the whole thing is in the title. is the visarun to mae sai (myamar border, tachilek) still working ?

Earlier this year (february or so), a policeman (in mae sai) told me that the thing was now over.

Some informations ? Someone managed a visa run there ?

thank you

ace

Are you talking about a "visa exempt entry" ?

sorry. I forgot to mention.

yes, i have a visa free entry, arriving by air (airport bangkok 30 days).

and i'm citizen of the G7 countries (U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan). Country's who have some facilities in Thailand (...for the visa)

ace

You can now get a 30 day extension of your 30 day entry at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht. No need for a border run.

It is still possible to get another visa exempt entry at Mae Sai but not unless you have already have done the extension. They will tell you to get the extension and turn you away.

...ask 10 different people...casually...of course you will get 10 different responses.....you should know that by now....

thank you for yours answers.

yes, different people... different response.

so i tried it out by myself.

if you go to the passport control in mae sai, you will notice first : no more visa-run.

But i got 30 days.

Not sure if this work for everbody.

If you want take your chance, keep in mind

-better have a return ticket home or a visa for a third country

-almost no chance if you had already an extension

-almost no chance if you crossed the border to thailand by land

-know what to say if they ask you : what you do in thailand

-avoid passports with a lot of thai visa or visa-run stamps

like usual, no guarantee provided

in any case, the immigration office for a 1900 bath extension is only one kilometer and half away from the border

Went across yesterday, 2 Aug 2015, no problems, no questions, no documentation requested. Both sides were friendly and quick. However, as acetraveler says, posted sign on the Thai passport control booth says "no more visa runs" with a warning about the illegality of using tourist visas for non-visa purposes. The sign also advises all foreigners entering the kingdom must have proof of on going travel reservations, hotel reservations, 10,000 THB in cash per person.

We were a large family on US passports, not being guided by an tourism company, with two of our children having been born in Thailand and with a valid residence permit for a nearby country, and we only make occasional short trips to Thailand--all of that they could see in our passports, so we looked like what we are, which is pure tourists. Small, cute, friendly kids may help too.

On the Myanmar side I was expecting them to keep our passports and give us a receipt to reclaim them upon exit as I had heard about, but they took our 10 USD per person (they asked for 500 THB, but I had read that they will accept 10 USD) and stamped us both in and out of the country at the same time. Upon exiting we simply had to show the passports to an official and walk back across the bridge. We received another 30 day visa waiver.

So I would guess that as others have reported, they will stop people who appear to be doing this alot, but if one does happen to be near Mae Sai anyway, hasn't done this before and wants a bit more time in Thailand, this may be a cheaper option than the 1900 THB extension. (We have seven passports, so worth it for us.)

Went across yesterday, 2 Aug 2015, no problems, no questions, no documentation requested. Both sides were friendly and quick. However, as acetraveler says, posted sign on the Thai passport control booth says "no more visa runs" with a warning about the illegality of using tourist visas for non-visa purposes. The sign also advises all foreigners entering the kingdom must have proof of on going travel reservations, hotel reservations, 10,000 THB in cash per person.

We were a large family on US passports, not being guided by an tourism company, with two of our children having been born in Thailand and with a valid residence permit for a nearby country, and we only make occasional short trips to Thailand--all of that they could see in our passports, so we looked like what we are, which is pure tourists. Small, cute, friendly kids may help too.

On the Myanmar side I was expecting them to keep our passports and give us a receipt to reclaim them upon exit as I had heard about, but they took our 10 USD per person (they asked for 500 THB, but I had read that they will accept 10 USD) and stamped us both in and out of the country at the same time. Upon exiting we simply had to show the passports to an official and walk back across the bridge. We received another 30 day visa waiver.

So I would guess that as others have reported, they will stop people who appear to be doing this alot, but if one does happen to be near Mae Sai anyway, hasn't done this before and wants a bit more time in Thailand, this may be a cheaper option than the 1900 THB extension. (We have seven passports, so worth it for us.)

Wow, they did not even keep your passports, and stamped you both in and out! Now that is progress, as it will make it much quicker, I think!

Edited August 3, 201510 yr by tookwan cottage