Overstay Or What?

[Simbo]

My retirement visa was due for renewal on the 3rd of April. This coincided with a wedding I was to attend up country. I decided to enquire at Soi 8 immigration if it were possible to do it early on the 29th of March as I had to be somwhere else on that day.

No problem, they told me, we can do it for you now. I duly paid the fee, submitted all paperwork. Everything completed, I thought I was ok For 3 months.

Later, on checking my passport, I could not find a date for me reporting after 90 days. I decide they must have just missed it and planned to go in early to find out.

Thinking I would need to report around the 3rd of July, I went in on the 15th of June to find out.

I was promptly told I should have reported on the 3rd of April and it was a 2000b fine for me not.

No amount of explaining would convince them the error was theirs. After a series of conflabs with other officers, they eventually decided, as I didn't know, they would overlook the fine this time. Speaking to me like I was a deaf,old geriatric, they said if I did it again, next time I would have to pay the fine. I half expected them to ask for a backhander for their charitable act.

I suppose, one might say I was lucky, but somehow, I don't feel it.

[Wolfie]

You were very lucky... things could have been a LOT worse for you...

i'd count those lucky stars and walk away smiling

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Carefully check all entries in your passport, earlier rather than later. Later can be a real problem for you.

[lopburi3]

There are only two forms that count as 90 day reports. The TM47 or the TM6.

The TM6 is what you file each time you enter Thailand and that will start the 90 day clock again. So if you were out of Thailand it would not be due until 90 days after you return (fill out TM6). The only other time that the clock would restart is when you fill out the TM47 and it is receipted. So you were lucky.

You can file the TM47 by mail if you happen to be out of town when it is due.