Passports for migrant workers

This post presents an article from 7 Day News Journal, December 29, 2011, p. 1 and 12.

Translation:

There are plans to make worker passports valid for four years

Aung Thura

Yangon, December 22

Passports of workers working in foreign countries will be given a validity of four years, said Labour Ministry Director U Chit Shain.

"There are plans to make [passports for] visiting [valid for] three years, [passports for] workers  [valid for] four years, and [passports] for ship workers [valid for] five years," said U Chit Shain.

Regarding that issue, when asked, one police commander in the department issuing of passports responded "Presently, [the extended validity passports] cannot yet be had. After submitting [an application the passports] will be received in the coming year."

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From the cover - There are plans to make worker passports valid for four years

During a meeting attended by the deputy minister and those responsible from the Ministry of Labour, those responsible from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and agencies at a training school in Yankin Township, Kyaut Kon, responsible persons from the agencies in attendance proposed that it be possible to issue passports more quickly than at present.

Presently, while applying for passports, although it takes one month, starting from the middle of the present year, [an action] was done so as to get [a passport] in three weeks.

Presently, the validity of a passport is three years, [but] while applying for a visitor visa there must be at least six months validity remaining [on the passport], [and] for workers, only if there is one year validity remaining [on the passport] are they permitted to go and work.