Life As An Illegal

[Interman]

Im not promoting illegal activities, but does Thai immigration or any other agency actualy follow up on people who overstay their tourist visa and dont go home. Do they search for these people?

[GuestHouse]

They don't have to search for them. Long term visa overstaying is indicative of a number of other problems that inevitably bring the cultprit to the attention of the authorities - more often than not, the reason for overstaying is in itself something that eventually catches up with the 'runner'.

[sonnyJ]

The resent information seems to suggest they have a good system on to catch these people. why do you wat to know?

[Heng]

It can be done, but most find a way to stick out and get scooped out of the pond somehow.

[3billygoats]

I have two friends who have stayed for 7+ and 3+ years. One sorted it out and got legal, the other is still riding his luck, I believe.

Chances are the person who is doing this will end up getting involved with the police for something they didn't do, then they will get 'found out.'

Of course, one needs money to survive , and that's hard to come by will living a 'monk's life' or whatever keeping out of trouble is.

[my friend I]

Thai officials are often looking for people for some crime. They obviously will ask everyone they see for id..

[polecat]

I think the main problem is getting out! No probs if you stay here and keep your head down, but then, when Grandma's on her death bed back in Pontefract or Winnipeg...

Having said that, I'm sure I've met overstayers who say that there is a top limit to the fine, so they may as well wait until they need to leave. Despicable behaviour, obviously. Ahem.

[piker]

I know someone who overstayed 9 months. She told me story once she was safely back in Switzerland.

She said she had a long term apartment lease, a long term motorbike lease, already had opened a bank account, and never traveled. Therefore, she had already presumed her passport would never be an issue and she was right, it wasn't.

Then it was finally time for Switzerland again and she had a dilemma: She had to transfer the entry stamp from her old passport into her new passport. Uh oh.

On the advice of her lawyer, she must go to BKK immigration (not at the airport exit) and ask the office to stamp the new passport which effectively is an admission of long term overstay. She packed her toothbrush as she expected a phalanx of police to arrest her. However, the clerk stamped her passport and she did an about foot and walked out with no problems much to her and her lawyer's surprise. She had anticipated being detained for months and/or paying a bribe.

At the airport came the 2nd worry of being hit for a bribe (think "Cash Cow"). She knew the law which states 20k maximum at the door. Right behind the immigration counter is a small table with 2 clerks who counts your money and stamp you out. That's all she had to pay. The entry stamp transfer was free except for a lot of ensuing anxiety.

When the flight to Zurich left the tarmac, she changed her panties and drank copious amounts of alcohol to calm her nerves.

=THE END=

[Thaicoon]

A mate of mine overstayed 4 years +, the immigration finally caught up with him and he was put in the detention centre in Bangkok, untill he or someone could find the 25,000 baht fine/ticket home, he fled to Hong Kong but apparantly he is now back in Thailand doing he same as before, Crazy.

[ProThaiExpat]

If enforcement of overstay is consistent with enforcement in any other area of Thai society, you know the answer and I suspect it is.

U.S. has 13 million illegals. Many Thais overstay there but know that they will never get a visa again. Thailand seems to be more forgiving and do allow re-entry once you pay the overstay fine.

Australia has a much stronger enforcement policy and thus have only 40K overstays or illegals, however, they are surrounded by ocean and thus don't have many over the border migrations like Thailand or the U.S.

[qualtrough]

I have seen no evidence that they actively seek farang overstayers. I had a close friend who was here without passport and visa for more than 12 years, during which time he lived a normal life and raised a family. When he decided it was time to return home he had some third parties discretely discuss with someone at immigration what might be done and ended up paying a fine at the airport. This is not the only case like this I know of. I am not recommending it! In my 16 years here the only time immigration officials have demanded to see my passport is at the airport or when renewing my visa. When I have been stopped by police in my car my driver's license has always been sufficient.

Edited November 7, 2007 by qualtrough

[Ulysses G.]

Old timers in Chiang Mai know that quite a few farang Kee Moews have been wandering around the Tapae Gate area without visas for many years.

Edited November 7, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Stephen Cleary]

What about this for a classic Immigration balls-up!

A couple of years a back, i knew a bit of crazy Americal guy. He came up to me one day and admitted "Steve, i've overstayed my visa for year. What should i do?" Of course, i gave him the best possible advice and suggested that he hand himself in at the Immigration on Suan Phlu with enough cash to pay the maximum overstay and enough cash or at least a connction or two to purchase a plane ticket out of the country if needed.

Amazingly, he informs me a few days later "I'm just going to go to the Cambodia border tomorrow and leave from there".

So, i see the geezer a couple of days and he tells me. "I only had to pay 1,000baht overstay"

Incredibly forunate like, but the Immigration officer at the Aranya Prathet border had only noticed that his stamp was five days over the date stamped and hadn't realized that the year was wrong!

Last year, i knew a guy who left from Don Muang on an eight month overstay after paying the maximum fine there! Again, i was the one who had advised shortly previous "On an overstay like that, hand yourself into HQ first".

Some foreigners are really jammy with overstaying while others are not. Take yer chances, but i still wouldn't advise it!

[Acquiesce]

The problem is not so much with immigration, the problem comes if you have overstayed and then have some other problem, for example if you are a victim of crime and need to report it to the police, the first thing the police want is your passport.

And ofcourse they could just change the overstay rules overnight and you could find yourself in a far more serious position than you had thought.

Edited November 7, 2007 by Acquiesce

[garro]

Very risky business. I live in a very rural area but still end up having to show my passport to at least one official each month.

