My 1st Ever Visa Run

[casper_uk 12]

Having come to Thailand on a "Non Imm 'O' Multiple Entry" Visa I am able to stay for maximum of 90 Days before either, arranging an extension or crossing over the border and therefore gaining another duration of 90 Days.

 

I chose the 'border crossing' option. However, i'd never done this before and was a little confused by the whole process to say the least!

 

Asking around I was informed by a hardened 'ex pat' that there was nothing to worry about and to just call into Witherspoons Pub & Restaurant on Soi Buakhao, thats the home of 1st Class Visa Runs, they'd arrange everything for me.

 

As usual with me, I left everything till the last minute, and when the Girl behind the counter asked when my current Visa expired ...... two days I replied.

 

"no problem, would you like to go tomorrow or the next day?" ..... wow, too easy!

 

In her perfect english (better than mine), she confirmed all the documents i'd need and provided me with the time schedule and checklist. I was feeling more relaxed about things by the minute.

 

On the evening before the actual day of travel, I stayed around a few of the bars on Soi Buakhao / Soi LK Metro and as I often seem to be doing lately, drank till the Sun came up. (careful though, you can't travel if you're pissed!).

 

At 6am I walked over to Witherspoons, where I received a friendly welcome and was provided with a decent enough breakfast (price included).

 

7am and we loaded onto the 6 passenger, luxuriously fitted out mini-bus and began our outward journey.

 

Some two and a half 'in flight' movies later, we arrived at the border with Cambodia. The thai staff on board took our passports and carefully matched them up with the relevent paperwork before returning them to us.

 

We were then ushered through the Cambodian checkpoint, seemingly with all paperwork in place and worry free.

 

Across the border, the other guys quickly went over to the duty free shop ...... yes, drinks, smokes and 'medication' are apparently much cheaper over there.

 

The staff from 1st Class Visa Runs, collected up our passports once more and once again added various previously completed paperwork before taking them all to the Thai Control Office on the Cambodian side.

 

Some 20 mins later we had all received our passports back, correctly stamped with the new 90 day visa, and we were escorted back into Thailand.

 

Back on the bus, we were on our way back to Pattaya with the whole process taking less than 1 hour, including shopping!

 

I honestly cannot stress enough how impressed I am with the service provided by 1st Class Visa Runs, I know that there are other companies offering this service and they are possibly just as good ...... but from personal experience I can wholeheartedly recommend the company I travelled with. Something I'm not overly fond of doing, but 'credit where credit is due'!

 

A few pics

 

 

The border with Cambodia

 

 

The bridge between the two countries. Strewn with the beggars and kids. Good news is the kids only ask for 1baht, quite a change from Pattaya! Take plenty of change.

 

 

The view from the Cambodian side

 

 

A couple of the kids, the baby was given 10baht and quickly ran off with it .... only to stop turn round and go to hand it back. Needless to say, the other kids soon helped him with his misguided ways!

 

 

 

Once again thanks to the staff concerned, they made a potentially worrying process totally stressfree!

Edited January 17, 2007 by casper_uk

[dacah 0]

Good report Casper....so ya got there before me

 

What were the costs involved?

[jacko 8,578]

Good report Casper....so ya got there before me

 

What were the costs involved?

 

 

Hope Casper doesn't mind me jumping in.....

 

Price 2,400 baht, includes breakfast, late lunch on return, a bottle of water and a discount booklet and loyalty program. Yes a good deal and service. You can find runs at about 2000 but the difference in price is small, difference in comfort great.

 

Tax free at the border, well beware, some things cost more than in Thailand (eg Thai liquor) so check local prices and haggle. Plenty to be saved on 'Viagra' and simlar medications. A cold can of Chang at 20baht at the border isn't a bad refresher!

