How to check if I can leave

[DieSeL212]

How would one check whether there is an immigration ban against them? 

 

This is to leave Thailand, not enter.

 

 

[tonray]

What is the reason you presume there may be a ban on your exit ?

[ubonjoe]

I think if there was some legal proceedings against you that would prohibit you from leaving the country you would know about it.

[DieSeL212]

Yes there were legal proceedings against me. I have received an OK for me to leave but want to be sure that there isn't a ban at immigration. Don't want to pitch up there and get into more trouble. 

[tonray]

14 minutes ago, DieSeL212 said:

Yes there were legal proceedings against me. I have received an OK for me to leave but want to be sure that there isn't a ban at immigration. Don't want to pitch up there and get into more trouble. 

It depends on whether the proceedings have been concluded or there is a pending case to be heard later. With limited info here only you can know the answers to that,

 

if you have an OK (in writing)...then proceed with that proof

[DieSeL212]

Legal proceedings have not concluded. Apologies but this is why I haven't given much info. 

[FritsSikkink]

Strange that you can leave while Legal proceedings have not concluded. Who gave you the OK and in what form?

[Briggsy]

Drive to the nearest border crossing and try an in-and-out border hop.

[Suradit69]

12 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Drive to the nearest border crossing and try an in-and-out border hop.

Conceivably he might be allowed to hop out but not hop back in again. 

Edited November 22, 2017 by Suradit69

[Briggsy]

1 minute ago, Suradit69 said:

Conceivably he might be allowed to hop out but not back in again.

Why do you say that?

[Suradit69]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

Why do you say that?

We don't really know much about his ongoing legal problems. There is a chance that his departure wouldn't be stopped, but a red flag appear when he attempts to re-enter.

 

3 hours ago, DieSeL212 said:

How would one check whether there is an immigration ban

 

[Briggsy]

Just now, Suradit69 said:

We don't really know much about his ongoing legal problems. There is a chance that his departure wouldn't be stopped, but a red flag appear when he attempts to re-enter.

 

 

You're just making this up.

[Mattd]

I would have thought that if there were ongoing legal proceedings, then it is doubtful that the OP would be allowed to depart until concluded, in fact I'm surprised that he has his passport, though that may depend on the type and severity of the legal proceedings, it is not mentioned if it is criminal or civil.

If he is to incur a term ban or a blacklist, then almost certainly he will be informed of this fact prior to departure from Thailand, as both would result in deportation and require documents signing.

[whitelion87]

Hi. You can check if you are legally allowed to leave (or enter, if at a later date you wish to come back) by going to a law office. They will check with immigration themselves under the name that you provide (you'll need to provide a copy of your passport), they will most likely provide documentation (if there is a red flag) as well. To find a good law office, I recommend that you see a list of recommended law offices which have been vetted by your embassy (they usually keep a current list of recommended law offices) - I think it's possibly to ring up your embassy and ask for the list to be sent to your by email (or a list may be published on your embassy's website). The cost could be around 5,000thb to 10,000thb, but worth it if you're looking for closure on the issue. Regarding the check, it's not abnormal for it to be done and there is a process, but I suspect it can take up to a few working days. Hope this helps.

Edited November 22, 2017 by whitelion87

[Suradit69]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

You're just making this up.

I'm not making anything up. I said it was "conceivable."  I didn't say it would happen, I said it was a possibility. He wants to leave the country, but the nearest land border may not be his choice of places to exit the country permanently,

 

Also, if he is later required to appear in court, the attempt to leave the country or the out/in crossing may raise questions

 

If he has a ban, which is what he was asking, he could be banned from entering the country. He may also have used up his two land border crossings as well.

 

Certainly there have been reports of people leaving at a border crossing and not being allowed to return. 

 

Everyone in this thread is speculating on possibilities, including you.

