If I do a visa run by air to, for example, Kuala Lumpur, can I simply stay air-side in transit and come straight back without actually entering Malaysia, ie is it enough just to exit Thailand or do I have to physically have entered another country?

That raises the question as to why we cannot just go halfway across the bridge at Mae Sai, turn around and come back without entering Myanmar and I am guessing that that is to do with the need to play fair with Myanmar and pay visa fees for using the border.

However, as there is no visa fee to be paid to enter Malaysia (or Singapore or Hong Kong), is there any legal reason why one cannot use these countries as a transit stop only for a visa run?

Before you ask, no I do not have more money than sense, just an occasional inability to tolerate long bus journeys.

I am not game to try the air option until I put it out there for advice

Thanks

I have done this at KL several years ago without entering/exiting Malaysia. However, I am certain it is not legal as far as Thailand immigration are concerned. If I did it again I'd enter/exit, costs nothing and takes not much time.

Moved to Visa Forum.

Yes you must enter another country.

Maybe you find the answer in this thread from yesterday:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810849-2nd-entry-out-of-thailand/#entry9216130

See post #7 from ubonjoe:

If you flying into the country immigration does not look for stamps departing another country because many countries do not stamp their citizens out of the country.

If that applies in any case (country of departure) than the method will always work.

(assuming you have your boarding pass for the return flight ready, no checkin required)

Edited March 23, 201511 yr by KhunBENQ

Maybe you find the answer in this thread from yesterday:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810849-2nd-entry-out-of-thailand/#entry9216130

See post #7 from ubonjoe:

If you flying into the country immigration does not look for stamps departing another country because many countries do not stamp their citizens out of the country.

If that applies in any case (country of departure) than the method will always work.

(assuming you have your boarding pass for the return flight ready, no checkin required)

You took my post a little out of context. I did not post that to say you did not have to enter another country when flying out and back.

You have to enter another country by getting the required entry and departure stamps to make you re-entry here valid.

From my own direct experience, in the days when it had been allowed for you to say fly to Singapore and catch the next flight back without entering and exiting another country. Because of a scam that was run by the thai Consulate in Hawaii whereby passports were flown by courier to Honolulu, stamped with a visa and sent back. You then just then had to exit the country and come back without the need to enter another country. I was interrogated by Thai Immigration in connection with the scam and they were particularly concerned because I had not entered Singapore but merely come straight back. There was nothing in law to say you had to enter another country, only that you had to exit Thailand and re-enter. However, I nearly got thrown out, but having a Thai wife and children known to them, I got away with a stern warning that it would not be tolerated in the future. The Thai Consul in Honolulu was removed and the Courier Company sold out to DHL,

Interesting as I knew someone who used to fly to Singapore and come straight back via the transit entrance to departures a few years ago. I guess nothing lasts forever, he did this all the time.

I found the easiest and quickest way to do a quick turnaround visa run is to book two one way flights on different airlines that service Phnom Penh. The second airline should have a flight which takes off about 1.5-2 hours after arrival in Phnom Penh - just hope everything is on time.

I got a visa stamp in and out at Phnom Penh with about 1 hour to spare so I grabbed a croissant and a couple of coffee's at the cafe outside the airport then checked in for the return trip. Carry on luggage only.

This was the journey :

Hotel in Sukhumvit -> Bangkok airport -> flight to Phnom Pehh -> Snack in coffee shop -> Checkin at Phnom Penh -> flight to Bangkok -> Taxi back to Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok.

It took 7 hours, cost more than 10k Baht (maybe 15k, can't remember) and was still a pain in the ass.

I think I used Thai airlines to fly to Phnom Penh and Bangkok Airways on the way back.

Edited March 23, 201511 yr by ukrules

so - hypothetically, how would immigration (in any country) handle someone on a yacht who leaves the country, sails around for a while without actually entering the territorial waters of another country, then sails back to the previous country of departure?

so - hypothetically, how would immigration (in any country) handle someone on a yacht who leaves the country, sails around for a while without actually entering the territorial waters of another country, then sails back to the previous country of departure?

