thecolonel

Well I was specifically advised by the Hua Hin Immigration Officer that any agreement must have a minimum unexpired term of 6 months at the point of application. Maybe that's a requirement of Prachuap Khiri Khan? Any thoughts people?

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Ok so... I am aware that you need a minimum of 6 months rental agreement to get a long stay retirement 'visa', but here's a question for you Gurus.... What if that agreement has not yet commenced.... Eg I agree to rent a condo for 9 months starting in 6 weeks time??? Or is the requirement that you are already resident at that address?? Thanks

 

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Interesting with the Myanmar border crossings where I see no mention of pre obtained Myanmar visas?
Kanchanaburi mentions a 950B 'fee' for transport and visa formalities which I assume include at least a stamp & perhaps transit/border visa page?
At mae sai is there also option of 'border visa' or needs full Myanmar (e) visa (50$)??
My main concern is visa pages in m passport as im down to last few pages already so if a full page is needed for Myanmar crossing I may need to use Malaysia instead or get new passport prior to my upcoming ME 90 days entry run.
Mae Sai would suit me well as I like to travel in the north :)

You assume correctly re fee its all inclusive of admin Thai /Myanmar and the 10 minute bus ride there and back. The Myanmar stamps take up half a page of my UK passport(if that) and there is no visa for there, it's just an in/out stamp. Done it twice its easy peasy!

Ps You can buy booze and cigarettes in Myanmar immigration area but I wouldn't have a clue if its a good deal or not, but a bunch of girls from Laos(I think) seemed really keen to buy a lot of Johnnie Walker whiskey!

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Hi maybe a stupid question but i am going for my last 60 extension on a non o marraige that i got in Savannakhet , the last stamp i got at Kanchanaburi says admitted until 1/3/2017 does that mean i can go on that date and it won't be overstay or do i have to go before that date ? My reasoning is that the 1st of march is o.k. but just want to make 100% sure. 
Thanks in advance,
Kyri. 

Others on here are better than me but I believe it's the former

Ie 1 March is your final day that you can stay without overstaying

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Thanks, would love to hear from any folks who have done it with a 30 day?? Come on people don't be shy!

As regards the 6 month minimum remaining term on the property rental agreement, that's very interesting to hear that other provinces don't require that!

As a matter of pure interest can you quote me other examples eg Chiang Mai is 3 months etc..

Thanks

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Easy and straightforward at most immigration offices.
Requirements are here to apply for the non immigrant visa entry needed to apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement (it is not a visa). https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

Sorry please clarify one thing for me.... I was told I could not rent a property for say 12 months unless I had a non O visa or retirement permission. Went to hua Hin immigration today and they said I cannot even apply for non O(which I need for onward covert to retirement) WITHOUT having a rental agreement for at least 6 months!

Who is telling me the truth? It's like chicken and egg! Ie can I rent for 12 months with just a 30 day entry? Otherwise how the hell do people do this? Thanks

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Although I am pretty sure visa exempt entry at Ban Phu Nam Ron is OK right now, I seriously advise you not to rely on what immigration office and Thai consulates abroad tell you about what happens elsewhere.They are notoriously unreliable sources.
 
If the Thai side is not going to give you a visa exempt entry. they will not allow you to leave Thailand unless you have a Myanmar visa allowing onward travel within Myanmar. That should be irrelevant in your case, but I can assure you there is zero chance that you can become marooned on the Myanmar side because Thailand will not let you re-enter.

Thanks to all for help on this one, I went to Ban Phu Nam Ron today(Saturday) and everything went fine as before(2 years ago).

But the significant difference being that this time I only had a SETEE(Single entry tourist exempt entry) and not a multiple entry visa which was previously required to use this crossing. Cost 950 bht including mini bus transport from the border to Myanmar immigration office and back to Thai border again(took 30 mins total - incidentally I have yet to get out of the mini bus there in Myanmar office but I guess you have to go just in case of queries)

I got what I expected ie a fresh 30 day entry(extendable)

Thanks again.

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Easy and straightforward at most immigration offices.
Requirements are here to apply for the non immigrant visa entry needed to apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement (it is not a visa). https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

Thanks Joe, sadly I have run out of time to do all this AND avoid a trip to Kanchanaburi in the process, so I'll just have to do it when I get back fingers crossed! At least it might save me the 30 day renewal fee of 1900 baht but I'm sure the non O and convert to retirement isn't cheap either! thanks again

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Ok i appreciate I may be going off topic here but.... How straightforward is it to convert a tourist exempt entry into a retirement visa (I do qualify and have had the required funds on deposit in Thai bank for almost a year now)?

