Residents Facing Hardship Due to Corruption and Bribery at Putao Immigration Office

Pajau Media

14 May, 2026

Residents in Putao say they are facing serious difficulties because staff at the immigration office are demanding excessive bribes for matters related to citizenship scrutiny cards (NRCs), household registration documents, and other official paperwork amid the country’s current political instability.

According to local residents, obtaining a citizenship card now costs between 300,000 and 500,000 kyats. In addition, people applying for other documents are also being forced to pay unspecified amounts of money under the label of “office fund contributions.”

A male resident and head of a household from Putao Township explained:

“Going to the immigration office now feels like entering hell. In the past, officials would come to communities once a year and provide services such as issuing NRC cards and household registration documents for the public free of charge. Now that no longer happens. People have to go to the immigration office themselves.

Even students have to pay at least 40,000 kyats just to get an NRC card, and that is only for the card fee. There are payments required at every step. Starting from obtaining recommendation letters from administrators, people have to pay money with no fixed amount, they demand however much they want. Whether it’s correcting household registrations, applying for lost documents, or adding newborn children to household lists, people are forced to pay hundreds of thousands of kyats under the excuse of ‘office funds.’

They also target people depending on their appearance and financial situation. Whenever someone applies for something, clerks call them outside the office and pressure them to contribute money, saying they have to pay senior officials step by step. Even though they call it a contribution, if the amount given is not enough, they openly demand more, saying things like, ‘Is this all? At least make it one or two hundred thousand.’ For struggling farming families from villages, it is extremely difficult.”

The resident also added that in NRC application processes, officials often create unnecessary confusion and use misleading statements to extort money. Even removing deceased family members from household registration lists reportedly requires payments of tens of thousands of kyats. Applicants are also allegedly forced to buy unnecessary office stationery and make photocopies. Those unable to pay bribes reportedly face repeated delays and various excuses from officials.

Residents say that while commodity prices and fuel prices in Putao Township continue to rise sharply, widespread corruption and bribery in government offices, as well as in the education and healthcare sectors, are causing severe hardship for local people.

News: Mali Hku