Visa overstay due to cancelled flight

[Hanshansen]

Hi,

 

Due to the cancelled flights today, my family and myself will overstay our 30 days at arrival visa (valid until feb, 27th - flight now planned for march, 8th). We got conflicting advice (will be no problem at departure vs get visa extension asap).

 

What would you suggest to sort this out?

 

Thanks!

[ukrules]

You can go and get an extension at immigration tomorrow.

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

You can go and get an extension at immigration tomorrow.

This is first report related to the VERY many flights cancelled. So you suggest they all trot off to CW. 55

[Myran]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

This is first report related to the VERY many flights cancelled. So you suggest they all trot off to CW. 55

What is your suggestion then? If they haven't received any other instructions or help, what should they do?

[ukrules]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

This is first report related to the VERY many flights cancelled. So you suggest they all trot off to CW. 55 

Yes, not everyone will have timed their trip so they leave on the last day of the visas validity.

 

In fact I'll bet that only a few people leave on the last possible day and of those many would have managed to rebook a flight way earlier than a week from now.

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Myran said:

What is your suggestion then? If they haven't received any other instructions or help, what should they do?

Good point....and sadly yet again demonstrates Thai imm inept at acting quickly to assist tourists in situation beyond their control.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, ukrules said:

Yes, not everyone will have timed their trip so they leave on the last day of the visas validity.

 

In fact I'll bet that only a few people leave on the last possible day and of those many would have managed to rebook a flight way earlier than a week from now.

 

What the....I take my Thai partner often to Japan. Thai have visa exempt 15 day. Given cost of flight etc we max it out, to last day. Your point is?. Tourists should plan for war or volcanoes over Bali. Come on

[tifino]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What the....I take my Thai partner often to Japan. Thai have visa exempt 15 day. Given cost of flight etc we max it out, to last day. Your point is?. Tourists should plan for war or volcanoes over Bali. Come on

the point may just be... that old Joe Blow Tourist has no control of o=how the entire White Collar establishment can closed= down entirely... at very short notice!   when someone important dies whether that be royalty, or some popular singer, like Sayun Sanya, or earier on his even more popular wife singer passed on - the entire establishment shuts down - right on the very day you needed some important Stamp done!

[DrJack54]

OP , I hope its sorted for you asap. Simple solution would be statement from Thai imm something like "any tourists with cancelled flights due to current no fly zone restrictions  can show original ticket at passport control will not be subjected to over stay laws"

 

[ukrules]

19 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What the....I take my Thai partner often to Japan. Thai have visa exempt 15 day. Given cost of flight etc we max it out, to last day. Your point is?. Tourists should plan for war or volcanoes over Bali. Come on

 

I've been delayed due to a volcano before, the Iceland one quite a few years ago and there was a government announcement stating that nobody would have to pay an overstay fine if their flight was cancelled due to the volcano and their visa expired.

 

When I went through immigration they tried to collect about 11,000 Baht from me. I was having none of it and they eventually relented.

 

There hasn't been any announcement about any kind of exemption related to this incident.

 

Get up early tomorrow, go to immigration, get an extension and enjoy the rest of your holiday.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Hanshansen said:

Hi,

 

Due to the cancelled flights today, my family and myself will overstay our 30 days at arrival visa (valid until feb, 27th - flight now planned for march, 8th). We got conflicting advice (will be no problem at departure vs get visa extension asap).

 

What would you suggest to sort this out?

 

Thanks!

All you can do is apply for an extension of stay. That will get you 30 days and cost 1,900 baht. If you’ve already extended they will give you 7 days to leave the country.

 

If you overstay you’ll be charged 500 baht per day each.

Edited February 28, 2019 by elviajero

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

I've been delayed due to a volcano before, the Iceland one quite a few years ago and there was a government announcement stating that nobody would have to pay an overstay fine if their flight was cancelled due to the volcano and their visa expired.

 

When I went through immigration they tried to collect about 11,000 Baht from me. I was having none of it and they eventually relented.

 

There hasn't been any announcement about any kind of exemption related to this incident.

 

Get up early tomorrow, go to immigration, get an extension and enjoy the rest of your holiday.

"Enjoy rest of holiday" are you serious. Their holiday ended Feb 27. Now presumably need book hotel etc, stuck in bkk. Only sensible thing you stated was "get up early".

CW is a zoo, possibly take a day.

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

"Enjoy rest of holiday" are you serious. Their holiday ended Feb 27. Now presumably need book hotel etc, stuck in bkk. Only sensible thing you stated was "get up early".

CW is a zoo, possibly take a day.

 

Some people can roll with the punches, others not so much. 

 

Chaeng Wattana (sp?) may be a zoo, or they may be in and out in an hour or 2 (took me 90 minutes last time I did an extension in mid 2018)  Then they have a week or so to explore BKK, head off to Kanchanaburi to see the Death Railroad Bridge on the River Kwai (that's what I'd do) or any of a thousand things they didn't have time for.

 

Life gave 'em lemons.  They can choke on 'em.  Or they can make lemonade.  

 

[MaiDong]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Some people can roll with the punches, others not so much. 