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Oh of course! A visa would have given them another 60(or 90 perhaps) days

30 days are for VE's only i guess

Thanks

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ps not that im doubting they're acceptable here i just want to learn.....

Sorry to be dim, but how does one tell that that's a Tourist exempt entry and not a proper Visa ?

yes, the trip can be done alone. The cost for Western passport is THB960.-. The border is not really closed, they just not stamp, never understand the logic behind. No issues, see enclosed a stamp from yesterday run.
 

Thanks visarunner[emoji106] I will assume you had tourist exempt entry...

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Thanks Joe! It occurred to me that the visa run company want you to go on certain days....

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I think he is Hua Hin not Bangkok.

Yes Hua Hin, I have rung that visa run company to ask about closing days and got no reply ...I will e mail them. Failing that i guess that I'll just have to go on a wed Thu sat or Sun and pray they're open!

Assume that visa run company must take you to Ban Laem on a different day?!





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Thanks Darren and for link, bit concerning that its closed sometimes without notice, im guessing you cant ring them in advance!

That company goes on Wed Thu Sat & Sun , thinking out loud ....wonder if they are most reliable days to go? or just when they go?

 

thanks again

 

within the last 6 months or so has anyone done(or has good knowledge of people who have) a border run at Kanchanaburi (Baan Phu Nam Ron) but specifically WITHOUT a visa ie just a tourist exempt entry?

 

Thanks in advance

 

By way of background...

 

- im aware that this may not have been possible here in the past

- so much so i went to Ranong last year

- but that the rules have now changed here(Kanchanaburi border)?

- An Immigration Officer in Hua Hin had told me i CAN do this here...

- however im advised not to trust that information

- so im looking for reassurances before i make such a long trip from Hua Hin

- i appreciate that the Thai side wouldnt let me leave if it wasnt possible

- naturally im hoping to get 30 days(which i can extend again by 30)

- not done any land crossings this calendar year

 

 

 

 

Thanks as it would appear from what you say it's now possible at Kanchanaburi. As you infer I really need the comfort of knowing from others that (extended) single entry tourist exempt entries can be accepted there and recently too.

I will try to contact the company in Kanchanaburi that you mention.

I also thought of asking Immigration in Hua Hin (Bluport) if they could ask /confirm?



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Update on my earlier post.... I spoke to the Immigration Officer at Hua Hin Bluport just before. He said that the fact that I have a tourist exempt entry as opposed to a multi entry visa is irrelevant. He said I can go out and come back in again and get 30 days at Kanchanaburi.

Obviously I want to believe him but I'm nervous because I have been advised in the past that Thai side for re entry would not let you back in unless you had a visa ie a multiple entry which clearly granted you entry back in. And that mere tourists could not gain entry here. So much so that last year I travelled much further to Ranong(ok, maybe that was necessary then because rules since changed)

Like I say I'm just nervous as it's a long way!

I suppose I could go a few days earlier than needed(which my itinerary allows) and hopefully the Thai exit office should be able to confirm that it's OK before I do it

But would appreciate confirmation from anyone who has recently done an in/out at Kanchanaburi without a (preapproved reentry) visa!



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It seems it is easy to do the border run from Kanchanaburi.
I intend going there on Thurs, 25th.
Is there overnight accommodation on the Myanmar side?
Any other info you can provide?
Finally can you extend the entry for another 30 days at Chang Wattana? 
Thanks!!!!

Re Hotel...... All I can say is that when I went across the Myanmar border there(Baan Pu Nam Ron) they took three of us in a car to a mountain top village where they stamped our passports. It was a very poor run down village indeed, a lot different to Thailand. Now for all I know if you carry on going it may get nicer and there may be a hotel so maybe others can comment. But like I say it was grim and I was shocked how poor it was!


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A visa run service has started making runs from Bangkok to Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing in Kanchanaburi for a visa exempt entry. There is also a company in Kanchanaburi doing them. Apparently they are now allowed but I have seen no reports of an individual doing them.
No changes at Ranong that I am aware of.
Be aware that you can only do 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year at at land border crossings now.

