Avoiding the full-page visa during a border run

[allencraig]

I think I know the answer to this, but thought I'd pose the question to this very experienced group. Thanks in advance for not ridiculing me.

 

I'm an American. I've been staying on tourists visas through 2019 and finally found a decent job. I will need to leave and reenter to get my first Non-B work visa. I generally understand this process.

 

I'm curious to know if it's possible to do a border run WITHOUT needing to take up yet another page of my passport with a visa from a nearby country that I'm really only using for one day. I know I can reenter as a tourist with a 30-day visa exempt stamp at Kanchanaburi, but is there a way to avoid Myanmar's full-page visa if I have to stay there for a full day while Thailand processes my Non-B visa? I can travel by air or land if necessary. 

 

I hope this makes sense. Thanks.

[problemfarang]

The only border you can do is Kanchanaburi (in my knowledge) Myanmar use only stamp visas there. And its so cheap. All nothing more than 1000 baht. IO is so friendly too. And all visa thing... takes 20 min. nothing more.

 

Tell the mini-bus driver where you want myanmar side to stamp, because if not say they will stamp a new page probably. And yes, you dont even need to leave the mini-bus. driver will do all for you. Just sit and wait at myanmar side.

Edited December 7, 2019 by problemfarang

[lazygourmet]

Go to Malaysia.

Their stamps are tiny ; and, if you ask them politely, they will even find a way to squeeze it between previous ones.

[ubonjoe]

You can get a e visa for Myanmar but it can only be used at 3 border crossings. They are Mae Sot, Mae Sai and Ranong. Info is here. https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/

You can also get a e visa for Laos. https://laoevisa.gov.la/index

Cambodia as well. https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

Not sure why you need to leave Thailand for the paperwork to be processed. Is your employer doing a WP3 work permit application?

 

[KhunBENQ]

From the news, Singapore does not even do an exit stamp anymore.

Malaysia cheaper with flight cost of course.

[atyclb]

cambodia evisa just gets a stamp in passport 

 

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3

[MeePeeMai]

Since our USA passports are good for 10 years, I opted for the thick one (with 51 visa pages).  I knew it would be full in no time otherwise and I hate the hassle of getting a new one.

[phuketrichard]

Only in and out stamps

Malaysia only stamp, FREE land border or flying

Burma Visa in advance, ($50) flight or land order or ONLY $10 stamp in and out,( I've only done this at Ranong an Mae sai land borders)

Cambodia visa online ($37) land border or flight

But add in ur in an out stamp for Thailand

 

US passport  44 usable pages for stamps. I usually get 5-6 years out of each one

Not bad for $110

[Captain Monday]

Fly to Korea. Your American passport will not be defiled with stamps just a bit of paper. When you leave you can use the automatic gates. 

[allencraig]

On 12/7/2019 at 11:17 AM, ubonjoe said:

You can get a e visa for Myanmar but it can only be used at 3 border crossings. They are Mae Sot, Mae Sai and Ranong. Info is here. https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/

You can also get a e visa for Laos. https://laoevisa.gov.la/index

Cambodia as well. https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

Not sure why you need to leave Thailand for the paperwork to be processed. Is your employer doing a WP3 work permit application?

 

Yes, exactly. I have been here on a tourist visa and now I need to get a Non-B work visa—which is something that needs to be processed from outside Thailand (and is not an "instant approval" kind of thing.)

[allencraig]

On 12/8/2019 at 12:30 PM, MeePeeMai said:

Since our USA passports are good for 10 years, I opted for the thick one (with 51 visa pages).  I knew it would be full in no time otherwise and I hate the hassle of getting a new one.

I have the 51 pages, too. But with tourist visas in Thailand only lasting three months, that's two pages (plus stamps) taken up every three months. Plus, I traveled a bit before settling here so I already had a bunch of pages taken. I'm just thinking ahead a bit—in 2016 it became a last-minute scramble with my old visa as I ran out of pages right before a visa run from Vietnam.

[allencraig]

23 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

Only in and out stamps

Malaysia only stamp, FREE land border or flying

Burma Visa in advance, ($50) flight or land order or ONLY $10 stamp in and out,( I've only done this at Ranong an Mae sai land borders)

Cambodia visa online ($37) land border or flight

But add in ur in an out stamp for Thailand

 

US passport  44 usable pages for stamps. I usually get 5-6 years out of each one

Not bad for $110

So at a land border crossing in Myanmar, if I need to stay overnight (as a Thai work visa needs a day to process) I still only need a stamp? No visa for a day or two in the country?

