A friend has overstayed on his marriage visa and would like to know what would be the best way forward.

He holds a British passport. Got his visa in 4th May 2009 with a permitted to stay stamped until 3rd April 2010. His last 3 month report was on the 24th Feb 2010 and got a receipt letter with a stamp to renew 23rd May 2010.

He made a mistake and thought that he could stay until the 23rd May 2010. He went to the local immigration office last week and they told him he had overstayed since the 3rd April 2010 and laughed

They said if he paid them 20,000Baht for the overstay, they would renew his marriage visa. But he has to get statement first from the embassy. With all the trouble in Bangkok, he has not yet travelled to Bangkok. His also worried that if he gets stopped by the police and they see his passport he'll be arrested and deported.

Can he pay the fine at local immigration, he didn't have much faith in them because they first ask for 200,000Baht or does he have to leave the country via an airport??

He knows his done wrong and is going to pay the 20,000Baht fine but doesn't know the best way to do it.

Boycie

The fine is 500 baht a day wirth a maximum of 20,000 baht.

He can only apply at his own local immigration office for an extension and if they are willing to do the extension I would do it there. Contact the British embassy to see if they can provide the letter by mail, some embassies allow applying by mail. Not sure on the British embassy.

Leaving the country and applying for a new visa is also possible abroad, but would be more costly.

Most Embassies are reopening this week in any case so he should be able to obtain the letter.

The British Embassy does issue by mail.

another "my friend did/has this and that" - topic.

in 99% of the cases (including GEORGE himself ^^ ) this reads: "ME MYSELF did/has this and that....."

You didn't mention which immigration office he uses. If it is Pattaya then ask Barry Kenyon for the required letter instead of going to the embassy. It isn't the first time someone has made the mistake of looking at the 90 day report and forgot to renew the extension. That is why they laughed. The fine will have to be paid. Expensive lesson to be learned.

Thanks for the replies.

I must be in the 1% siam2007. I'm far too sensible to be getting married I believe "my friend topics" to be true most of the time because a lot of my older friends don't even know how to turn a computer on. They think by saying "i love you" does the trick

Sorry back on track

BWPattaya my friend uses the Kanchanaburi office.

So all he needs to do is, get the letter from the Embassy via post or in person, then take it to the Kanchanaburi office, pay the fine of 20,000Baht and he'll get a new extension of stay. The just go reporting every 90 days.??

Boycie

Good luck to your friend 'Boycie'

Hope things turn out for the best.

Sawadee