Are ‘visa Runs’ Necessary?

[george]

From Phuket Gazette 2004-08-26:

QUESTION:

I have a question regarding a foreigner staying on a 90-day non-immigrant visa with a one-year extension. I have a friend who lives very close to Pattaya, and he goes to Cambodia every three months because he says that the trip costs him very little and that it takes only a few hours round-trip via a mini-bus ride with other people.

My friend told me that if I live in Phuket that I would be able to go to Phuket International Airport for my “visa runs” and will not have to leave Thailand. Is that possible?

I am pretty sure that another friend of mine who works for the Immigration Department in Bangkok told me the same thing a different way. I believe he told me that every three months I could go to an Immigration office in Bangkok, or any other Immigration office in another province, and do the same thing. Or is necessary that I exit and re-enter Thailand?

John Michael Kiser, Patong.

--

Answer from Phuket Immigration:

“It is necessary for you to leave Thailand before your permit to stay expires, and obtain entry and exit immigration stamps from another country before re-entering Thailand. You cannot enter Thailand without immigration stamps showing where you have come from.

Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport cannot provide all the stamps you need. They will issue exit stamps as you leave Thailand and entry stamps as you enter Thailand, but you must physically leave the country. ”

Wednesday, August 25, 2004 Pol Capt Krissarat Nusen, Deputy Inspector, Phuket Provincial Immigration Office.

[pnustedt]

You cannot enter Thailand without immigration stamps showing where you have come from.

That's OK if you enter Thailand from another Asian country but if you enter from London you will not have immigration stamps in your passport showing where you have come from as they do not normallly stamp your passport.

[konangrit]

So we can't do visa runs to Phuket airport?

[astral]

So we can't do visa runs to Phuket airport?

No but you can do it via the airport.

Fly to KL or the like on one of the new Low Cost airlines.

A stamp showing where you came from is NOT a requirement at any of the airports.

It cannot be, as European countries will not stamp you if you have a EU passport.

Probably the Phuket Imm officer has never been outside ASEAN, or even Thailand.

[konangrit]

Just kidding Ast, but thanx...... what destinations are available from PIA?

[Axel]

Phuket immigration is under Immigration Division 3 - responsible for inspection and other activities at the Immigration check-points in the rural areas.

Bangkok airport controlled by immigration Division 2 - responsible for air transport control through the Bangkok International Airport.

Same same but different.

[konangrit]

A stamp showing where you came from is NOT a requirement at any of the airports.

It cannot be, as European countries will not stamp you if you have a EU passport.

Probably the Phuket Imm officer has never been outside ASEAN, or even Thailand.

Well spotted Astral, would like to think that this is a misquoted immigration officer rather than a misinformed one. Unfortunately it could be either.

[orchis]

Or maybe he means the stamp HE puts in your passport upon arrival from abroad.

[pnustedt]

Or maybe he means the stamp HE puts in your passport upon arrival from abroad.

Or maybe "Phuket Immigration" should give a person responsible for press statements or shoud sobre before giving them!

Just read back thru this thread and see that there is someone responsible for the original statement - is this for real! Oh TIT

[Totster]

I reckon he has been misquoted through translation...

Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport cannot provide all the stamps you need. They will issue exit stamps as you leave Thailand and entry stamps as you enter Thailand, but you must physically leave the country. ”

I would take the statement to mean that the Immigration Officer cannot provide you with an exit stamp unless you leave the country and therefore would not be able to issue an entry stamp (with the clearance to stay for another 30/60/90 days) unles you have an exit stamp

totster

[pnustedt]

I would take the statement to mean that the Immigration Officer cannot provide you with an exit stamp unless you leave the country and therefore would not be able to issue an entry stamp (with the clearance to stay for another 30/60/90 days)  unles you have an exit stamp

Well = that's lost me - sorry!

[Totster]

My friend told me that if I live in Phuket that I would be able to go to Phuket International Airport for my “visa runs” and will not have to leave Thailand. Is that possible?

This person was asking if he could get an "entry" into Thailand without leaving the country....

Now the Immigration Official states that....

 

Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport cannot provide all the stamps you need. They will issue exit stamps as you leave Thailand and entry stamps as you enter Thailand, but you must physically leave the country. 

....So therefore... An Immigration Officer cannot give you an entry stamp( with the 30/60/90 days stay ) unless you have left the country and gained an exit stamp... this answer was for someone already in Thailand... the deputy inspector was answering about someone doing a "visa run"

If you have come from a European country then you will be on an inbound flight from these destinations, so they would not expect to see a "stamp" from that country but if you have been in Thailand before you will have exit stamps Obviously if you have stopped somewhere in Asia you will have stamps.

totster

[opalhort]

inbound immigration may ask for a boarding pass for the flight the passenger claims to have arrived on if there is no exit stamp from the country of embarkation in the PP.

opalhort

[Axel]

These days they do check more carefully where you come from.

