Visa Run Guide
Where do I go to renew my visa?
For a 30 day tourist visa, the easiest way to renew your visa is to do a border run to Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos or Myanmar (formerly Burma).
If you go to Malaysia and have already used up 30 days, you now only get a 15 day extension.
For a 60 day tourist visa, it is probably easiest to get it renewed in Vientiane, Laos or Penang, Malaysia.
For a non-immigrant visa, the closest Thai consulates are in Penang, Malaysia and Kota Baru, Malaysia. You may also visit Phnom Penh, Cambodia. You can also get visas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Singapore, but these cities tend to be more expensive. The Manila consulate in the Philippines is fairly quiet. You can get visas easily in Sri Lanka, Australia, UK and the USA. AVOID HONG KONG.
The easiest way to renew your visa is to get an organized bus which takes all the hassle out of the visa run and isn’t much more expensive than organizing everything yourself (and it is much easier). Remember to give the companies below a call to check out the latest prices and latest visa rules.
Remember to ask if you are going in a minivan or a bus.
Cambodian tourist visa: Get your e-visa online before you arrive in Cambodia. US$25
Cambodian visa application form
If you are in Cambodia, you can usually pay a travel agent to get your visa done more quickly.
Who do the cheapest/quickest organized visa runs?
Tourist Visa/Non-Immigrant Border Run
Jack Golf
| Visa Run | Bangkok to Cambodia & Laos |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | Sukhumvit soi 12 in front of 7-Eleven |
| Tel | 02 251-1950 089-665-7000 |
Sawasdee Transport
| Visa Run | Bangkok to Cambodia & Laos |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | BTS On Nut Tesco parking lot next to KFC |
| Tel | 081-815-4803 |
Thai Visa Run
| Visa Run | Bangkok to Cambodia |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | Baanrai Coffee Shop on the corner of Sukhumvit 63, right next to BTS Ekkamai opposite the bus terminal and in front of the Honda show room |
| Tel | 02 713-2498 (office hours) 089-0245-255 (24 hours) |
1st Class Visa Runs
| Visa Run | Pattaya to Cambodia & Laos |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | Queen Victoria Inn, Soi 6, Pattaya |
| Tel | 086-147-1618 |
M& J Visa Service
| Visa Run | Chiang Mai to Laos |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | Your hotel/address in Chiang Mai |
| Tel | 086-919-2588 080-670-5944 |
Non-Immigrant Visa
Traveller2000
| Visa Run | Bangkok, Pattaya, Ko Samui, Phuket to Kota Baru in Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Pick-up Point | Suvarnabhumi airport |
| Tel | Bangkok 02 652-2569 Pattaya 03 837-1504 |
| Samui 07 742-7711 Phuket 07 630-4380 |
Bus information for Visa Renewal
You can get a bus by yourself to do visa runs to Aranyaprathet or Poi-Pet in Cambodia. Remember you will have to organize a visa for entering Cambodia. You can also get a bus to Ranong in Thailand. From there you can hire a longtail boat to take you to Kawthaung (Victoria Point) for the border crossing into Myanmar (Burma). You can also do a visa run by getting a bus from Bangkok or Phuket to Hat Yai in the south of Thailand. From there you can hire a minivan which will take you to the border and back. For more information on buses, Click here.
Flight information for Visa Renewal
If you want a non-immigrant visa, you will have to fly to one of the Thai consulates outside of Thailand, normally in the major cities. The best places are Penang in Malaysia, Kota Baru in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore, Pnom Penh in Cambodia, Vientiane in Laos, Manila in the Philippines, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Perth in Australia. Some of the cheaper airlines include:
- Air Asia
- Jet Star
- Thai Airways
- Expedia
Click here for more flight information and bookings
For more information on Thai visa rules as well as the latest visa updates on the different types of visa, please visit Thaivisa.com
Public Holidays for Visa Runs
It is always important to chaeck that whilst you are on a visa run, that you don’t get stuck there on a day when the embassy is closed because of either a Thai holiday or a public holiday in the destination that you are flying to. In order to make sure you are not stuck in another country with no flight back, make sure you check here first before booking flights: