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Updated on December 30, 2020.If you have ANY Russian passport it means that you are a Russian citizen. International travel passport (a.k.a. “foreign passport”) is a legal ID in many cases even within the country. If you are a Russian citizen, you have an automatic and unquestionable permission to work in Russia as well as be engaged in any other lawful activity. There are certain limitations on who can work at which position but those are evident and natural in many other countries: certain government, law enforcement, military, or research jobs imply that you have not only citizenship and skills but certain other credentials, qualifications, and permissions.Here is a LENGTHY explanation of Russian passport system that digresses from the main topic but hopefully clarifies a lot of things to you and other readers. At least you asked for details about Russian passport.Under the wall of text there are scans of my own and some other passports with detailed explanations. Sensitive data removed unless I took an image from other sources on the web.In Russia internal (domestic) passport is similar to a citizen ID card in the majority of other countries (most notably in Europe and Mainland China, or what is in the US and UK is known as “government-issued photo ID”).It is the principal and most universal form of identity document, compulsory for each and every citizen age 14 and up (no exceptions, except maybe extremely hard mental patients).Almost the only people who can’t have their internal passport with them are patients of mental hospitals, military conscripts and jail inmates — their passports are stored at, respectively, office of chief doctor (i.e., hospital director) or relatives of the patient, commander of military detachment, or chief warden. Once conscription or jail term ends, or in case a mental patient is deemed sane enough to live outside institution, their passport is returned to them.Another case of a Russian citizen who is not mandated to have an internal passport is if one lives abroad permanently, did not forfeit Russian citizenship but has no residence in Russia. It is recommended to have one though. It is even possible to replace one via Russian embassy or consulate, but in this case the process may take up to six months.With military the only ID of the drafted soldier is so-called “Military ticket” (literal translation of военный билет), a passport-format booklet that contains a different set of information but also includes principal identification data and a photo — and you can buy a bus/train/plane ticket with it. Can’t marry with it though. At the age of 16 conscription offices issue “Conscript ID” to all boys. It is without a photo so it is not considered a valid ID and, upon either conscription or release from it, is replaced with the “Military ticket”.Conscription age is 18 to 27 for all males deemed suitably healthy unless they are:1) full-time students of higher or tertiary education, candidates and doctors in sciences;2) or have more than 3 children under 18 in their custody (either as a father or the only able adult of the household, the latter is quite shaky ground — sometimes social services prefer to draft a boy and put his younger siblings into orphanages — and different at that);3) the boy had his father or older sibling killed or injured to disability either in action or during the conscription service;4) the young man has other citizenship(s) in addition to Russian and/or lives abroad permanently;5) the young man already served in the army of another country — which implies that he: a) may possibly spy for a foreign military or intelligence service; b) already pledged allegiance to a different state.Pledge of allegiance, while being mostly a formal, if often solemnly festive, procedure, is taken very seriously by military and law enforcement, and not only in Russia but almost anywhere in the world. So seriously that the breach of it, a treason, in Russia is considered more serious a crime than a particularly violent multiple manslaughter. There is a way to obtain Russian citizenship in five years for foreigners via signing in as a contract soldier, but it is so tricky and rare that I can’t even remember anyone doing so, although such people indeed exist.Higher-ranked officers (sub-lieutenant and higher, up to Marshal — which is higher than a four-star General of Army and in Russia for the moment is the highest military rank possible in theory, although after numerous reforms of the Russian Army there are no Marshals left with the General of Army being the highest rank, the next is only the Supreme Commander, which, constitutionally, is the president of the Russian Federation. Throughout all history we had four men in Generalissimo rank: Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Joseph Stalin and Leonid Brezhnev, in the two latter cases those ranks were not field ranks, and with Brezhnev it was pure decoration) also have “Officer’s ID”, which can also be used as an official ID in many cases — but not civic acts like marriage/divorce, residential registration and employment/business contracts (a serviceman is employed by default).Technically all men and some women (including many, if not all, medical professionals regardless of gender) must have military ID, but practically that is not exactly compulsory: I, for example, being an able male, have no Military ID, only obsolete Conscript ID — but that is rather because I ditched not only conscription but actually almost all contacts with my local military office. Without the Military ID I can’t be a full-time employee of a government, a state-owned institution, and a non-foreign company that has more than 1000 employees (and thus must have its own military supervisor) — but I never had neither need nor desire to work there, I’m self-employed (and before that I worked in smaller collectives) — so the only case the army would want me is nationwide mobilization with martial law — and THAT is highly unlikely in the coming 6 years: I am 39 now, and after 45 non-military are de-listed from army ledgers regardless, and can only volunteer in case of all-out war, which did not happen since the World War II.How I ditched the army? Well, I was a full-time (sort of) student in 1999–2004, and then (I didn’t graduate formally, just abandoned the university after 4.5 years for various reasons) it was a classic no-show. Current laws do not allow that but in 2000s it was possible because of a legal loophole — which I exploited in earnest.If a young man who is already 18 but not yet 27 wants to get a passport for foreign travel — which is what “passport” is for the rest of the world except Russia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, partially (since 2016) Ukraine and (since 2019) Uzbekistan — one must provide a reference (which is practically a permit) from his local military office together with his internal passport, two passport-type 35×45mm color photographs on white background, and an application form.In Belarus, there is only one passport that is both a universal domestic ID and a passport for international travel. Previously Belarusians had a stamp in their passports that read “Can be used for foreign travel” but about ten or so years ago that practice was abandoned and Belarusian passport is now valid for foreign travel by default.In Ukraine, there was a similar system until 2016 with a Soviet-style passport (issued at 16, additional