Visa Overstay

[Theundirtydog]

Hello, My first post but have been reading info here for some time now. Anyway, I am in the middle of an overstay situation and would appreciate some feedback.

1.5 years ago I had my passport stolen so I went to the police station, filed a report and then went to the US Embassy to received a new passport. No problems all done. Now I didn't go to immigrations and get my last visa stamp and have been in Thailand ever since. Friday immigrations stopped by and asked to see my passport, which I did and explained the situation. They asked me to come down to the office. After spending most of the day there, they asked for the 20,000 baht overstay fine and another fine and told me to go buy a plane ticket to Singapore and come back Monday and show them my airline ticket. So that is where I am at currently. I have purchased a roundtrip, Singapore to BKK and am anxious to see what tomorrow brings. Planning on getting my passport back and a reciept for the overstay. I would appreciate any feedback today/tonight and will do a follow up post after my visit tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Theundirtydog

[lopburi3]

You will have a stamp in your passport that you overstayed. The 20k fine is normal (500 baht a day up to that amount). The ticket keeps you out of the lockup. You should be leaving on Monday.

[InterestedObserver]

Sure, maximum overstay = 20,000THB. Leave the country and return with a new visa. Simple enough!

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Hello, My first post but have been reading info here for some time now. Anyway, I am in the middle of an overstay situation and would appreciate some feedback.

1.5 years ago I had my passport stolen so I went to the police station, filed a report and then went to the US Embassy to received a new passport. No problems all done. Now I didn't go to immigrations and get my last visa stamp and have been in Thailand ever since. Friday immigrations stopped by and asked to see my passport, which I did and explained the situation. They asked me to come down to the office. After spending most of the day there, they asked for the 20,000 baht overstay fine and another fine and told me to go buy a plane ticket to Singapore and come back Monday and show them my airline ticket. So that is where I am at currently. I have purchased a roundtrip, Singapore to BKK and am anxious to see what tomorrow brings. Planning on getting my passport back and a reciept for the overstay. I would appreciate any feedback today/tonight and will do a follow up post after my visit tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Theundirtydog

Curious here, you said: "Friday immigrations stopped by and asked to see my passport, ...."

They just stop by your house and ask to look at your passport?

Have seen a couple other such posts from C. Mai, wonder if this is just a local checkup or will it be implemented elsewhere here in Thailand.

Mac

[sriracha john]

they asked for the 20,000 baht overstay fine and another fine

How much is the "another fine" and what it is specifically for?

Also, you said you had the ticket, but never said directly if you have the 20K now plus the "another fine" amount. Do you have it?

If you do, what do you plan to tell the police regarding what you have been doing to live in Thailand for the last year and a half?

If you don't, what do you plan to do?

OR... do they simply not care and haven't asked you about it...

[PoorSucker]

Get a flight ticket, pay the fine.

Your are really lucky not spending the night in IDC (immigration detention center).

[InterestedObserver]

they asked for the 20,000 baht overstay fine and another fine

How much is the "another fine" and what it is specifically for?

How about for not reporting his address every 90 days.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hello, My first post but have been reading info here for some time now. Anyway, I am in the middle of an overstay situation and would appreciate some feedback.

1.5 years ago I had my passport stolen so I went to the police station, filed a report and then went to the US Embassy to received a new passport. No problems all done. Now I didn't go to immigrations and get my last visa stamp and have been in Thailand ever since. Friday immigrations stopped by and asked to see my passport, which I did and explained the situation. They asked me to come down to the office. After spending most of the day there, they asked for the 20,000 baht overstay fine and another fine and told me to go buy a plane ticket to Singapore and come back Monday and show them my airline ticket. So that is where I am at currently. I have purchased a roundtrip, Singapore to BKK and am anxious to see what tomorrow brings. Planning on getting my passport back and a reciept for the overstay. I would appreciate any feedback today/tonight and will do a follow up post after my visit tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Theundirtydog

You were extremely lucky they did not decide to haul you off to the immigration lockup until you were taken to the airport and asked or escorted to leave the country. So be thankful for your good luck.

I'm assuming you have paid (or at least have agreed to pay) the fine. It seems they are operating strictly on the legal level with you, as 20,000 baht is the maximum fine. The other fine, as someone said, is for failure to report as required every 90 days. You should expect to have an overstay stamp in your passport when you leave. That should not affect your right to return, but if you go for a visa in Singapore, I would expect some rather pointed questions about why you did not take care of the visa before. Be polite, and courteous, apologise for your mistake, and they will probably not hassle you too much about it. Do NOT get angry at them. If you get angry you WON'T win. You can almost surely expect a lecture from the immigration as you leave on your responsibilities regarding visas.

I emphisise, use your brain, and avoid anger, as you can't win. From what you've said so far you are quite lucky that they are playing on the straight and level with you.

And another thing, the immigration just didn't "happen" to show up and ask for your passport/visa. Someone tipped them off. Don't fool yourself about that point.

Hopefully, you've learned your lesson? It could have been a lot worse. From what I understand, the immigration detention is not a nice palce to stay.

[dave2]

imafarang .

are you (or were you ) a teacher ?

PATHETUICk .. perdatick ... ## shole

enjoy... dave2

[dbrenn]

... but if you go for a visa in Singapore, I would expect some rather pointed questions about why you did not take care of the visa before. Be polite, and courteous, apologise for your mistake, and they will probably not hassle you too much about it. Do NOT get angry at them. If you get angry you WON'T win. You can almost surely expect a lecture from the immigration as you leave on your responsibilities regarding visas.

I don't think that the OP needs to worry so long as he pays his fine and leaves. Singapore will likely not understand the Thai language overstay stamp in his passport, and certainly won't care about it.

Following his trip to Singapore, the OP will be allowed back in to Thailand, with no questions asked. I know a couple of people who overstayed for more than 5 years, and they were let back in - Thai immigration even joked to one of them "are you going to overstay for another 7 years?" before letting him in.

Oddly, so long as you pay the fine and leave voluntarily, Thailand does not blacklist overstayers in the way that many countries do.