Sue Sue That's not true at all. While many ATMs have functionality issues, Visa and Mastercard work in some of them. Moneychangers abound in Yangon at least.
Generally speaking, I wouldn't want to rely on ATMs in Myanmar at the moment as the exchange rates are low.
I'd bring lots of cash instead.
If it's an emergency, Western Union helps but again, I would recommend bringing sufficient cash.
I don't think 50 dollar bills are blue striped anyway. Not even the newer ones. I generally don't exchange 100s, as they're too big. I usually go for 50s and smaller notes as 100s can be difficult to spend (I need USD for my regular visit to Cambodia, among other places).
Very very few people currently visiting Myanmar, though it's a magical country. For foreigners, lots of restrictions..when I was in Kawthaung earlier this year, I was the only white westerner in the whole region, though there were several Thai, Chinese and Malaysian-Chinese tourists in town. Just no other westerners.
Yangon would see more westerners, but few are coming at the moment..
Lots of travel restrictions...you can't go wherever you want.
Mastercard and Visa work in Myanmar for sure. However, I can't guarantee what ATMs will accept your cards. All I can say is, it's not as straightforward as it used to be before Covid, but at the same time only some banks were ever accepting foreign cards to begin with.
I will. Also, another couple of reasons for choosing Taipei was to travel Taiwan with family and the then seemingly more straightforward application process than at Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh (although neither location sounded problematic, but at Phnom Penh there have been reports of rejections, though no idea why). Hanoi was never on my radar as they seem to be fussier than Ho Chi Minh.
It depends. I think from the beginning, it was said that Taipei is relatively straightforward but they won't overlook things like previous overstays (if applicable) and immediate lengthy residence on education visas.
Keep in mind that someone was denied a DTV somewhere in SE Asia (I don't remember where but I think it was either in Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam) for having a recent overstay.
I recall reading this report in one of these groups back in July or August.
I'm not so sure. The red flag was his education visas. I think most DTV applicants have a previous connection to Thailand. Not necessarily via education visas though, but perhaps via previous residence through another type of visa. Marriage to a Thai national, that sort of thing.
