See the Thai Visa Run – Update 2015. There has been a new crackdown announced today by Thai Immigration in the Bangkok Post. The headlines says it all the “Thai Government bans visa runs to border”. This has been an old problem over the years and this year after the bombing the Thai government has enforced the runs for border runs and applying for a proper visa.
Thai Visa Run – Update 2015
Thai immigration has been working on these rules for years. Each year tightening the screws on ‘border runners’ in Thailand. In 2012 you got a 30 day visa waiver when entering Thailand. In 2013 it was changed to 15 days only visa land border crossings. Today it has come to an end.
One way the tour networks worked was by offering a tour of Poi Pet which everyone knows there is not much to see. This was then used as an excuse for the return for the 15 day visa waiver. How people can live on 15 day runs I do not know. Those doing visa runs will not be allowed to cross the border back into Thailand and are to be sent to the Thai Embassy in Cambodia for a proper Thai visa.
If you are married to a Thai and registered your marriage in Thailand then apply for a Marriage visa for Thailand. If you are over 50 then a retirement visa for Thailand solves the issues.
Time will tell how this works out in the long run.
Visa Run Update : October 2015
Now that everything has settled there have been a number of changes and also how the visa run type of visa extensions have been changed.
- The Visa on Arrival has now been settled as follows. The Thai Immigration border crossings will only allow you to stay in Thailand on a visa on arrival for a period of 90 days maximum each year. This excludes any visa or visa extension which you might have had during the year.
- Thailand has now introduced a 6 month tourist visa which is also multiple entry. Thai Immigration has as yet not updated how this will be implemented in Thailand.
Check with immigration or with your local Thai Embassy for any updates or answer any questions which you might have. These are the current rules and how they are being implemented.
