If I overstay can I return to Thailand?

[jimmymontana]

Hi guys,

 

Great information here :)

I would like some advice concerning the new immigration rules in Thailand.

 

I'm a British passport holder who entered Thailand on a 30 day visa exemption for a holiday.

This was last year December 2016. I overstayed by 14-days and was fined 7,000 Thai Baht and received an "overstay" stamp on my passport.

 

I am now planning on visiting Thailand for another holiday in the coming weeks but am concerned I may be denied entry or questioned by immigration.

 

Has anyone had any experience with re-entering the country after any visa overstay issues (less than 90-days) as the new rules explain below.

http://tratimmigration.com/thailand-visa-overstay-regulations/

 

Much appreciated,

James

[steve187]

you should have no problems, just don't do it again, what are you using to enter Thailand this trip, a visa or visa exempt again

[ubonjoe]

No problem for you to enter the country.

You would only banned from entering the country if you had an overstay longer than 90 days or if you were caught with the overstay.

[realenglish1]

14 days is nothing If you had overstayed more than 90 days then you are banned but 14 days means nothing

 

[007 RED]

As others have indicated you should be allowed to enter the Kingdom as your overstay did not incur a ban.  That said, don't be surprised when you arrive and the immigration officer scans your passport that he/she asks you a few questions and may want to see some proof of funds to support your stay, hotel bookings and a departure ticket.

 

Someone might suggest that you get a new passport in order to avoid any problems.  Don't bother as the immigration system is very good at matching new/old passports and displaying your history to the immigration officer.

[overherebc]

Belt and braces. I would bring the equivalent of 20,000 baht in cash, dollars, sterling or EU's etc. Proof of place to stay booking and a flight out booking.

You will probably not be asked to show them but better to have and not need than need and not have.

[JackThompson]

29 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

14 days is nothing If you had overstayed more than 90 days then you are banned but 14 days means nothing

Though far from a ban, I would say it does open him up to further scrutiny. 

 

OP - Be sure to have 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks on your person (not just on plastic) and proof of a hotel-booking.  If you arrive Visa Exempt, also be sure to have proof of an outgoing flight (could also need it to board the plane). 

 

Though the flight-proof is not legally required with a Tourist Visa, it is possible they could ask for it in your case (has happened to others).  The flight-out, within the period you will be granted upon entry (30 days for Visa Exempt, 60 days with a Tourist Visa), can be to anywhere outside Thailand.

[Tchooptip]

A good news, at least you won't be banned from ThaiVisa

[Kopitiam]

3 hours ago, realenglish1 said:

14 days is nothing If you had overstayed more than 90 days then you are banned but 14 days means nothing

 

I hope this does not reflect your personality.  It is something when one overstay even by a day.  You are just encouraging others to abuse the generosity of the Thai Immigration law.

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[anon789561]

1 hour ago, Kopitiam said:

I hope this does not reflect your personality.  It is something when one overstay even by a day.  You are just encouraging others to abuse the generosity of the Thai Immigration law.

i think that thai immigration has a nice cash flow from overstay fines so probably likes it. 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, Happy enough said:

i think that thai immigration has a nice cash flow from overstay fines so probably likes it. 

It doesn't work that way.  Many criminal-offenses are settled with fines, and that does not bestow an "it's ok" attitude to the action.  Governments can and do have it "both ways" - collecting the fine-income, yet still viewing the action as a criminal one.

 

Attitudes on overstays have changed in recent years.  In the past, it was a "no big deal" offense, but this is no longer the case.  I would encourage people not to overstay by even one day.   If, at some point, some wild series of events beyond one's control causes an overstay, at least it will be one's first offense.

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

I hope this does not reflect your personality.  It is something when one overstay even by a day.  You are just encouraging others to abuse the generosity of the Thai Immigration law.

You should tell him that we dont need his type here and that he should go somewhere else for a holiday

[elviajero]

9 hours ago, jimmymontana said:

I am now planning on visiting Thailand for another holiday in the coming weeks but am concerned I may be denied entry or questioned by immigration.

You won't be denied entry for the previous overstay, but you should be prepared to be questioned about what you're doing in Thailand especially if you entering again without a visa. It would be good idea to get a Tourist Visa this time to avoid extra scrutiny.

[elviajero]

29 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Attitudes on overstays have changed in recent years.  In the past, it was a "no big deal" offense, but this is no longer the case

Overstaying has always been frowned upon and "a big deal". They have always arrested/deported people caught on overstay. Recently they introduced bans because overstaying became so prevalent, encouraged by the 'bar stool', that they had to clamp down on it and send a message. 

[007 RED]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

.....It would be good idea to get a Tourist Visa this time to avoid extra scrutiny.

Having a valid TV in does not guarantee that you wont be scrutinised on arrival or admitted into the Kingdom.  Both factors are at the discretion of the immigration officer.

[elviajero]

11 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Having a valid TV in does not guarantee that you wont be scrutinised on arrival or admitted into the Kingdom.  Both factors are at the discretion of the immigration officer.

I didn't say it did. The use of 'Visa Exempt Entries' are on immigrations radar at the moment, and anyone entering that way will have their previous history scrutinised. A combination of VEE and overstay is not good and would receive more scrutiny than a TR and overstay.

