Overstay Questions

[umenro]

Hey Folks,

I will have overstayed my permission to stay in Thailand by 50 days before I fly back to the US. I have the funds to pay the 20,000 bhat for the overstay fine. I fly from Phuket to Bangkok the day before I leave for US and then from Bangkok to the US the next day. My question is as follows:

1. Do I have to go through immigration at Phuket airport on my way to Bangkok? If yes, should I pay my fine at the airport in Phuket?

2. Should I go to Phuket immigration office with lawyer and pay the fine the day I leave from Phuket to Bangkok (1 day before my flight to US)?

3. Should I pay the fine at Bangkok airport?

I already know that I shouldn't have overstayed etc etc. I'm a first time offender. Will never happen again. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[stevemiddie]

Hey Folks,

I will have overstayed my permission to stay in Thailand by 50 days before I fly back to the US. I have the funds to pay the 20,000 bhat for the overstay fine. I fly from Phuket to Bangkok the day before I leave for US and then from Bangkok to the US the next day. My question is as follows:

1. Do I have to go through immigration at Phuket airport on my way to Bangkok? If yes, should I pay my fine at the airport in Phuket?

2. Should I go to Phuket immigration office with lawyer and pay the fine the day I leave from Phuket to Bangkok (1 day before my flight to US)?

3. Should I pay the fine at Bangkok airport?

I already know that I shouldn't have overstayed etc etc. I'm a first time offender. Will never happen again. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

I don,t believe you have to go through immigration for internal domestic flights.

You can pay the overstay at Swampy airport.

Some posters have previously advised to have a lawyer with them when they do this ( suan plu? ) I don,t know really.

[PoorSucker]

1. No

2. No

3. Get a couple of hours earlier, can be line for pay overstay.

[Tattycakes]

Hey Folks,

I will have overstayed my permission to stay in Thailand by 50 days before I fly back to the US. I have the funds to pay the 20,000 bhat for the overstay fine. I fly from Phuket to Bangkok the day before I leave for US and then from Bangkok to the US the next day. My question is as follows:

1. Do I have to go through immigration at Phuket airport on my way to Bangkok? If yes, should I pay my fine at the airport in Phuket?

2. Should I go to Phuket immigration office with lawyer and pay the fine the day I leave from Phuket to Bangkok (1 day before my flight to US)?

3. Should I pay the fine at Bangkok airport?

I already know that I shouldn't have overstayed etc etc. I'm a first time offender. Will never happen again. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Well me having numerous overstays in my passport , including a 365 day stamp i think i may know a thing or 2 about it. Just get on your plane in phuket fly to bangkok . when you are checking into your flight for the US , just get there a little early so you have time to pay your fine. Once you go throught the immigration check point for departing , there will be a small desk for paying your fine. The custom officer will direct you. Everyone makes such a big deal about this overstay , as long as you get to the airport and pay the fine , your ok. But dont get caught in between. They wont check your visa at the phuket airport as you are not leaving the country from there .

[stevemiddie]

Hey Folks,

I will have overstayed my permission to stay in Thailand by 50 days before I fly back to the US. I have the funds to pay the 20,000 bhat for the overstay fine. I fly from Phuket to Bangkok the day before I leave for US and then from Bangkok to the US the next day. My question is as follows:

1. Do I have to go through immigration at Phuket airport on my way to Bangkok? If yes, should I pay my fine at the airport in Phuket?

2. Should I go to Phuket immigration office with lawyer and pay the fine the day I leave from Phuket to Bangkok (1 day before my flight to US)?

3. Should I pay the fine at Bangkok airport?

I already know that I shouldn't have overstayed etc etc. I'm a first time offender. Will never happen again. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Well me having numerous overstays in my passport , including a 365 day stamp i think i may know a thing or 2 about it. Just get on your plane in phuket fly to bangkok . when you are checking into your flight for the US , just get there a little early so you have time to pay your fine. Once you go throught the immigration check point for departing , there will be a small desk for paying your fine. The custom officer will direct you. Everyone makes such a big deal about this overstay , as long as you get to the airport and pay the fine , your ok. But dont get caught in between. They wont check your visa at the phuket airport as you are not leaving the country from there .

And one day the Thai,s will wake up and think " Wait a minute.........tourist overstay 2 month, he give 20,000 baht. He overstay 1 year, he give same. We have to fix this"

Oh! And you will get an overstay stamp in your passport. Not a problem as such.....for now. Maybe in the future though?

And if you are stopped before making it to your US flight.........say hello to the IDC and deportation.

For posters like Tattycakes..........I,m sure he thinks its no big deal. Until the day he is an accident, or someone tries to rob him, or a drunk Thai wants to pick a fight..........or he loses his passport, THEN the police are involved and THEN its a BIG problem. Keep your head down and don,t do anything stupid and you will be ok.

Overstaying deliberately is not advised.

Edited December 27, 2007 by stevemiddie

[PhilHarries]

For posters like Tattycakes..........I,m sure he thinks its no big deal. Until the day he is an accident, or someone tries to rob him, or a drunk Thai wants to pick a fight..........or he loses his passport, THEN the police are involved and THEN its a BIG problem. Keep your head down and don,t do anything stupid and you will be ok.