photos glued in at 25 and 45), which was inherited from the USSR, but since 2016 the country started transition to the European system of internal ID card and travel passport; previously issued passports are still valid.In Uzbekistan, until 2019 there was similar system too, and exit permits, but exit permits were abolished and two-passport system is now being gradually replaced with card+passport system.In Turkmenistan, the Soviet system remained intact: internal ID is a USSR-style passport book that is issued at the age of 16 with additional photographs glued in at the age of 25 and 45, and passport for foreign travel with exit permit that may be very tricky to obtain.Now, to the picture part. Here is my own passport with sensitive information masked. I got it to replace my previous one that I’ve got after my 20th birthday and which became so worn and torn for 17 years that it was not quite legal to use it.Passports are replaced: on 20th and 45th birthdays, after loss or serious damage (anything except allowed stamps and marks is a damage), upon name change.Last name change (including marriage/divorce/adoption — anytime upon application), first name change (usually happens with 20-year-olds), patronymic change (extremely rare, usually in case of adoption or upon very strongly motivated application backed by a crapload of paperwork) — that is done via ZAGS (civil registry). Since recently you don’t need to go specifically to ZAGS other than for marriage and divorce, as almost everything is now handled by “My Documents” MFC (multi-functional government service centers), at least in Moscow — and yes, the brand name of the MFC was directly influenced by Microsoft — specifically, My Documents folder in Windows, which is the most popular OS in Russia.The title spread (2nd page of cover with the view of Kremlin from the South-West and 1st page of booklet with the coat of arm) is universal for everyone and can be easily found online. It contains the title: PASSPORT OF A CITIZEN OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. The cover is universal, dark crimson leatherette with slight variations from batch to batch. “Foreign” passport is of a brigher shade of red and has the twin-headed eagle on a heraldic shield: like here below on the right but embossed.This is the most modern (as of June 2020) form of Russian internal passport with the main spread spread filled exemplary in rather neat dot matrix print.Here above is the main ID spread, and that is how you show your passport to anyone who wishes to see it for identity or age proof.Line by line translation:RUSSIAN FEDERATIONPassport issued by: HQ of MIA of RUSSIA in the C(ity) of MOSCOWDate of issue: XX.XX.2018. Detachment code: 770-XXX (detachment names change from time to time due to bureaucratic motions but codes are permanent since 1994 or so).The red stamp reads: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Stamp for the main document that confirms the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation at the territory of Russian Federation. 770-XXX. (and to the left from the eagle’s sceptre is the number of the stamp).Then goes the always-empty Personal Code field. Technically it is taxpayer’s number (INN) or social security (SNILS) number that would fit but the idea of a personal code met so fierce opposition by radical Orthodox Christian fundamentalists, very few but extremely vocal in all matters that religion has no place in (they quoted Revelations 13:16–17 — by the way, some most radical of them even refuse passports which is highly illegal, but Russia is vast and there are some places in Siberia and woods of Northern European Russia where such people supposedly live in their own private 17th century), that government decided to abandon the idea completely — but did not change the design and the layout of the passport.Red number is series and serial number.Then (masked) there are six digits of the passport serial number.Series and serial number together are what is called “passport number” in Russia because one makes no sense without the other.The third page is the MAIN PAGE with the photograph. This is the only laminated page of the passport, since 2008 it has a fancy hologram but initially some passports of the second generation (legally either generation is equal as long as the passport itself is valid) had bad lamination film that peeled off. One of my friends had such trouble and had to replace his passport much sooner than expected.Previously the passport photograph could be only black-and-white but after 2002 or so color photographs were also allowed, and since 2008 they are preferred. Also, in the first generation of Russian passport the photograph was 37×47 mm, but later the requirement was switched to standard European 35×45 mm.To the right from the photograph:Family (last) name: SOLOVEYFirst (given) name (may not coincide with the name Christian monks get after taking the veil, but ecclesiastical names have nothing to do with real names): IGNATPatronymic: ANDREEVICH (NB: patronymic is not the second name).Sex (male or female, no other options). Date of birth: DD.MM.YYYYPlace of birth. In my case it is just MOSCOW but people from smaller settlements have quite long strings there, like NNNN PLACE of NNNN DISTRICT of NNNN REGION. For example: пос. Бердигестях Горного улуса Республики Саха (Якутия).And again the number on the right.Below is the machine-readable stripe that wasn’t filled in the 1st generation passport. The transliteration is a horrendous creation of some obscure programmer in Internal Affairs who supposedly still is preoccupied with 1980s Soviet computers, but they managed to pull this disgusting madness into IATA standard. Luckily, in “foreign” passports transliteration is a bit more sensible, but just a bit. This year, when I replaced my “foreign” passport, I raised a little fuss because they tried to write my last name as Solovei instead of proper Solovey, but I won thanks to the clerk’s wit and assistance.Notably, there is no “entry number five” — ethnicity — in Russian passport, unlike all versions of Soviet passports (1932, 1947, 1974). It was decided in the 1990s to forfeit it to subdue nationalism and xenophobia. Legally (and mostly practically, although there are some xenophobic issues) if you are a Russian citizen, your ethnicity is of no consequence whatsoever. At that, there are people who are overly proud with their ethnicity and there is sort of a movement to return ethnicity into passport, quite notably both radical communists and some far right agree on that, but that will probably not happen in any foreseeable future.45 is the code of Moscow according to OKTMO. 