Forgot To Make My 90 Day Report To Immigration

[bangkokbert]

No berating or belittling please, I've been here long enough and should know better - there have been ongoing distractions!

Checking my passport this morning for another reason brought to light that I should have reported to immigration 7 (yes, seven) weeks ago.

I am on a Non-Imm O marriage/family based visa, I'm in Chiang Mai and I have no blackmarks (that I am aware of). What should I expect when I roll up at the immigration offices?

JxP

I was at the Immigration in BKK for my 90 day deal. I sat next to a guy that like you also forgot to report for about 2 months. He was fined 3,000 Baht.

[Mario2008]

For the quote of RickFalang, 90 days after arriving in the country, iam not sure, as i left the country last week, asked for a re-entry stamp at pattaya immigration, and they gave me the paper in the back of my pasport that i have to report next month (also got a new pasport, so the paper got lost with the old pasport) seems that with me they looked at the last time i reported to immigration, not when left/entered the country....

Peter

Same experience in Mae Sod, although that was 2005. They just look at the last time I reported and when I pointed out that i had left the country and returned in the meanwhile they told me I was mistaken about the rules. That wasn't a problem, as I was there for an extention and my 90 day reporting wasn't due anyway. But also the extension wasn't seem by Mae Sod as 90 day reporting.

[lopburi3]

I do not believe it could be more clear - below is directly from Immigration Hqs web site

If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case

[astral]

If you have to make a trip out of the country before your next report,

it is likely that no-one will notice your omission.

[Lancashirelad]

Now i can see why 10+ years back here in the uk those deals were so popular where you could buy a new 3 piece suite/kitchen whatever, then get all your money back in 3 (or was it 5?) years time.

There was only a very small window of time in which to make the claim & other conditions also had to be met, such as providing the original receipt.

Now how many of you guys would have managed to get your money back?

Very few did, but ofcourse the co. knew this would be the case at the point of sale

How many of you carry a mobile phone? Does it have a diary? As soon as you have the date your report is due, why not just enter an alarmed reminder in the phone for a few days before?

[akaika]

I do not believe it could be more clear - below is directly from Immigration Hqs web site

If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case

I agree what is written couldn't be more clear. However, a neighbor recently informed me that he was out of the country when he should have made his 90 day report and then went to the immigration office a little more than a week after returning to Thailand and was fined 2000 baht. I know (and explained to him) the 90 days starts over when he returned and (1) why did he even go and (2) didn't the officer see the arrival stamp in his passport that should have 'reset the clock.' He said the immigration officer clearly saw the new arrival stamp because, not only was he fined but also admonished for not coming in sooner after he returned to Thailand.

After his experience, he doesn't believe that the day count starts over. I related this story to a friend that returned last week from a month away in the same situation (time away overlapped 90 report). We wondered if this could have been similar to the situation in Hua Hin where foreigners have been fined for not reporting within 24 hrs? My friend, not concerned by our ponderings, made a trip to the immigration office Monday and was told the day starts again at 1.

I have to speculate that when the first friend, a very polite and courteous individual that speaks Thai, went to the immigration office and stated he was "late" and possibly even said he was prepared to pay the penalty that the immigration officer obliged.

[Yogiraj]

It might be cheaper/fun to do a quick trip out of the country. Last time I left the country I was 20 days over the 90 day check in and no one even batted and eyelid. Once before I was 2 months over and no reaction from the people at the airport

[soundman]

Last year I went to do my first 90day report. It was nearly 400 days overdue, aroiund 490 days after my last entry into the kingdom.

The 90days staff at Suan Phlu weren't even angry.

Nett result 2000B fine and a stamp in my passport saying I was late on 90 day report.

Done both last year's and this year's yearly extension & the "late 90 day stamp" has never even been mentioned, so I don't think you lose any "brownie" points for a little miss-demeanor like that.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[vagabond48]

Considering some of the admitted long lapse in memory to report to immigration, I can only conclude that living long term in LOS may be hazardous to your memory. :D

[phitsanulokjon]

Suggest you try Mae Sot crossing into Burma - have always found them to be more "understanding" than other points of entry/exit - plus take your wife with you !! Might sound daft but it can make a difference !!

Good luck

[Maestro]

Suggest you try Mae Sot crossing into Burma...

I don’t think that immigration officers at border crossings deal with the 90-day address report. Is it possible that you are off topic here?

--

Maestro

[finnomick]

Different day, different response from Pattaya Immigration. I overstayed my 90 day reporting window by 8 days in May ( 3 of which were a holiday weekend ). The very nice lady there pointed out my error, stamped the new form and sent me on my way.....

[Mario2008]

Suggest you try Mae Sot crossing into Burma...

I don't think that immigration officers at border crossings deal with the 90-day address report. Is it possible that you are off topic here?

--

Maestro

Mae Sod has both a border crossing and an immigraton office a few meters from there.

[Maestro]

That’s convenient.

--

Maestro

[Siriam]

Friend of mine just got fined 2000 baht... Phuket

[Kudos]

A friend of mine was a full 90 days late, he got a 5,000 fine and a few stern words from immigration.

Thank you sweetchariot. I'll work on my "contrite" face!

JxP

I forgot my 90 day reporting last month.... i said sorry with a wai and a smile and no problems...

[NedKelly]

I was a week or so late because of various frig ups and got the 2,000 baht fine at Suan Plu........actually had to go next door to another building which inside looked like a scene from an orwelian movie - a dark place fullof old shelves full of files; ancient office equipment sitting around covered in dust etc etc......there was about 10 nigerians in there all shackled together awaiting deportation.......so i think I was being given a scare and at the same time having to pay my fine to the uniformed 'tea club' out the back ! All smiles of course....(except for the poor Nigerians)

[GarryP]

Never reported to immigration every 90 days. Been here over 20 years, renew the visa and work permit every year. Leave the country on business from time to time, using re-entry stamps. Never, been called to pay a fine or told by immigration police that I need to report.

I know I am supposed to report, or at least I think I am but it has never been an issue.

What's going on? This is not a wind up.

[lopburi3]

You are supposed to report. 20 years x 365 days x 200 baht per day would be a considerable amount if strictly enforced (but perhaps new fines are not retroactive)?

Section for reporting is 37.5 and has been law since 2522

Section 76 : Any alien, alien, who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 37(2),(3),(4)or(5) shall be

punished with a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht and with and additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht for

each day which passes until the law is complied with.

[paulfr]

I was late by one day ..... one day past the 7 days grace.

2000 baht. The lady would not budge.

Bummer ....

[Jimjim]

What should I expect when I roll up at the immigration offices?

You will have to recite the Thai national anthem perfectly to the syllable and if you don't they will hang you upside down and torture you for 90 days.

[Khonwan]

You are supposed to report. 20 years x 365 days x 200 baht per day would be a considerable amount if strictly enforced (but perhaps new fines are not retroactive)?

Section for reporting is 37.5 and has been law since 2522

Section 76 : Any alien, alien, who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 37(2),(3),(4)or(5) shall be

punished with a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht and with and additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht for

each day which passes until the law is complied with.

I read this as meaning the fine would be a maximum of Bt5,000 and that fines of a further Bt200 per day would be payable from the date of that fine to the date of compliance, i.e. not a compounding fine covering the period prior to the original fine date.

By the way, I just left the country (for a few minutes) 6 weeks ago for the first time in 6 years. I’ve never done the 90-day reporting despite being here over 14 years. It wasn’t mentioned at the border crossing. But I do intend to start since compliance is very easy.