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Can I do a border run to switch to a tourist visa after my Non-O volunteer visa expires?

Non-O Visa Volunteer Visa Border Run Tourist Visa Chiang Mai Visa Extension Immigration Laws Work Permit Issues

Oct 10, 2024

a month ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I’m on a non O volunteer visa and the first 90 days expires soon. Seems like I can’t get an extension due to work permit issues. I only need another 60 days to finish my tasks.

Can I do a border run and return same day with a tourist 60 day visa?

What’s the process and best way to do this from Chiang Mai?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The original poster (OP) is on a Non-O volunteer visa that is about to expire, seeking a way to extend their stay in Thailand for another 60 days. They consider doing a border run to obtain a tourist 60-day visa. In the comments, various participants contribute opinions about the legality of working without a work permit, the risks of volunteering on a tourist visa, and whether the OP can successfully navigate to a tourist visa through a border run from Chiang Mai. The discussion includes differing views about the enforcement of immigration laws and offers advice on potential outcomes of pursuing this route.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

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Maxim ***********

Don't worry about volunteering on your 60 days visa exempt. Nobody care, tens of thousands of people are currently volunteering without work permit. You are not who the authority are trying to crackdown on. They are going after online casino, call center, or people who physically work for money on the ground without permit like teacher, musicians, etc.

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Colin *********

@Maxim **********

I assume that you're going to accept full responsibility and the consequences for bad advice if/when the OP gets caught working illegally 🤔 or, do you work for Thai Immigration and know for a fact that thousands are doing voluntary work in Thailand?

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Ellen *************

@Colin ********

they are. They simply are. People travel through Workaway and help ex and other such platforms. On tourist visas. More than a handful of countries.

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Ellen *************

@Colin ********

why would they assume any responsibility? People that post questions deserve honest and balanced information in response. they come to hear the experience of others, not only advice or the letter of the law.

They are not puppets and they are certainly responsible and accountable for their own choices, which are better made when well informed. The gatekeepers in this group are exhausting.

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Maxim ***********

@Colin ********

Are you aware of who is the owner of this group you are a posting on? Group by THAI VISA CENTRE - visa agent. What services do you think they provide? Try to take a guess. I've use them many times so I know, not a trick question.

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Colin *********

@Maxim **********

so you're openly saying that the owner of the group assists people in breaking Thailand laws and you've used them to do just that?

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Maxim ***********

@Colin ********

I said nothing of sort. What I meant to say is that this group allow such agent and alternative solution discussions. The authority are well aware of this group existence (and the even bigger group also run by visa agent). There is a difference in Thailand between what's illegal and reprimanded vs illegal but accepted.

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Colin *********

@Maxim **********

fair enough, though I don't think it's a good idea to tell someone in an open forum to go ahead and do something that's illegal, whatever the risk may or may not be

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Maxim ***********

@Colin ********

I'm countering the fear-mongering attitude who greatly amplified the risk. The risk is very minimal, it's there, but very low.

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Maxim ***********

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Neil ******

@Maxim **********

this group should not be telling people to violate the country’s laws regardless of what the perceived risk is. It’s not even your risk to assume.

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Colin *********

spot on!

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Colin *********

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John **********

If you do a border run you won't be getting a visa but will return on a visa exempt stamp assuming you're from one of the entitled countries. However you can't continue to volunteer on that stamp. If you want to continue to volunteer you need to either get the extension or visit a Thai consulate and get a new volunteer visa

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Graham ******

@John *********

It looks like the OP is not currently volunteering as a WP was never issued so the 90 day Non-O that was issued is about to end (at least the OP should not have been volunteering without the necessary WP).

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Maxim ***********

He said to "finish my tasks", so he's currently volunteering thinking that the 90 days allow him to. But it doesn't matter, authority are not chasing after people like him.

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Maxim ***********

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Henrik *****

“With tourist visa, travellers are strictly prohibited to conduct in all kinds of work including volunteer work and internship.”

So you can not do volunteering on a 60 day visa excempt or 60 day tourist visa.

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Stephen *********

Technically its illegal to work without a WP even volunteering.

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Steven *******

Your question cannot be answered without knowing which country's passport you hold.

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Reply to

Steven *******

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