Myanmar Embassy in Japan Requires Return Home for Passports Expired Over Five Years

The Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo has announced that Myanmar citizens living in Japan whose passports have been expired for five years or more will need to return to Myanmar to complete the renewal process.

According to a notice issued on August 12, the embassy said affected applicants will not be able to renew long-expired passports through the embassy in Japan. Instead, eligible individuals may receive a Certificate of Identity (C of I) to allow them to travel to Myanmar for passport renewal.

The embassy currently provides consular services to Myanmar nationals in Japan both in person and by mail. It also advised citizens to apply for passport renewal at least six months before their passports expire to avoid complications.

Concerns Among Myanmar Residents in Japan

The new requirement has raised concerns among some members of the Myanmar community in Japan, particularly those who have avoided contact with Myanmar diplomatic missions since the military takeover in February 2021.

Some activists fear that people who return to Myanmar could face questioning or other risks depending on their political activities or personal circumstances.

A Tokyo-based Myanmar activist told DVB that some people with long-expired passports may have deliberately avoided renewing them through the embassy because of opposition to Myanmar’s military authorities.

Growing Myanmar Community in Japan

The announcement comes as the Myanmar community in Japan has grown significantly in recent years.

Myanmar nationals in Japan include students, workers, technical interns, families and people seeking protection because of the continuing political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.

The embassy’s new passport requirement could therefore affect some long-term Myanmar residents whose passports have remained expired for several years.

For Myanmar nationals living in Japan, the embassy is encouraging passport holders to begin the renewal process well before their documents expire.