Visa

[hello]

Is the max fine still 20,000 baht and can they give a fine on top of that?

If I have an overstay is it ok to go to cambodia or will they try to get more out of me for a max overstay just so they won't blacklist me?

[hello]

I,m sorry to bother people with what I am sure is a same old question but my friend is going on Monday it looks like Cambodia and if anyone knows what the fine is or can be all information is thankful. He has a max overstay I see on the web pages it says 20,000 Baht but I have heard they can fine you more does anyone have any information about this? And if he uses the Cambodia boarder are the chances of him getting blacklisted higher than if he went to the airport with a plane ticket out? Thank you all who can help.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It is still 20,000 baht maximum. I think I'd fly out rather than lob at an isolated outpost somewhere. Either way, I think they'd rather have the money than him.

[hello]

Thank you Dr as always you have a response that gives some support to so many peoples problems. You people have one of the greatest boards for the expats. Many thanks.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Don't let him get caught by Immigration coz then it's banged up, deported and black banned

[kenkannif]

Actually one of my friends was on a max overstay ('cos of a dodgy Visa) and he actually tried to pay at Imm (in BKK) twice, they told him to go to the airport leave and pay there, which he did and then returned the next day....no problem at all. I don't think Imm are quite as bad as you seem to think.

[huski]

he actually tried to pay at Imm (in BKK) twice, they told him to go to the airport leave and pay there

thats because his visa was expired, he has to get an extension, which he didn't get or leave the country.

I don't think Imm are quite as bad as you seem to think.

going in to an immigration office is totally different than being picked up by immigration. they would rather steer you in the right direction, however immigration officers are police and can throw you in jail for overstay don't act like its no big deal.

[kenkannif]

Yes, I understand that but when I was on overstay (28 days) I paid at the local immigration office and they DID give me an extension (3-5 days) to leave the country!

I'm not acting like it's no big deal, but I'd rather contact Imm beforehand than do a run via a border and take a risk of being nicked there.

Certainly being picked up by Imm is a different matter than handing yourself into them, DR PP didn't specify this when he posted as you have done now. If he had I would have agreed.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The airport is still the safest way to go.

[hello]

Hello all

First I would like to thank everyone who could offer help for this problem.

The outcome for anyone who is in the same position. The fine is 20,000 with no fine on top of it the airport was the best place my friend told me when he went to pay the fine they were really nice about it and new he was scared so they made so jokes with him on how much he liked Thailand that he didn't want to leave and how much he must like Thai ladies. He said they were happy he came because the government gets 20,000 for his mistake. He said they were friendly understanding and just trying to relax him. Maybe this is why we all want to stay here.

Thank again all.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The Government would much rather have the tweny grand than the naughty farang overstayer. I'm glad it worked out

[sickofitall]

Overstay : How long is the maximum overstay?? Anyone know?

[Axel]

Overstay : How long is the maximum overstay?? Anyone know?

Until you are arrested, perhaps during a routine control.

This most certainly means immigration detention, deportation and PNG.

So better, do get out, pay the 20,000 and come back with a visa.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Why not read all the posts on this thread sickofit...that'll give you a clear understanding as to where you are at from other people's first hand experience.

[huski]

I had a max overstay one time of over two and a half years. I tried to pay the fine at Immigration (Soi Suan Plu,) but was told I had to pay it at the airport.

was it a tourist visa you originaly entered with? what did you say for an excuse about being over that long?

[bangkok-bob]

what did you say for an excuse about being over that long?

Rot Dit!

[george]

Do not overstay your visa!

[nitro]

20 000 baht is not much.. but. ;-) I rather buy a one year visa for 10 000.

If you can get the one year visa, by all means get it, but these days it's getting tougher to qualify. Also, if you're doing visa runs on your own, you have to consider the opportunity cost (the money you would have made had you not taken time off). For the average working-class bum here (i.e. English teacher) that can add up

[huski]

actually you can stay there a year or more... ther is no limits for the overstay, as long as u dont do something stupid and get arrested or something.

what are you braindead? If you walk into an immigration office that is a completely different thing, the officers will most likely be friendly and you will pay a fine.

20 000 baht is not much.. but. ;-) I rather buy a one year visa for 10 000

after just one day of overstay, if you are picked up on the street randomly, or at a routine roadblock, hotel/apartment search etc. you are going to jail and will be blacklisted.

don't give advice for people not to take their visas seriously.

[Axel]

after just one day of overstay, if you are picked up on the street randomly, or at a routine roadblock, hotel/apartment search etc. you are going to jail and will be blacklisted.

don't give advice for people not to take their visas seriously.