You are trying to compare apples to oranges. Arriving by sea verses by air or land is completely different.

There are different rules for them.

Only by sea would it be possible to leave a country and not set food in another country.

The difference might be that Immigration knows you're coming in from another country if you fly in; I don't have entry/ exit stamps when I fly back to Australia for Christmas then return, and never have a problem re-entering.

But with Mae Sai/ Tachileik, every guide I've ever read says you need to be stamped in and out of Burma again... I presume it's for evidence that you actually went as far as the Immigration Hut on the Burmese side and left the country...even if it was for 5-10 minutes

oztaurus, on 23 Mar 2015 - 16:55, said:

so - hypothetically, how would immigration (in any country) handle someone on a yacht who leaves the country, sails around for a while without actually entering the territorial waters of another country, then sails back to the previous country of departure?

I presume you mean as in a private yacht?

Immigration wouldn't know ................... they are usually called smugglers.

How would you get from the inbound area to the outbound area unless you go through customs ? Twice . and security at least once.

By air it's possible as not all countries stamp your passport to show arrival but by land you need to enter the next country. I once tried this in Satun. I went out of Thailand, into the duty free shop and back into Thailand at which point I was sent to Malaysia to get an entry stamp as they didn't consider I'd left Thailand.

How would you get from the inbound area to the outbound area unless you go through customs ? Twice . and security at least once.

Both Singapore and KL have combined arrival/departure areas, no need to go through anything. And airlines will issue both boarding passes at BKK for a day-trip, so no worries there either. However, still doesn't actually make it the correct procedure.

Last year flew to Singapore, stayed in the transit area, got a boarding pass, and

was back in the air in 1 1/2 hours.

No immigration, no customs, and no stamps!

Had to buy two one way tickets as the computer needed you to have

three hours between flights for a round trip ticket.

If I fly back to my home country they will not stamp my passport that I'm back, Not will they stamp it then Im leaving, so noting in my passport will ever show that I have left Thailand.

If I fly back to my home country they will not stamp my passport that I'm back, Not will they stamp it then Im leaving, so noting in my passport will ever show that I have left Thailand.

It shows you passed airport immigration to leave on a given date. Unless you want to say that you managed to hide yourself airside for all the time before returning.

Interesting as I knew someone who used to fly to Singapore and come straight back via the transit entrance to departures a few years ago. I guess nothing lasts forever, he did this all the time.

I found the easiest and quickest way to do a quick turnaround visa run is to book two one way flights on different airlines that service Phnom Penh. The second airline should have a flight which takes off about 1.5-2 hours after arrival in Phnom Penh - just hope everything is on time.

I got a visa stamp in and out at Phnom Penh with about 1 hour to spare so I grabbed a croissant and a couple of coffee's at the cafe outside the airport then checked in for the return trip. Carry on luggage only.

This was the journey :

Hotel in Sukhumvit -> Bangkok airport -> flight to Phnom Pehh -> Snack in coffee shop -> Checkin at Phnom Penh -> flight to Bangkok -> Taxi back to Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok.

It took 7 hours, cost more than 10k Baht (maybe 15k, can't remember) and was still a pain in the ass.

I think I used Thai airlines to fly to Phnom Penh and Bangkok Airways on the way back.

You will have had to get a visa on arrival (US$ 20 then, US$ 25 now, for tourists) in Cambodia, so you did enter the country. Legally, there is no need to change airlines, but of courser it depends on the schedules.

The difference might be that Immigration knows you're coming in from another country if you fly in; I don't have entry/ exit stamps when I fly back to Australia for Christmas then return, and never have a problem re-entering.

But with Mae Sai/ Tachileik, every guide I've ever read says you need to be stamped in and out of Burma again... I presume it's for evidence that you actually went as far as the Immigration Hut on the Burmese side and left the country...even if it was for 5-10 minutes

As ubonjoe said, it depends on the mode of transport. Different rules for air/land/sea.

