A female friend is approaching 3 years on overstay.

She wants to know what would happen if she just turned up at immigration

at the airport to board a flight out of Thailand.

She will pay 20,000 baht fine and go. 

And be banned. Think 5 years.

In any event needs to get to airport and bye bye.

 

Edited January 7, 20224 yr by DrJack54

...and a 3 year ban (or 5 if she makes it past 3 years OS).

Important is that she goes to the airport on a few hours before her flight.

Then there is enough time that she pays and then she leaves.

 

I know about a guy who had a long overstay and he thought he should go to immigration a couple of days before his flight. He took his ticket with him. And immigration put him in a cell and escorted him to the airport a couple of days later...

Serves her right , no sympathy !

11 hours ago, malone99 said:

many ppl don't realize that overstaying means being inside the country illegally. and that is actually a quite serious offence.
not sayin' i never overstayed, though... ????

but it is a mistake to believe it's just a minor formality

but it is a minor formality if you just get to the airport with a ticket out and 20k baht for the overstay fine. it's like everything else in Thailand, is only wrong if you get caught. 

My question would be by turning up for a flight out is that considered surrendering (lower ban) or being caught/arrested (much higher ban)?

 

 

Edited January 8, 20224 yr by aussiexpat

42 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

My question would be by turning up for a flight out is that considered surrendering (lower ban) or being caught/arrested (much higher ban)?

It's considered surrendering, to airport immigration. Many have done that. It's the sane way to clear an overstay, not just because of the lower ban, but also because of skipping the IDC.

I was on a two-year and nine month overstay a few years back. I had no problems at the airport. Immigration were more concerned that I had my 20,000baht in cash to pay the fine and politely informed me of my 3-year ban. It took about one-hour to clear - no problems at all. Check-in early as soon as it opens 

Very well done: 3 years overstay, congrats....

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

And be banned. Think 5 years.

I was told of an English farang that got banned on being deported for overstay. On getting back to the UK he reported his passport lost/stolen obtained a new one and came back. I assume it's not true but...............?

Avoid smart IOs with smart phones in smart cars

2 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I was told of an English farang that got banned on being deported for overstay. On getting back to the UK he reported his passport lost/stolen obtained a new one and came back. I assume it's not true but...............?

A new pp won't cut it. 

Perhaps years ago may have.

I'm sure some posters will have colourful stories. 

Vague memory of border entries making it possible. 

Thinking that was the good old days. 

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

She will pay 20,000 baht fine and go. 

And be banned. Think 5 years.

In any event needs to get to airport and bye bye.

 

Or pay 100.000 Baht and we will forget about everything

1 minute ago, peter zwart said:

Or pay 100.000 Baht and we will forget about everything

Got first hand knowledge. 

Example? Nup.

12 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Avoid smart IOs with smart phones in smart cars

Is it even possible that all three exist.

2 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Is it even possible that all three exist.

Yep....

Might come down to Meatloaf song. "Two outta three ain't bad."

16 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Important is that she goes to the airport on a few hours before her flight.

Then there is enough time that she pays and then she leaves.

Doesn't everyone still arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before anymore?   

5 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

My question would be by turning up for a flight out is that considered surrendering (lower ban) or being caught/arrested (much higher ban)?

 

 

She will face same fine and same ban on returning regardless.

 

but if caught by immigration -- regardless of how that happens i.e. including her turning herself in at an Imm office -- prior to showing up at airport to fly out she will also be subject to being jailed.

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

A new pp won't cut it. 

Perhaps years ago may have.

I'm sure some posters will have colourful stories. 

Vague memory of border entries making it possible. 

Thinking that was the good old days. 

Yes, correct, new Passports won't cut it now, or for a long time.

Edited January 8, 20224 yr by Broken Record

Go see an Agent for your friend, it might be possible to have it sorted out with no need to go to the Airport with an overstay, I know for a fact that years ago this was a possibility, I don't know now, but an Agent will know and may have the connections, don't go to an Immigration office in person.

 

Good Luck.

Edited January 8, 20224 yr by Broken Record

19 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Serves her right , no sympathy !

Who is asking for sympathy? A request  for information  and advice  was made. Your knee jerk judgement  is neither appropriate or warranted

3 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Or pay 100.000 Baht and we will forget about everything

More unsubstantiated advice by someone  who has probably  never been to Thailand

I never ever had overstayed.Anyway some years ago my 2 kids had more then 1 year overstay.

But because the mother is thai we was just in a office at the airport and they fixed it in a short time.

NB..both kids age under 15 that time.

4 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I was told of an English farang that got banned on being deported for overstay. On getting back to the UK he reported his passport lost/stolen obtained a new one and came back. I assume it's not true but...............?

Yes, it was possible few yrs before. 

 

Now they capture fingerprints at entry & exit. 

 

How will the overstayer change his/her fingerprints?

 

 

Any suggestions on changing fingerprints are welcome.

23 minutes ago, stigar said:

I never ever had overstayed.Anyway some years ago my 2 kids had more then 1 year overstay.

But because the mother is thai we was just in a office at the airport and they fixed it in a short time.

NB..both kids age under 15 that time.

Quote

The general rule is that children below 15 years old who overstayed in Thailand will not be collected with fine. And when you and the child booked to fly out of Thailand, upon exiting the country via airport, the kid just has to go up to the overstay counter but is exempted of paying the fine.

So to save hassle why not book them out on their Thai passport?

 

Quote

A: Always use the Thai passport to depart and re-enter Thailand. Use the western passport for travel to places where Thai's need visas to travel otherwise.

 

1 minute ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

So to save hassle why not book them out on their Thai passport?

 

 

Ur rigth.Both kids have thai passports now.The other passport they just use if we go to other countries as u say.

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

A new pp won't cut it. 

Perhaps years ago may have.

I'm sure some posters will have colourful stories. 

Vague memory of border entries making it possible. 

Thinking that was the good old days. 

It's been mentioned many times before, and it's no surprise that immigration in all countries have online automatic access to 'past history' records on everybody, which instantly reveal that the passport 'carrier' has had previous passports 'stolen' or have had passports issued in other names. 

39 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

Yes, it was possible few yrs before. 

 

Now they capture fingerprints at entry & exit. 

 

How will the overstayer change his/her fingerprints?

 

 

Any suggestions on changing fingerprints are welcome.

Biometrics ! Computers! Internets!

7 hours ago, Caldera said:

It's considered surrendering, to airport immigration. Many have done that. It's the sane way to clear an overstay, not just because of the lower ban, but also because of skipping the IDC.

Makes sense if one has no intention to travel to Thailand again for a few years.

 

However, didn't she worry? My visa status is checked at hotels, apartment buildings, banks, etc. - How did she circumvent that for three full years?

Edited January 8, 20224 yr by StayinThailand2much