[goonnerone]

4 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

I hope this does not reflect your personality.  It is something when one overstay even by a day.  You are just encouraging others to abuse the generosity of the Thai Immigration law.

ohh the SJW are out today, What generosity he overstayed by a mere 14 days and you feel the need to come on here and pronounce you moral superiority to everyone

[anon789561]

30 minutes ago, goonnerone said:

ohh the SJW are out today, What generosity he overstayed by a mere 14 days and you feel the need to come on here and pronounce you moral superiority to everyone

i'm with you on that one. whatever JT and that lot say. there is a cash cow in small overstays that they don't only allow but like. i stand by my words

[Kopitiam]

19 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

i'm with you on that one. whatever JT and that lot say. there is a cash cow in small overstays that they don't only allow but like. i stand by my words

Try overstaying for a couple of days and get caught for it.  "Sure it will not happen to me".

[dfdgfdfdgs]

5 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

I hope this does not reflect your personality.  It is something when one overstay even by a day.  You are just encouraging others to abuse the generosity of the Thai Immigration law.

 

You're suggesting that his personality is in some way corrupted because he shows a disinterest in bureaucracy?  Come on buddy, open your mind...  he's breathing on a piece of land, nothing more nothing less.  To use words like 'abusing' is sensationalist and shows undue respect to your overlords.

[pearciderman]

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

Overstaying has always been frowned upon and "a big deal". They have always arrested/deported people caught on overstay.

 

What a load of bonk, a few years ago, people with decades of overstay enjoyed a quick border hop and start again!

[dfdgfdfdgs]

He said caught.  Not handed themselves in.

[Kopitiam]

3 minutes ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

You're suggesting that his personality is in some way corrupted because he shows a disinterest in bureaucracy?  Come on buddy, open your mind...  he's breathing on a piece of land, nothing more nothing less.  To use words like 'abusing' is sensationalist and shows undue respect to your overlords.

5555 To each his own.  My approach in life reflect my personality - law abiding.

[elviajero]

31 minutes ago, pearciderman said:

What a load of bonk, a few years ago, people with decades of overstay enjoyed a quick border hop and start again!

I'm well aware of the history and wasn't talking about surrendering at a border. Even before the bans came in people caught in the country on overstay were sent through the court system. Being prosecuted and deported for overstay suggests it was and is a "big deal". Also, before the bans, anyone arriving at a land border with "decades of overstay" would not be able to exit (without assistance/bribes). They would have been arrested, or told to exit via the airport at best. If it were that easy people wouldn't have been living in fear and ramping up a long overstays!!!

[Nemesis7]

Well best of luck, and please do prepare yourself to show your confirmed return flight and cash to spend on holidays plus accommodation info.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

I'm well aware of the history and wasn't talking about surrendering at a border. Even before the bans came in people caught in the country on overstay were sent through the court system. Being prosecuted and deported for overstay suggests it was and is a "big deal". Also, before the bans, anyone arriving at a land border with "decades of overstay" would not be able to exit (without assistance/bribes). They would have been arrested, or told to exit via the airport at best. If it were that easy people wouldn't have been living in fear and ramping up a long overstays!!!

In my opinion, the most common reason people with very long overstays ended up doing that was based on either

• they did not have the money to pay the overstay and leave; or
• they had made a conscious decision to stay a long time, and calculated that 20,000 baht after a couple of years stay was cheaper and/or more convenient than continual border hops.

Mostly, they were not particularly fearful in the second case.

 

I am neither defending nor condemning those who decided to overstay. I think national borders are an unfortunate consequence of our tribal instincts and accidents of history. However, it is folly not to take account of the way the world operates, and behave accordingly. In particular, taking actions that others find deeply upsetting should usually be avoided.

[dfdgfdfdgs]

Principled people usually have a hard time of things if they want to stand up for what they believe in on a consistent basis, they don't last long and usually end up incarcerated.  But without them there is not much progress made in the world.  Really if somebody is going to be deeply upset by what amounts to a piece of paper or a rubber stamp impression, you have to ask them to look at their stance from outside the box.  I think sometimes we grow familiar with the world that we live in and the various rules and regulations and never stop to question them.  You don't have to necessarily agree, but you surely shouldn't condemn.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Principled people usually have a hard time of things if they want to stand up for what they believe in on a consistent basis, they don't last long and usually end up incarcerated.  But without them there is not much progress made in the world.  Really if somebody is going to be deeply upset by what amounts to a piece of paper or a rubber stamp impression, you have to ask them to look at their stance from outside the box.  I think sometimes we grow familiar with the world that we live in and the various rules and regulations and never stop to question them.  You don't have to necessarily agree, but you surely shouldn't condemn.

I've seen what happens, first hand, when people flood into a more-developed country without regard to legal papers and stamps - or even with too many legal-stamps being handed out to welfare-cases.  It is a disaster which destroys the lives, families, and futures of the citizens of the more-developed country.  The only winners are those who want dirt-cheap labor.

 

Although self-funded Westerners are not a threat to the well-being of Thais, I do understand why they want to preserve their borders - and with those borders intact, preserve all the inter-generational hard-work which created a better future for their own children.  Millions of Thai families have much better-lives, now, than they did just a few generations ago.  Open the flood-gates now, and all of that progress would be reduced to the "global lowest-common-denominator" in short-order.