77 is the code of Moscow according to the Constitution. Here is the cross-reference table of all regional code systems (in Russian).Constitutional codes are used in everything except passports and some other registries. Car plates, INN (taxpayer’s numbers), medical insurance policy numbers, etc., use constitutional codes.18 is the year of issue. My first passport had 97 there (although I’ve got it in January 1998, but it was the very-very first series of this type of Russian passport, and mine had a number within the first 5000, so I was an early adopter).With my first passport I got into a transition period, like many people in Russia did in many other cases in 1990s–2010s: when I turned 14, it was late 1995, the passport law was still Soviet (despite the USSR was officially dissolved on December 8, 1991, and practically on December 25, 1991), and Soviet passports were valid. In 1994 or so, newly-issued passports started to get Russian Federation inlay. I turned 16 in the late 1998 and next day after birthday rushed to the passport office to apply. I filled the form that presumed “transitional” passport — Soviet-style with Russia inlay… and waited. New passports were already widely advertised but there was a huge mess about it, delays, shortages and whatnot. My slightly older classmates got their “transitional” passports earlier. Yet, in about three weeks I’ve got a call from the passportist that I should re-apply for a new, all-Russian, passport, bring new photographs — and WAIT. So I waited. Finally, I have got my red-bound booklet in mid-January 1998 — and was, as I already told, among the first people in Russia with that. Notably so, police database that I had a sneak peek into, lists my first passport as issued in February 1997, which could not be.Technically it was (and is) sort of illegal to not have a passport for longer than 30 days after the the 14th, 20th, and 45th birthdays but, first, absolutely everyone knew about the passport havoc, and, second, no one in their right mind then would ask a schoolboy for a passport — birth certificate at most, that, quite obviously, has no photo in it — contrary to “foreign” passport that even babies must have… During a short, but eventful period in my life that I worked as an ID photographer, I did take pictures of babies for their passports several times, and sometimes do it now when my relatives, friends, or colleagues need quality ID photos of their babies — and that is a task. Luckily, no police or border control officer anywhere in the world is exactly picky about the angle and facial expression in this case. Ah, by the way — it is HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED to smile on ID photos in Russia… and, since 2005, in Canada, as I was told.Here, for comparison, is my previous (2001, 1st generation) passport, issued by a different passport office.Already neatly printed but the photograph is classic black-and-white and machine-readable stripe is clear. The rest, apart from the number and place of issue, is the same. I scanned it in 2009 or so not removing my custom cover, so you see some wear on it. Internal passports that are not valid anymore, are taken away from you by the passport office. Technically the passport is a government property, not the citizen’s. In 1998–2002 most passports were filled by more or less neat handwriting in black ink, dot matrix printers are used since about 2001.Here is (randomly googled) scan of the title spread of the first-gen passport, filled by hand in black ink. The empty personal code field is marked (on this scan, not in actual passport) with a red frame. This scan has no concealed information, contrary to mine, but it is not valid anymore anyway. My first passport looked like this. Here the guy is 15 years old, which happened a lot in 1998 and early 1999 with kids born in 1983 and early 1984.Below is the second spread (pages 4–5). Also very important: PLACE OF RESIDENCE. A.k.a. propiska. Officially it is “registration at the place of residence, permanent”, and not “propiska” since 1993 but the name stays, even in some semi-official paperwork.I confess, only once I have seen anyone’s passport with the page 4 filled — but the guy married and divorced so often that he ran out of space in all designated pages. This stamp is dot-matrix-printed, but probably all subsequent ones, if they ever happen, will be traditional rubber stamps with handwriting……like in my previous passport when I have got my current apartment from the city and moved (legally; practically I lived with my parents) from a very central but very decrepit location into a brand new block in the outskirts. Still South-East but quite nice area, especially compared to more recent projects. So here you see the registration stamp (there is no my parent’s address here because when I’ve got that — second — passport, I was registered in other place… exactly with the purpose of getting the new and better flat, even in less convenient location than a 20-minute walk from the Red Square within the Garden Ring. The stamps are registration, un-registration (smaller), and, on page 6, new registration (which is my current address).Pages 5 to 12 are dedicated to residential registration. Here again are pages from my current passport and you can see the difference: in 1–2-generation passports the number was printed in red on all pages by a special numbering machine, and in 3–4th-gen passport it is laser-perforated on pages 5 to 20. The pages are laser-punched in stack at specific power to avoid burning them, so in the end you’ll see that the perforation is much less prominent.Page 13 is dedicated to military service. Usually there is one stamp, two at most: registered with military, or non-draftable, and, sometimes, unregistered with military. Blank in my case because I ditched the army completely and they don’t care (see above). Military un-registration stamp usually doesn’t happen because the passport is replaced at the age of 45 which coincides with de-listing from military anyway.Here is how page 13 usually looks (here it is in the 1st generation passport). The stamp says: “Liable for military service”. Such stamp appears after the conscritoion service. In this case it is done with a dot matrix printer.Pages 14 and 15 are dedicated to marital status. I am single, had always been and probably will be, so in my case those are blank. Those who have information there have a stamp (either traditional or printed) stating that the civil a registry office (location) registered a marriage with other person, last name changed or not changed, when it happened. Often that stamp is followed by a similar divorce stamp and, not quite seldom, a new marriage stamp. Marriage and divorce cerificates are issued as well but they are rarely required in daily life, only for visa purposes sometimes, and and some complex paperwork. In the visa case originals are not always necessary because consulates are fine with copies or scans.Here is an example (randomly googled) of the filled marital status spread. The marriage stamp is printed because the girl supposedly turned 20 shortly after the marriage or lost her previous passport and, thus, replaced it. The divorce stamp is conventional. It is evident that the marriage lasted for only 8 months (not 9, because divorce application is filed in 30 days prior to the date of actual divorce… and it is a very common story in Russia, more than 50% of marriages end with divorce, especially among people under 25 — and that is one of the reasons I prefer not to engage myself in commercial wedding photography) and she did not change her last name.Pages 16–17 are about children. Again, empty in my case, but not only in my: it is not exactly required to list kids in your passport, and often only mothers are doing so, if at all. The table reads as the following:CHILDREN:Sex | Last name, first name, patronymic | Date of birth | Personal code (always empty for the reasons explained above). This table has space for six children at most but families with more than 1 or 2 children are quite rare, and even more rare are those with more than 3. But, again, it is not really necessary to fill that.Here is an example (randomly googled) of a (still) happy father holding both his and his wife’s passports, together