Non Immigrant Visa

[Sithney]

Hey there

I have brought myself in a very tough spot. Worked in one company in Chiang Mai with work permit and all. The workpermit was made, so I needed to do visa runs every 3 month. The company closed, and I went to Vietnam to make a new non immigrant visa for the new company I was going to be employed in. But the lawyer made some mistake with the paperwork, and I came back with a tourist visa.

This is where the trouble starts, because I am now waiting for the lawyer to sort out the paperwork, which includes a letter from the ministry of labour, It has taking long time, and I forgot that I do not have the ususal 3 month, but 2 month tourist visa. And I now have overstay.

So here is the question, what do I do? Do I go straight to the immigration in Chiang Mai, explain the situation, pay the money and leave for visa run? If so, where would be the best place to do so, to avoid complications? If NOT so, what do I then do? Just go to airport, pay the bill and take it from there?

I have been here for 3 years, and I am not keen on a one way ticket back home.

Hope someone can help here.

Sithney

[Maestro]

You don’t say how long your overstay is at the moment. I have seen members report that with a short overstay after entering with a tourist visa they went to the local immigration office where they were made to pay the fine of 500 Baht per day of overstay and got a 30-day extension for an additional 1,900 Baht.

--

Maestro

[Sithney]

You don’t say how long your overstay is at the moment. I have seen members report that with a short overstay after entering with a tourist visa they went to the local immigration office where they were made to pay the fine of 500 Baht per day of overstay and got a 30-day extension for an additional 1,900 Baht.

--

Maestro

The overstay is right now at 26 days. And I am still waiting for the papers I need to get the non imigrant visa, so I need at least another week according to my lawyer.

Sithney.

[Mario2008]

I is hard to tell what immigration will do in your situation, it will depend on the officer. They could give you the 30 day extension and fine you for the overstay. The extension will not be enough, as you already are 26 days on overstay.

In your situation the best thing is to fly out of the country, and at the airport just pay the overstay. You could just return by air the ame day, which should give you a permission to stay for 30 days. Enough till you have your paperwork in order. Alternatively just apply for a tourist visa abroad.

If you do a landborder run, you run the risk of a police check and if they spot the overstay they can detain you till you have paid the fine and hve a ticket out of the country. Can't say how great that risk is.