A border run resets your permission to stay by leaving Thailand and re-entering. It still has its uses, particularly as a short term bridge while a longer term visa is being arranged.
It is also, for a lot of people, an expensive habit that has quietly become obsolete. If you are running to the border two or three times a year, the DTV or a Non-Immigrant O will almost certainly cost you less over eighteen months and will not put you at the mercy of an immigration officer's discretion at a land border.
Before you book, read this
Repeated entries by land are scrutinised. Immigration officers can and do refuse entry to people whose passports show a pattern of back to back border runs, and there is no appeal at the counter.
We will organise your run if that is genuinely the right call for you. We will also tell you when it is not, and show you what the alternative costs. Most clients are surprised at how small the gap is.
Frequently asked questions
Will I definitely be let back in?
No one can promise that, and be suspicious of anyone who does. Entry is at the discretion of the officer at the border. What we can do is look at your passport history honestly and tell you how much risk you are carrying.
How long does a run take?
A day, in most cases, leaving Pattaya early and returning the same evening. We confirm the schedule and the border used when you book.
Considering a border run?
Send us your stamp history on LINE. We will tell you whether a run is your best option or whether a proper visa now costs less over the year.
Related services
- Visa servicesTourist visa extension in PattayaExtra weeks on your current stamp, filed at Jomtien Immigration without you queueing for a morning.
- Visa servicesRe-entry permit in PattayaThe document that keeps your one year extension alive when you leave Thailand, even for a weekend.
- Visa servicesDTV, the Destination Thailand VisaA five year multiple entry visa built for remote workers, freelancers and people coming to Thailand for Muay Thai, Thai cooking or medical treatment.
- Visa servicesNon-Immigrant O visa in PattayaThe entry category that unlocks the retirement and marriage extensions, obtained abroad or converted from your current stamp inside Thailand.