Lost Passport And Overstay

[lonerangerr]

Not sure if this is the right place in the forum. Without explaining all the details how I lost my passport, overstay etc, I don't need what I should or should not have done, I need to know from someone who has experience! I am an American, I lost my passport, and am now about 6 months overstay due to a family situation, and now need to return to the US! I have applied for a new Passport, so that is no longer a problem. The main thing I am not clear, and no one seems to know clearly, even Attorney's who say they can sort it out for a huge amount of Baht! The last stamp I had was from a Cambodia border run, so how is the Thai Immigration going to know when I last entered or exited Thailand? From what I have found out, seems to be very vague, and it is about 50/50 they really have no way to know! I have been to the Immigration near Sathorn Road, which seemed to be a huge waste of time, because obviously, I don't have my passport, only the paperwork. They seemed very vague, and I could not get a straight answer, (yes I had a Thai person with that translates good) I am just assuming they don't know, and are just happy to charge me 20,000 Baht for the overstay? I was told by Thai Immigration that I don't need to go to the Bangkok office where you pay for overstay, (which I assume is wrong because I have read that elsewhere) And, I am not going to just head to the airport when I leave and just pay there, when I have no entrance stamp.

So I guess that is my main question, I know I need to take my passport to the Immigration office, but why would I open a can of worms again, and when they ask, tell them I have just been here a few months? I already planned to pay the 20,000 baht, so that is not my concern. I just want to keep it as simple as possible when dealing with the Thai's at the Immigration office, since they seem to only know how to deal with 1 problem at a time and just seem to tell me whatever they want so they don't have to actually do their job? Does anyone actually know what is going at any of these Thai government offices?

Thanks in advance!

[jackdawson]

tell them I have just been here a few months

yes , i think u should start out w/ a lie . after all , u'd do the same thing to Homeland Security back in the States , right ?

i am sure when the Thais determine the date of ur actual entrance into their country (which they probably will do even if it means u sitting there in front of them for, say, 4 hours) , they will find that amusing .

[wolf5370]

Get your passport - get your plane ticket - go to the airport very early - pay your 20k overstay - avoid the cops. They have all your entrance/exits on computer. I take it you didn't/don'r have a opy of you passport that got lost (I always scan my in to the computer so I have a copy of all the details/visa/entry stamp etc) as this would help them find the entries - even a passport number would help. If you have extenuating circumstances then tell them - it will not help as to your fine (6 months is a long time to 'sort something out' in their eyes) but it may garner some understanding from the clerk.

As a little birdie told you (Jackdaw...son ) - don't lie, there is a paper trail and you will likely be caught out in it, and then they will smell a serious rat.

[lopburi3]

Immigration office for Americans is at Chiang Watanna Road on Soi 7 and has been since last year so perhaps they would understand better than Suan Phlu which only deals with boarding countries.

(yes I had a Thai person with that translates good)

Well if they did not get you to the right office I have some doubts.

[guavagirl]

I agree with Wolf. Actually I had a friend who lost her passport and got a new one in BKK. She had to pay the overstay when she did a border run.

Everything is on their computer.....Go to the airport early with the cash ready (500 per day with maximum of 20,000) and pay there.

You should be aware that with an overstay of that long you may have trouble coming back to Thailand if you are not gone for a substantial amount of time first.

Good luck!

[Guest]

Immigration office for Americans is at Chiang Watanna Road on Soi 7

I hope that the rest of us outcast foreigners might be permitted to join the almighty Americans in using the Chaengwattana office also?

[Mario2008]

I hope that the rest of us outcast foreigners might be permitted to join the almighty Americans in using the Chaengwattana office also?

Most nationalities have to use Chang Wattana, but a few nationalities, Laotian, Cambodian and Myanmar, have to use Suan Plu.

http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/intro1.html

[lopburi3]

And that was the point of my post - OP clearly stated he was American so he should not have been using Suan Phlu for normal activity. But he also seems to have been writing his question at 0345 in the morning so that also seems rather strange.

[wolf5370]

And that was the point of my post - OP clearly stated he was American so he should not have been using Suan Phlu for normal activity. But he also seems to have been writing his question at 0345 in the morning so that also seems rather strange.

Lop, many of my posts are in the early hours, beause I tend to work through the night and sleep late (quieter and more comfortable in my home office and faster internet speeds) - but I live here, so maybe he's just a night owl like me - or too busy during the day. Infact its 08:18, time for a nap...

[lazygourmet]

To the OP:

the main problem will be that if you don't have anymore your departure card, the immigration would have to do a research regarding your last entry in Thailand.

That can take time and obviously cannot be done on the day you decide to leave...

I would suggest you to use the service of Sunbelt (legal department), I have nothing to do with them, but they did wonders for several acquaintances who had cases much worst than yours.

Send them an email (I think they are still sponsor on this forum) and explain your case.... Good luck...

[Phatcharanan]

the main problem will be that if you don't have anymore your departure card, the immigration would have to do a research regarding your last entry in Thailand.

That can take time and obviously cannot be done on the day you decide to leave...

Beg to differ.......lost my departure card before (not stapled into passport). It was no problem for Imm. They looked on a computer, gave me another departure card with the original number written onto the new card in ink. Took about 10 minutes.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Phatcharanan

[lazygourmet]

the main problem will be that if you don't have anymore your departure card, the immigration would have to do a research regarding your last entry in Thailand.

That can take time and obviously cannot be done on the day you decide to leave...

Beg to differ.......lost my departure card before (not stapled into passport). It was no problem for Imm. They looked on a computer, gave me another departure card with the original number written onto the new card in ink. Took about 10 minutes.

Agreed with you, that happened to me as well... Just filled a new one at the airport but I was neither overstay nor without a last entry stamp in my passport.