Mae Sai Visa Info Needed

[BizMarkDee]

 

 

My one year extension of my so-called 'retirement visa' have already run out and I am presently on a 30 day tourist visa extension. I would like to get a 90 day Non-immigrant visa to give me enough time to establish my 3 month of +65,000 income coming into a Thai bank from my home country. I will then try to extend that Visa for a year for reasons of retirement with my 3 months proof of income. Can I get a 90 day Non-immigrant visa from Mae Sai? I am in CM.

 

Any constructive suggestions are helpful. I am totally new to making visa runs and the different visas. So I am catching up on these things. Though I have been in Thailand 7 years nearly all of that time I have been happily on a Non-immigrant visa O (retirement). I was blindsided by the change in policy in regards to verification of income and now can not get a so-called 'retirement visa' until I prove at least 3 months of monthly +65,000 'income' coming into a Thai bank from my home country. (I know there is another way of having a lump sum of I believe 800,000 in the account. But that is not feasible for me right now.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BizMarkDee]

Let me attempt to answer my own question. Since it seem I can not delete it. 

 

Chiang Mai to the Mae Sai border then into Myanmar is a Thailand Border Run not a Visa Run

First of all, I want to establish that this is a Border Run from Chiang Mai not a Visa Run. Often these two phrases get used interchangeably but they are two very different things.

• A Border Run is when you literally cross the border into another country, turn around and come back in on another Thai Visa Exempt entry stamp or a Thai Visa on Arrival.  This can be done in the same day and is the quickest and cheapest option.
• A Visa Run is when you leave Thailand and apply for a Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV), or Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) at a Thai Embassy or Consulate. The application process takes two days usually, (sometimes longer with other visas) so you have to stay in that country until it’s been approved. This option obviously costs more and takes longer.

Chiang Mai to Myanmar is a Border Run, you are not able to apply for a Single Entry Tourist Visa at a Thai Embassy or Consulate in Tachileik, Myanmar.

Also keep in mind you can only do TWO 30 day Visa Exempt entries by land in a year.

 

https://alialtravelgal.com/how-to-easy-thailand-border-run-from-chiang-mai-to-myanmar/

 

So I can only do a 'border run' and not a 'visa run' at Mae Sai. Is this correct? 

Edited September 22, 2019 by BizMarkDee
clarity (typo)

[ubonjoe]

Mae Sai is only a border crossing. There is no Thai embassy or consulate there where you can apply for a visa.

Your best option may be to apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration in Chiang Mai.

General requirements for it is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

You will need at least 3 weeks remaining on your 60 day tourist visa entry or the 30 day extension olf to apply for it in CM.

 

[BizMarkDee]

Ok. I have a plan. I will make a border run to Mae Sai (this will be my second) and I will extend for 30 days at CM. The first week of my extension (so I will have more than 3 weeks remaining) I will apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration in Chiang Mai. I should have 2 months of proof of +65,000 pension income into a Thai bank by then and I will see what they say. If they demand more months of proof I will then have to make a visa run to a Thai embassy or consulate.

 

Is Vientiane the nearest and most convenient to CM? 

 

Thank you UbonJoe!

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, BizMarkDee said:

Is Vientiane the nearest and most convenient to CM? 

Yes 

[statman78]

About a year ago I entered Thailand with a SETV.  I am in Chiang Rai and was told that I needed to go to Mae Sai to switch to a non-imm O so that I could extend based on retirement.  I applied at Mae Sai and they ended up sending everything to Chiang Mai. If you are in Chiang Mai apply there instead of traveling to Mae Sai

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, statman78 said:

 I am in Chiang Rai and was told that I needed to go to Mae Sai to switch to a non-imm O so that I could extend based on retirement.

He was asking about applying for a non-o visa in Myanmar after entering at Mae Sai.

You went to the immigration office in Mae Sai to apply for a change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa entry.

He has to apply in Chiang Mai for the non immigrant visa.

[Krupps]

So first timers don't need to put 800k down for retirement visa ?

3x65 k is enough, if I choose the income method?

If so, do I have to wire it in 3 installments ? 

And how do they follow up on it with the 9x65k for their the rest of year?

Edited September 24, 2019 by Krupps

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Krupps said:

So first timers don't need to put 800k down for retirement visa ?

3x65 k is enough, if I choose the income method?

If so, do I have to wire it in 3 installments ? 

And how do they follow up on it with the 9x65k for their the rest of year?

The 800k baht in the bank is not needed if you can prove a income of at least 65k baht permont.

Proof of 2 or 3 months of transfers into a Thai bank account from abroad would be accepted. Only one month may needed if you are applying for a non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration.

You would need to show proof of at least 65k baht going into a Thai account for 12 months prior to applying for your next extension. There is no follow up after you apply for your first extension until then.

[KKr]

On 9/23/2019 at 9:53 AM, ubonjoe said:

Mae Sai is only a border crossing. There is no Thai embassy or consulate there where you can apply for a visa.

Your best option may be to apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration in Chiang Mai.

General requirements for it is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

You will need at least 3 weeks remaining on your 60 day tourist visa entry or the 30 day extension olf to apply for it in CM.

 

Kindly allow me to add that I have seen a sign "no visa runs" Thai side of the MaeSai passport check,
if someone was allowed to do a same day in-out please update.

( as a side-note: for day-trippers with a valid re-entry visa, passport is kept at the border and a receipt is given by Myanmar immigration.
on the way back, the passport is returned to the traveller.) 
 

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, KKr said:

Kindly allow me to add that I have seen a sign "no visa runs" Thai side of the MaeSai passport check,
if someone was allowed to do a same day in-out please update.

That sign is old.

They have been allowing crossings for a visa exempt entry since January of 2017 when the limit of 2 per calendar year at land border crossings rule went into effect.

Same day is not a problem.

If you have a valid visa for entry there is no limit.

[tifino]

16 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That sign is old.

They have been allowing crossings for a visa exempt entry since January of 2017 when the limit of 2 per calendar year at land border crossings rule went into effect.

Same day is not a problem.

If you have a valid visa for entry there is no limit.

Back inNov it cost non Thais   700baht to jump the border at MaiSai to sojourn into Myanmar side for a few hours...

[KKr]

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That sign is old.

They have been allowing crossings for a visa exempt entry since January of 2017 when the limit of 2 per calendar year at land border crossings rule went into effect.

Same day is not a problem.

If you have a valid visa for entry there is no limit.

Thank you for update. (next shopping over the border trip will keep an eye out.)

[KKr]

7 minutes ago, tifino said:

Back inNov it cost non Thais   700baht to jump the border at MaiSai to sojourn into Myanmar side for a few hours...

correct, that is the Myanmar visa/processing fee for each non-Thai. 
When going by car compulsory insurance needs to be paid,
also, the original car registration (tabian rot) must be presented and the owner as well.