As world rejects the Myanmar passport, Belarus opens its door

Last week, Myanmar's online social networks focused on an unexpected diplomatic milestone: the visa-free travel agreement with Belarus, which came into effect on July 8. However, the response was not one of celebration, but of intense sarcasm and mockery. The agreement, which allows citizens of both countries to stay for 30 days without a visa, emerged after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Naypyidaw in November 2025, and is a result of the military junta's efforts to deepen relations with countries that are also subject to sanctions. This agreement comes at a time when Myanmar's passport ranking is around 90th in the world, with only about 43 destinations accessible visa-free or with a Visa on Arrival, and that number is further decreasing. Currently, the United States has effectively banned Myanmar students, and the United Kingdom is also working to suspend the issuance of student visas for Myanmar citizens. Across Facebook, users have been sharing screenshots of passport rankings alongside Belarus's announcement, portraying it as a joke rather than a step forward. In popular Telegram groups among students and job seekers, while the military junta boasts of gaining "new friends," there is also an outpouring of frustration and anger over the near impossibility of visa routes to Western countries. Meanwhile, TikTok video creators have been satirizing this event by comparing it to Min Aung Hlaing's inaugural promise to "develop" the country and the increasing international isolation. According to state-owned media, the agreement was officially ratified by the Belarusian parliament earlier this year and came into effect last week. This situation arises against the backdrop that since the 2021 coup, the passport system has become more of a tool to control departures from the country than a travel document, with many young Myanmar nationals attempting to leave the country not yet having a legitimate passport at all. (Translated from "As world rejects the Myanmar passport, Belarus opens its door" into Kotaw)