Doing A Visa Run By Yourself

[lime12]

Hi all

I'm doing a visa run to Mair Sai (Burma) tomorrow and usually I use a visa company to take me to the Cambodian border. I was wondering exactly what to expect at the border to fill in the paperwork to get across and come back over with a 15 day tourist visa. Is it straightforward are there any scams etc to watch out for?

Thanks

Lime

[lopburi3]

You are doing a Burma border run by going to Cambodia? You might want to confirm your run will be to Mae Sai but if you get there do not believe it will be any problem but there probably are not many people reading forum right now that can provide first hand information before you depart.

Perhaps you mean you normally go to Cambodia for your visa runs so not aware of issues using Burma? AFAIK there is much less of a chance of any issues - you just pay the $10 or 500 baht and return without any problems.

[lime12]

Sorry my original post wasn't very clear. usually I do border runs to Cambodia using a company to pick me up, do all the paperwork and return me to Bangkok. this time I'm travelling alone to mair sai in northern thailand and planning to exit and come back into thailand without aid of a company.

Was just wondering if anyone knows the procedure. Ie how do I acquire the visa form? how much do I have to pay for the Burmese visa then the Thai visa upon reentering etc.

many thanks

[lopburi3]

I edited my reply when I read it right to add that information - fee is $10 or 500 baht and easy with no extra demands (but if using $ it needs to be pristine). Should be very easy. They should have TM.6 forms at Thai Immigration post for you to fill out on your return.

[lime12]

OK thanks lopbrui3. is it all quite straightforward on arrival? guess I'm just worrying about making a mistake or someone screwing me over somehow!

thanks

[lime12]

Perfect you answered my question. thanks so much for the help.

[inthepink]

Mae Sai is very easy and usually not all that busy. You stamp out of Thailand, walk across the bridge until you see the Burmese immigration office on the right (has curtains at the entrance), go inside and they give you the forms you need for Burma visa. The last couple of times I went there, they do both the out and in stamps in the same office so you then just have to walk back and go through Thai immigration (which is on the same side as the Burmes one, opposite where you just stamped out of Thailand). As lopburi3 said, they have the TM6 forms there - just have to ask the guy standing there for one - and a table and chairs where you can fill it in.

[chris5346]

when you go into that small office with the curtain for a door , you'll pay the 10$ or 500 baht and you need to say if you want to go shopping in burma or not , if not they will hand you back your passport and you can head back into thailand.

you could enter burma for the day - you leave your passport with the officials and they give you a card/receipt.