Easy Visa Run?

[georgesch]

   We arrived originally with a non-O visa and have already had one "covid" extension, and are now informed that we cannot get another.

 

   Our current covid extension expires on March 20th, and we have plane tickets to leave Thailand for the foreseeable future on April 6th.  So, we have a 17 day gap.

 

   Can anybody recommend an easy Visa Run? Air travel would not be a problem. We are US citizens with 3 Moderna shots. 

 

   And what kind of visa? 

 

   Thanks for any, and all, advice.

 

   George

Edited March 8, 2022 by georgesch
completeness

[DrJack54]

A visa run for 17 days. That's bit extreme.

There was recent report of guy going to Phnom Penh for and non O and returned OK.

No simple exit reenter options currently.

BTW you would reenter visa exempt. 30 days would be long enough

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by DrJack54

[georgesch]

   Thanks, I'm not happy about the 17 days but the international arrangements have all been fixed based on an April 6 departure. Very difficult/expensive to change.

    I'm wondering whether I should just pay the overstay fee, or are there other consequences?

    

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, georgesch said:

I'm wondering whether I should just pay the overstay fee, or are there other consequences?

Extreme consequences if found to be on overstay 

Some would do it for few days and some even for 17 and think little of it.

You would not have any issues at airport. Pay fine (500 baht/day).

However if discovered on overstay the result could be dire. 

 

Edit: afterthought. Are your non O based on retirement?

You could use agent to obtain 12 month extension. 

Cost 15k-20k.

You have the non O entry so only require extension. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by DrJack54

[georgesch]

message received!

[paul1804]

I thought Malaysia was opening up to Thailand, also Cambodia??

[audaciousnomad]

8 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

I thought Malaysia was opening up to Thailand, also Cambodia??

Right now, here's what's open:
Cambodia
Singapore
Philippines

Limited opening:
Laos (must be pre-booked with approved Laotian travel agency)
Malaysia (only Langkawi, and must be pre-booked with approved agency)

Coming soon: Vietnam, Indonesia

Not open: Myanmar
 

[Dart12]

12 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

I thought Malaysia was opening up to Thailand, also Cambodia??

air only.  I did the math as a possibility for myself.

It  Would require about 20k to go there , do all tests there and here, and spend a week whichever one you chose.

[Dart12]

try agencies for 30 day extensions.  I'm sure one has something for 4 to 8k since you haven't been here that long this visit

[SmokeandIce]

1 hour ago, audaciousnomad said:

Right now, here's what's open:
Cambodia
Singapore
Philippines

Limited opening:
Laos (must be pre-booked with approved Laotian travel agency)
Malaysia (only Langkawi, and must be pre-booked with approved agency)

Coming soon: Vietnam, Indonesia

Not open: Myanmar
 

Great summary - many thanks for the comprehensive list

[georgesch]

   Thanks for the info, it looks like we're off to Singapore for a weekend. Thanks again!

[GypsyT]

May I ask; When you come back are you using VOA (Visa On Arrival)?

I've done that 2 yrs ago many times. I wonder if it still works?

[jethro69]

4 hours ago, GypsyT said:

May I ask; When you come back are you using VOA (Visa On Arrival)?

I've done that 2 yrs ago many times. I wonder if it still works?

2 yrs ago, it used to be limited to twice during a calendar year. Then again it did only apply for landcrossings. Afaik, air travel was exempted, but massive reports of entry denial by IO.

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, GypsyT said:

May I ask; When you come back are you using VOA (Visa On Arrival)?

I've done that 2 yrs ago many times. I wonder if it still works?

A visa on arrival is only for 15 days after paying a 2000 baht fee if you are form one of the 18 courtiers that qualify for it.

I assume you mean a 30 day visa exempt entry. There is not limit on them by air and at land border crossings it 2 per calendar year.

[BritTim]

However, you do it, a visa run is going to be expensive, and not particularly easy. Just maybe, you would be better off waiting out a couple of weeks in, say, Cambodia, not returning to Thailand except to transit to your April 6 flights. That would avoid the costs involved with the Test and Go system.

[DrJack54]

13 hours ago, Dart12 said:

try agencies for 30 day extensions.  I'm sure one has something for 4 to 8k since you haven't been here that long this visit

Are you referring to the OP. 

There is no 30 day extension to a non O. 

He has a covid extension and cannot obtain another with the rule change on Jan 26.

An agent cannot obtain a 30 day extension. 

[georgesch]

   Yes, we've tried an agent and it is as Dr. Jack says - no more 30 day covid extension unless I can get a letter from the US Embassy saying that it is impossible to depart for the States. Not likely. The other option would be for another retirement visa, but the costs and docs for 17 days don't make sense.

    We could go somewhere (e.g. Cambodia) for the 17 days, but then we would be abandoning our "job" - caring for our granddaughter until April 6th. 

   So the plan now is to fly to Singapore and enter under their VTL plan, get tested again and then return after 2 or 3 days to Thailand under Test and Go program. Lots of tests. And a night in Bangkok Center!

   Thanks again! (and any comments welcome)

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

An agent cannot obtain a 30 day extension. 

