Overstay if immigration closes while you are in line?

[Hal65]

If immigration closes while you are waiting for say a tourist visa extension, can this result in an overstay penalty? Or do they give you a pass of some kind because the office closed?

[AlexRich]

I doubt they'd give you a pass? It's your responsibility to renew within the correct timeframe. 

[Hal65]

3 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

I doubt they'd give you a pass? It's your responsibility to renew within the correct timeframe. 

 

So if you're in line do they just say "Lol have fun paying the fine tomorrow CRIMINAL"?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Hal65 said:

So if you're in line do they just say "Lol have fun paying the fine tomorrow CRIMINAL"?

If you were really lucky, you might manage to talk to a sympathetic official. However, I think most would believe that you ought to have found time over the last couple of weeks, or at least go early if determined to leave it until the last day.

[AYJAYDEE]

Ive never considered leaving it so late to apply

 

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, Hal65 said:

If immigration closes while you are waiting for say a tourist visa extension, can this result in an overstay penalty?

At most offices the will keep working until all those waiting for service at 4:30 will be taken care of before they stop working.

Best to the extension early since you lose no days by doing it early. The extension form the date your current permit to stay ends.

[elviajero]

10 hours ago, Hal65 said:

If immigration closes while you are waiting for say a tourist visa extension, can this result in an overstay penalty? Or do they give you a pass of some kind because the office closed?

Yes, you’d be on overstay and be fined. 

 

If you’re in in the queue when they close the door/queue, they usually still serve you, and as long as the paperwork was in order they’d process the extension.

 

I always used to go to CW immigration late in the day, and it’s amazing how fast they work in the last couple of hours compared to the rest of the day!

 

Don't leave your application to the last day and you won’t make this problem for yourself. Most office will process a tourist visa extension within the last two weeks.

Edited October 23, 2018 by elviajero

[Bredbury Blue]

I think my local immigration has last ticket for the queue at 3.30pm. If you get a ticket they will serve you before they close for the day. If you don't  get done before 3.30pm or get a ticket by last ticket at 3.30pm then its your fault and it's come back another day. Seems a fair system.

[AlexRich]

12 hours ago, Hal65 said:

 

So if you're in line do they just say "Lol have fun paying the fine tomorrow CRIMINAL"?

 

Why not?  Don’t leave everything to the last minute and all will be fine. It’s not their fault the visa applicant was not organised.

[aussienam]

Other than stating obvious about it is better to not leave it until the last minute, I believe that if you are in this predicament, you may still be able to report at a police station instead.  Not sure what sort of reception you would receive there though.  

[elviajero]

45 minutes ago, aussienam said:

Other than stating obvious about it is better to not leave it until the last minute, I believe that if you are in this predicament, you may still be able to report at a police station instead.  Not sure what sort of reception you would receive there though.  

You cannot get any form of extension of stay from a police station. There would no reason to go to a police station and it would be the last place you should go.

Edited October 23, 2018 by elviajero

[SteveB2]

I had this happen to me at Jomtien Immigration a few years back - all the visa paperwork was in order and I'd even applied several days before the visa expired, but for some reason by the last day the visa was valid they were unable to sort everything out.

 

I have no idea if their procedure is still the name now, but the IO simply scribbled a name and telephone number on my (dated) queue ticket and told me to come back first thing the following, go straight to the IO without queuing, and present my original dated queue ticket.

 

The IO said 'if police catch you, he call this number and you have no problem'

 

Yer right... right...  OK 

 

Once issued, the visa was dated to the previous day and everything else was sorted out satisfactory.

 

Hope this info helps.

[Suradit69]

14 hours ago, Hal65 said:

If immigration closes while you are waiting for say a tourist visa extension, can this result in an overstay penalty? Or do they give you a pass of some kind because the office closed?

One of the reasons why when people ask about doing extensions, the usual advice here at TV is that you can go in as early as a couple of weeks before expiration of a tourist entry permission to stay or as much as 30 to 45 days early for one of the annual extensions.

 

Regardless of when you obtain an extension, your permission to stay will be extended from the current permissions expiration. So there's nothing to be gained by leaving it until the last minute and, if something goes wrong, it allows you some leeway before you would slide into overstay.

 

It would be, by the way, an extension of your permission to stay, not an extension of your tourist visa.

[Hal65]

I went 5 days early (to Jomtien) and was in and out 20 minutes after getting my queue number, thanks for the tips guys