visa run question

[krdowney]

Hi. I'm really confused. I will be moving out of Thailand on January 9th, but my non-Immigrant visa expires on December 30th. Can I just make a border run? I have been told that my existing visa makes it so I cannot, or that I have to cancel it at Chaengwattana, or that I will have to go into overstay. All I want to know is can I go to the Myanmar or Cambodian border on December 30th (or 31st, I'm fine with either) and get a tourist stamp to cover the 10 day gap? And if not, do I have options? Please help me and please be kind.

 

Thanks

Kevin

[elviajero]

14 minutes ago, krdowney said:

I just make a border run?

Yes you can. 

 

14 minutes ago, krdowney said:

All I want to know is can I go to the Myanmar or Cambodian border on December 30th (or 31st, I'm fine with either) and get a tourist stamp to cover the 10 day gap?

You need to go on Dec 30th. If you leave on the 31st your have to pay 500 baht overstay and get an overstay stamp in your passport. You can exit/re-enter and get a 30 day stay under visa exemption.. But avoid the Aranya/Poipet border to Cambodia.

 

14 minutes ago, krdowney said:

And if not, do I have options?

If you are the spouse or parent of a Thai you can get a 60 day extension at immigration for 1,900 baht.

[krdowney]

Hi Elviajero

 

Thanks! I was hoping to take a van to the Burmese border near Kanchanaburi on the 30th and come right back the same day. The owner of the van service told me I had to go to Chaengwattana and cancel my existing visa extension first. But I did not say explicitly that I was going on the last day of my visa, which could have caused the confusion. 

 

K

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, krdowney said:

Hi Elviajero

 

Thanks! I was hoping to take a van to the Burmese border near Kanchanaburi on the 30th and come right back the same day. The owner of the van service told me I had to go to Chaengwattana and cancel my existing visa extension first. But I did not say explicitly that I was going on the last day of my visa, which could have caused the confusion. 

 

K

Kanchanaburi is a good choice.

 

What type of extension of stay do you have?

[krdowney]

I have been on a non-Immigrant F for work since January of 2015 as far as I can trace it back in my passport. I get a one-year extension annually.

[elviajero]

7 minutes ago, krdowney said:

I have been on a non-Immigrant F for work since January of 2015 as far as I can trace it back in my passport. I get a one-year extension annually.

Ok, I assumed it was a non 'O'.

 

If it's for work they may not let you exit unless the extension has been cancelled at immigration, or you have a letter from your employer confirming the end of your employment.

 

When does your employment end?

[krdowney]

December 30th

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, krdowney said:

Hi Elviajero

 

Thanks! I was hoping to take a van to the Burmese border near Kanchanaburi on the 30th and come right back the same day. The owner of the van service told me I had to go to Chaengwattana and cancel my existing visa extension first. But I did not say explicitly that I was going on the last day of my visa, which could have caused the confusion. 

 

K

The visa run service is being cautious because some crossing will turn people away if they are on an extension based upon working.

The one I am sure you are talking to has this on their website. "Rules remain the same: passport validity should be 6 month, contact us if your overstay is more than 20 days, if you have to transfer passport or cancel a valid Non Immigrant Visa." Which is actually an extension.

December 30th is a Sunday.

If you got a termination letter from your employer you could cancel your extension a few days before the date on the letter and immigration would post date the cancelation to  that day.

 

 

[elviajero]

2 minutes ago, krdowney said:

December 30th

Then if you are leaving by land you should get a termination letter from your employer and get the extension cancelled at immigration. If it helps, immigration at CW can give you an extra 7 days to leave the country for 1,900 baht.

 

 

[krdowney]

Hi Ubon and Elviajero.

 

Would my expired contract do? Actually no worries I can get a letter, do it the right way. How early before I am leaving can I submit a letter to Immigration? I have to do a 90-day at the end of November, could I do that on the same trip? And I take it that leaving for a couple days and coming back would have the same problem...  Well, I bought the tickets in January mainly so I could avoid the holiday travel hassles and costs. I've outsmarted myself, it seems.

[krdowney]

should I just go overstay for 10 days and pay the fine?

[elviajero]

12 minutes ago, krdowney said:

should I just go overstay for 10 days and pay the fine?

Bad idea. If you get caught you could get arrested, detained, prosecuted, deported and banned from the country.

[elviajero]

21 minutes ago, krdowney said:

Hi Ubon and Elviajero.

 

Would my expired contract do? Actually no worries I can get a letter, do it the right way. How early before I am leaving can I submit a letter to Immigration? I have to do a 90-day at the end of November, could I do that on the same trip? And I take it that leaving for a couple days and coming back would have the same problem...  Well, I bought the tickets in January mainly so I could avoid the holiday travel hassles and costs. I've outsmarted myself, it seems.

They expect to see a letter from the employer confirming the employment end date.

 

I don't think there is any set time regarding who early you can submit the letter to immigration. It will be up to the individual office. If you can get the letter and take it with you when you do the 90 day report it would be worth asking while you're there if they can process the extension cancellation.

[krdowney]

Okay, I'll try taking the letter (and a copy of my contract) to Chaengwattana.  I decided to come here, I gotta follow their rules to go home. I trust the helpful folks the CW be able to direct me to the area where visa terminations are done. This is a nightmare because it is right at New Years and I may not get across the border anyway. I messed this up really badly, I don't know if I can get out of here.