Border Hopping And Visa Runs: What You Need To Know

Have you heard about border hopping and visa runs?

We know that one of the most stressful things about going abroad is the paperwork. 

In a recent survey conducted by The TEFL Academy, 38% of TEFL teachers considered visas and paperwork the most stressful part of moving abroad.

And we totally get that.

Red tape can be stressful – especially when it’s in a foreign language! So let’s get the lowdown on border hopping and visa runs so you don’t have to stress.

What is a border hop?

Let’s tackle this one first. 

A border hop is crossing the border of one country to another and coming back to reset a tourist visa. Many tourist visas (especially in popular Asian countries) offer short-term stays of two weeks or 30 to 90 days for tourists. These visas are often given on arrival and are free of charge, or cost a small fee.

Before this visa expires, the tourist must exit the country and re-enter with a brand-spanking new tourist visa.

It’s not uncommon for tourists in, say, Bangkok to jump in a minivan taxi early in the morning and take a trip to Arynaprathet/Poipet at the Cambodian border. Once they’ve been processed and are officially in Cambodia, they turn around and walk back into Thailand, hop into a minivan and get back to their touristing.

Read more: Teach English in Thailand

Who are the usual suspects when it comes to border hopping? 

For the most part, genuine tourists who would like to stay a bit longer in a specific country without having to apply for a long-term visa. In many countries, companies offer private shuttle services expressly for the purpose of border runs.

But also some TEFL teachers who are working on a tourist visa. This is mostly done in Latin America and South East Asia. 

Numerous Latin American countries turn a blind eye to border runs, though circumstances are constantly changing and vary from country to country.

Though not legal in South East Asia it is common practice there too, though we don’t condone participating in any illegal behaviour. 

What is a visa run?

A visa run is essentially the same, but involves more preparation – though many people use the terms visa run and border run interchangeably.

Some TEFL teachers enter a country on a tourist visa and find a job once they are in the country. To transfer their visa from a tourist visa to a work visa they need to cross a border.

This usually involves visiting the embassy in the country, signing papers, filling in countless forms, and hanging out for a couple of days. Entering into the country on a work visa gives you much more time in the country – usually a year. Often these visas are multiple-entry, which makes travelling out of the country easy. 

But most importantly, it allows you to work legally in the country.

How to make the most of your border run or visa run

Visas can be an awkward business. It can be inconvenient to spend your weekend taking a train only to immediately return. The trick is to make it an adventure. 

If you have time and flexibility, turn your visa run into a holiday. With the abundance of low-cost airlines these days you can hop on a flight to Laos to renew your Vietnamese visa, or Brazil if you’re in Argentina. 

With the right planning, a visa run can be turned from a dreaded Saturday spent in a minivan to an exciting holiday somewhere you’ve never been before!

So rather than worry about visa applications and immigration offices! Focus on the steaming bowls of pho you’ll soon be enjoying on the streets of Hanoi, the feeling of the gentle sea breeze on your face as you stroll along the promenade in Cape Town, or the smell of fresh coffee from your apartment in Rome!