Myanmar’s military regime has tightened restrictions on the movement of people from conflict-affected areas by enforcing travel controls based on National Registration Card (NRC) numbers, effectively preventing thousands from traveling freely unless they obtain prior approval from local authorities.

According to travelers and bus ticket agents, residents holding certain NRC prefixes are now required to secure recommendation letters from both ward administrators and local police stations at least one week before traveling. Without these documents, bus companies refuse to sell tickets.

The new restrictions apply to people from the following areas:

• 13/ – Northern Shan State: Kyaukme, Lashio, Namtu, Hsipaw, and Konkyan townships
• 9/ – Mandalay Region: Mogok Township
• 5/ – Sagaing Region: Monywa, Shwebo, and Myaung townships
• 8/ – Magway Region: all townships
• 11/ – Rakhine State: all townships

A resident of Ywangan said bus operators now check NRCs even before selling tickets.

“They asked to see my NRC before I could even buy a ticket home. A person from Rakhine was not allowed to travel at all. We are afraid because people from Rakhine are searched extremely harshly at checkpoints,” he told SHAN.

Bus operators confirmed that military checkpoints are specifically targeting passengers from these regions, subjecting them to lengthy interrogations and, in many cases, demanding bribes. To avoid problems, bus companies now require passengers to obtain recommendation letters in advance.

The restrictions have caused severe hardship, particularly for students, business travelers, and people in need of urgent medical care.

“If my parents became seriously ill, I still wouldn’t be able to return in time because of these delays and because drivers refuse to carry us,” the Ywangan resident said.

Local residents and rights advocates say the policy constitutes a clear violation of freedom of movement and has created new opportunities for extortion.

“There is no security or basic freedom for ordinary people anymore. Using NRC numbers as a reason to block travel is just another way to squeeze money from us,” a resident of Lashio said.

Bus companies are advising passengers from the affected areas to begin preparations at least a week in advance, warning that the process of obtaining recommendation letters is slow, unpredictable, and often costly.

For many, the new system amounts to an effective travel ban—deepening isolation in regions already devastated by war, poverty, and displacement.