with the birth certificate in the background, and the newborn’s name is put into both passports:Here is an example of a completely filled “Children” passport pages with six names. It is so unusual that it hit the news (hence the newspaper logo in the top right corner of the picture). The stamps are dated with one (and later) date because the passport was replaced for whatever reason and all the records were put afresh. This is, by the way, one of the last 1st-gen passports, judging by the date (pre-2008) and newer printer font.Then, the last spread. Pages 18–19 are designated for miscellaneous information: previous passport(s), “foreign” passports (as you can see, I have one previous listed and two “foreign”, and the most recent one is with a rubber stamp and handwriting. The date is March 20 but actually it happened on June 1, because the “foreign” passport itself was issued on March 20 and was delivered to my local MFC on April 3 — but between March 30 and May 31, 2020 government service offices were shut down completely because of the pandemic.There are two more bits of information that can be put on pages 18 or 19.One is the information of your blood group and Rh. Very few people bother to do it, I did not either (although I think, I can do it, even out of sheer professional curiosity).Here is a randomly googled example of the blood information on page 18 put in by a commercial lab……and by a government-owned public hospital:Blood information can be written in passport by any organization with medical license — public or private clinic or hospital, bioanalytical lab, blood transfusion station (like below). Police, civil registry, government offices or citizens themselves can’t do it, only medical professionals.Another piece is INN (taxpayer’s numer), that is done at the Tax Service office. Here is another googled example — and it seems that the guy was on a mission to fill his page 18 completely, as well as he did not bother to conceal his private information.Page 20 contains the excerpt from the Passport Statute. There is word РОССИЯ (RUSSIA) in the top brown stripe, visible under the angle (another way of protection)3rd page of cover is blank (in contains the state print shop mark and the year of design, this is a 2nd-gen passport). The back cover is plain leatherette.Russian internal passport, as of 2020, is valid to travel not only within Russia, but around five EAC countries: Belarus, Armenia (only when arriving via Yerevan and Gümri airports), Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — but putting border crossing stamps in Russian passport voids it — and that was a constant source of annoyance generated by Ukrainian border guards who still put such stamps until about 2011 — later they mostly ceased to do it, and since 2015 Russian citizens can (barely) enter Ukraine only using their international passports.To finalize this answer, here is a scan of the ID page of my brand new international passport with sensitive info omitted. The first page is plastic and contains the biometric chip. The chip now holds a scan of color photograph I provided upon application, and data of two index fingers that conforms to ICAO standard, like in the EU — but not yet a retina scan. The black-and-white photograph is done in an automated booth at the passport office (that’s why the quality is rather poor) and laser-engraved at the factory where biometric travel passports are mass-produced. My lower signature is also engraved and is done digitally with a special tablet similar to artistic or rather the one you sign for your credit card payments sometimes. The chip is embedded under the globe with compass on the right, and that is covered with another photograph of me that is printed using different technology (looks like negative on a scan).Apart from citizen passport there are service passports for officials — those are used by government officials and those military who are eligible for business trips abroad, they have a dark blue cover; and diplomatic passports with green covers — and the latter sometimes confuses border control and security in places where they see conventional green passports (of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Pakistan) much more often than Russian diplomatic ones.Talks that Russia should abandon internal passport in favor of plastic credit-card-size IDs are going on since about 2010, but practically it is still nowhere to be seen. Yet, current prime minister Mikhail Mishoustin is a former IT entrepreneur and a technophile (he was the man behind the IT reform of the Federal Tax Service that he ruled with an iron hand of a progressor in 2011–2019, and it is now much easier to deal with that authority online or in apps) — so recently he announced a “digital passport” mobile app (the idea met quite serious opposition, by IT professionals not in the least), and also that starting 2021 (maybe) a replacement of passport books with proper ID cards will commence. We’ll wait and see, but I think I’ll be among the first applicants when ID cards appear and it becomes possible for me personally.

You may have spent hours looking for the right air fare or the most feasible budget travel when planning a foreign trip. Fortunately, this is no longer a problem, especially if your holiday plan is to pack your bags and head to the magical plains and temples of Thailand, by road.There is nothing more amazing in this world for a ‘road runner’ than the vast, empty stretch of sun-kissed highway road, a bike or a car and some good music. The destination comes second.But what if the destination this time, took you to a land strewn with azure beaches, pristine pagodas and culture steeped in history?That’s right, you can now pack your floral shirts and duffel bags, your sunglasses and cameras and head towards the beautiful country of Thailand, via Myanmar, all thanks to the Indian Government. The good news; there is a trilateral highway being built from Moreh in Manipur, India to Mae Sot in Thailand and is expected to be completed by 2016. Imagine the sheer joy you will feel whilst driving or riding past the jade plains and hills of Myanmar, the rich culture breezing by as you cross Mandalay and Myawaddy before you make your way to Thailand and her transcendent beauty!Here are a few facts that would gear you up for the one week (approximately) drive to Thailand from India:Where the highway begins: Known as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, this road trip will begin from Moreh in Manipur, India.Distance from India to Thailand By Road: Approximately 4,305KMWhere the highway ends: Mae Sot, ThailandBest season to travel: November-FebruaryThings to Carry:For Visa on arrival: (Documents required for Non-Indians)– Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months.– Visa application form completely filled out.– One recent photograph (4×6 cm).– Myanmar Kyat for paying fines (if any), toll charges etc. 1 MMK is around 0.05 INR, so ensure you carry enough cash for the road ahead. There are ATMs in towns like Bagan and Yangon.– For Thailand: Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family).Documents for Indians to carry:– Valid passport, with at least 6 months validity, from the date of arrival.– One application form.– Two colour photos (35mm x 45mm), not older than 3 months, taken against a white background.– Photocopy of credit card with original credit card statements of last 6 months.– Last 6 months bank statement with original bank seal & a minimum balance of INR 20,000/person.