What are my options for obtaining a Thai tourist visa with only one free page in my UK passport?

Apr 9, 2018
7 years ago
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone! I've got 1 free page left in my UK passport, and I need a new Thai tourist visa by the end of next week. What're my options? I can't go to Laos as they'll use up my last free page with a Laos visa sticker (this last page needs to stay free for my Thai visa). Will I be able to go to Yangon or Kuala Lumpur without using up this final page? I've got a feeling these countries just require a small stamp. Any advice? I'm just looking for the simplest/cheapest option that will get me a 60-day tourist visa with the least hassle. If this can be done by bus from Chiang Mai, then 👍

Thanks!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The individual is seeking advice on how to obtain a new Thai tourist visa while having only one remaining free page in their UK passport. Due to this limitation, they cannot travel to Laos, where a visa would take up this page. Suggestions from the community include: 1) Using the Mae Sai - Tachiliek border crossing, which involves four stamps (exit from Thailand, entry and exit from Burma, and re-entry into Thailand), allowing for a 30-day visa-exempt entry that can later be extended. 2) Taking a short flight to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) or Singapore (SIN) and returning via transit without entering the country, thus minimizing stamp usage. Members also advise being cautious as some customs officers may not cooperate with requests to avoid using the last page. Recommendations for preparing for the trip and details about bus travel to Mae Sai are also provided.
Dianne *****
Green bus from Arcade Bus Station in Chiang Mai, to Mae Sai 319 baht each way. 15 minute songteow ride from Mae Sai bus station to border;set price of 16 baht. Very organised and easy process. Book seats as close to the front as possible for the most comfortable arm chair like seats. Take something warm to wear or cover yourself with, as the air conditioning is Arctic. Book tickets online and pay by credit card or with cash at any
****
within a few hours of booking. Expect it to be an 11-12 hour undertaking from leaving Chiang Mai to returning back in the evening. And yes, four small stamps
Dave **********
Do a quick flight to KUL or SIN and return on the next flight.

.

Royal Jordanian does an evening flight BKK-KUL-BKK ... (RJ 180 / 181)

.

Easy enough to fly down, go to the transit desk to get your boarding pass and catch the same plane back to BKK. You never enter Malaysia so no need of wasted space in your passport.

.

Just go down on a flight, go through the transit gate and return on the next flight. Then do your Thai visa when you return (been there, done that, got the T-shirt).

.

The only space used is your exit stamp from Thailand and the 30-day entry stamp on your return.
Dave **********
Air Asia has flights from CNX to KUL (non-stop).

Scoot and Silk Air have non-stops from CNX to SIN.

The process is the same. Fly down, transit desk and fly back. Never enter the 2nd country so no wasted space in the passport.
Tod *********
you did see that they're in Chiang Mai right?
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks Tod! 🙌 anything I need to prepare prior to catching a green bus to the border? I’m actually quite looking forward to the drive! 🙂
Terry **********
Agree with Tod Mae Sai / Takchilik 4 small stamps in out. Nice day out....enjoy..
Ali ******
Will you not have a problem trying to extend the 30 day exemption while you're waiting for your new passport? - Don't you have to send the old passport along?

Worth checking - if so, recommend tourist visa application in Malaysia so that you get 60 days.
Tod *********
You could get a 10 USD note in pristine condition for the burma border (otherwise it's 500Baht) to stamp in&out.

Other than that, nope, just you and your passport.
Tod *********
I think your best option (especially if you're up north) is a border-bounce at the Mae Sai - Tachiliek border with burma, that will only take 4 stamps, exit from thailand, entry & exit from burma and entry to thailand. It'll get you a 30 day visa exempt entry and you can extend that for 30 day <- NOTE that extension takes
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a passport page..
Ambrosia *******
Malaysia only does an entry and exit stamp (I just came back from there today). They won't take a full page.
Gonzalo *********
Ask politely and with a smile to place the stamps on the available spaces around the passport not in your last page. Worked for me before....
Ray *****
HK no stamp
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yeah, I feel like this is unwise. It's better to get a 30 day visa at the border, and then apply for a new passport in Bangkok.
Mehdi ********
KL is a tiny stamps. You can try to explain to them that they have to leave this page free. However last time I did that, all I got was being pulled aside and being interviewed for 30 minutes and almost did get in. Some customs officers just won't play along. Good luck with this.
Rob ******
Hmmm good question. I'm no expert, but that last free page will have a Thai exit stamp and entrance stamp into whichever country you're getting a visa in, then aside from the visa you'll need space for an entry stamp back into Thailand. Sounds like you need a new passport ASAP and you're screwed until then. But someone may have a solution for you that I'm unaware of
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks for all the tips, guys! I’ll do a visa run to Mae Sai and get a 30 day visa exemption stamp on the border. So just to confirm, this is possible with just one page? Like if you agree...
Dave **********
Do a quick flight to KUL or SIN.