[allencraig]

On 12/8/2019 at 12:12 PM, atyclb said:

cambodia evisa just gets a stamp in passport 

 

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3

Yes, but I need to then go to a Thai consulate to apply for a work visa. Going through an airport complicates the process quite a bit, so I hope to avoid that.

[phuketrichard]

To get a NON B visa u need lots of paperwork an you need apply at an embassy>

So you will need a online visa in advance for Burma. a $10 stamp wont allow you to travel to Yangon, and go to the thai embassy

For that its $50 and you will only get a stamp in ur passport. BUT it would take ya at minimum a full day of traveling or more, to reach Yangon overland from the border

You could go to Cambodia with a visa online, ($37) but its going to take you at least 6-8 hours traveling overland to Phnom Penh, AFTER you cross the border.

 

Quote

Going through an airport complicates the process quite a bit, so I hope to avoid that.

WHY?

Edited December 9, 2019 by phuketrichard

[allencraig]

1 hour ago, phuketrichard said:

To get a NON B visa u need lots of paperwork an you need apply at an embassy>

So you will need a online visa in advance for Burma. a $10 stamp wont allow you to travel to Yangon, and go to the thai embassy

For that its $50 and you will only get a stamp in ur passport. BUT it would take ya at minimum a full day of traveling or more, to reach Yangon overland from the border

You could go to Cambodia with a visa online, ($37) but its going to take you at least 6-8 hours traveling overland to Phnom Penh, AFTER you cross the border.

 

WHY?

From the airport I'd need to get to the consulate, then get to a hotel, and then again in reverse the next day. I know it doesn't sound like much, but logistically this is a lot more complicated, time consuming and a bit more expensive transportation-wise than doing it at a border, where everything is within walking distance or close to it. 

 

I know it's not a HUGE difference, but I'd like to minimize the hassles as much as possible. Anytime you through an airport in the mix things start to get messy.

[BritTim]

Penang has long been a favoured consulate for a Non B visa. As far as I know, it is still good for a single entry Non B with the correct documentation. You can enter Malaysia visa free, and will just get the regular Malaysian entry and exit stamps.

 

According to recent reports, Hong Kong which puts no stamps at all in your passport, is no longer an option for Thai visas.

[ubonjoe]

40 minutes ago, allencraig said:

From the airport I'd need to get to the consulate, then get to a hotel, and then again in reverse the next day. I know it doesn't sound like much, but logistically this is a lot more complicated, time consuming and a bit more expensive transportation-wise than doing it at a border, where everything is within walking distance or close to it. 

The only nearby country that has a embassy or consulate near a border crossing is Laos. You would apply at the embassy in Vientiane or the consulate Savannakhet. They are both more than a short walk from the crossing.

 

[phuketrichard]

Quote

but logistically this is a lot more complicated, time consuming and a bit more expensive transportation-wise than doing it at a border, where everything is within walking distance or close to it. 

You cant do anything at a border... you need a Non B visa, they are not issued at any border for you.

So u'd rather sit in a bus/car for 10+ hours than fly an take a taxi??
wow, am speechless

Quote

...consulate near a border crossing is Laos.

BUT its a full page visa + entry/exit stamp for Laos.

 

Burma ,Cambodia they are embassies

 

I am done with making suggestion to you,  good luck

 

 

Edited December 9, 2019 by phuketrichard

[allencraig]

For the record, I ended up taking the 700thb overnight bus out to Mukdahan, then the 50thb local bus that brings you across the Freedom 2 Bridge into Suvannahket, all the way to the bus depot, which was 15 minute's-walk from my hotel. I prepared my documents in detail beforehand so as not to risk being left behind—and I STILL had to chase the bus down as they tried to pull away without me on the Laos entry part! 

 

The night bus allowed me to arrive and go directly to the embassy in Laos and apply for my work visa. On a Tuesday I was the last in line, yet only needed to wait 20–25(?) minutes.

 

To return, after picking up my visa at 3pm the next day, I took a tuk-tuk from the embassy to the Laos border for 100thb, then caught the 50thb bus again taking you over the bridge—which was right there seemingly waiting for me. An AirAsia shuttle picked me up at the Mukdahan Grand Hotel (walking distance from the bus depot) and brought me directly to the airport in Nakhon Phanom, with the flight arrived in BKK at about 9pm. The free airport shuttle to the BTS was right in front of Don Mueang's exit door.

 

I think this is a good plan that marries price, timing and convenience. Thank's for the input you guys gave me during my planning!