Edited January 18, 2007 by jacko

[LocalYokul 177]

20 mins later we had all received our passports back, correctly stamped with the new 90 day visa

I think that not ALL of the people making the run got 90-day visas

 

the standard VOA (visa on arrival) is 30 day tourist visa, but it sounds like you have a multiple entry visa

 

a one-year multiple-entry visa can be used up to 15 months

 

when it comes near to your last day of the one-year, make a run and come back before the visa expires, and they will stamp you in for an additional 90 days

 

[casper_uk 12]

Thanks for the clarifications guys :)

 

Yes, price 2400 baht, which when the stamp on the Cambodian visa says it costs 20USD, then take into account the two meals ......... sounds like a bargain to me.

 

I too have seen others at slightly cheaper but as I mentioned, I went with these because I was told they spoke perfect english, and they certainly did.

 

Thanks for the 'tip' about making my visa last 15 months ...... seems like a good plan :)

[Eneukman 1]

In her perfect english (better than mine), she confirmed all the documents i'd need and provided me with the time schedule and checklist. I was feeling more relaxed about things by the minute.

 

What documents did you need?

 

When I retired over here, I had a multiple entry non-Immigrant visa as I was planning on returning to the UK for 2 weeks to finalise the sale of my possessions etc etc before coming back for good.

 

I didn't need any documentation other than the exit card, which had been stapled into my passport when I arrived on my way out of the country. When I came back, I just completed the standard entry card. No other documentation was required.

 

Alan

[casper_uk 12]

yes, wrong terminology there really .........

 

All I needed was a passport photo, the exit card and my passport. All the necessary documentation for the Cambodian and 'new' Thai visa were completed by them on my behalf.

 

Even now i'm making things more complicated than it really was or needs to be!

 

Just to go a little deeper too, the voucher book you receive contains many, many discount vouchers such as 'two for one' drink offers at many bars around Soi LK Metro / Soi Buakhao. They have to be used inside one month but, could come in useful on a 'night out'.

 

They also offer special Smokers / Non Smokers Runs.

 

Tel: 0861471618 for more information

 

I don't know the owners and have absolutely no affiliations with the company!

[Eneukman 1]

yes, wrong terminology there really .........

 

All I needed was a passport photo, the exit card and my passport. All the necessary documentation for the Cambodian and 'new' Thai visa were completed by them on my behalf.

 

Even now i'm making things more complicated than it really was or needs to be!

 

Just to go a little deeper too, the voucher book you receive contains many, many discount vouchers such as 'two for one' drink offers at many bars around Soi LK Metro / Soi Buakhao. They have to be used inside one month but, could come in useful on a 'night out'.

 

They also offer special Smokers / Non Smokers Runs.

 

Tel: 0861471618 for more information

 

I don't know the owners and have absolutely no affiliations with the company!

 

I was forgetting about the visa to get into Cambodia. I think if I'd had to do another visa run, I'd have gone to Malaysia or maybe Singapore for a few days.

 

Alan

[torrenova 644]

Though I do know the owners I agree that they do offer a good service for a fair price. I think the highlight is the fact that the bus is retrofitted with only 6 large seats as opposed to some competitors which guarantee a maximum of 6 people but have the original 9 small seats. A little like business class as opposed to economy !

[bangkapiboy 5]

I always have the buffet at the casino as well. Star Vegas casino has an open dim sum bar near the gambling tables as well that is very good. It seems to be 100B minimum on the Blackjack tables everywhere I go.

[ginseng 0]

So there's been no changes to the visa run loop? Pre-coup there was a lot of commotion this was going to change by years end. Can you still do endless visa run's or is there some kind of 90 day in, 90 day out rule?

Edited January 18, 2007 by ginseng

[casper_uk 12]

So there's been no changes to the visa run loop? Pre-coup there was a lot of commotion this was going to change by years end. Can you still do endless visa run's or is there some kind of 90 day in, 90 day out rule?

Terrenove posted this on another thread.

 

After 1st October 2006, maximum stay of 90 days in 180 days unless on a visa. Effectively, that is 3 border runs. The shit will start hitting the fan around now as people are just starting to hit the maximum 3 trips since October last year.