 

Chaeng Wattana (sp?) may be a zoo, or they may be in and out in an hour or 2 (took me 90 minutes last time I did an extension in mid 2018)  Then they have a week or so to explore BKK, head off to Kanchanaburi to see the Death Railroad Bridge on the River Kwai (that's what I'd do) or any of a thousand things they didn't have time for.

 

Life gave 'em lemons.  They can choke on 'em.  Or they can make lemonade.  

 

Some have the funds, others do not, but anyhow, I like the lemons thingy, very sweet ????

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

Some have the funds, others do not, but anyhow, I like the lemons thingy, very sweet ????

 

Gnashing your teeth in worry and hating every second doesn't improve the funding situation.  If it did, lots of guys on TVF would be gazillionaires and not worried about 400 or 800K baht like they are...

 

[jacko45k]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Good point....and sadly yet again demonstrates Thai imm inept at acting quickly to assist tourists in situation beyond their control.

Well the situation was beyond the control of Thai immigration too! There was some mention that some tourist leaving with a short overstay who can show it was due to cancellation of the flight would not be fined at the airport.

If people plan their trips to leave on the day their permission expires they should also consider contingency plans and be able to afford the 1900 baht, 500/day and hotel. 

Will the Airline accept the costs as they are cancelling the flights?

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

I've been delayed due to a volcano before, the Iceland one quite a few years ago and there was a government announcement stating that nobody would have to pay an overstay fine if their flight was cancelled due to the volcano and their visa expired.

Same here, I was delayed flying out due to the 2010 Iceland volcanic ash cloud over Europe. That was a much more serious event as it halted all worldwide air traffic over Europe for several days, so the backlog of passengers everywhere was massive. The government handled it properly back then, saying that overstays would be waived for those whose flights had been cancelled, without need to go to immigration. Same was true after the yellow shirts airport closure of 2008, and the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.

 

I did well on two of these occasions, when the airport closed I was in transit and had a free couple of nights in a nice hotel and a chance to explore Dubai, and after the volcano eruption, I got upgraded to business class upstairs on the brand new Emirates A380, due to the shortage of economy seats all frequent flyers got an upgrade.

 

To the OP, perhaps talk to your airline or embassy regarding overstay in such situations - as I mentioned above there's at least three precedents where overstay was waived in the past. 

[Hanshansen]

Thanks a lot! We'll go to see immigration today.

 

Fortunately, we're in a situation where a prolonged holiday is no problem at all. We'll visit ayutthaya! 

 

 

[The Old Bull]

I would suggest being accompanied by a fluent Thai speaker when sorting this out.

[wobalt]

Happened one time with me the Airline has taken care everything even hotel.


Gesendet von iPad mit Thaivisa Connect

[JimSaints]

With the lack of info and help in general from Thai authorities I suspect many of these unfortunate visitors will not return to Thailand

[Neeranam]

Just do what immigration tell you.

 

I got stuck in Dacca once, resulting in getting refused entry into India. Total nightmare, but not much you can do apart from pray.

I spent two nights sleeping in the praying area though and that didn't do any good.

 

I'm sure immigration will not make you pay anything, if they do claim it back on your insurance,  or all the airline to pay.

 

 

 

 

 

[geriatrickid]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Good point....and sadly yet again demonstrates Thai imm inept at acting quickly to assist tourists in situation beyond their control.

What exactly did Thai Immigration do wrong? The airspace is open again.

What do you think happens when a  plane goes mechanical and a flight is delayed? If the pax can demonstrate that it was an airline/airport related issue at the last minute, the sanction is waived. In this case, do you really want everyone to accept your slur that immigration will impose a sanction?  Not going to happen to a first offender with a family in tow.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, The Old Bull said:

I would suggest being accompanied by a fluent Thai speaker when sorting this out.

Yeah, take the taxi driver.

[geriatrickid]

15 minutes ago, JimSaints said:

With the lack of info and help in general from Thai authorities I suspect many of these unfortunate visitors will not return to Thailand

You suspect incorrectly.

[digbeth]

Travel insurance should pay the overstay fines no problem right?

[Formaleins]

"We got conflicting advice (will be no problem at departure vs get visa extension asap" Guess it depends who gave you that advice really. If it was the toilet cleaner I wouldn't read much into it, however if it is the immigration then they should know. I would keep all of the original tickets / bookings etc. see if you can get the "advice" in writing or on camera just to back you up. Given the situation though, there must be hundreds of people in the same boat, so a trip to immigration should sort you out. Should be extended for free too! - Then again this is Thailand and common sense or logic does not often prevail 

[crazykopite]

I would think immigration would be very understanding due to your flight being cancelled but there again this is Thailand so it is likely they will be very happy to get money out of you even though it was not your fault.

[thaipo7]

I had a flight cancelled and received an email telling me that.  I went to the airport and they told me I overstayed and said I owe 1000 Baht.  I showed them the email but they still wanted the 1000 Baht. I just kept refusing to pay and finally someone told my wife that they would get the 1000 Baht from the airline.

[sawadee1947]

I wouldn't wonder if you have to pay. 

I remember a day at CM immigration. A family of 4 applied for an extension. They arrived very early before 7am. Unfortunately half of staff went to a meeting so that the family's matters could not be finished that day. They were told to come back tomorrow. This meant ONE day overstay because of immigration. They had to pay for whole family