– Original currency exchange slips of at least USD 500 (five hundred USD)/person/week with applicant’s name.– For Myanmar, ensure you carry a Visa or a MasterCard debit card as the country now has a large collection of ATMs in certain towns, therefore you need not worry about carrying a lot of Myanmar Kyat in your wallet while crossing the borders.NOTE:– Before entering Myanmar, ensure you have applied for a visa on arrival by downloading the online form. A step by step guideline has been provided by the Myanmar Visa authorities and you can refer to the following link for further updates : http://www.myanmarvisaco.com– You can register online and fill in the Travel and Health documents required for the trip by clicking on this link: Personalised Passport, Visa & Health travel documentation advice– There are 21 countries that can apply for visa on arrival, namely: Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Czech, Estonia, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Mauritius, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Taiwan, and Ukraine.– Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, and Palestinian States will need to file for an application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General where they have their permanent residence (home country).Transportation documents: International Driving Permit– An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recognized worldwide as a valuable and sometimes essential document identifying motorists as legally-licensed drivers, in the country they are travelling. The International driving Permit (IDP) is recognized in many countries, some of them being Myanmar and Thailand and IDP could facilitate convenience when renting a car in your country as well.– If you are in Thailand on a holiday, you will not get a Thai driver’s license, so your Indian license will do, as long as it is valid. However, it is advisable to maintain an International Driver’s Permit with you in order to avoid any legal hassle with the cops in Thailand.– For Myanmar, the highway does not call for an IDP from Indian citizens, however it is better that you carry your International permit in order to avoid any situation with the Myanmar authorities or political groups. Carry your Indian driver’s license as well, since the permit will not be held valid without a license.– Refer to the website below to issue an International Driver’s Permit from India: Western India Automobile AssociationOther items to carry:– Driver’s license: Always carry your driver’s license handy as you will need to show it to authorities at every check point.– Vehicle Documents: For those who have rented a vehicle from India, ensure that you carry the rental agreement forms with you on your way as proof of ownership of vehicle. Carry photocopies of your driver’s license and passport along with originals of the vehicle’s papers including its registration and legal papers.– Travel Insurance: Ensure that you have travel insurance with you while driving down from Myanmar to Thailand via India. There should be no stone left unturned on your trip, and travel insurance can help and protect you in unpredictable and unforeseen situations. Download or apply for travel insurance by referring to this website: Explore your boundaries with World Nomads– Prescribed medicines (if any): Make sure you have taken vaccinations to protect yourself from diseases like Malaria or Yellow Fever that are prevalent in certain forested regions of Thailand.– Guidebooks for both countries: In order to converse with the locals or know the places that you would want to visit, it would be advisable to carry a guidebook that will help you around.– Bottled water and snacks: Emergency food for the road ahead is always a must. Stock up well.– Cameras and backpacks: Of course, there will be places, people and an amazing series of road trip wonders you want to capture, so make sure to pack your camera and charger. Also, ensure you carry weather proof sturdy backpacks that can take a lot of weight as well as endure harsh conditions if you decide to deviate and go trekking for a bit.Route:Moreh – Tamu – Mandalay – Myawwady – Mae Sot TakAlternative Route :Highway routes:Asian Superhighway (AH1) route:Clashing with Modi Government’s ‘Act East’ policy campaign, the AH1 road will be further linked with Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam by March 2016. Accessible for cities such as: Moreh, Kohima, Imphal. Dimapur, Nagaon, Jorabat (Guwahati), Shillong, Sylhet, Dhaka, Kolkata, Kanpur, and New DelhiAsian Superhighway 2 (AH2) route:Accessible for cities such as: Moreh, Imphal, Kohima, Dimapur, Nagaon, Shillong, Dawki, Kakarbhitta,and New Delhi.Renting a bike/car from India:For those who wish to ride bikes/drive cars from their starting point on their own vehicles or drive down from their place of stay need not worry about this. This is for those who prefer renting out cars or bikes from a city or town closest to the Asian Superhighway. Those taking flights and landing in the city of Guwahati (we recommend you do) can rent from the car or bike rentals that are well-known and well-established there. After research, Thrillophilia narrowed down a few rental places you could call in order to travel with comfort to Thailand:– Huge Commercial Tours and Travels– The Highland Outback Riders– Destination Motors– Zoomcar– Indiabycaranddriver– XcellSafety measures to consider while driving down:Thailand and Myanmar are two extremely beautiful countries with breathtaking landscapes and culture that can fill volumes of your travel diaries. However, since this road trip is literally giving you that once in a lifetime opportunity to cross two countries, you will need to keep in mind the political, religious, and legal stances that the countries follow so that you are never at the mercy of authorities who could grapple you with unnecessary rule breaking claims. Ensure that you make note of the following few guidelines to have a smooth ride/drive to your destination:– Cash: Ensure you have enough loose cash with you on your road trip, whether it is Myanmar Kyat, USD, Thai Baht or the Indian Rupee.– Phone numbers: Write down phone numbers from your cell phone in case of battery dying out unexpectedly or no network. There will definitely be payphones that you can use in a nearby town and all you need to do is ask for help. The locals are friendly and most of them speak English.– Route Map: Make sure you also have a route map which has highlighted the different places you can stop by for a day or two before you continue the journey ahead.– Alert Authorities: Ensure that you alert Myanmar authorities a month in advance before your trip begins.– Contact info: Make sure you have the phone numbers of travel authorities or travel agencies ready, in case you need to make a few calls in need of help.– Minimum 4 people: While driving down to Myanmar from India via the Super highway, make sure you are travelling in a group of minimum four people, as this is the law in the country.– Photocopies: It would be wise to keep a photocopy of your passport, your driver’s license, your credit card or PAN card to show officials at any check post.– Political Situation: Make sure that you are aware of the political situation of Myanmar before you plan your trip there.Safety in numbers: Do not frequent around in places that are deserted or seem a tad isolated for a tourist place. Stick to groups as much as possible.