My Old Mum Has 2,5 Years 'overstay', Any Tips ?

[spaceshipcrew]

My 79 year old mum stays here without a valid visa since December 30, 2006. She is not too fit anymore -2 heamorrage strokes in the past- and bound to a wheelchair. She got tired of visaruns, so we followed the advise -as she never meets any govvie officials- to leave her at home and take the 'overstay' fine.

Her biggest wish now is a holiday to Vientiane, Laos. So we need to organise that. Any tips on how to do ? Is it enough to pay the 'overstay' fine of b20.000 at the immigration office a week in advance ?

Mum has a monthly pension of around 80.000 bath on her European bankaccount (no savings), can she obtain for a retirementvisa ? (after the overstay history) What steps to take for this, what costs to expect and is it worth the hassle ?

Many thanks in advance for all useful information.

Edited June 14, 2009 by spaceshipcrew

[ubonjoe]

Somebody should go to immigration and make arrangements to get the overstay taken care of. The fine will be 20,000 baht. She could even just go to the airport and pay the fine and leave without a problem.

She has more than enough pension to meet the requirements for an extension of stay for retirement. She only needs to prove 65,000 by way of a letter from the embasssy.

If she goes to Vientiane she should get a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon being over 50. She only needs her passport to prove her age.

What is your status here? If you are on an extension of stay she can even get an extension based upon your extension with no proof of income needed.

[spaceshipcrew]

Somebody should go to immigration and make arrangements to get the overstay taken care of. The fine will be 20,000 baht. She could even just go to the airport and pay the fine and leave without a problem.

She has more than enough pension to meet the requirements for an extension of stay for retirement. She only needs to prove 65,000 by way of a letter from the embasssy.

If she goes to Vientiane she should get a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon being over 50. She only needs her passport to prove her age.

What is your status here? If you are on an extension of stay she can even get an extension based upon your extension with no proof of income needed.

Myself I live in Thailand for 8+ years on tourist visa (I'm always looking forward to do a visarun, in stead of most foreigners who hate them, lol) but now I might go for a workpermit and related visa adjustment.

Ubonjoe many thanks for your serious suggestions btw :-)

[ubonjoe]

Deleted posts that mentioned a deleted link in OP.

[ubonjoe]

Somebody should go to immigration and make arrangements to get the overstay taken care of. The fine will be 20,000 baht. She could even just go to the airport and pay the fine and leave without a problem.

She has more than enough pension to meet the requirements for an extension of stay for retirement. She only needs to prove 65,000 by way of a letter from the embasssy.

If she goes to Vientiane she should get a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon being over 50. She only needs her passport to prove her age.

What is your status here? If you are on an extension of stay she can even get an extension based upon your extension with no proof of income needed.

Myself I live in Thailand for 8+ years on tourist visa (I'm always looking forward to do a visarun, in stead of most foreigners who hate them, lol) but now I might go for a workpermit and related visa adjustment.

Ubonjoe many thanks for your serious suggestions btw :-)

You should help her get things sorted out. Some you could do with a power of attorney from her and perhaps a letter from her doctor confirming it is difficult for her get around.

A trip out of the country will be needed to get a visa and then the extension will be easy.

You should take her on the trip to Vientiane but do it by air and pay the overstay at the airport. And then get her the non-o visa at the consulate there.

[spaceshipcrew]

A trip out of the country will be needed to get a visa and then the extension will be easy.

You should take her on the trip to Vientiane but do it by air and pay the overstay at the airport. And then get her the non-o visa at the consulate there.

What are the benefits of paying the overstay fine at the airport ?

Someone advised me to arrange it a week in advance, also not to miss flights etc.

At the airport do they take this so easy ?

[ubonjoe]

We have had reports of people with much longer overstays just going to the airport and paying the fine. You just need to be sure you allow a little extra time to pay the fine. Maybe a half hour or so.

A trip to immigration with a confirmed ticket out will get a 7 day extension (1900 baht) after paying the 20.000 baht fine.

[chris2dv8]

A trip out of the country will be needed to get a visa and then the extension will be easy.

You should take her on the trip to Vientiane but do it by air and pay the overstay at the airport. And then get her the non-o visa at the consulate there.

What are the benefits of paying the overstay fine at the airport ?

Someone advised me to arrange it a week in advance, also not to miss flights etc.

At the airport do they take this so easy ?

Can I ask.. Why the airport? Can't she just travel by land to the border and pay there then cross over and get another visa and re-enter on another day?

[lopburi3]

This is a serious overstay amount of time and land travel risks police checks (often made close to borders) looking for overstay. If regular police detain a court hearing and time in jail awaiting it may be required. The other country could also refuse entry. The risk is marginal but airport exit is always considered the best option and they have daily experience with overstay so it is not treated as the crime of the century.

[ubonjoe]

A trip out of the country will be needed to get a visa and then the extension will be easy.

You should take her on the trip to Vientiane but do it by air and pay the overstay at the airport. And then get her the non-o visa at the consulate there.

What are the benefits of paying the overstay fine at the airport ?

