Overstay: Where to surrender yourself?

[ttkeric]

Good morning all. I'm encouraging a family friend to end his nightmare and report himself in for overstaying. That way, the legal proceedings can begin which will, hopefully, see him deported home in a month or so (hopefully...). 

 

Very briefly: 5 years+ overstay, lost passport, lives in a border town that lets him fade in and out, so to speak. We're Asians, so we blend into the scenery. Was living it large pre-pandemic, took advantage of the Covid extensions, then apparently trusted an agent who will "settle it all" and found himself left in a lurch. He's now practically a shut-in doing odd jobs and begging for funds everywhere to survive. Again, lost passport. No bus or air ticket. No waltzing into the airport, pay and leave. 

 

My question: anyone has an idea where it's best to surrender himself? Police or immigration? Of course, if he's detain elsewhere, then it's all academic. 

 

Also, I'll be providing him support on behalf of the family i.e. paying the fines, bills, visiting him at the IDC, etc. Anyone has experience doing the same? What should I expect? 

 

I suppose, the wait will be for his sentencing, paying of the fines, waiting for our embassy to issue the right documents to get home, etc. 

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Upnotover]

I reckon I'd be approaching the embassy as the first step, perhaps they can issue an emergency travel document and then the airport waltz is potentially an option?

[ChaiyaTH]

First get the emergency document / passport by doing a basic police report without behaving like a idiot, this is not a big deal and could be any local police station really. Stating you lost it but aren't sure when and need to get a new one. You could first try with embassy to see if without is possible in this situation too.

If your friend survived this part, you should be able to obtain an (emergency) passport to travel home. When having this, you book a ticket and get to the airport 3-4 hours before the maximum early possible with checkin options, not to hang around there.

At the checkin counter you right away tell the steward(ess), you normally get this tag with overstay, this already puts you safe. If not, just continue to go to immigration itself and surrender yourself there. 

As this was a long time + a new passport, it could take a bit longer as usual, but my guess is your friend would still be in free duty within 1-1.5 hour max. If you do it another way, your friend might face the music with X days or weeks in jail before being able to leave.

 

For this scenario you as his friend can be his support only and prepare money (control) to buy his fines, food and ticket out.

[ChaiyaTH]

BTW your post is full of lies, you state he overstayed 5+ years while he did covid extensions. Last time I checked my son is 5 years old today and born in jan 2019.... So we talk about you or what?

[CallumWK]

3 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

When having this, you book a ticket and get to the airport 3-4 hours before the maximum early possible with checkin options, not to hang around there.

 

I should add, avoid Phuket airport lol

[G_Money]

2 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

First get the emergency document / passport by doing a basic police report without behaving like a idiot, this is not a big deal and could be any local police station really. Stating you lost it but aren't sure when and need to get a new one.

If your friend survived this part, you should be able to obtain an (emergency) passport to travel home. When having this, you book a ticket and get to the airport 3-4 hours before the maximum early possible with checkin options, not to hang around there.

At the checkin counter you right away tell the steward(ess), you normally get this tag with overstay, this already puts you safe. If not, just continue to go to immigration itself and surrender yourself there. 

As this was a long time + a new passport, it could take a bit longer as usual, but my guess is your friend would still be in free duty within 1-1.5 hour max. If you do it another way, your friend might face the music with X days or weeks in jail before being able to leave.

 

For this scenario you as his friend can be his support only and prepare money (control) to buy his fines, food and ticket out.

Forgot to mention to bring 20,000 baht to the airport.

[DrJack54]

28 minutes ago, ttkeric said:

I suppose, the wait will be for his sentencing, paying of the fines, waiting for our embassy to issue the right documents to get home, etc. 

You did not mention his passport country.

Stated " We're Asians, so we blend into the scenery" 

Also mention in OP, the guy on overstay has no money.

 

 

[ChaiyaTH]

1 minute ago, CallumWK said:

 

I should add, avoid Phuket airport lol

True I would go for suva airport bangkok, or CM. CM would be super relaxed.

[ChaiyaTH]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

You did not mention his passport country.

Stated " We're Asians, so we blend into the scenery" 

Yeah I think he overestimates that one too. Thai = Thai. Foreigner = Foreigner and Farang = Farang.

[ChaiyaTH]

10 minutes ago, G_Money said:

Forgot to mention to bring 20,000 baht to the airport.

If I have to mention that after what he already did he deserves to arrive without it lol

[DrJack54]

@ttkeric suggest when you start a thread stick around for at least short period to clarify questions from posters 

[Phillip9]

He needs to:

• Get a passport
• Buy a ticket to his home country
• Bring 20,000 baht cash to the airport when he departs to pay his overstay fine.

 

There will be no detention if he does that.  If he really can't scrape together that much cash, he needs to contact his embassy and ask if they can help get him home.  Some countries will provide emergency loans for repatriation.

 

 There is no reason to surrender.

 

[Caldera]

39 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

There is no reason to surrender.

 

Technically, if he follows your advice (which is excellent), he does surrender to airport immigration on his way out.

 

That's relevant insofar as lesser penalties (a shorter ban) may apply in case an overstayer surrenders vs. gets caught.