– Food and Water: Keep yourself hydrated at all times and stock up well on road snacks or food staples.– Valuables: Take care of your valuables and do not leave them unattended in your car or bike at any point of time.Travel agencies in Myanmar and Thailand:Every traveller’s helpline in times of a quick GPS need or hotel fare knowledge, here are a few names of agencies and travel authorities that you can keep for reference or save in your cell phones in case you have any query related to the route, the place, or the journey itself.Why the highway is a blessing for Indian travellers:Indians prefer travelling in style on a budget, or rather the most feasible ways possible. Opening the Asian Superhighway to travellers will promote young bikers and provide that extra nerve of adventure to fill their tanks and bags and head out! No more expensive air fare and the wide stretch of clear, non-potholed roads are nothing short of a dream come true for most of the on-road travel junkies. The scenic beauty of Myanmar and Thailand is worth taking in and this can be best experienced when you hit the road. The Indian government has tactfully done their homework and realized that opening this highway and constructing a trilateral roadway is the best manner in which India can enhance trade and business prospects between the different countries. It is only a matter of time before we see a boost in tourism and economy for all these countries.Few sights you can see around ManipurSince the highway begins from Moreh in Manipur, why not take in the beautiful sights around the place to begin your journey to Thailand on a wanderlust note! Here are few amazing places in Manipur you can visit during your road trip to Thailand:BishnupurThis is a breathtaking place for those who love temples and archaic architecture. You can see and explore exotic temples such as Jorebangla Temple, Pancha Ratna Temple, Dal Madol, Radha Shyam Temple, and Shyamraj Temple among others.ChandelKnown as the gateway to Myanmar, this land is rich in flora and is a pure treat for the photographer in you! Close to Moreh, you can pay a visit to the Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary and discover many unique forms of wildlife while you are here.ChurachandpurRich in natural beauty, this place is located amongst hillocks and valleys and has some breathtaking waterfalls and caves you can visit. Visit the Ngaloi Falls, Tuibuong Tribal Museum, Tonglon Cave, Khuga Dam, and Tipaimukh on your way here.UkhrulA visual delight, Ukhrul is a land strewn with heavenly valleys, waterfalls, and streams. A dream made true by Mother Nature, you can visit the Khayang Peak, Shirui Kashung Peak, Kachouphung Lake, Khangkhui Cave, Hundung Mangva Cave, Nillai Tea Estate, and Ango Ching on your road trip pit stop here.MyanmarDuring your long road trip, you will be spending most of your time driving past the rich foliage and serene streets of Myanmar. Steeped in culture and heritage that boasts of a touch of the almighty himself, Myanmar is home to some of the world’s most untouched and beautiful temples. While on your road trip, ensure that you visit the famous and breathtaking ruins of Bagan, which is located near Mandalay. Stroll through the aromatic streets of Nyaung U Market. Take a peek into the largest book in the world when you visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay. The golden temples, the emerald plains and the azure skies make for a series of colours that make you feel like royaltyPlaces to see around Myanmar during your drive:BaganHotels:– Thante Hotel– Myanmar Treasure Resort– Amazing Bagan Resort– Razagyo Hotel– Floral Breeze HotelDuration of stay: 1 DayYangonHotels:– Taw Win garden hotel– New Aye yar hotel– Millenium Hotel– Hotel Grand United– MK HotelDuration of stay: Half a day (leave by night), if you are travelling during the festival seasons, it would be advisable to stay back a day or two to enjoy the festivities.MandalayHotels:– Shwe Ye Mon Hotel– 79 Living Hotels– Sein sein Hotel– Gold Yadanar Hotel– Royal City HotelsDuration of Stay: 1 Day deviation from normal route to explore the rich monasteries and the beautiful places around Mandalay that are known for its amazing history.PindayaHotels:– Pindaya Inle Inn– Conqueror Resort Hotel– Global Grace– Golden Cave Hotel– Thahara PindayaDuration of Stay: Half a DayKyaiktiyoThe third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Burma after the Shwedagon Pagoda, the place is a must see for anyone who visits the country. Located in Mon state, perched on the highest mountain of the Paunglaung mountain range, the ‘Golden Rock’ is breathtaking, beautiful, and sacred to the people of Myanmar. This is a one stop destination that you can explore for around 5 hours before heading back on your journey.Nagpali BeachLocated in Rakhine State, this beach stretches along the Bay of Bengal and is said to be one of the best beaches in Myanmar. The beach stretches for almost 3 km with soft white sand and tall coconut trees all around the place. This is a perfect stopover for you to stretch your legs and breathe in the saline air to rejuvenate your senses. You can refresh at the nearby Strand Beach Hotel before you head back out on your road trip.Mrauk UIf you love ruins, this is the place you need to see. This 15th century ancient city of Rakhine Kingdom is situated at the North-West of Myanmar and is a slight deviation from the route to reach Thailand, but it is worth it. Spend a few hours exploring the almost dilapidated temples and relics of ancient wonders in the area.ThailandThe one place on every traveller’s bucket list, Thailand is the country you need to head to for an affordable yet luxury induced holiday. A region brewing with good street life, ancient awe-inspiring relics of the past and beaches that have hypnotized travellers into a trance where they never wanted to leave. On your arrival at Mae Sot, you can visit the exciting bazaar life and make your way to the more interesting places like Bangkok, Phi Phi Islands or Pattaya. Visit the Wat Phra Kaew, The Grand Palace, Railay Beach, and Sanctuary of Truth among many others to make your once-in-a-lifetime road trip worth remembering. Visit the pure white, dazzling temple of Wat Rong Khun and explore the unique wildlife in and around different zoos and reserves as well.Places to see around Myanmar during your drive:Mae Khasa Hot SpringsThese are really, really hot and picturesque springs that will mesmerize you. These springs have been told to be hot enough to boil eggs!Phra Charoen WaterfallLocated around 40 km from Mae Sot, this beautiful place is accessible by car or motorbike. There is a well-beaten trail alongside its 97 steps, providing a beautiful stroll through the jungles of the place around.Pha Wo ShrineThis shrine is 15 km from Maesot on the Asian Highway while driving towards Tak and a few kilometers after the Magic Hill. This shrine is easy to notice and is a must visit for those who love beautiful places of worship.Cambodia and VietnamWhile the Asian Superhighway is restricted to Thailand for now, the authorities are discussing to extend the highway from Thailand to Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The two countries are well known for their extremely beautiful sunsets, landscapes, and buildings of historic relevance. If you plan to visit these countries, you will cherish every second spent there! Cambodia is home to the world famous temple of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. You will get a chance to see the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam and visit the buildings that boast of being survivors during the terrible World War.The vast road ahead makes you want to throw away any map and just start your engines! So why wait any longer? Keep your televisions tuned in for the news of the highway opening, and get your travelling boots ready! Your cameras are charged, your bags are barely zipped to the full, your passport is dusted and your wanderlust is ready to go explore the road to Thailand from your very own dear home, India.Good Luck! Have a Great Trip!G. M. RTravel To Live!

