Thread: Is Mai Sai still accepting in-out visas?

Hi everyone, has anybody had problem at Mae Sai border with there in-out visa?
Just asking as i am having some problems finding a visa run minibus company to take me.
I have a number 1 written next to my last visa run 30 days ago.
Many thanks for your time.
Kevin

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Unless I'm mistaken you also can't get into Burma proper at that border crossing either. You don't get a visa for Burma, you only get a day-pass with access to the border town.

That's correct.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Like I said, it would seem that they've taken a little less harsh approach at that crossing now.

It's ten bucks for the day pass into Burma - and even then a lot of people decline the pass and just head straight back over the bridge.

It's a bit farcical alright but a nice little earner on that Burmese side. Money for nothing, basically. It would be very surprising if those on the Thai side don't get their cut.

The 'less harsh' approach may well dissolve into 'business as usual' because of this very soon imo.

cheers guys, i will post a report for everyones information when i get back/if i get back !
Thanks for your help
Kevin

So here's my little story from yesterday.
I went to get my 2nd (in-out) visa stamp and was told that the 3 times and no more, did not exsist this month, and you can now only do 1 in-out stamp.
I then spoke to the border guy very clearly that i was very sorry i did not realise that and i wanted to eventually obtain a marriage visa as i had recently gotten married in Chiang Mai.
He then asked if i had a return ticket to UK, i didnt have because i was planning on getting my marriage visa just as soon as my cash from the uk arrived in the next 1 or 2 months, i told him.
He maintained i could not get a in-out visa today, then i showed him my Marriage certificate, house paperwork and my bank book.
After he studied these documents he said i did not have enough funds in my bank account for a marriage visa, i pointed out that i had a deposit of quite a bit of money from the UK in Jan this year, and i told him that money had gone on my Thai marriage ceremony, he laughed and said okay i let you do this one time only.
I thanked him so much and said i was sorry to cause him so much problems.
My admiration for the border people went up to new heights yesterday, the Thai guy spoke very good English and i can only imagine how hard his job had just become over the last few weeks, hats off to him.
So there it is, sorry about the grammar or spelling here, my head is still reeling after yesterday and my PC has gone into melt down underlinning every English word as a spelling mistake, god knows whats happened to it.
Any questions please ask away.
Cheers Kevin

^

You are a smart guy.

You had a very good story, you had Documents to back yourself up and you where patient and respectful to the officer .

If you where silly and gave him a hard time today you would be posting a totally different version.

Good on you, some farang are just plain stupid.

Yep - sounds like you played a blinder, kev.

Now get that bank balance and marriage visa sorted out and you won't be biting your nails on every trip.

Thanks for the update, and maybe before we all moan about Thailand yet again we should remember times like this.

Originally Posted by Soapy Kev

my PC has gone into melt down underlinning every English word as a spelling mistake

damn!

anyway, Kevin, your experience just shows they border boys are interpreting the rules differently at different crossings

you got lucky

thanks guys for the positive feedback, i have always said the UK could learn from Thailand when it comes to visa''s and the like.
And yeah, i got lucky i guess, but knowing as many Thai people as i do, you just know how to talk with them.
I really hope this helps some people.
Kevin

It would appear that the "3-stamps-ur-out" rule is not actually in effect until August 13. There are reports comin' in from various border crossings that it's pretty much what ever they wanna make up right now.

I read a report about someone going to Aranyaphrathet/Poipet and they got ONLY a 7 day visa exempt stamp, even though they're from a G7 country which is supposed to get a visa exempt stamp good for 30 days.

Soapy Kev; face it you were plain lucky, they were under NO obligation to let you "border-bounce", no matter what your extenuating circumstances were. This goes to show that courtesy far outweighs confrontation with the officers and can get you results.

david44; I am not being pedantic about this but, let's try the terminology again, with some explanations, okay:

VOA- Visa On Arrival
19 countries can apply for a VOA (visa on arrival) and ONLY at specific entry points to thailand. Those countries pay for and get a valid VISA stamped into their passport when entering thailand

Visa Exempt
48 countries are eligible for this. Most foreigners get this which means you showed up at the border without a visa in your passport.

Depending on your country you get either a 90 day visa exempt (Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru) a 30 day visa exempt stamp (G7 countries) or a 15 day visa exempt stamp.

They're cracking down on these visa exempt stamp "border-bouncerz" who live in thailand.

Year Long, Multi Entry, Non-Immigrant Visa (secured outside thailand at a thai embassy)
Allows the holder to stay in thailand not longer than 90 days at a time. The person then has to exit and re-enter the country to get another 90 day permission of stay stamped into their passport. With this visa if you play the dates right it can last 15 months.

Tourist Visa (secured at a thai embassy)
A tourist visa allows holders to stay in thailand 60 days, (which can be extended for 30 days at thai immigrations inside the country). If it is a double or triple entry tourist visa after 60 days the holder can go to the border exit/re-enter and that activates another entry for 60 days.

Extensions of Stay
An extension of stay is done INSIDE the country at the thai immigrations office which controls the zone where you live. Extensions of stay can be based on marriage to a thai national, being over 50, working, education, supporting a thai child. They can be for up to a year at a time, although most people on ED visas at private schools get only 90 days each time.

FWIW; I don't believe you can have two valid thai visas in the same passport.

Unless you exited on one and went to a thai embassy and got another one; so for a while you'd have two valid visas.

Now perhaps you got stamped back in on the old visa because it hadn't expired and then when got close to running out you exited and re-entered on the new one.

Other than that I don't know how you can (somewhat smugly) say;

People tell me on TV you cannot hold 2 vaild Thai visas simultaneously or obtain more than 15 months, I smile and show them the stamps.