Came back last Friday from Vietnam, no Vietnam-chop in my p/port, which is ok, but marked my flight in the TM6-card as "772" instead of "773". This was questioned immediately and I had to produce my boarding pass.

Sorry, was my mistake.

Didn't we have some fellow not so long ago, who suggested entering and leaving an embassy should do for a visa-run, as embassies are foreign ground? LOL

[sbk]

If you are doing a visa run from Phuket why not just do a quick bus trip up to Ranong? Over the border to Burma and back again, quick and (from what I understand) relatively easy.

Who would ever think they didn't have to physically leave the country in order to get an exit and entry stamp??

[lopburi3]

If you are doing a visa run from Phuket why not just do a quick bus trip up to Ranong? Over the border to Burma and back again, quick and (from what I understand) relatively easy.

Who would ever think they didn't have to physically leave the country in order to get an exit and entry stamp??

You have not been asked that? Once they have the exit stamp they feel they have departed. It seems to be a topic on all the boards as some try to avoid the visa charge of actually going into the other country and want to do a turn-around after stamp out of Thailand. Even when it costs nothing but a 200 meter walk to Malaysia they try to take the easy U-turn if not checked. Immigration is well aware of it and that is why they say they will (and do) look for a stamp on land crossings. In airports they will check boarding pass if they have questions.

[sbk]

If you are doing a visa run from Phuket why not just do a quick bus trip up to Ranong? Over the border to Burma and back again, quick and (from what I understand) relatively easy.

Who would ever think they didn't have to physically leave the country in order to get an exit and entry stamp?? 

You have not been asked that? Once they have the exit stamp they feel they have departed. It seems to be a topic on all the boards as some try to avoid the visa charge of actually going into the other country and want to do a turn-around after stamp out of Thailand. Even when it costs nothing but a 200 meter walk to Malaysia they try to take the easy U-turn if not checked. Immigration is well aware of it and that is why they say they will (and do) look for a stamp on land crossings. In airports they will check boarding pass if they have questions.

Pardon my naivete Lopburi I guess I just don't really pay attention to those posts, this is the first time I have noticed one. I usually only look at the ones relevant to my situation, but the title of this one caught my eye.

[lopburi3]

Pardon my naivete Lopburi I guess I just don't really pay attention to those posts, this is the first time I have noticed one. I usually only look at the ones relevant to my situation, but the title of this one caught my eye.

I think you are anything but naive and would have though some of your guests would have asked. But maybe they just ask themselves.

Today we had this question which "is a visa needed" amounts to the same thing.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15721

[sbk]

I have never been asked that question that way. Most people just ask me how they go about renewing their visa. So, perhaps it is my no-nonsense approach that deters people from asking bs questions!

[sua yai]

On this thread, here's a good one.

Got a new passport from the UK Embassy in Bangkok some 5 years ago - old one was expiring. Only on a 30 day entry stamp, so no visa needed to be tranferred.

Travelled to Sungai Kolok to get another 30 days, with my old, invalidated passport and the new"virgin" one. Stamped out on the Thai side of the bridge on the invalid passport. Thought this might be a problem on the Malaysian side, but reckoned the Thai official knew his business, so walked across.

Mayhem on the Malaysian side when I handed over a new passport without any exit stamp!! "Where have you come from?" Felt like saying "the moon", but decided that was not wise.

Anyway, after about 30 mins, I was told to walk back to Thailand and get the exit stamp in the new passport. Fortunately, the Thai authorities were helpful as I didn't fancy living in no man's land on the bridge.

So, yes. You do need entry and exit stamps.

Was in Ranong earlier this month and the business is painless and quick. Burma is now giving 2 day visas on arrival for your 5 dollars, should you wish to stay there.

HOWEVER, I've heard that a long tail boat captsized recently and all crossings via this method are temporarily suspended. Really not sure if this is true, but worth checking out. Alternatively, there's the Andaman Club run from just outside of Ranong to the casino. More expensive, but the boat's probably a bit more reliable.

[LivinLOS]

I think it is highly likely that the question was asked in a poor way and miss communicated to the Immigration official.

To me (I thought this when I saw it on the gazette site) it sounds as though this man might have a non imm o with one year extension. If this was the case he could be reporting to the local immigration office (Phuket town or Patong) and doing a 90 day report instead of leaving the kingdom.

Unfortunately the initial question does not give the basic info needed (married / Thai dependant / money in bank / Which visa class / etc) but if you read the slightly confused options of alternatives to a visa run that he thinks he has been informed about I would think this is certainly a possibility. If they had mentioned reporting to the immigration offiuce instead of the airport (where he may have assumed there would be an office) I think this would have been considered.

[lopburi3]

I think it is highly likely that the question was asked in a poor way and miss communicated to the Immigration official.

To me (I thought this when I saw it on the gazette site) it sounds as though this man might have a non imm o with one year extension. If this was the case he could be reporting to the local immigration office (Phuket town or Patong) and doing a 90 day report instead of leaving the kingdom.