How to Set up Branch/ Liaison Office in IndiaRecently, India has been growing at an unprecedented pace which has aroused a keen interest among foreign entities to establish their operations in India and tap into one of the largest and fastest growing market, and have access to some of the best human resources in the world.A physical presence in India is essential to break into the country’s emerging market.Foreign companies should consider state regulations, physical connectivity, and local costs when choosing a location for their Indian office. Of equal importance is the type of company setup foreign companies choose. Having the right establishment presence can mean the difference between success and wasted efforts.Given the shortage of good commercial office space at reasonable prices in major Indian cities, business centers are a viable option for new companies wanting to establish a physical presence. The government is making all the efforts to make it one of the best places for doing business. The latest RBI guidelines regarding establishment of Liaison Office/ Branch Office have been issued with the aim to facilitate ease in doing business in India. Let us discuss the procedure and compliances to be followed for setting up branch office and liaison office in India.Liaison Office in IndiaSetting up a liaison or representative office (“LO”) is a common practice for foreign companies seeking to enter the Indian market. The role of such offices is limited to collecting information about the possible market and to providing information about the company and its products to prospective Indian customers. It cannot undertake any commercial activities and must only use remittances received from its parent foreign company to maintain itself.Branch Office in IndiaAs a Branch Office (“BO”) in India, foreign companies can conduct full-fledged business in India. BO can carry the same or substantially the same trading activities as carried out by their parent or group companies. However, BO is not allowed to directly carry out manufacturing activities though it is permitted to sub-contract these services to an Indian manufacturer.Requirements for establishmentA branch office or liaison office in India of a foreign entity can be established by adhering to the following requirements:Eligibility Criteria:RequirementsFor Branch OfficeFor Liaison OfficeProfit making track recordimmediately preceding 5 financial yearsimmediately preceding 3 financial yearsNet Worth*> USD 100,000 or equivalent> USD 50,000 or equivalent*Net Worth is total of paid-up capital and free reserves, less intangible assets as per the latest Audited Balance Sheet or Account Statement certified by a Certified Public Accountant or any Registered Accounts Practitioner by whatever name called.Application for RegistrationIf the applicant company fulfills above mentioned eligibility criteria, it shall submit an application in Form FNC (As per Annex B of Foreign Exchange Management (Establishment in India of a branch office or a liaison office or a project office or any other place of business) Regulations, 2016) to an Authorized Dealer Category-I bank along with following documents:Copy of the Certificate of Incorporation / Registration; Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association attested by the Notary Public in the country of registration.[If the original Certificate is in a language other than in English, the same may be translated into English and notarized as above and cross verified/attested by the Indian Embassy/ Consulate in the home country].Audited Balance sheet of the applicant company for the last three/ five years in case of branch office/liaison office respectively.[If the applicants’ home country laws/regulations do not insist on auditing of accounts, an Account Statement certified by a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or any Registered Accounts Practitioner by any name, clearly showing the net worth may be submitted]Bankers’ Report from the applicant’s banker in the host country / country of registration showing the number of years the applicant has had banking relations with that bank.Power of Attorney in favor of signatory of Form FNC in case the Head of the overseas entity is not signing the Form FNC.The AD Category-I bank shall after exercising due diligence in respect of the applicant’s background, and satisfying itself as regards adherence to the eligibility criteria for establishing BO/LO, antecedents of the promoter, nature and location of activity of the applicant, sources of funds, etc., and compliance with the extant KYC norms grant approval to the foreign entity for establishing BO/LO in India. The AD Category-I banks may frame appropriate policy for dealing with these applications in conformity with the FEMA Regulations and Directions,However, before issuing the approval letter to the applicant, the AD Category-I bank shall forward a copy of the Form FNC along with the details of the approval proposed to be granted by it to the General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, CO Cell, New Delhi, for allotment of Unique Identification Number (UIN) to each BO/LO. After receipt of the UIN from the Reserve Bank, the AD Category-I bank shall issue the approval letter to the non-resident entity for establishing BO/LO in India. This is in order to enable the Reserve Bank to keep, maintain and upload up-to-date list of all foreign entities which have been granted permission for establishing BO/LO in India, on its website.Note: If a person resident outside India that is not financially sound and are subsidiaries of other companies, then it may submit a Letter of Comfort in the format given under Annex A Foreign Exchange Management (Establishment in India of a branch office or a liaison office or a project office or any other place of business) Regulations, 2016 from their parent company subject to the condition that the parent company satisfies the prescribed criterion for net worth and profit.Time Period: It generally takes 45 days to register an LO / BO. Validity for setting up of Liaison Office for companies in the business of construction & development and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) has been set for two years. The validity of setting up of LO in rest all of the cases is for 3 years. Renewal is required after 3 years. However, in case of BO, renewal of registration is generally not required but in some cases RBI gives approval for 2-3 years and renewal is required post that.Validity of Approval: After the approval, LO/BO shall establish the office within six months. The approval shall elapse, in case the office is not set up in six months. Companies looking for any further extension of time shall require prior approval of RBI.Shifting of Office: