Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Visa Run and Border Run Services. You know I find it funny; I have discussed this for years that I view there being a difference between a Border Run and a Visa Run. Later on I saw somebody quote it, I think it was in the Pattaya Mail, one of Barry Kenyon's the late, great Barry Kenyon's articles in the Pattaya Mail where somebody else is in this space was using my same rubric which if I was being mimicked, what do they say, "mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery", but I've talked about this before.

There is a difference between a Border Run and a Visa Run. A Border Run is you run to a border, you cross, you cross back in, purely to just be stamped out and stamped back in to have a new valid stamp; that's what I call a Border Run. A Visa Run is to go somewhere, interact with the Embassy or Consulate, however that is done and in the digital era this is shifting, but you remain in that jurisdiction while a visa is processed and then return to Thailand or whatever jurisdiction this could apply to, but we will apply it to Thailand for purposes of this video, return to Thailand with an actual visa. These are two different things. Border Run versus Visa Run. That said, we at our firm, we provide a lot of services associated with this. We have been getting a lot of correspondence lately from folks who are wanting to get in more regularized status. Some of this is coming from the fact that we are now seeing the practical implications of things like the Destination Thailand Visa. Some folks are leaning into it. It’s working for them. I am talking to a lot of clients about that, but they still need Border Run services to get to a border, get out and possibly come back in.

Meanwhile, there are other folks that want to move from things like Visa Exemption status, Tourist Visa status, Education Visa status, over to proper Non-immigrant status be it Business Visa status, O Visa status for marriage or retirement. Under those circumstances, more and more we are seeing Border Run and Visa Run Services being needed in order to accomplish those goals. 

It's worth pointing out, notwithstanding the fact that the past five years have been something of an aberration, the paradigm, the prevailing paradigm or presumptional paradigm if you will, within Thai Immigration is if you want to change visa categories, they want to see you leave and come back in, generally speaking. There may be exceptions to that rule depending on the underlying circumstances in a given case but for the most part, they want to see folks leave and come back in. This then requires the assistance of folks that know how to deal with Visa Runs or Border Runs. Here at our firm, we deal with it a lot. I've dealt with a lot of US Immigration over the years; I've dealt with a lot of Thai Immigration over the years. My staff here is very well versed, arguably, many of them when it comes to the day-to-day details are even more well versed in it than I am, and I've been through the entire Thai Immigration system myself and dealt with the US Immigration system many times. 

For those who are unaware, there may be implications to US immigration for Thai Immigration status. For example Consular jurisdiction for a third country national processing things like a CR-1, IR-1, K-3 or K-1 Visa here in Thailand, that Consular jurisdiction, whether or not they will let that person maybe from another country - Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, whatever - allowing that person to process through the Embassy may now depend more and more especially in light of recent rules from the Trump Administration, may now depend on your Thai Visa status and whether or not you are in a long-term Thai Visa like a Non-immigrant Visa here in Thailand. Again, this may require folks to avail themselves of Border Run and Visa Run services. And I think it is worth pointing out every now and then, we do provide these services; we can assist people. We can provide narrowly tailored in many cases solutions to folks' situation with regard to needing a Border Run or a Visa Run and we can help you in terms of how you want to do that Visa Run or Border Run. Do you want to take a private van and just entirely be on your own and basically move in and out of that system on your own? Are you okay flying in and out? Are you okay using the train? Under certain circumstances, using trains here and the railroad checkpoints are sometimes a good way to do Visa Runs here in Thailand. Again, it's going to depend on the situation that you are in. Sometimes using the water, sometimes using a boat is a good way to do Border Runs. Again, we narrowly tailor these solutions to our clients’ needs under the given circumstances that they are in. 

Those who are looking for assistance with regard to their visa status especially as it pertains to a possible Border Run or Visa Run, are well advised to contact a legal professional, gain some insight and guidance into how best to proceed.