AFAIK; there isn't a year long multi entry Non-Immigrant visa of ANY type that you can wring more than 15 months out of.. When they're issued by the thai embassy or consulate they have a "must be used by date" which is dated a year from the day you applied for it.

Update on crackdown

ARANYAPRATHET:-- Following the recent news regarding the crackdown on Out-In border runners in Thailand, it is reported that Immigration officials are implementing the tough new rules on the Cambodian border.

Over the past two days, Thaivisa.com has been receiveing an increasing number of reports that persistent border runners going to the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border are now only being a seven day entry stamp.

Thaivisa has also received information from Bangkok Buddy Travel Service Co.,Ltd, a tour operator based in Sukhumvit Soi 12, that also confirms the news regarding Poipet border officials only issuing a seven day entry stamp to individuals who are not in possession of a valid tourist visa or non-immigrant visa.

These latest developments at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border checkpoint follow similar action being taken by immigration officials at Ranong and Mae Sai.

Aranyaprathet is the most used entry point to Thailand and is widely used by foreign nationals from Bangkok, Pattaya and central Thailand.

The Immigration Bureau has advised that perpetual border runners should apply for the correct visa type or extension instead of using tourist visas or 15/30 days visa exemptions.

Thaivisa.com will keep you updated with any more news on the Out/In border crackdown as and when receive it.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

It would appear that the "3-stamps-ur-out" rule is not actually in effect until August 13. There are reports comin' in from various border crossings that it's pretty much what ever they wanna make up right now.

I read a report about someone going to Aranyaphrathet/Poipet and they got ONLY a 7 day visa exempt stamp, even though they're from a G7 country which is supposed to get a visa exempt stamp good for 30 days.

Soapy Kev; face it you were plain lucky, they were under NO obligation to let you "border-bounce", no matter what your extenuating circumstances were. This goes to show that courtesy far outweighs confrontation with the officers and can get you results.

david44; I am not being pedantic about this but, let's try the terminology again, with some explanations, okay:

VOA- Visa On Arrival
19 countries can apply for a VOA (visa on arrival) and ONLY at specific entry points to thailand. Those countries pay for and get a valid VISA stamped into their passport when entering thailand

Visa Exempt
48 countries are eligible for this. Most foreigners get this which means you showed up at the border without a visa in your passport.

Depending on your country you get either a 90 day visa exempt (Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru) a 30 day visa exempt stamp (G7 countries) or a 15 day visa exempt stamp.

They're cracking down on these visa exempt stamp "border-bouncerz" who live in thailand.

Year Long, Multi Entry, Non-Immigrant Visa (secured outside thailand at a thai embassy)
Allows the holder to stay in thailand not longer than 90 days at a time. The person then has to exit and re-enter the country to get another 90 day permission of stay stamped into their passport. With this visa if you play the dates right it can last 15 months.

Tourist Visa (secured at a thai embassy)
A tourist visa allows holders to stay in thailand 60 days, (which can be extended for 30 days at thai immigrations inside the country). If it is a double or triple entry tourist visa after 60 days the holder can go to the border exit/re-enter and that activates another entry for 60 days.

Extensions of Stay
An extension of stay is done INSIDE the country at the thai immigrations office which controls the zone where you live. Extensions of stay can be based on marriage to a thai national, being over 50, working, education, supporting a thai child. They can be for up to a year at a time, although most people on ED visas at private schools get only 90 days each time.

FWIW; I don't believe you can have two valid thai visas in the same passport.

Unless you exited on one and went to a thai embassy and got another one; so for a while you'd have two valid visas.

Now perhaps you got stamped back in on the old visa because it hadn't expired and then when got close to running out you exited and re-entered on the new one.

Other than that I don't know how you can (somewhat smugly) say;

People tell me on TV you cannot hold 2 vaild Thai visas simultaneously or obtain more than 15 months, I smile and show them the stamps.

AFAIK; there isn't a year long multi entry Non-Immigrant visa of ANY type that you can wring more than 15 months out of.. When they're issued by the thai embassy or consulate they have a "must be used by date" which is dated a year from the day you applied for it.

Details from MOFA today of a 3 year Non O
tthere was a 2 year I know and there is also 5 years with the paid card if you meet the requirements

Thailand's Visa Information : Three-year Non-Immigrant Visa "B" (for Business only) - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

"david44". . .
IF you knew how FEW of people knew about or held visas like this; you wouldn't have copied and pasted my ENTIRE post..

You coulda just copied the last bit... Doncha think?

So are you are saying you hold one of those visas??? Or you are saying you've heard people can get visas like that? Those are apples and oranges..

The investment visa is 10million baht, and the b/s 3 year dealy they offered on the thai elite card had so few people sign up that it never amounted to anything..

Originally Posted by toddaniels

"david44". . .
IF you knew how FEW of people knew about or held visas like this; you wouldn't have copied and pasted my ENTIRE post..

He quoted it, not copied and pasted.

Originally Posted by david44

The chaps at M Sai are the friendliest Ive met in 20 yrs at many borders

Be helpful for all if we use the correct terms,

VOA
Non O
Extension of stay
The changes at Mai Sai are back to back entry by visa exempt nations

There is NO change in law or practice,and I do know they are flxibel,inconsistent.

People tell me on TV you cannot hold 2 vaild Thai visas simultaneously or obtain more than 15 months, I smile and show them the stamps.

TV banned me twice in 30 days, once for telling someone to stop talking out of his arse, as i thought he was calling me an 'illegal' & second time because they thought my avatar was offensive, after it had been passed for a month.... !

Thai-Lao border is closed. Maybe the same with other borders.

So don't go until they re-open.