You will have had to get a visa on arrival (US$ 20 then, US$ 25 now, for tourists) in Cambodia, so you did enter the country.

$30 now.

You will have had to get a visa on arrival (US$ 20 then, US$ 25 now, for tourists) in Cambodia, so you did enter the country. Legally, there is no need to change airlines, but of courser it depends on the schedules.

Cambodia tourist visa is $30 or $40 for an evisa

$35 for a business visa

Cambodia tourist visa is $30 or $40 for an evisa

Nitpick again: e-visa $30 + $7.

A few years ago, I left Thailand at Mae Sai, and did not enter Burma, but just turned round on the bridge to re-enter Thailand. Thai immigration refused me entry. I had to go back, get a visa stamp into Burma, leave Burma again immediately and could then re-enter Thailand. This, of course, is only relevant to a land crossing. Rules for air are different as previous posts show.

Interesting as I knew someone who used to fly to Singapore and come straight back via the transit entrance to departures a few years ago. I guess nothing lasts forever, he did this all the time.

I found the easiest and quickest way to do a quick turnaround visa run is to book two one way flights on different airlines that service Phnom Penh. The second airline should have a flight which takes off about 1.5-2 hours after arrival in Phnom Penh - just hope everything is on time.

I got a visa stamp in and out at Phnom Penh with about 1 hour to spare so I grabbed a croissant and a couple of coffee's at the cafe outside the airport then checked in for the return trip. Carry on luggage only.

This was the journey :

Hotel in Sukhumvit -> Bangkok airport -> flight to Phnom Pehh -> Snack in coffee shop -> Checkin at Phnom Penh -> flight to Bangkok -> Taxi back to Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok.

It took 7 hours, cost more than 10k Baht (maybe 15k, can't remember) and was still a pain in the ass.

I think I used Thai airlines to fly to Phnom Penh and Bangkok Airways on the way back.

You will have had to get a visa on arrival (US$ 20 then, US$ 25 now, for tourists) in Cambodia, so you did enter the country. Legally, there is no need to change airlines, but of courser it depends on the schedules.

You're correct, I got the visa on arrival. I did enter the country, I stayed for about an hour then left.

The change in airlines was of course for my convenience only. I'd rather pay more and stay there for less time.

It's all about convenience, I didn't really want to be there at all.

Edited March 23, 201511 yr by ukrules

I have done this in Singapore...... but if you have a passport that allows visa-waiver entry to Singapore, it isn't too much effort to enter the country, get on an escalator, and come back into the departures area.

About 5-6 years ago, I tried to do the exact thing that the OP is proposing, in the same place - Mae Sai.

After stamping out of Thailand, I waited a while in the "halfway" area, then tried to stamp back in. No go. The Thai immigration officer made me go over to the Myanmar checkpoint and get in/out stamps there before he would stamp me into Thailand.

No-one has yet given me the legal reason why this cannot be done.

When I go back to Europe I do not get any stamps to show that I have entered or exited Europe. Thailand has no problem with this. when I come back. They don't look for stamps in my passport.

So why would they suddenly start looking for stamps from Singapore, Hong Kong or KL?

The very fact that I would be arriving on an international flight (complete with my boarding pass matching the manifest) shows them that I have been outside of Thailand. Why would they want to know more than that?

The legal reason that you need to enter another country is a simple one. When denied entry into a country, the country you are coming from has to take you back. That is why countries would like you to enter another country before returning, if they refuse you entry they have a place to send you back to.

Ah, thank you @Mario2008, that explains everything.

so - hypothetically, how would immigration (in any country) handle someone on a yacht who leaves the country, sails around for a while without actually entering the territorial waters of another country, then sails back to the previous country of departure?

Is that with or without sea monsters emerging from the deep to try and eat you?