Border Runs

[martyboy]

I have been to Thailand many times but this time I am volunteering with a non-imm. 'O' visa. 90 days should be fine but if I decide to stay for another month I will have to do the border run. Couple of questions please:

Is it possible to get a visa extension without the border run? I know the regs say 'in exceptional circumstances' but I wonder what the chances are. Would - 'Desire to volunteer for a further month' be enough?

If I have to exit the country it will probably be to KL or Singapore. Will I need a visa to enter either of those countries or can you fly there, get your Thai exit stamp and catch the next flight back to Thailand without a Malaysian visa?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Bpraim1]

Well if you are from a country that doesn't need a visa to enter Singapore or Malay, then you will have no problems with flag pole'n.

You will most likely receive another 30visa to Thailand.

You could and should just go and ask at the closest imm office, as to what they think is best for you to do.

Take what they say with a grain of salt . As some of them just don't have a clue!

But that is where I would start.

[thaiphoon]

The maximum extension you can obtain on Non-O visa is 7 days, with air ticket out of country within that timescale.

As purpose of your extended stay would be to continue your volunteer work, would suggest you apply for 12 month multiple-entry Non-O visa from an honorary consulate such as Hull before you travel, giving you 90 day permission to stay on each entry. It would also give you some flexibility if itinerary changes and avoid needing to obtain new visa if arriving on single entry. You would have to do a border run at 90 days. If you plan to fly out/back using a budget airline such as Air Asia, there will not be enough time to clear immigration on entry and check-in for the immediate return flight, but you could catch later flight back. Believe you are British national, and therefore would not require visa to enter Malaysia or Singapore.

Note that working, including volunteer work, requires a work permit under Thai law.

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/downloads-and-visas.aspx

[lopburi3]

And that a work permit is not valid without a non immigrant visa entry - border runs would not qualify.

[Mario2008]

If you continue to volunteer and have a work permit, it is not difficult to get an extension of stay for either 90 days or 1 year.

If you just fly out of the country and return by air you would get permission to stay for 30 days on arrival, but would not be able to volunteer.

[jazzbo]

As all the Mods have reminded, according to Ministry of Labor regulations ANY work in Thailand, including volunteer work, most certainly requires a Work Permit.

That being said, it is not unknown that even the most established of Thai NGOs have short-term volunteers for whom they do not and will not provide the necessary papers for a Work Permit. If that be the case, the choice to pursue such volunteer work is up to you, but cannot be discussed herein as the Official Policy of the Forum cannot condone such activity. (This from a non-Mod)

[lopburi3]

Actually it is often discussed here - with the personal judgement of most mods that the person doing such work is the person at risk and they should be made aware of that.