Just out of Covid Hospitel

[Joe Farang]

A friend of mine (really) tested positive in PCR test on the day he was due to fly home.

Today he got out of Hospitel and is booking new flight for this weekend. His 30 visa exemption finished yesterday however.

Should he go to Jomtien immigration to look for an extension or sort it at airport?

[Chris.B]

Go to Immigration if he wants to avoid the 2000-2500 baht overstay fine.

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by Chris.B

[Greenie5000]

4 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Go to Immigration if he wants to avoid the 2000-2500 baht overstay fine.

 

He'll still pay 1900+ baht to Immigration. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Go to Immigration if he wants to avoid the 2000-2500 baht overstay fine.

 

What is he going to do at immigration. 

He could apply for an extension and also pay any overstay.

Not sure what the medical folk can do re providing reason for overstay.

 

OP, he can either attend immigration and pay overstay and apply for extension. Even if refused he would be given 7 days to leave.

Think in his situation I would just fly out and pay overstay at airport. 

[Chris.B]

20 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What is he going to do at immigration. 

He could apply for an extension and also pay any overstay.

Not sure what the medical folk can do re providing reason for overstay.

 

OP, he can either attend immigration and pay overstay and apply for extension. Even if refused he would be given 7 days to leave.

Think in his situation I would just fly out and pay overstay at airport. 

If he is arrested before getting to the airport, he could be blacklisted for 5 years.

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

If he is arrested before getting to the airport, he could be blacklisted for 5 years.

 

Read your first post. Zero mention of what you just stated now..

 

Yes he could be arrested. 

That could also happen on way to immigration.

 

In my post I also included option of going to immigration. 

[Ohyesuare]

40 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Read your first post. Zero mention of what you just stated now..

 

Yes he could be arrested. 

That could also happen on way to immigration.

 

In my post I also included option of going to immigration. 

I agree that there's a chance of being stopped going to either and it's very low. If it was gonna happen, the higher chance is on the way to the airport as if they are in Jomtien/Pattaya, that's a longer drive obviously. I personally would not feel comfortable walking around on overstay during normal times, during covid times even more so and I'd go to immigration and get the extension. An overstay of multiple days also looks much worse than just one day and who knows if the flight gets cancelled, they still test positive on the PCR needed for the flight etc.. The less left up to chance, the better.

[audaciousnomad]

Each day past the current stamp is 500. If he's leaving this weekend, this flight would need to be 4 days from today for it to be worth the hassle of going to immigration. Extension fee is 1900. 4 days additional overstay is 2000.  Don't bother...just pay up at the airport on departure.

[Captain Monday]

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

 

I would hope they would be lenient, but hope is not a strategy. 

 

Surely the hospitel or an agent could have arranged for extension. Probably best to buy ticket pack bags and take taxi to the airport.  

[Alldar]

3 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

No, you will not get 5 year ban for few days overstay..

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

That is very unlikely to happen. Many people go to immigration with a short overstay and do not have any problem getting an extension.

 

[Captain Monday]

1 minute ago, Alldar said:

No, you will not get 5 year ban for few days overstay..

Good news.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

If he visited Immigration drunk, and assaulted the senior official, being arrested with only a two-day overstay would be very possible. Certainly, the officials have that power. Under normal circumstances, there is zero risk of arrest for such a short overstay, especially given the recent quarantine.

 

I recommend regularising the permission to stay. Just go and get an extension. As someone else pointed out, the intention to leave at the weekend is a current plan that may not prove possible, and you can end up procrastinating into a genuine problem.

[Ohyesuare]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

 

I would hope they would be lenient, but hope is not a strategy. 

 

Surely the hospitel or an agent could have arranged for extension. Probably best to buy ticket pack bags and take taxi to the airport.  

If you surrender yourself, you are never deported. Just a fine and a ban if you have overstayed more than 90 days.

[The Hammer2021]

You must have some evidence  of medical issues so that will help at immigration. Get it sorted NOW ASAP. You might get  found positive  again. BTW Usually hospitals  offer visa extension  support with agent  support or you can use the medical  certificate  you were issued  on discharge..

 

[sikishrory]

A friend of mine was stopped from flying out of Thailand because he got covid. He had a fit to fly but noticed at the airport his test was actually positive. 

With no symptoms he was sent to hospital.

Anyway apparently he has been told he jas to wait awhile (after his quarantine) until they will give him a fit to fly.

I don't remember how long but i think it was like a couple of weeks.

Something to consider.

[Tropposurfer]

17 hours ago, Chris.B said:

If he is arrested before getting to the airport, he could be blacklisted for 5 years.

 

I'd venture to say the chances of that happening is like expecting an ex-president to tell the truth lol ????????????????

[Sheryl]

If I read thsi correctly, his permission to  stay ended on 11 January and he will fly out on the 15th or 16th. So 4-5 days overstay.

 

Just pay the fine (500 baht/day) on the way out, no advantage to going to Immigration.

 

He could have gotten a medical extension but too late for that now.

