No Departure Stamp

[aster2]

When I left Thailand to go and get a tourist visa in Penang I was refused because I didn't have a departure stamp.So decided to fly back to the UK to sort it out at this end.I phoned the local consulate and they said I could get a visa no problem,but my question is even if I get a new visa here(UK). Will the Thai immigration still have my data stored saying that I have not left the country and that I'm overstaying?

Thank's

[ovenman]

Did you legally leave Thailand and immigrations simply forgot to stamp your passport, or did you slip across the border illegally?

[aster2]

Did you legally leave Thailand and immigrations simply forgot to stamp your passport, or did you slip across the border illegally?

I left Thailand legally at the new airport,even paid a 3 day overstay fine,immigration forgot to stamp my passport.

[guardian]

If you did not slip across the border illegally into another country, you should have no departure stamp from those countries.

I don't know about western countries or UK, but in India they have stamp on entry for citizens too. If you have such a stamp showing your arrival in UK, you could use it as a proof that you did not overstay over the 3 days, if Thai immigration tries to bully you saying you overstayed a much longer time than you claim.

Edited February 15, 2007 by guardian

[Krub]

Did you legally leave Thailand and immigrations simply forgot to stamp your passport, or did you slip across the border illegally?

I left Thailand legally at the new airport,even paid a 3 day overstay fine,immigration forgot to stamp my passport.

Keep copies of your ticket, original boarding card, maybe letter from airline confirming you was on board, receipt of overstay fine, etc.

Take some time upon arrival at BKK, explain and hope for the best.

Good luck

[solo siam]

Might as well get a new UK passport if it looks like its going to be hassle.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Might as well get a new UK passport if it looks like its going to be hassle.

That won't help. The Immigration computer will still show that he is in Thailand.

[Axel]

Looks to me more like an oversight, i.e. forgot to stamp the passport while having ben busy to issu to overstay-receipt.

So the computer record should be ok.

As Krub said, Keep copies of your ticket, original boarding card, maybe letter from airline confirming you was on board, receipt of overstay fine, should do.

[borracho]

Did you legally leave Thailand and immigrations simply forgot to stamp your passport, or did you slip across the border illegally?

I left Thailand legally at the new airport,even paid a 3 day overstay fine,immigration forgot to stamp my passport.

There would normally be a record of this overstay in your passport.

[sutnyod]

That won't help. The Immigration computer will still show that he is in Thailand.

I don't think so. The computerized database is filled in on the basis of the departure cards. So he should be shown as having officially left.

[gusG]

You should have an arrival stamp from when you entered Malaysia, which would confirm your departure.

Along with the other papers, the previous posts advised you to keep it should be ok.

[aster2]

Don't know how to to go back to an old Topic,but basically had no departure stamp.But now back in Thailand,took posters advice i.e ticket,proof of overstay,and went to immigration with a big smile,the immigration officer took one look at my passport and said sorry for the mistake again I say TY to all and sundry for the advice(and the moral of the story is always check your passport)again thanks

[PeaceBlondie]

Let's shout that one in upper case letters and bold:

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT IS STAMPED. ALWAYS!!

That includes, check your passport when you think it was stamped.

[tropo]

Let's shout that one in upper case letters and bold:

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT IS STAMPED. ALWAYS!!

That includes, check your passport when you think it was stamped.

Very good advice and advice that would have helped countless travellers who have had similar problems in the past.

I always take a pause straight after my passport has been handed back to me to check the stamps.

[mosquitoman]

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT IS STAMPED. ALWAYS!!

Absoloutely

Twice on enrty they have only stamped me in for a month when I should have got 3 months, both times I spoted it and saved myself alot of hassle.

MM

[bangkapiboy]

Gotta double check always the stamps always when you get them. What a lesson.

[dogblower]

Should have seen the trouble it caused when I lost my passport. I had a new one issued by my embassy but didn't follow up by going to Immigration. Come time to leave and I was told that with no record of entry I would not be permitted to leave. Identified the date and place of entry into the Kingdom for them, a search was done and there was a problem with their paperwork: right name and passport number, wrong nationality; right day and month of birth, exactly 20 years difference in year. Spent days trying to sort it out before eventually heading to the airport with pockets full of cash, heart full of hope, and more than 4 hours early for my flight just in case. 15 minutes later, payment for the by now quite lengthy overstay, all sorted. I hate to think what might have happened.

[KhunMarco]

Yup, happened to me as well. Crossing the border from Thailand to Malaysia the son of a mother forgot to stamp my passport. I had to go back from Penang to the border to stamp the passport and then back to Penang to get a visa at the consulate.

The officier at the border had the nerve to blame me for something ( I have no idea, I didn't speak Thai 3 years ago).

Always check your passport

edit: spelling

Edited May 5, 2007 by KhunMarco