India, Myanmar to Begin Using E-Visas Along Land Border
By Zarni Mann 18 September 2018
MANDALAY — The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population and the Myanmar Embassy in India announced on Thursday that checkpoints along the India-Myanmar border will begin using e-visas for travel between the two countries.
According to a government announcement, the system will start this month at two checkpoints: the Tamu-Moreh checkpoint, along India’s border with Sagaing Region; and the Rih Khaw Dar-Zokhawthar checkpoint, along India’s border with Chin State.
The announcement says the e-visas will make crossing the border easier and that the application process, through the Labor Ministry’s website, will be the same as it is for paper visas.
It says travelers can apply online for tourist visas, express tourist visas and business visas.
The Tamu-Moreh checkpoint connects upper Sagaing Region with Manipur State of India. The Rih Khaw Dar-Zokhawthar checkpoint connects Chin State with India’s Mizoram State. Both have been important trade corridors for Indian and Myanmar nationals travelling between the two countries for many years.
They were designed the first international crossings along the border in August, meaning that nationals of other countries can freely use them as well.
The two governments had been negotiating the terms of transforming the checkpoints into international crossings for the past six years but were slowed down in their work by frequent clashes between the area’s rebel groups and paramilitary forces.
Clashes reportedly disrupted cross-border trade in the area earlier this year.