 

Some Thai embassies / consulates are stating that they will not issue tourist visas more than once. Multiple entry tourist visas are non existant in neighbouring or nearby countries now.

 

It is still easy to get non immigrant "O" visas in the UK but what they have not thought through is the long stay tourist. After a year, you would be forced to head back to your own country just to get another visa. The Bt100k or so that costs is money that could be spent in Thailand. Why you cannot just go to the immigration office and show you have sufficient cash, say for 3 months, and they stamp your visa is crazy !

 

The rationale for stopping the border run guys was to get at the people who live here but perhaps work illegally. Instead of tackling the problem, they just create more problems. What they should have done is make it easy for people to work legally, invest money here and pay taxes (believe it or not, people don't mind paying something but cannot). Sort out some simpler form of work permit, allow the guys to invest and work legally and stop pissing people off with crazy visa rules.

All I can say is, none of the guys on my bus had any problems.

 

Also, i'm sure the above by terranova is excellent information, but you could try calling or contacting 1st Class Visa Runs, I guess they'd be completely up to date with the info too.

[touristman 1]

Great post Casper.

 

It seems that all this hoo-har over having to leave the country (for 90 days?) after 3 months in Thailand was a storm in a tea cup.I'm on a 1 year 'o' visa so i have a flight out of Thailand soon too.It's heartening to hear that it's things as normal and that when i fly back a week later then i will just be stamped in for another 3 month stay.Good stuff!

 

Maybe you should move this to 'Trip reports' or even 'Members Bar' so more people can see it and be reassured.

[LocalYokul 177]

all this hoo-har over having to leave the country (for 90 days?) after 3 months in Thailand was a storm in a tea cup

not quite

 

you see, if you arrive with no visa and get a VOA, then you have 30 days to either extend or leave and come back again. If you do a border run 3 times, they will not let you back in on the 3rd attempt

 

they might let you back in, but only for a 7-day transit visa to get your shit in order and get a real visa

 

if you have a multiple entry visa, this is not a problem

 

it's no storm in a tea cup for guys who are on the crappy 30-day tourist visas

 

simple solution is to go into Penang Malaysia or Vienjun Laos and just get a proper 60-day tourist visa

 

[touristman 1]

not quite

 

you see, if you arrive with no visa and get a VOA, then you have 30 days to either extend or leave and come back again. If you do a border run 3 times, they will not let you back in on the 3rd attempt

 

they might let you back in, but only for a 7-day transit visa to get your shit in order and get a real visa

 

if you have a multiple entry visa, this is not a problem

 

it's no storm in a tea cup for guys who are on the crappy 30-day tourist visas

 

simple solution is to go into Penang Malaysia or Vienjun Laos and just get a proper 60-day tourist visa

 

 

yes, yes, BHY.

 

If you follow the thread, the original poster is talking about his visa run with his non immig 'o' visa.I'm talking about my non immig 'o' visa.Even 'o' visa holders were concerned about the '90 days in 90 days out' stuff.

 

So, all this hoo-har was a storm in a teacup.Good to be reassured. .....................quite

[torrenova 644]

simple solution is to go into Penang Malaysia or Vienjun Laos and just get a proper 60-day tourist visa

 

I would not bank on this get around being available forever. Already I hear stories of consulates refusing to issue a 2nd tourist visa back to back and this is only going to get worse. They should make some sort of financial stipulation and then just let you go to immigration and prove it.

[LocalYokul 177]

hmm, maybe make one run to Penang and the next to Vienjun...

[cottesloe 0]

Hi Chaps,

 

Just a small aside ...

 

I was coming back from Phuket to Pattaya via U-Tapao last July and met one of the owners of First Class Visa at U-Tapao. He very kindly gave me a lift into Pattaya, dropped me off at the door of my hotel and generally went out of his way to sort me out.

 

I bumped into him a couple of time throughout my stay and he was always most pleasant. IMO - a great guy and it seems with a great Visa Service as well.

 

A treble thumbs up from me!!!

 

Cheers,

 

C.