Mae Sai Visa Run (1St Time)

[UmpaLumpa]

hello,

my visiting mom is on a entered thailand on a 2 Month 2 entry non immigrant visa, which expires on the 17th of jan,

i understood that if she makes an exit and reentry in Mae Sai (by land) before that date she will use the second entry and will be given permission to stay 2 months.

i also have been told that there is an immigration office a few km before the border, so my 2question are:

1-should she go straight to the border or should she go to the immigration office before going to the border?

2-if i want to accompany her, and if i go to the imm. office can i get a daily pass without affecting my visa? (1yr) or do I have to ask permission to leave the country (1900 baht)?

any help is greatly apreciated.

thanks

[UmpaLumpa]

i should add that we plan for the visa run on the 16th, which is a weekend day, is the imm office open?

[Sansai Sam]

There is no need to stop at the immigration department. Only Thai nationals need to stop there. Your Mom crosses normally, fills out a re-entry card and re-enters and should get another 2 months. You can give your passport, 2 copies of the photo page and 100 baht to the Thai side and tell them "NO STAMP" and then you can go with her without getting a re-entry permit. They will give you a VIP paper which you give the Burmese side and you still have to pay 500 baht as does your Mom. WHen you come back to Thailand walk through the re-entry point and go back to the entry window where they will give you back your passport.

[UmpaLumpa]

thanks alot Sansai Sam, that's exactly what i needed to know.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khum UmpaLumpa,

Great Name ! Any Orang would be proud to have a name like that !

Our esteemed Sansai Sam already covered the high points, but we'll mention a few other details that may be useful, we hope:

1. we'll assume your mother is on a double entry tourist visa : that Thai visa issued in Laos will have an "Enter Before" date on it: on or before which BOTH entires must be used !

2. after the first entry's two months expire, you can go to Chiang Mai immigration, and get a one-month extension for 1900 baht plus photos and the usual copies/paperwork.

3. then you cross the border at Mae Sai, and come back in to activate the second entry, but if you have overstayed one day past the "Enter Before" date, your second entry is invalidated, cancelled, and you get only 15 days.

4. second entry gives you two more months, at the end of which you can apply, again, for a one month extension here in Chiang Mai.

If you visit the main Thai Visa forum for Visa issues here, you'll find discussions on whether or not the Myanmar officials will still accept a US $10 bill, rather than 500 baht: you'll find people saying yes, and no. We've had no problem paying with a US $10 bill three times last year as late as November.

best, ~o:37;

[UmpaLumpa]

yes i know that 2 month with two entries could become 2+1+2+1=6 months stay, but in this case she only needs 2 months.

could you clarify if the Myanmar imm. want people to pay the 500baht in dollars or in baht?

thx

[MrBrad]

I second what orang37 wrote about making sure your 2nd entry into the country is before the "Enter Before" date printed on your Tourist Visa. I got burned on this one back in July, and was given only 15 days...as if I had no Tourist Visa at all. Missed it by two days.

So if all goes well, a double-entry Tourist Visa will give you 6 months: Your first entry into Thailand gives you 2 months; a visit to the Immigration Office near the Chiang Mai Airport and 1,900 baht [plus a photo and photocopies of the 4 important things in your passport: 1) the photo page, 2) your departure card, 3) the current rubber stamp Admitted Until date, and 4) your current Tourist Visa] will get you another 30 days. Then, making sure that the timing is right, get up to Mae Sai to stamp out of Thailand, walk across the bridge into Burma, stamp in at Burma Passport Control (500 baht), go shopping a bit or immediately stamp out from Burma, return across the bridge back to the Thai side, stamp in at Thai Passport Control before your Enter Before date, and you're good for another 60 days. Follow that up with another 1,900-baht visit to the Immigration Office in Chiang Mai and you get another 30 days. 6 months total.

[MrBrad]

500 baht for sure will work. US$10 is on again - off again. Back in July they accepted 2 well-used $5 bills--certainly not crisp. But just yesterday I gave them 500 baht because I had no dollars. If you have both, offer the $10 first, and you will save some money. If they don't take it, then give them the baht.

[nivram4491]

500 baht for sure will work. US$10 is on again - off again. Back in July they accepted 2 well-used $5 bills--certainly not crisp. But just yesterday I gave them 500 baht because I had no dollars. If you have both, offer the $10 first, and you will save some money. If they don't take it, then give them the baht.

I was told in late December by a Burmese customs official that they would accept $10 if you don't go shopping in Burma but insisted on 500 Baht otherwise. I don't know if this is policy or just one customs officers rule.

[maxmiller]

500 baht for sure will work. US$10 is on again - off again. Back in July they accepted 2 well-used $5 bills--certainly not crisp. But just yesterday I gave them 500 baht because I had no dollars. If you have both, offer the $10 first, and you will save some money. If they don't take it, then give them the baht.

I was told in late December by a Burmese customs official that they would accept $10 if you don't go shopping in Burma but insisted on 500 Baht otherwise. I don't know if this is policy or just one customs officers rule.

The admission fee is not set by customs officials, immigration officers or border guards. It,s set by the Burmese government and it is $10.

However, not being an opportunity to be missed 500 Baht will be greatly appreciated or even insisted upon, if you want to get in.

[bangkokcitylimits]

If you visit the main Thai Visa forum for Visa issues here, you'll find discussions on whether or not the Myanmar officials will still accept a US $10 bill, rather than 500 baht: you'll find people saying yes, and no. We've had no problem paying with a US $10 bill three times last year as late as November.

best, ~o:37;

They still do accept $10 no problem. The Burmese immigration are very friendly and relaxed guys, who just do their job. Once one offered me to eat with him in the office so I sat there and eat, another time one saw my 3.000b Nokia and asked me if he could buy it. Why not so I sold him, haha... after sometimes I brought cheap model Nokias for them and they always buy them...

Edited January 8, 2011 by bangkokcitylimits

[uptheos]

If you visit the main Thai Visa forum for Visa issues here, you'll find discussions on whether or not the Myanmar officials will still accept a US $10 bill, rather than 500 baht: you'll find people saying yes, and no. We've had no problem paying with a US $10 bill three times last year as late as November.

best, ~o:37;

They still do accept $10 no problem. The Burmese immigration are very friendly and relaxed guys, who just do their job. Once one offered me to eat with him in the office so I sat there and eat, another time one saw my 3.000b Nokia and asked me if he could buy it. Why not so I sold him, haha... after sometimes I brought cheap model Nokias for them and they always buy them...

Buying phones in Burma is not the problem, getting permission and having the fee to get them to be made active, is.

Having said that, they are indeed more expensive to buy than in Thailand, so I'm sure the buyers are happy.

[IanForbes]

One more IMPORTANT point on a tourist visa. It's not REALLY a two month visa. It is a 60 day visa. Two months that are 31 days each would put you over the maximum 60 days. Be sure to check the dates!

The Burmese border guard told me that if I stayed several days in Myanmar then I could pay $10 American. But, if I was only going over and coming straight back then I had to pay 500 baht. I don't quibble with the authorities and pay the little bit extra.

There are 3 separate lines going through the small Thai exit office crossing. Only the one on the right is for foreign tourists. When you cross the small bridge into Burma the entrance is in a little office on the right side of the bridge. But, when you return to pick up your passport, the exit office is across from the entrance office. The entrance office takes down all the data and takes your picture. Then they take your passport and 500 baht and give you a return slip of paper that YOU MUST NOT LOSE!