Technically, some agents can obtain a highly dubious medical extension. However, you are of course correct that there is no normal 30-day extension of a Non Immigrant entry that an agent could get you.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Technically, some agents can obtain a highly dubious medical extension.

Stay tuned..

My understanding is that medical extension option is the new recruit. "soon to be released at a store near you"

[Dart12]

1 hour ago, georgesch said:

   Yes, we've tried an agent and it is as Dr. Jack says - no more 30 day covid extension unless I can get a letter from the US Embassy saying that it is impossible to depart for the States. Not likely. The other option would be for another retirement visa, but the costs and docs for 17 days don't make sense.

    We could go somewhere (e.g. Cambodia) for the 17 days, but then we would be abandoning our "job" - caring for our granddaughter until April 6th. 

   So the plan now is to fly to Singapore and enter under their VTL plan, get tested again and then return after 2 or 3 days to Thailand under Test and Go program. Lots of tests. And a night in Bangkok Center!

   Thanks again! (and any comments welcome)

try more, and try outside of the location you are in.

I interviewed 40 agents to find one that could help me with my parameters.  

As a matter of fact, once I left interviewing the local agents (thank you FB for listening to my chats and phone conversations and sending me ads to agencies outside of my location)...

they said "why have you had a problem?  this is standard and there will be no issues.  

I then stated where I was located and immigration office trying to go thru...and they said, "Ohhhh.  That makes sense.  They are difficult.  You will not have those issues here.  We processed 3 last week."


So, it's worth trying outside your local area.  

For me, Chiang Mai and Samui were presenting  solutions,



***My parameters are not your parameters, so I am not sure.  But you being a much more recent arrival, you should have less obstacles than I did.    And of course, you'll have solutions...just how much you willing to pay?  25k is a 3 month educaiton visa thru an actual school and can be done without you leaving., for example.  9 months for 40k.
 

[Nong Khai Man]

Not open: Myanmar.............I Doubt if the OP or Anyone else would want to go anyway even If it was Open !!

[audaciousnomad]

1 hour ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Not open: Myanmar.............I Doubt if the OP or Anyone else would want to go anyway even If it was Open !!

Pre-pandemic, Myanmar was a viable visa run destination via land borders (Mae Sai in the North, and Kanchanaburi in the East, Ranong in the Southeast).

Edited March 9, 2022 by audaciousnomad

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Not open: Myanmar.............I Doubt if the OP or Anyone else would want to go anyway even If it was Open !!

Back around 2019, when there was a crackdown on people staying indefinitely in Thailand on tourist visas, one of the safest approaches was flying to Yangon for a tourist visa, returning by land at Maesot (with an airport walking distance from the border to fly on to Bangkok if desired). This might become a recommended route again for those who are risk averse, but nevertheless want to press their luck as a perpetual tourist.

[audaciousnomad]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

Back around 2019, when there was a crackdown on people staying indefinitely in Thailand on tourist visas, one of the safest approaches was flying to Yangon for a tourist visa, returning by land at Maesot (with an airport walking distance from the border to fly on to Bangkok if desired). This might become a recommended route again for those who are risk averse, but nevertheless want to press their luck as a perpetual tourist.

Yup.  I did 2 land border runs end of 2019, and I did one more early 2020 and then covid turned the world upside-down. 

[Lemsta69]

6 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Not open: Myanmar.............I Doubt if the OP or Anyone else would want to go anyway even If it was Open !!

Myanmar govt aren't targeting foreigners are they? so why would you not want to go if you had the opportunity?

[aussiexpat]

Vietnam is officially open for a visa run with just a PCR within 72 hours of entry, or formal ATK within 24 hours of entry

 

https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/covid-19-vietnam-travel-updates-restrictions.html/

[audaciousnomad]

CAMBODIA VERY SOON... *Land borders will open, No pre-test, No arrival test*

 

This is the notification from ministry of health to inform that upon receiving the note from PM, the inter-ministerial committee of covid-19 decides

1. cancel the requirement from the travelers for certificate of negative result of Covid-19 PCR test within 72 hours before arrival to Cambodia.

2. cancel the requirement for rapid test upon the arrival.

3. allow to reopen the visa service on arrival for international travelers by airs, land and sea.

Even though point 1 and 2 are cancelled, travelers are advised to take the rapid test by themselves and must present the covid-19 vaccination card. In case of non vaccination of covid-19, travelers are required to be in 14 day quarantine at designated area defined by ministry of health or authority.

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501042844/cambodia-abolishes-need-for-pcr-tests-obtained-72-hours-prior-to-arrival-and-rapid-tests-on-arrival/

[FruitPudding]

Great things are opening up. Seems like Cambodia is the easiest still?

[stratocaster]

On 3/9/2022 at 5:03 AM, DrJack54 said:

Stay tuned..

My understanding is that medical extension option is the new recruit. "soon to be released at a store near you"

On another forum someone claims they received a 30 day medical extension from the visa department of (name removed) hospital located between Suk Soi 1 and 3. A fee was charged.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, stratocaster said:

On another forum someone claims they received a 30 day medical extension from the visa department of (name removed) hospital located between Suk Soi 1 and 3. A fee was charged.

He may of been ill.

If not I'm surprised.