Overstay

[uptoyoumyfriend]

i just realized that i overstayed my visa which ended sep.6.i have a ticket from chiang mai to bkk on monday,sept 15 and my flight back to the us is on tue morning.what is the best way to deal with it ,should i go first thing to the immigration on monday morning to get an extension?will they give it to me?

[mcgriffith]

When you leave on your international flight, and check out of the country at the BKK immigration exit booth, they will charge you a fine most likely.

It's not the end of the world.

Probably less hassle than going to Imm here and dealing with an extension.

[Mario2008]

If they will give you an extension is based on what kind of visa you have. Only on a tourist visa will they give an extension of 30 days, all other kind of visa's a maximum of 7 days, which is to short.

If you are not on a tourist visa you have 2 options:

1. go to immigration in Chiang Mai with your ticket out of the country and pay the overstay fine in advance. (Fine is 500 baht a per day with a maximum of 20,000 baht).

2. pay at the airport when you leave the country.

The risk with option number 2 is that since you are on overstay you can be arrested and detained till you leave the country if your visa is checked. With option number 1 you eliminate that risk. In practise the risk is not that great and since you all ready have a ticket out of the country don't expect too much problems if you were to be checked. But it is up to you if you take e risk or not.

[Bill97]

Small effort required for the trip to immigration to remove the risk completely.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

If they will give you an extension is based on what kind of visa you have. Only on a tourist visa will they give an extension of 30 days, all other kind of visa's a maximum of 7 days, which is to short.

If you are not on a tourist visa you have 2 options:

1. go to immigration in Chiang Mai with your ticket out of the country and pay the overstay fine in advance. (Fine is 500 baht a per day with a maximum of 20,000 baht).

2. pay at the airport when you leave the country.

The risk with option number 2 is that since you are on overstay you can be arrested and detained till you leave the country if your visa is checked. With option number 1 you eliminate that risk. In practise the risk is not that great and since you all ready have a ticket out of the country don't expect too much problems if you were to be checked. But it is up to you if you take e risk or not.

i should have mentioned i am on a 60 day tourist visa. but i guess i just go to the immigration and see what the options are.not sure that they wouldn't already give me problems at the cm airport security check.

[Steve2UK]

My bet (but it's only that) is that it will be picked up on during your exit procedure in BKK. I reckon you might have some chance of a more sympathetic hearing at CM Immigration - suitably apologetic, admitting your mistake etc - so that they might see their way to giving you the extension retrospectively.

That's just my bet. Try posting in the visa sub-forum and see if you get any other input before Monday to help you decide.

[mcgriffith]

Yeah, in retrospect I think the OP should make the effort to go by CM Imm Monday bright and early, as long as it doesn't pinch him for time (he's leaving same day flight to BKK).

[Mario2008]

If they will give you an extension is based on what kind of visa you have. Only on a tourist visa will they give an extension of 30 days, all other kind of visa's a maximum of 7 days, which is to short.

If you are not on a tourist visa you have 2 options:

1. go to immigration in Chiang Mai with your ticket out of the country and pay the overstay fine in advance. (Fine is 500 baht a per day with a maximum of 20,000 baht).

2. pay at the airport when you leave the country.

The risk with option number 2 is that since you are on overstay you can be arrested and detained till you leave the country if your visa is checked. With option number 1 you eliminate that risk. In practise the risk is not that great and since you all ready have a ticket out of the country don't expect too much problems if you were to be checked. But it is up to you if you take e risk or not.

i should have mentioned i am on a 60 day tourist visa. but i guess i just go to the immigration and see what the options are.not sure that they wouldn't already give me problems at the cm airport security check.

Don't worry. Extensions of stay are often given after the expiry date of your permission of stay. But in your case it is cheaper to just pay the overstay fine. By the way, it is not a problem to have an overstay if you want to return to Thailand. Just don't make a habit of it, as they will note it in your passport (and their computer).

Edited September 13, 2008 by Mario2008

[uptoyoumyfriend]

thanks everybody for you input .it really makes me feel better to know i have options .i will go there first thing tomorrow morning and guess i can get my flight out at 12.30 since it's just there anyway.i will post the outcome after my arrival in the us .i have a ticket back to cm in time for loi kratong and hope to see you then --r--