Myanmar tightens passport rules in Thailand, requiring Naypyidaw approval for category changes

The Myanmar embassy in Bangkok and consulate in Chiang Mai have halted direct approvals for passport category changes, forcing thousands of exiles and migrant workers in Thailand to submit applications for central background checks by regime authorities in Naypyidaw.

According to visa service agencies, consular counter staff are now forwarding category change requests to the regime’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) Passport Issuance Board in Naypyidaw for central vetting, with applicants instructed to wait at least two months for a decision.