American Doing Visa Run To Myanmar

[mobiryder]

Do i need to get a visa if im just doing a 1 minute over the border visa run? im assumg so, but wanted to check here first.. thx in advance

[lopburi3]

Believe there is a $5 or $10 fee you pay to get stamp. Although the fee may be in Baht these days of the falling dollar.

[mobiryder]

great news, so no need for a visa?

is it better to get to myanmar via CM or maehongson? wife wants to go to MHS for holiday is why im hoping it can be done from there easily too, if not we can do via CM..

txh again lopburi, you rock!

[mobiryder]

oh, also my buddy with the 2 month overstay and his girl are coming, i assume he'd be ok to pay immigration overstay, or will this be an issue since it wont be at a major airport? thx again

[lopburi3]

It will be an issue if you hit a police check on the way. Should not be a problem at Immigration and have not heard of any turn backs by Burma. Cambodia has turned some with overstay back in recent history. Chiang Mai is not on the border so you would have to travel to crossing from there in any case. Have no idea which would be best and least likely to have road check.

[waveydavey]

It will be an issue if you hit a police check on the way. Should not be a problem at Immigration and have not heard of any turn backs by Burma. Cambodia has turned some with overstay back in recent history. Chiang Mai is not on the border so you would have to travel to crossing from there in any case. Have no idea which would be best and least likely to have road check.

I wouldn't recommend going to MaeSai which is the nearest border crossing to Chiang Mai with an overstay. The police north of Chiang Rai are very keen on road checks. Been there many times, both via public and private transport and virtually every time had my passport checked. I've seen them take people off the bus when failing the checks as well.

[tomallison]

great news, so no need for a visa?

is it better to get to myanmar via CM or maehongson? wife wants to go to MHS for holiday is why im hoping it can be done from there easily too, if not we can do via CM..

I believe there is only the option of using either Mae Sai or Mae Sot for border crossings in the North.

Sorry I can not advise you on the situation on crossing with an overstay. I know that passports may be scrutinised at several check-points on the Tak to Mae Sot road.

[lopburi3]

After seeing that second "great news - no need for a visa" am having seconds thoughts on what your question was. I had believed you were asking about a visa to Burma. If you are than no visa is needed for a quick crossover and return - just the small payment. But if you do not have a Thai visa/re-entry permit/or visa exempt entry days you could have a problem on return. Do not believe that is your situation but this friend with overstay may have used all his visa exempt entry days (90 in six months) as overstay will likely be counted against that 90 day limit.

As we say time and again - if you have overstayed the best action is a flight out of Bangkok Airport.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

It will be an issue if you hit a police check on the way. Should not be a problem at Immigration and have not heard of any turn backs by Burma. Cambodia has turned some with overstay back in recent history. Chiang Mai is not on the border so you would have to travel to crossing from there in any case. Have no idea which would be best and least likely to have road check.

I wouldn't recommend going to MaeSai which is the nearest border crossing to Chiang Mai with an overstay. The police north of Chiang Rai are very keen on road checks. Been there many times, both via public and private transport and virtually every time had my passport checked. I've seen them take people off the bus when failing the checks as well.

In my 7 or so times taking the VIP bus from CM to MaeSai have not had my passport checked and they only seem to check for illegal asians... Maybe I have been lucky but just haven't seen them checking for expired visa's etc.

One time coming back from Mae Sae about 1.5 years ago a police entered the bus and dug around in my forward facing fanny pack.. Might have been looking for drugs or something.. Came as a shock as I was half asleep.. He did this with a number of other western travelers at the same time but was not concerned at all with visa's etc.