Arakanese in Yangon forced to pay up to K700,000 for NRC applications

By Admin 09 Apr 2026

DMG Newsroom

9 April 2026, Yangon

Arakanese people who have fled military conflict in Arakan State and are now in Yangon are reportedly being forced to pay between K250,000 and K700,000 to immigration officials in order to apply for National Registration Cards, with the process also taking several months to complete.

Since November 2023, immigration offices in 14 townships across Arakan State have been closed. As a result, the Bahan Township immigration office in Yangon has been handling NRC applications for those townships since 2024, serving Arakanese displaced to Yangon and other parts of mainland Myanmar.

An Arakanese woman said, “Arakanese IDPs can apply for NRCs at the Bahan Township immigration office, where services are provided for multiple townships from Arakan State. If you apply on your own, you have to pay K250,000.”

She added, “Some people apply through brokers and end up paying as much as K700,000. With application costs ranging from K250,000 to K700,000, those without money cannot afford to obtain NRCs.”

Due to the high costs, many ordinary Arakanese are facing serious difficulties in applying for new NRCs or replacing old ones.

Arakanese residents also reported that young people traveling in mainland Myanmar using student registration cards face strict inspections at junta security checkpoints, making it necessary for many to obtain official NRCs.

An Arakanese youth studying in Yangon said, “When I was in Arakan State, I only had a student registration card. When traveling here, those holding Arakan State ID cards are checked very strictly at every junta checkpoint. If you have not exchanged your card for an age-18 NRC, you face fines and extortion.”

The youth continued, “To exchange for a new NRC, it costs at least around K300,000, which students cannot afford. However, due to fear of arrest, we have no choice but to apply for new NRCs.”

In addition, Arakanese residents said it takes at least two weeks to one month to receive an NRC, creating further difficulties for those with urgent domestic or international travel needs.

Immigration offices in Arakan State were already known for charging fees far above official rates even before their closure.

Although the Arakan Army has taken control of 14 townships in Arakan State, the regime has opened the Yangon-based immigration office to process applications for residents from those areas.