This is usually being stopped on my motorbike, but I have also had officials turn up in the village to check on my visa.

[Acquiesce]

I have also had officials turn up in the village to check on my visa.

I doubt that's going to happen in Krungthep but out in Nakhon Nowhere, sure.

[Interman]

Thank you all for you interesting stories.

I know of a foriegner who is thinking of doing this because he has a child here now. and he finds it a bit rediculous having a Thai wife and a Thai born child and not being allowed to stay in the country to look after them unless he has loads of cash in the bank and a pretty high monthly income to prove will be in his account every month on top of that.

[hiromj]

I have never been stopped or searched in Thailand......never. In fact, I never carry my passport with me for fear of losing it.

[garro]

I have a wife and kid here too and so do plenty of others on TV.

It won't matter one whit to an immigration official if he catches someone on overstay.

Your friend might find the law a bit ridiculous, but I would don't think the immigration people will share his laisiez-faire attitude.

Maybe he will get away with it but I know that I couldn't live like this.

If he can't find a way to stay here legally it doesn't seem like a omen for his family's future.

I could be wrong of course.

[Acquiesce]

I have a wife and kid here too and so do plenty of others on TV.

It won't matter one whit to an immigration official if he catches someone on overstay.

Your friend might find the law a bit ridiculous, but I would don't think the immigration people will share his laisiez-faire attitude.

Maybe he will get away with it but I know that I couldn't live like this.

If he can't find a way to stay here legally it doesn't seem like a omen for his family's future.

I could be wrong of course.

If caught anywhere other than the border or airport then you're not a tourist on the way out, but an illegal immigrant hanging around and that's how you'll be treated no matter how many extenuating circumstances you can think up in your defense.

[Scott]

Garro got it right. I don't think this is exactly the kind of person they need/want in the country.

Hey, there are plenty of laws I don't like, don't think are right, but I obey them because I would just as soon not go to jail, not pay a fine, not pay the bribe etc.

Life is easier if you aren't looking over your shoulder all the time.

[JetsetBkk]

I have never been stopped or searched in Thailand......never. In fact, I never carry my passport with me for fear of losing it.

Funny - I always carry mine for fear of having it stolen! But I've never been stopped and asked for it either. Although, sometimes when shopping or in a bank or transport office for car registration, they've needed to see my passport, so always carrying it has saved me some trouble.

Garro got it right. I don't think this is exactly the kind of person they need/want in the country.

Hey, there are plenty of laws I don't like, don't think are right, but I obey them because I would just as soon not go to jail, not pay a fine, not pay the bribe etc.

Life is easier if you aren't looking over your shoulder all the time.

Seconded.

[blizzard]

if one does lose a passport, then wot?

does the person get a replacement at the embassy?

[Acquiesce]

if one does lose a passport, then wot?

does the person get a replacement at the embassy?

No, at the pizza shop .

Ofcourse from the embassy.

[blizzard]

then y so many worry about losing one. the usa one has a lady who looks like she could be a dallas cowboy cheerleader. as of 6 months ago.

[Acquiesce]

then y so many worry about losing one.

Identity theft, expence, and inconvenience are the first three reasons that spring to mind.

[Interman]

O.k.,

We might want to be so quik to judge someone who just wants to look after his family.

What is more important? Following wrong and bad laws ?

the person in question just wants to stay with his family and not be forced to split apart.

How can one stay when he has maxed out his tourist visa options and cannot obtain a non immigrant? He is being forced to split apart his family.

[Stephen Cleary]

O.k.,

We might want to be so quik to judge someone who just wants to look after his family.

What is more important? Following wrong and bad laws ?

the person in question just wants to stay with his family and not be forced to split apart.

How can one stay when he has maxed out his tourist visa options and cannot obtain a non immigrant? He is being forced to split apart his family.

Well, kindly inform 'your friend' to look through the Immigration Forum here. He will be delighted to read that it is very possible to reside in the kingdom without having to apply for a long-term visa.

If he is officially married, even though he is virtually cashless, he can continually apply for a single entry Non-Imm in Laos. No restictions at all on how many times he applies for this. As for continuallly switching from Visa on Arrivals to Tourists Visas etc... he can more or less stay here for as long as he wants. There is no excuse.

If 'your buddy' is on an overstay already, tell him to sort it out and come back at read through the Immigration Forums here. He'll again be pleased to realize that he isn't being forced to split from his family.

In fact, the Immigration geezers down at Suan Phlu are actually happy to see overstayers turn themselves in. Amazingly, quite friendly.

[garro]

O.k.,

We might want to be so quik to judge someone who just wants to look after his family.

What is more important? Following wrong and bad laws ?

the person in question just wants to stay with his family and not be forced to split apart.

How can one stay when he has maxed out his tourist visa options and cannot obtain a non immigrant? He is being forced to split apart his family.

Give me a break.

Somebody who isn't capable of finding a legal way to stay in Thailand is hardly going to be someone who will provide a good life for a family.

[bowthai]

O.k.,

We might want to be so quik to judge someone who just wants to look after his family.

What is more important? Following wrong and bad laws ?

the person in question just wants to stay with his family and not be forced to split apart.

How can one stay when he has maxed out his tourist visa options and cannot obtain a non immigrant? He is being forced to split apart his family.

that's the same excuse millions of illegal mexicans picking america's lettuce and oranges say every day but nobody listens.if he's willing to pick thailand's mangos and papayas for a dollar a day they may let him stay.