According to local township-level offices, following a powerful earthquake that struck Naypyidaw, many government ministry offices remain non-operational due to ongoing relocation efforts.
Reports indicate that the military council is planning to temporarily relocate several government offices from Nay Pyi Taw to Yangon. These include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank, hotels and tourism, immigration offices, and offices related to agriculture, livestock, economy, and trade.
As a result of these relocations, immigration offices are currently unable to process smart card applications or make corrections to personal information, according to a resident in Ye Zin who had submitted a smart card application.
“They say the network isn’t working properly. The office is technically open, but they tell people they can’t process anything and send them away. For ID registrations or updating smart card data, they say it’ll take quite some time,” the applicant shared.
The earthquake that hit Naypyidaw on March 28 caused significant destruction and casualties. Many ministry offices and staff housing complexes were among the damaged structures.
In particular, government sources confirmed that the ministries of Hotels and Tourism, Foreign Affairs, and Immigration in Naypyidaw were completely destroyed.
Amid the disruption of public services, the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar announced on April 8 that the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for Myanmar citizens who have obtained long-term visas for Japan will be extended from three to six months.
However, one individual preparing to work in Japan said this extension period may not be sufficient if government services remain suspended.
“You can only apply for the OWIC card and visa after receiving the COE. If the COE expires before getting the OWIC, nothing can move forward. Without that card, we can’t do anything. Now that the validity is six months, if offices don’t process things in time, we’re stuck,” the person explained.
If COE certificates expire, workers would need to reapply—costing more time and money—while restarting the documentation process, which could negatively affect their job opportunities abroad.
According to an official damage assessment, the quake damaged over 1,000 staff housing units in Naypyidaw. The report indicates that 610 units are marked in red as uninhabitable and completely destroyed, while 946 others require major repairs.