Overstaying deliberately is not advised.

But some people get off on living their life constantly looking over their shoulder, constantly in fear of something going wrong "is that policeman over there watching me?"

Then these same roughneck, world traveller types get caught and, when back home, sell their tear jerking stories of their abuse and how they were denied their basic human rights by those horrible Thais. Then it, complete with tearful pictures, is splashed across the front pages of the tabloids who have nothing better to print than drivel and read by the terminally gullible who then repeat it as gospel.

Fills me with the urge to defecate (which I can't do as the site office is without water again ).

[lopburi3]

Although not enough reports to confirm this happens in all, or even most cases, but there have been reports this year that those with more than 40 days overstay will not be allowed to pay at the airport and will be remanded into custody until a police check has been run on them. Long overstay does not seem to be taken that lightly any more.

[umenro]

Lopburi3, do you suggest taking legal representation with me when I pay the fine. I was already planning to do so anyway, and will that help. I mean, I have to leave at some point.

[lopburi3]

It is probably not necessary but it could help if there are any problems. What we have seen reported is a requirement to visit Suan Phlu with ticket out before flight - believe normally there is a quick question/answer and computer check to be sure you are not wanted for some offense and perhaps escort to airport. But am not sure everyone gets this experience or not. As you probably do not have local family who could help if there was a last minute issue having legal representation is likely a good idea.

[sayitaintso]

It is probably not necessary but it could help if there are any problems. What we have seen reported is a requirement to visit Suan Phlu with ticket out before flight - believe normally there is a quick question/answer and computer check to be sure you are not wanted for some offense and perhaps escort to airport. But am not sure everyone gets this experience or not. As you probably do not have local family who could help if there was a last minute issue having legal representation is likely a good idea.

i just returned from a visa run with a 144 day overstay. paid at airport, no problems, no attorney needed or necessary. immigration officer did ask for another 500 baht over the 20k. got a 3 month non-imm B and right back into thailand with no problems.

not advocating or recommending anyone overstay to that extent, just relating my experience. i did consult with an attorney beforehand and his advice was have air ticket out of thailand and 20k baht for fine and get to the airport asap. don't let them find you first. once you have paid fine and left country you have satisfied the visa beast.

[Guest]

I wonder why some people think it is OK to overstay their Visa? And why take such risks? Someone doing the same in our home countries might end up in prison.... and we all know that Thailand has tightened up its immigration procedures, so this may be the next item in line.

[sayitaintso]

I wonder why some people think it is OK to overstay their Visa? And why take such risks? Someone doing the same in our home countries might end up in prison.... and we all know that Thailand has tightened up its immigration procedures, so this may be the next item in line.

just stubborn on my part. made a border bounce to begin my 3 VOA's period and was told at the border that they would only give me 3 days and that i would then have to overstay another 4 days after that before returning to the border for my first of 3 VOA's. border guy was basically asking for some pocket money which i am not disposed to sharing. as there is a 20k baht limit for overstays i made sure to get my moneys worth, and a job offering WP ended my run at 144. i would have stayed much longer, at least until another job offer. visa runs/immigration laws here are one big steaming pile of horse dung. if i run afoul i don't really care, there are many other countries that actually want westerners to be there. thailand is a sinking ship and the thais caused the holes that are bringing it down.

[Tattycakes]

I wonder why some people think it is OK to overstay their Visa? And why take such risks? Someone doing the same in our home countries might end up in prison.... and we all know that Thailand has tightened up its immigration procedures, so this may be the next item in line.

just stubborn on my part. made a border bounce to begin my 3 VOA's period and was told at the border that they would only give me 3 days and that i would then have to overstay another 4 days after that before returning to the border for my first of 3 VOA's. border guy was basically asking for some pocket money which i am not disposed to sharing. as there is a 20k baht limit for overstays i made sure to get my moneys worth, and a job offering WP ended my run at 144. i would have stayed much longer, at least until another job offer. visa runs/immigration laws here are one big steaming pile of horse dung. if i run afoul i don't really care, there are many other countries that actually want westerners to be there. thailand is a sinking ship and the thais caused the holes that are bringing it down.

Nicely put....

[PhilHarries]

I wonder why some people think it is OK to overstay their Visa? And why take such risks? Someone doing the same in our home countries might end up in prison.... and we all know that Thailand has tightened up its immigration procedures, so this may be the next item in line.

Yes, I wonder how many of these visa overstayers are also amongst the brigade that bleat on about illegal immigrants in their home country?

Visa overstay = Illegal immigrant. Some day the Thai immigration are gonna start treating it as just that and with the threat of terrorism (remember the Indo, think his name was Himbali?) that gets ever more likely by the day.

[Lite Beer]

I wonder why some people think it is OK to overstay their Visa? And why take such risks? Someone doing the same in our home countries might end up in prison.... and we all know that Thailand has tightened up its immigration procedures, so this may be the next item in line.

Yes, I wonder how many of these visa overstayers are also amongst the brigade that bleat on about illegal immigrants in their home country?

Visa overstay = Illegal immigrant. Some day the Thai immigration are gonna start treating it as just that and with the threat of terrorism (remember the Indo, think his name was Himbali?) that gets ever more likely by the day.

Nicely put.