KL visa run (return flight same day) question.

[wildpikey]

I have booked myself onto a return trip from Chiang Mai to KL airport on Air asia. Return the same day. Purpose is purely to get a 30 day stamp as that is all I need.

A friend of mine has just informed me that he has done it many times and that there is no need to go through immigration at KL airport. Just stay airside and come back.

Sounds strange to me as I thought they needed a stamp in the passport. He assures me that they don't need a stamp and of course if you have boarding passes for the return trip anyway it proves you have been.

Does anyone have any idea if this sounds right? I do trust the friend who told me but would like to get some other people telling me this is true also???

Please let me know if you have heard of this before...

[ubonjoe]

The proper and legit way is to go through immigration in and out for Malaysia. It costs nothing other than a little time.

Immigration here at airports normally do not look for stamps for the country you departed from but if they did it could be a big problem.

[FritsSikkink]

Your friend is wrong, go through immigration.

[galoubet]

I'm doing exactly the same thing as you albeit from Bangkok to KL and with Malaysia Airlines. I've done the return day trip to KL several times before with Air Asia and at other times I've had a day or two in Penang before coming back.

I agree with previous posters that you should go through immigration as it's hardly a long process. And there's another point. Even if you have already printed out your return leg boarding pass before you fly you still have to get it endorsed by Air Asia staff at check-in in KL which you can't do airside. Air Asia is a point to point airline, there's no transfer desk.

At my last visit to Penang I forgot to get my boarding pass endorsed and was turned back by security. It only took me 5 minutes to return to the check-in desk to remedy the situation. If you are already airside you could have serious problems.

What I should like to see is the ability to go airside in Bangkok and return to immigration without flying at all. Would save a lot of time and money. Even better would be to go to a local immigration office with my unused visa entry and get a stamp for another 60 days. This whole idea of having to leave Thailand is just crazy.

[LuckyLew]

As pointed out ... you must go thru Malaysian immigration

[leewood]

don't have to go through but do it cus the chili sauce in McDonalds in KL airport is far superior to that offered in Thailand so grrab yourself a horrible McDs and make it nice with hot chili sauce.....that way you can have done things the right way and treated yourself to a bit of rough food.............ignore the taxi drivers mind.......they're a disgrace to humanity there. In fact the whole place is awful, it's the armpit of SE Asia and i never wanna sniff it again :-)

Good luck!!!!

[Dirk_brijs]

all previous posters are wrong

You do not have to go through immigration in KL airport and might even be send down by this immigration as you wull be asked how many days you will stay in Malaysia and you will reply 0 so they will send you back down as your in transit.

Thai immigration does not look for any stamp where you come from as they do not care where you come from and if they do they will only ask for your ticket slip which do ask for quit often.

How can you guys reply this to the OP while you clearly do not know what your talking about.

If I took a flight back to Europe I will never get a stamp in my passport as I have a European passport so how could I ever show a stamp to Thai immigration on my return??????

Thai immigration will never and do not have any interest in looking for a stamp of entry into any other country??? why would they even????

So when flying into KL airport just stay down in the hall as a transit passenger where Air Asia has check in counters stationed even. Nowedays with online check in you wont even have to stop by those just go through security and wait for next flight.

I have done this myself a gazilion times by now and the not going through immigration in KL saves me alot of time at times which make me now possible to fly to KL in the morning and be back home in Pattaya at 5pm same day.

[wildpikey]

all previous posters are wrong

You do not have to go through immigration in KL airport and might even be send down by this immigration as you wull be asked how many days you will stay in Malaysia and you will reply 0 so they will send you back down as your in transit.

Thai immigration does not look for any stamp where you come from as they do not care where you come from and if they do they will only ask for your ticket slip which do ask for quit often.

How can you guys reply this to the OP while you clearly do not know what your talking about.

If I took a flight back to Europe I will never get a stamp in my passport as I have a European passport so how could I ever show a stamp to Thai immigration on my return??????

Thai immigration will never and do not have any interest in looking for a stamp of entry into any other country??? why would they even????

So when flying into KL airport just stay down in the hall as a transit passenger where Air Asia has check in counters stationed even. Nowedays with online check in you wont even have to stop by those just go through security and wait for next flight.

I have done this myself a gazilion times by now and the not going through immigration in KL saves me alot of time at times which make me now possible to fly to KL in the morning and be back home in Pattaya at 5pm same day.

This is exactly what I am being told, you wouldn't even have a stamp if you came from Europe so why would they look.

I will give it a try then and hope for the best. Will certainly save some passport space at least !

[steelepulse]

Yep, just go to transfer desk and skip the stamp. I've also done this and that's what the airport people want. As long as you have a stamp out of Thailand, you'll be fine when entering the Kingdom after a quick KL visa run with no stamp from Malaysia.