You don't even need to enter the 2nd country.

Just go down on a flight, go through the transit gate and return on the next flight.

Then do your Thai visa.
Ivan ************
It's not a visa, it's a visa exempt stamp you get coming back. So that are no documents or applications or photos involved (other than the arrival card which you get and fill out there). Do remember you only get max two land border visa exempt entries into Thailand per calendar year.
Ivan ************
You don't need anything. Just your passport. And $10 or 500B for the Myanmar side, for the border pass/stamp. Note $10 is less than 500B.
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Cheers Ivan! What documents/copies/photos do I need to have prepared prior to the trip? Or is it easy to prepare everything on the border?
Ivan ************
Thai and Myanmar immigration are helpful at that checkpoint, you can ask them to squeeze in the stamps because you want to save your blank pages and they will.
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Rob *****
Perfect! I'll check out the turnaround time for a new passport. If it's within 60 days (30 + 30 days with the extension), then all is golden ☀️ I can do that once I get back.

I've heard you just get small stamps when you cross to Mae Sai and back again... Can other people here please confirm?
Rob ******
The process is simple and straightforward, I just don't know about the stamps :(

You can get a bus from CM to the border pretty easily at the bus station in Chiang Mai. They drop you off pretty close to the border, it's been so long though that I forget if you can walk it need to get another form of transportation to the border. If you do it's only a few minutes from the bus station. On the Thai side they'll stamp you out of Thailand, and once in Myanmar they'll do whatever they do. When you cross into Myanmar they'll keep your passport at the border and you can either go into Tacheliek and have a washer around the market or just go straight back to Thailand. Thailand will give you another stamp (if you are eligible*) for 30 days visa exempt and you're done! Back in Thailand with a 30 day reprieve. For this there's no need to visit embassies out do anything beforehand. Show up at the border, leave Thailand (even if only for the time it takes to get stamped in and out of Myanmar) and come back with 30 more days.

I've heard and read about buses from Chiang Mai to the border that aren't from the bus station? Maybe "green bus" or something like that. Do some googling and see if that's what you're looking for.

Wish I had definite answers for all of your questions.

If you're OK with just 30 days you can definitely do it, if you NEED the 60 day tourist visa I don't see any ways to get that without a risk of running out of room.

Anyone know what happens if that does occur?
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes that would be helpful. Does anyone else know about this? Would immigration at Mae Sai only use the small stamps as opposed to full-blown stickers that take up the entire page? What's the general process? Can I go to Mae Sai on a bus, and then come back to Chiang Mai in one day? Do I need to arrange anything prior to booking my bus to Mae Sai? Do I need to visit the consulate in Mae Sai or stay overnight? Is this a fairly straightforward in/out/in process?
Rob ******
Malaysia and Singapore are both options for a border bounce with very little space used. Neither is bussable from CM. Maybe someone with recent experience at Mae Sai will chime in with the Myanmar stamp situation?
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks Rob!
Rob ******
I'm not sure what goes in your passport for those border crossings, I haven't done one in years. But my experience asking immigration officers to conserve space and put stamps where I want them ended at a South African immigration checkpoint when the office sternly told me he'd put the stamp where he pleases. It's just not something I'm pushy about and don't think that's a good way to engage. If you can get it and back on just stamps on a single page that's probably your best bet. Get your 30 days and then apply for a new book from your embassy
Peter ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
There're lots of small spaces left in the passport for stamps, but there's only 1 empty/untarnished page. Surely it's not all doom and gloom... There's surely a simple solution to this. How about going to Mae Sa on a bus, and then coming back to Chiang Mai in one day? Is this an option? Or would this require two completely empty pages? I might only need a 30-day visa instead of the initial 60. I could then extend this 30-day visa to make 60 at the consulate in CM. During this time I could apply for a new passport in Bangkok which should be obtainable within that 60-day window. Thoughts?
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