This must be written in bold letters:

don't give advice for people not to take their visas seriously.

or in other word NEVER, EVER, <deleted> WITH THE IMMIGRATION and don't forget it is IMMIGRATION POLICE not an immigration service.

[nitro]

after just one day of overstay, if you are picked up on the street randomly, or at a routine roadblock, hotel/apartment search etc. you are going to jail and will be blacklisted.

I'm not recommending anyone flout the immigration laws. However, that last bit about being blacklisted is B.S. If that were true, I wouldn't be here.

[huski]

I'm not recommending anyone flout the immigration laws. However, that last bit about being blacklisted is B.S. If that were true, I wouldn't be here.

you were not picked up by immigration police, you went to/through immigration...100 percent different

Overstay Thailand

Warning - Note that overstaying is technically breaking the law and while there is little problem with it if you 'surrender' yourself to Immigration at the airport, it can be a very different story if you are stopped by the police beforehand for whatever reason and are found to have overstayed - no matter for how long. This may well lead to you being detained in one of the feared Immigration Detention Center for a few days while your case is processed. Needless to say, this is an experience you can well do without, as conditions inside have been described by Amnesty International as 'cruel and degrading' and 'seriously overcrowded'.

To be personna non grata in Thailand is very serious case—i.e., your name is recorded in a secret ‘Confidential List’, popularly known as the ‘black list’; and you will be banned from entering Thailand forever. It is extremely difficult to have your name removed from the ‘black list’.

Overstaying a visa can leave you trapped in jail and deported from Thailand

nitro, this is not BS but if you want to go another 2 1/2 years overstay and try it again, go for it but if you are picked up, don't drop the soap

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Nitro's ridiculous advice has been deleted ( so has Nitro )

[thomasjojo]

of course, Do not overstay..

[hawaiiguy]

Nitro's ridiculous advice has been deleted ( so has Nitro )

Dear Dr. Pat Pong,

Thank you for protecting us from considering the experiences/opinons of other members by censoring and deleting Nitro's remarks. Quite like the Thai Govt I'd say!

Would it be too much to ask to allow forum members to use their own judgement in reviewing the postings by others instead of leaving that burdensome task solely to you?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yes it is. That man with a 2 1/2 year overstay was giving visa advice. You don't have to come here do you ? This is meant to be a responsible forum.

[Axel]

Do not overstay your visa!

Short and accurate comment.

What I want to read in here, is accurate information, based on facts. I give credit

to TV to do exactly this.

What I do not want to read, some examples:

I overstayed and was not found out.

I drive for xxx years without a driving licence and was never stopped.

I drive without insurance and had never an accident.

I robbed a bank and nobody knows, it was me.

I flew with a one way ticket without visa and the airline did not check it.

This all is not only plain nonsense, it can be dangerous if somebody follows, gets problems or is arrested and perhaps says, I read it in Thai Visa so I did nothing wrong.

We all read ever so often, do not overstay. Fact is, you are checked on the street and may be with 'only ' one day overstay can be hauled off. If it is your bad day, you can end up in court. The indictment will be for overstaying the visa. Period. It will not say 1 day or one year.

What I want to read are actual experiences happened to a member, not what did not happen.

From Thai Visa, I want to hear also in future the laws and rules. Thousands of people are reading in here looking for advice. If they follow the advice given, up to them.

Yes, very often I do not carry my passport (or an authorized copy of it) but I know it is against the law. my advice, however, carry it!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Good advice Axel...thanx.

[nitroII]

I hope this clarifies my position:

Isn't the purpose of this forum to provide accurate information? Dr. Pat Pong has obviously misunderstood my intentions. By telling of my experience I was NOT advising others to overstay. The title of this thread is "Max Fine". There's a very good chance that many of the readers of this thread are already on overstay. It's useless to tell those people not to overstay, they want to know how they can get their visas back in order. Had I known how easy it is to clear up the overstay at the airport, I could have saved myself over two years of paranoia. Others on this thread have already written what can happen if you are caught just one day over. I trust that readers are intelligent enough to make the correct inference here.

[hawaiiguy]

Yes it is. That man with a 2 1/2 year overstay was giving visa advice. You don't have to come here do you ? This is meant to be a responsible forum.

Well, Dr. PP, nobody "has to come here". We're just here to exchange and evaluate differing opinions. You may think of yourself as the final authority on these matters, but as adults, we can make our own decisions about what is "responsible". Thanks for your concern though.