[ikan]

Thai immigration will never and do not have any interest in looking for a stamp of entry into any other country??? why would they even????

there is no way that you will get away with this no stamp thing at any thai land border crossing. eg cambo laos malaysia. they WILL look for the stamp without fail.

Edited September 2, 2013 by ikan

[lopburi3]

Yep, just go to transfer desk and skip the stamp. I've also done this and that's what the airport people want. As long as you have a stamp out of Thailand, you'll be fine when entering the Kingdom after a quick KL visa run with no stamp from Malaysia.

Actually that stamp out of Thailand proves nothing - you had best have your boarding pass for return flight handy if questioned and return without a stamp as they do check for possible in-airport turn around fairly often at Bangkok (and these people do have immigration stamp out of Thailand).

[wildpikey]

Well, I just flew Air Asia return from Chiang Mai to KL.

I tried to go through transfers and I was told that I could not. I had to go through Immigration and back out. I actually asked staff at three locations druing the course of my trip and was told that I had to pass immigration.

I believe there is two airports in KL? perhaps the other one allows it, but this one certainly didn't.

[Evergreen]

So, we have a couple of entirely conflicting/opposite reports then on this subject i see? I will also be flying to wherever as my days of crazy van border runs are over but not so sure now as it's all confusing me now as to what you do on arrival in the likes of KL?

[ubonjoe]

Just do it the right way by going through immigration in KL.

Plan your trips ahead of time on Air Asia and it probably will not cost much more money if you factor in visa costs you don't need going to KL.

Sent from my AirPad 8" TA803D using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Evergreen]

Just do it the right way by going through immigration in KL.

Plan your trips ahead of time on Air Asia and it probably will not cost much more money if you factor in visa costs you don't need going to KL.

Sent from my AirPad 8" TA803D using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes, cheers, i think just go right through immigration no matter what then come back through, or maybe i'll have a couple of nights there but anyway.....right through immigration it will be :-)

[soi41]

Well, I just flew Air Asia return from Chiang Mai to KL.

I tried to go through transfers and I was told that I could not. I had to go through Immigration and back out. I actually asked staff at three locations druing the course of my trip and was told that I had to pass immigration.

I believe there is two airports in KL? perhaps the other one allows it, but this one certainly didn't.

Very strange. Left DMK today with Air Asia today at 10.00, arrived at KUL at 13.05. Walked all the way down to the right, turned the corner, sign saying "international transfers". 6 counters, presented my e-boardingcard and passport. Gate no 12 in one hour Sir. Back at DMK 15.30. Immigration never asked for any other stamp than the one confirming, that I had left Thailand.

Maybe the preprinted boardingcard makes the difference. Without it you have to go through the "main" checkin??

@Dirk. Thanks for your advice!

[RubbaJohnny]

For those unfamiliar with KLIA there are 2 seperate terminals the LCCT (low cost carrier terminal used by Air Asia) and the main KLIA used by most long haul flights.

Although same tarmac they are at least 20 minute taxi/van apart

Edited September 4, 2013 by RubbaJohnny

[10120]

Have done this MANY times BKK-HKG-BKK and never entered HKG, i.e. not passed thru immigration. No problems whatsoever. Period. Ad infinitum...

[ubonjoe]

Have done this MANY times BKK-HKG-BKK and never entered HKG, i.e. not passed thru immigration. No problems whatsoever. Period. Ad infinitum...

Up to you.

But if Thai immigration ever checked for the stamps you would have a serious problem.

[Dirk_brijs]

Well, I just flew Air Asia return from Chiang Mai to KL.

I tried to go through transfers and I was told that I could not. I had to go through Immigration and back out. I actually asked staff at three locations druing the course of my trip and was told that I had to pass immigration.

I believe there is two airports in KL? perhaps the other one allows it, but this one certainly didn't.

Very strange. Left DMK today with Air Asia today at 10.00, arrived at KUL at 13.05. Walked all the way down to the right, turned the corner, sign saying "international transfers". 6 counters, presented my e-boardingcard and passport. Gate no 12 in one hour Sir. Back at DMK 15.30. Immigration never asked for any other stamp than the one confirming, that I had left Thailand.

Maybe the preprinted boardingcard makes the difference. Without it you have to go through the "main" checkin??

@Dirk. Thanks for your advice!

Soi no worries man

I have been doing for the longest time now.

The easiest and fastest way to get a new entry stamp.

Always a little sweat though if your flight out of Bangkok gets a bit of a delay though never had problem. One time it was walking out of the plane and in the other no waiting no nothing as I have about 1 hour delay in Bangkok and during landing in KUL but still made it.

You don't even have to stop at those counters down in the transit area as you can book in online now and have your own boarding passes printed before leaving Bangkok.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Dirk_brijs