Unfortunately the initial question does not give the basic info needed (married / Thai dependant / money in bank / Which visa class / etc) but if you read the slightly confused options of alternatives to a visa run that he thinks he has been informed about I would think this is certainly a possibility. If they had mentioned reporting to the immigration offiuce instead of the airport (where he may have assumed there would be an office) I think this would have been considered.

Indeed that is exactly what he appears to say but he then goes on to talk about someone who seems to have a multi entry type O visa. And in Para 3 seems to be talking about 90 address report (but he may not even know what he was talking about). Do not give PG very high marks for clarification on this one.

[LivinLOS]

Well remember PG are basically attempting to answer the persons question. If the person phrases the question badly or does not provide enough info thats hardly thier fault. I have actually mailed the editor who agrees with me that the answe may well be wrong and are looking into it to attempt to get it changed or adjusted.

[lopburi3]

Well remember PG are basically attempting to answer the persons question. If the person phrases the question badly or does not provide enough info thats hardly thier fault. I have actually mailed the editor who agrees with me that the answe may well be wrong and are looking into it to attempt to get it changed or adjusted.

Disagree completely on that one. It is (or should be) the specific function of a newspaper to present questions/answers in an understandable manner. And for an editor to verify and edit when they are not.

But I am just a newspaper reader so perhaps that is not how it is done.

[LivinLOS]

I agree that in an editorial section it is PG's responsibility to get thier facts right and or ask the right questions. However the issues and answers section is one where the reader posts his question and they then farm it out to be answered by whatever 'expert' they can find. If the expert does not understand the question or ask for more info and gives them a firm answer they trust the expert.

Twice this year Phuket immigration have given totally bogus answers, this one where 90 day reporting is being taken to how to obtain entry stamps and when then categorically stated that money in the bank and earnings could not be mixed and matched when applying for a non imm O visa. On the other matter immigration refused to retract that statement even after it was pointed out to be in error.

Amusingly enough on a question regarding visa cards being surcharged 3% they had 2 senior experts giving totally different views !! Bangkok Banks representative said that its fine and up to the consumer to choose and Mastercards rep said its strictly against the Mastercard terms of service and to report any merchant doing so !!!

[Orion76]

These days they do check more carefully where you come from.

Came back last Friday from Vietnam, no Vietnam-chop in my p/port, which is ok, but marked my flight in the TM6-card as "772" instead of "773". This was questioned immediately and I had to produce my boarding pass.

Same happened to me.

I had a Vietnamese visa on a piece of paper visa stapled into my passport. When I departed they stamped that paper and removed it from my passport. I had also forgotten my boarding pass on the plane so when I was not able to present this to the Thai immigration officer I was pulled aside into that little office room and had to wait until they confirmed with Thai Airways that I actually was on that flight.

[ovenman]

I had also forgotten my boarding pass on the plane so when I was not able to present this to the Thai immigration officer I was pulled aside into that little office room and had to wait until they confirmed with Thai Airways that I actually was on that flight.

Seems like it was last summer prior to the APEC summit that immigrations started inspecting inbound boarding passes. The airlines could do a better job imparting this information to inbound travelers. Many passengers do not retain their boarding pass or can't remember where they tucked it away.

For what it's worth, are there any other countries where inbound immigrations wants to see the boarding pass from the flight on which you arrived? I am unaware of any but I honestly haven't been to all that many countries.

[sriracha john]

I had a Vietnamese visa on a piece of paper visa stapled into my passport. When I departed they stamped that paper and removed it from my passport. I had also forgotten my boarding pass on the plane so when I was not able to present this to the Thai immigration officer I was pulled aside into that little office room and had to wait until they confirmed with Thai Airways that I actually was on that flight.

I'm surprised as I would have thought that your special "Thai Elite" visa would have precluded being pulled aside and having to answer any type of questioning. Such shameful treatment of the upper crust... tsk tsk, shame on Thai Immigration.

[Axel]

...For what it's worth, are there any other countries where inbound immigrations wants to see the boarding pass from the flight on which you arrived?

Not normally and in BKK saw another sign recently, to the effect to produce your flight ticket if you do not have the boarding pass.

Not sure how that would help as often I fly on open ticket, means in my copy no flight No. mentioned.

One more thing comes to my mind. BKK has got 2 terminals. Immigration don't like it when you land in T 1 and present your passport in T2.

I neither like it. Last time I picked up a friend from OZ, with carry-on luggage only, arriving through T2, where I was waiting and he was looking for me in T1.

[ovenman]

One more thing comes to my mind. BKK has got 2 terminals. Immigration don't like it when you land in T 1 and present your passport in T2.

From the outsider's perspective, one would think that if the system is computerized that it really wouldn't make a difference whether one entered Thailand via the immigrations counter in Terminal 1 or the immigrations counter in Terminal 2.