AD banks are now authorized to grant approval to shift office to another city in India. In case the office change is within the same city, no such approval shall be required. Only filing of an intimation of the new address with the AD bank would be required.Name Change: AD bank may permit change in name of LO/BO if there is no change in the ownership of foreign company. However if the change in name is due to merger/acquisition/change in ownership of the parent company, then the closing of existing LO/BO shall be required. Also, fresh approval would be required for the same.Activities permitted (as per Annex C)♦ For a liaison office in India of a person resident outside India♦ For a branch office in India of a person resident outside IndiaCases in which prior approval of RBI requiredAny application from a person residing outside,for opening a branch office or a liaison office in India shall require prior approval of Reserve Bank in the following cases where:a. the applicant is a citizen of or is registered/incorporated in Pakistan.b. the applicant is a citizen of or is registered/incorporated in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, China, Hong Kong or Macau and the application is for opening a liaison or branch office in Jammu and Kashmir, North East region and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.c. the principal business of the applicant falls in the four sectors namely Defence, Telecom, Private Security and Information and Broadcasting:d. The applicant is a Non-Government Organization, Non-Profit Organization, Body/ Agency/ Department of a foreign government.Such applications shall be forwarded to the Reserve Bank, Foreign Exchange Department, Central Office Cell, New Delhi by the Authorized Dealer Category-I bank and be considered in consultation with the Government of India.ExceptionsNo branch office or a liaison office shall require prior approval of the Reserve Bank in case of:A banking company resident outside India if such company has obtained necessary approval under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.An insurance company resident outside India if such company has obtained necessary approval under the provisions of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999.A company resident outside India willing to establish a branch office in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to undertake manufacturing and service activities, subject to the conditions that:such branch offices are functioning in those sectors where 100% FDI is permitted;such branch offices comply with Chapter XXII of the Companies Act, 2013; andsuch branch offices function on a stand-alone basis.General ConditionsPartnership/Proprietary concerns set up abroad are not allowed to establish Branch/ Liaison Office in RBI.Branch/Liaison Offices are allowed to open non-interest bearing current accounts in India. Such Offices are required to approach their Authorized Dealers for opening the accounts.Transfer of assets of Liaison/Branch Office to subsidiaries or other Liaison/Branch Offices is allowed with specific approval of the Central Office of RBI.A BO/LO or any other place of business by whatever name called is required to register with the Registrar of Companies (ROCs) once it establishes a place of business in India if such registration is required under the Companies Act, 2013.The BOs / LOs shall obtain Permanent Account Number (PAN) from the Income Tax Authorities on setting up of their office in India and report the same in the AACs.Opening of bank account by BO/LOi. An LO may approach the designated AD Category I Bank in India to open an account to receive remittances from its Head Office outside India. It may be noted that an LO shall not maintain more than one bank account at any given time without the prior permission of Reserve Bank of India. The permitted Credits and Debits to the account shall be:a. CreditsFunds received from Head Office through normal banking channels for meeting the expenses of the office.Refund of security deposits paid from LO’s account or directly by the Head Office through normal banking channels.Refund of taxes, duties etc., received from tax authorities, paid from LO’s bank account.Sale proceeds of assets of the LO.b. DebitsOnly for meeting the local expenses of the office.ii. A BO may approach any AD Category-I Bank in India to open an account for its operations in India. Credits to the account should represent the funds received from Head Office through normal banking channels for meeting the expenses of the office and any legitimate receivables arising in the process of its business operations. Debits to this account shall be for the expenses incurred by the BO and towards remittance of profit/winding up proceeds.Submission of Annual Activity Certificate (AAC)The Annual Activity Certificate (AAC) in Form FNC (Annex D) as at the end of March 31 every year along with the required documents needs to be submitted by the following:a. In case of a sole BO/ LO, by the BO/LO concerned;b. In case of multiple BOs / LOs, a combined AAC in respect of all the offices in India by the nodal office of the BOs / LOs.The LO/BO needs to submit the AAC to the designated AD Category -I bank as well as Director General of Income Tax (International Taxation).The designated AD Category – I bank shall scrutinize the AACs and ensure that the activities undertaken by the BO/LO are being carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of the approval given. In the event of any adverse findings reported by the auditor or noticed by the designated AD Category -I Bank, the same should immediately be reported to the General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, CO Cell, New Delhi, along with the copy of the AAC and their comments thereon.on or before September 30 along with the audited financial statements including receipt and payment account, in case the annual accounts of the office are finalized with reference to March 31, orWithin 6 months from the close of the Balance Sheets in case the annual accounts of the office are finalized with reference to a date other than March 31, the AAC along with the audited financial statements.Compliance under Companies Act, 2013Any foreign entity establishing its place of business in India by way of Branch office, liaison office or any other place of business shall be treated as foreign company as defined under section 2(42) of the Companies Act, 2013 which says:A foreign company is a company or body corporate incorporated outside India having a place of business in India whether by itself or through an agent, physically or through electronic mode and conducts any business activity in India in any other manner.Such foreign companies shall be governed by the provisions of:(i) Chapter XXII of the Companies Act, 2013(ii) Companies (Registration of Foreign Companies) Rules, 2014Rule 3(3) of the Companies (Registration of Foreign Companies) Rules, 2014 requires every foreign to file eForm FC-1 to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs within 30 days of the establishment of its place of business in India.And Rule 3(4) provides that in case of any alteration in the aforesaid documents the Foreign Company is require to submit a return in eForm FC-2 containing the particulars of alteration as per the prescribed format with the Registrar of Companies, within 30 days of any such alteration.OTHER INTERESTING LINKS:PAYROLL SERVICES | INTERIOR DESIGNER | HOSPITAL