Thanks as it would appear from what you say it's now possible at Kanchanaburi. As you infer I really need the comfort of knowing from others that (extended) single entry tourist exempt entries can be accepted there and recently too.

I will try to contact the company in Kanchanaburi that you mention.

I also thought of asking Immigration in Hua Hin (Bluport) if they could ask /confirm?



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A visa run service has started making runs from Bangkok to Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing in Kanchanaburi for a visa exempt entry. There is also a company in Kanchanaburi doing them. Apparently they are now allowed but I have seen no reports of an individual doing them.
No changes at Ranong that I am aware of.
Be aware that you can only do 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year at at land border crossings now.

Thanks as it would appear from what you say it's now possible at Kanchanaburi. As you infer I really need the comfort of knowing from others that (extended) single entry tourist exempt entries can be accepted there and recently too.

I will try to contact the company in Kanchanaburi that you mention.

I also thought of asking Immigration in Hua Hin (Bluport) if they could ask /confirm?



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Hi All,

Ref border run choices...

I'm in Hua Hin and have a SETEE(single entry tourist exempt entry) and have already extended it 30 days until 19 Feb

To get the point I have previously done both Kanchanaburi (Baan Pu Nam Ron) and Ranong Andaman Pier.

The reason I went all the way to Ranong last February was because Kanchanaburi did not(at that time) take SETEE( but only METV(multiple entry tourist visas) or at least I was advised on this forum they didn't(??)

The purpose of this post is to double check whether anything has changed?

For example does Kanchanaburi now take SETEE? As it's nearer and I'd prefer to go there....

And is Ranong Andaman still operating as it was before? I know the drill if it is, but just checking

Any other changes I might need to be aware of?

Thanks

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It was "the sheer amount of time spent here" - they don't like that at the airports, generally.  
 
You have no "right" to enter Thailand unless you are Thai - though I know what you mean.  The visa-exempt entry is the most precarious way to enter, because you are literally asking immigration's permission for your stay.  Arriving with a Visa, the MFA has already given you permission to come, though immigration can still reject for cause (not done often).

Put it this way..... I'll never do it again! Lesson learned, and noted re officer gender!

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people that visit thailand frequently try to avoid visa exempt entries as immigration will likely pull you aside for an interview after you've had 6 visa exempt entries (over the course of a couple years).  i'm not sure what your travel history is or will be.  if you are a frequent traveler to thailand, the re-entry permit makes sense as it avoids a visa exempt entry.  and there is a limit to visa exempt entries using land borders, 2 per calendar year.
 
 

Interesting, as I got a bit of hard time last night from the female immigration officer.

She questioned me twice how long I was staying and I said 30 days and I move on. Although she didn't specifically ask about an onward flight. I explained I was just on a golf holiday, retired not working etc but think she was dubious. Possibly looking at my passport and seeing I've been coming every year for last 5 years.

I also explained why I had gone out and come back(Dad's funeral).

It concluded with her giving me an exempt entry but she strongly recommended I get a non O next time! What puzzles me is why I wasn't just given an exempt entry without question as I have only used 1 such thing in last 10 years(and that was a visa run at Ranong) all the rest have been visas. Well other than just the sheer amount of time spent here, that's the only reason I can think of! I thought you got 30 days on airport entry as of right, no?

So I'm kind of interested to know... Was I lucky to get in, or unlucky to be questioned?



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you could get a re-entry permit at the airport before departing for the UK.  that would keep your SETV entry 'alive' and when you return, you'd be stamped in until jan 8 (same as before).  then you could keep your original plan intact.
 
getting a re-entry permit at the airport is fairly simple.  at suvarnabhumi, you present your passport and the people at the desk do everything for you for a fee of 200thb.  just fill out a form.  they take a photo for you.
 
as to the question, the extension for a visa exempt entry is the same process as an extension for an SETV.  at CW in bangkok, i've never had to show any flight details.

You're quite right and that's useful to know. But my point was rather that whether I stick to original plan (and original exit dates) either way I'm going to have to go to Ranong(or leave country another way)

So the point was rather, why spend £35 on an SETV and a trip to Liverpool, or even 200 baht on a reentry permit to be pedantic

Either way I'll have to go to Ranong so why pay, or organise, anything was what I was meaning, might as well just go out and in again...... Nb that's all provided I've weighed it up correctly of course! [emoji848]

thanks

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