[whitelion87]

Also, if you did not want to spend the money on the check at a law office, then there is another way that requires you to go through the typical departure procedures. However, you'll need to know whether (if I may say frankly) that you're not a 'wanted person' as opposed to being in the middle of going through legal proceedings. If in the first instance that you are 'wanted' or you are unsure of whether you are, then I do not recommend the typical departure procedures as an option (an arrest would be likely). However, I suspect that you may just be in legal proceedings (and not at all 'wanted') and so you probably wish to have a clear idea of what to expect at the border. In this case, where you're in legal proceedings and do not want to go to a law office, the only thing that will happen at the immigration computers is that a 'red-flag' will pop up. This 'red-flag' is just that - it does not show specific details of those legal proceedings (although there is a possibility that they can eventually find out, but they most likely will not bother). What will happen next is that you will be returned to the check-in counter-side of the airport, and left to go on about your life. If neither is the case, then you'll be free to board the plane after immigration. Naturally, I recommend buying an appropriate ticket that provides for refund/date changes if you decide to take the second option.

[NanLaew]

20 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

You're just making this up.

It worked for Yingluck didn't it?

[nontabury]

A few years ago, due to a land dispute with a Thai person, whom I took to court. He then made a completely bogus case against me. My passport was then taken by the court/police, and I was prohibited from leaving the country. However I few months later I asked the judge to release my passport so that I could travel to the UK, Then after my request  was granted, I took the court papers to the local immigration office, who issued me with more forms to show that I was allowed to leave. Yet when I went through passport control at Subarmabhumi the officer stoped me, and it was only due to the intervention of the Senior immigration officer, that I was allowed to leave.

 

[simoh1490]

Many years ago a British acquaintance got himself into some bother and was awaiting trial, he'd been told he couldn't leave but came up with some cockamamie excuse that he thought he could sell to Immigration. I drove him to the airport and left him to it, his sales pitch didn't work and they dumped on him big time, his bail was revoked and he stewed until the trial, thereafter he stewed for a further five years. If you can leave you will know, if you can't leave you will know that also.

[Maestro]

2 hours ago, nontabury said:

A few years ago, due to a land dispute with a Thai person, whom I took to court. He then made a completely bogus case against me. My passport was then taken by the court/police, and I was prohibited from leaving the country. However I few months later I asked the judge to release my passport so that I could travel to the UK, Then after my request  was granted, I took the court papers to the local immigration office, who issued me with more forms to show that I was allowed to leave. Yet when I went through passport control at Subarmabhumi the officer stoped me, and it was only due to the intervention of the Senior immigration officer, that I was allowed to leave.

 

 

I suggest that the above should be the route for the OP to follow.

[Scouse123]

10 hours ago, DieSeL212 said:

Yes there were legal proceedings against me. I have received an OK for me to leave but want to be sure that there isn't a ban at immigration. Don't want to pitch up there and get into more trouble. 

 

 

OK, If you are the accused and involved in a court case it is usual for them to take and hold your passport, especially if it is in their view, serious. The court issues a notice to immigration to prevent you leaving the country in addition to this. Immigration record this in their database.Even if the court gives you permission to leave, in say an unfinished case and you are on bail, you apply to the court and they will give you a letter with the dates you are allowed to leave and when you are expected to return which you present to immigration in Bangkok airport.

 

They will already have the copy of your letter on the computer, so when you present your letter it is a double check, so to speak. If they have returned your passport you are supposed to, on return, go back to the court and hand it back to them.

[nontabury]

17 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

OK, If you are the accused and involved in a court case it is usual for them to take and hold your passport, especially if it is in their view, serious. The court issues a notice to immigration to prevent you leaving the country in addition to this. Immigration record this in their database.Even if the court gives you permission to leave, in say an unfinished case and you are on bail, you apply to the court and they will give you a letter with the dates you are allowed to leave and when you are expected to return which you present to immigration in Bangkok airport.

 

They will already have the copy of your letter on the computer, so when you present your letter it is a double check, so to speak. If they have returned your passport you are supposed to, on return, go back to the court and hand it back to them.

As per my post No 18, Suvarnabhumi Immigration,did not have a copy of my court Letter or the one from the local Immigration office.

Not unusual in Thailand for the right hand to not know, what the left hand is doing.

[Scouse123]

23 minutes ago, nontabury said:

As per my post No 18, Suvarnabhumi Immigration,did not have a copy of my court Letter or the one from the local Immigration office.

Not unusual in Thailand for the right hand to not know, what the left hand is doing.

Hi,

 

Sorry, never saw your post but you are right and I had similar problems not leaving but returning! They were all over the place trying to find things and failing miserably. I think they are just not taught these things and the slightest things out of the norm, except for overstayers, throws them off.

 

Probably why you get a court letter as well when they return your passport.