[thecyclist]

He has a legitimate reason for overstaying. With a doctor's notice he will not be paying an overstay fine. 

[HashBrownHarry]

9 hours ago, sikishrory said:

Anyway apparently he has been told he jas to wait awhile (after his quarantine) until they will give him a fit to fly.

 

Told by who?

 

There's so many places to do PCR tests, so long as he has a negative test result to present at check in he will be allowed to leave.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

He has a legitimate reason for overstaying. With a doctor's notice he will not be paying an overstay fine. 

As a general rule, an extension still has to be arranged somehow even when it is not easy. Only an official of a pretty high rank has the power to waive the statutory fine for overstay. People are expected to arrange medical or other extensions even if they are comatose in hospital (in a good hospital, they will typically arrange the extension for the patient). Being in isolation, and unable to arrange an extension any other way, is a good time to contact an agent and have them do the application on your behalf.. Few things in Thailand are completely certain, but it is very unlikely he will avoid a fine for the overstay.

[The Hammer2021]

On 1/12/2022 at 4:34 PM, Captain Monday said:

He went illegal yesterday. If he surrenders to a city immigration office he could be arrested  for 5 year blacklist and deportation by the way I read the regs..

 

I would hope they would be lenient, but hope is not a strategy. 

 

Surely the hospitel or an agent could have arranged for extension. Probably best to buy ticket pack bags and take taxi to the airport.  

Big hospitals have agents for this kind of thing

[The Hammer2021]

8 minutes ago, BritTim said:

As a general rule, an extension still has to be arranged somehow even when it is not easy. Only an official of a pretty high rank has the power to waive the statutory fine for overstay. People are expected to arrange medical or other extensions even if they are comatose in hospital (in a good hospital, they will typically arrange the extension for the patient). Being in isolation, and unable to arrange an extension any other way, is a good time to contact an agent and have them do the application on your behalf.. Few things in Thailand are completely certain, but it is very unlikely he will avoid a fine for the overstay.

A small fine

[The Hammer2021]

10 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Told by who?

 

There's so many places to do PCR tests, so long as he has a negative test result to present at check in he will be allowed to leave.

I would prefer the hospital  issued  FTF certificate  which probably  incorporates and PCR test result.

[Hummin]

On 1/12/2022 at 2:55 PM, DrJack54 said:

What is he going to do at immigration. 

He could apply for an extension and also pay any overstay.

Not sure what the medical folk can do re providing reason for overstay.

 

OP, he can either attend immigration and pay overstay and apply for extension. Even if refused he would be given 7 days to leave.

Think in his situation I would just fly out and pay overstay at airport. 

Only <deleted> if he gets stopped for some reason and have to stay in the detention center for the weekend. 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

He has a legitimate reason for overstaying. With a doctor's notice he will not be paying an overstay fine. 

There is no provision for that. He will have to pay the fine.

 

A doctor's note could have gotten him a medical extension of stay but too late for that now.

 

The Imm counter at the airport does not accept "notes" or excuses. Just levies the fine.

[Sheryl]

9 hours ago, sikishrory said:

A friend of mine was stopped from flying out of Thailand because he got covid. He had a fit to fly but noticed at the airport his test was actually positive. 

With no symptoms he was sent to hospital.

Anyway apparently he has been told he jas to wait awhile (after his quarantine) until they will give him a fit to fly.

I don't remember how long but i think it was like a couple of weeks.

Something to consider.

 

Your friend's situation was different in that he tested positive prior to departure (and presumably was flying somewhere, or an airline, that required a pre-departure test).

 

Every country has its own rules about entry and so do some airlines. It is rare to require a FTF certificate unless the passenger appears unwell. I think what the hospital referred to was issuing the paperwork stating he has recently recovered from COVID. Only required   in some situations.

 

OP's friend  need only meet whatever the travel requirements are for his destination and airline. Possible he is not even required to take a PCR test. If he is, likley he has already tested negative in hospital and will do so again. (If not he will have to follow whatever the procedures are for entry into his destination for people considered to have recently recovered from COVCID). 

[thecyclist]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

There is no provision for that. He will have to pay the fine.

 

A doctor's note could have gotten him a medical extension of stay but too late for that now.

 

The Imm counter at the airport does not accept "notes" or excuses. Just levies the fine.

My first hand information is kind of outdated. I distinctly remember overstaying once and not paying any fine with a doctor's note, but that was in the eighties. Life was a lot simpler and less regulated back then. 

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I would prefer the hospital  issued  FTF certificate  which probably  incorporates and PCR test result.

He could get that at any hospital and results same or next day which would eliminate waiting for a couple of weeks as he mentioned.

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Only <deleted> if he gets stopped for some reason and have to stay in the detention center for the weekend. 

But in reality does this really happen? A random stop on the street and asked about visa status, it's certainly never happened to me or anyone i know in 20 years+.

 

The issue is getting into a wreck / altercation or any sort of nefarious activity, then you're up the creek without a poodle for sure.