Someone advised me to arrange it a week in advance, also not to miss flights etc.

At the airport do they take this so easy ?

Can I ask.. Why the airport? Can't she just travel by land to the border and pay there then cross over and get another visa and re-enter on another day?

Getting to the border can be the problem, There are checkpoints on the way to many of them. Also border checkpoints are not as friendly as the airport about overstays.

There are only a couple of border crossing where there is a consulate nearby to get visa.

[Artisi]

If your mother is as sick as you say, strokes and in a wheelchair - why would you subject her to a bus trip etc and the likelyhood of being detained at a border crossing.

[Maestro]

...why would you subject her to a bus trip etc ...

He would not. The OP, spaceshipcrew, never said anything about a bus trip. On the contrary, he wrote about “not to miss flights”. It was another member, chris2dv8, who butted in with off-topic talk about travel by land.

--

Maestro

[chris2dv8]

...why would you subject her to a bus trip etc ...

He would not. The OP, spaceshipcrew, never said anything about a bus trip. On the contrary, he wrote about "not to miss flights". It was another member, chris2dv8, who butted in with off-topic talk about travel by land.

--

Maestro

Well I am sorry 'for butting in' But I would have thought a road trip would be far easier and she could stop and go at her wish

(taking her time) and viewing the country as she travels. I have done many, many border runs and I too enjoy them (I am a traveller) I can also say I have never ever been checked before getting to the border (maybe next time )

And it wasn't off topic as it was to do with getting her visa sorted. I also said road trip not 'bus trip' as a wheelchair person I've assumed (rightly or wrongly) she would have her own transport

Edited June 14, 2009 by chris2dv8

[spaceshipcrew]

...why would you subject her to a bus trip etc ...

He would not. The OP, spaceshipcrew, never said anything about a bus trip. On the contrary, he wrote about "not to miss flights". It was another member, chris2dv8, who butted in with off-topic talk about travel by land.

--

Maestro

Well I am sorry 'for butting in' But I would have thought a road trip would be far easier and she could stop and go at her wish

(taking her time) and viewing the country as she travels. I have done many, many border runs and I too enjoy them (I am a traveller) I can also say I have never ever been checked before getting to the border (maybe next time )

And it wasn't off topic as it was to do with getting her visa sorted. I also said road trip not 'bus trip' as a wheelchair person I've assumed (rightly or wrongly) she would have her own transport

Going by Thai nitebus for 15 hours ? Also for myself I avoid this for ANY price, it's a horrible nitemare !

There's a very good flight connection with Vientiane and it's inexpensive. The border hassle and passing at Nongkai it's very time consuming, while by air with a stopover in Luangprabang you get the Laos visa in less then 3 minutes.

3 hours for a Luangprabang siteseeing and some food, then the 40 minutes flight to Vientiane, I love it.

[harrry]

Because of her medical history she must get prior approval to fly by getting a medical certificate and waiting for the airline to approve it. This certificate must be within 10 days of flying. In her case I think it may be more comfortable to get the approval to leave in advance too and go by sleeper train to Vientiene if possible. As they use small planes on that route there may be a problem as access is restricted and if her mobility is poor may permission may not be given.

Edited June 14, 2009 by harrry

[ubonjoe]

Because of her medical history she must get prior approval to fly by getting a medical certificate and waiting for the airline to approve it. This certificate must be within 10 days of flying. In her case I think it may be more comfortable to get the approval to leave in advance too and go by sleeper train to Vientiene if possible. As they use small planes on that route there may be a problem as access is restricted and if her mobility is poor may permission may not be given.

I just checked some airline websites for info on the medical certificate you mentioned. Including Lao airways. I have been unable to find any information about it.

I think they may be traveling from Chiang Mai so going by train might be a bit of a problem.

[spaceshipcrew]

Because of her medical history she must get prior approval to fly by getting a medical certificate and waiting for the airline to approve it. This certificate must be within 10 days of flying. In her case I think it may be more comfortable to get the approval to leave in advance too and go by sleeper train to Vientiene if possible. As they use small planes on that route there may be a problem as access is restricted and if her mobility is poor may permission may not be given.

My mum flew several times the 12 hour trip by EVA air, no problem. Airports wheelchair service is very well organized. Lao Airlines I know as a very sympathetic airliner, and the owner of the bookingoffice is a friend of me, so special certificates might not be necessary.

[harrry]

I think it is important if the OP wishes to use an airline that he contacts the airline and gets the details direct. It is true that for flights originating or ending in the US no certificate can be asked for (except for the use of oxygen) This is a new regulation as of this year. It is also the reason that a ;ot of the information about disabled access has been removed from the sites as it would be actionable if information limitingacess was given on a site viewable in the US. I can assure you that whenever I have flown Thai they have required this certificate. Small aircraft such as that used by Lao airlines may not be able to accomodate wheelchairs and generally require fully mobile passengers. Some forum members will remember a wheelchair user was not allowed to fly Jetstar. This was in fact not legal but it happened. All I say is that the OP should get the needs of the airline directly from them (not an agent) and preferably get it in writing.

Edited June 14, 2009 by harrry