exited the terminal.

Many countries have a visa on arrival system.  While you will have a short wait at the visa desk, the system is convenient and relatively hassle-free.  Since border authorities now have the ability to check computer databases within seconds, look for this system to expand. 

Since I obtained citizenship-for-life in Dominica 11 years ago, I have traveled around the world on my Dominican passport.  I've only been questioned about it once, at London's Gatwick Airport, where the immigration officer asked if I still carried my U.S. passport.  After telling him "no," I was admitted into the UK without further delay. Also, on a trip to Switzerland, when I arrived in Geneva, the immigration officer had never heard of Dominica before!  He consulted a manual, verified that Dominica is a sovereign nation, and admitted me immediately.

And Myanmar?  While Thailand calls itself the "Land of Smiles," I find it applies more in Myanmar than in Thailand.  Most people are poor and obedient, but that doesn't take from the friendliness that I encountered.  Very few tourists visit Myanmar, so the people are very solicitous to those who come.  

Until my next post, I wish you pleasant journeys on your Dominican passport!

(P.T. Freeman is a pseudonym for a friend and business associate.  A former U.S. citizen, P.T. now travels on a Dominican passport.  To learn how you can obtain a Dominican passport, contact info@nestmann.com.)

Comments

[Expat]

Not to be negative as I applaud your expatriation and renunciation and believe all independent thinking businessmen should do so.

Some notes on possible Dominican Visa Free changes. Dominica lost their Visa Free rights to Canada around 10 years ago. Rumoured reasons were entire planes full of Chinese arriving in Canada all with Dominica Passports (truth or fiction?). The fact remains of the loss of Canada Visa Free status.

Also, now the UK is reviewing St. Lucia and Dominica for possible loss of Visa Free status to the UK. There are many links, but here is one:

http://dominicanewsonline.com/uk-considering-placing-visa-on-dominicans/

Read the blog posts and comments by Dominican Citizens regarding their opinion of the Citizenship by Investment program. I don't agree with their conclusions of course. I'm pretty sure low income Dominicans are the ones most likely the ones to overstay and attempt to find work and remain in the UK illegally.

Or google: UK Visa Waiver Test results for Eastern Caribbean.

I think Expatriation is a must but I think that having at least 2 Citizenships is critical in case the laws were to change in your new country of citizenship.

I'd recommend using your Dominica Citizenship to establish another residency and let the clock run so that you have at least 2. Preferably in a country that does not tax on worldwide income.

[Mark Nestmann]

In 1999, Canada began requiring individuals entering the country on a passport from the Commonwealth of Dominica to obtain a visa. However, this was not the result of "planeloads" of ethnic Chinese passengers arriving in Canada carrying carrying passports from the Commonwealth of Dominica. The decision appears to stem from a single incident involving a flight to Canada. In 2000, the government of Dominica tightened the requirements to qualify for economic citizenship. The strict controls now in effect on the program make a recurrence of this incident very unlikely.

While the range of visa-free travel options is not as great with a Dominican passport as one from, say, the USA, the Dominican passport remains a very useful travel document as P.T. Freeman describes. Of course, the ideal situation is to have two or more passports!