Visa Extensions

[syd barrett]

For those with tourist visas (60 day) a 30 day extension costs 1900 baht, for those with a thirty day arrival visa a 10 day extension is 1900 baht.

I have spoken to many who are here for 31-39 days who have gone to immigration, and been told to pay the overstay charge of 200 baht a day at the airport. So for 34 days this would be 800 baht (a decent saving over 1900 baht).

However, if you are caught as an overstay, or have a problem, accident etc, your passport is checked and bingo- you have a big fine/court/jail etc.

Surely it is irresponsible for immigration to suggest an overstay option at 200 abht a day. Even if you have to pay 1900 baht for ONE day! At least then you are within the law.

I am 100% sure that if you did intend to overstay and pay the 200 baht per day at the airport, and you ran into trouble, it would be no defence to say 'immigration told me to do it'.

Surely if official immigration is recommending overstay they should provide the person making extension plans with a note, saying roughly: 'This bloke came to immigration for extention but we told him to pay the 200 baht a day overstay at the airport because it is a lot cheaper'.

Does this make sense?

[sidzz]

It sure does make sense.

Does anyone know:

A friend of mine needs to extend a non-imm b from Houston for a few days before flying home. does the 1900baht apply to houston non-imms, especially is a plane ticket can be produced to prove he is leaving?

Appreciate any comments

Merry x-mas and all that

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The 1900 baht fee applies to all visas, and the plane ticket is of no consequence. Did your friend get the Houston visa himself or use an agent ?

[Pi Sua]

About extention case....

In reality, you have 20 days overstay witch are looking as a tolerance but you're still charged for this overstay.

If you're caught during this time, you "shouldn't" have any troubles....but the most important; be correct.

They have no interest of jailing you for two, three days or a week overstay if you've got a ticket plane or if you're on the way to a border.

Of course, if you're drunk and doing wrong things, you'll get straight into troubles.

For information: It's the Bangkok French Embassy who did such thing just to put me in trouble because they don't like French citizens staying log time with 30 days stamp.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

About extention case....

In reality, you have 20 days overstay witch are looking as a tolerance but you're still charged for this overstay.

If you're caught during this time, you "shouldn't" have any troubles....but the most important; be correct.

They have no interest of jailing you for two, three days or a week overstay if you've got a ticket plane or if you're on the way to a border.

Bruno....trust me here....there is absolutely no tolerance for overstayers. The only consideration at all is no fine if you are only one day late. After that, the first day is also payable. I wouldn't rely at all on your ideas.

[Axel]

About extention case....

Absolutely never <deleted> with immigration and keep your visa updated.

I know what you want to say with the 20 days-'rule', which does not exist. Even if you're not drunk and doing not wrong things, just imagine a routinew control or an, albeit, minor accident while sitting in a taxi. Non of your mistake, but your visa is not up to date. The police station and the officers have targets how many tickets to issue each month, how many incidents settled, crimes etc. You run into one of the finest on the force who not yet has reached his target. Off you go. The stations report will list you as an oversayer successfully apprehended. There will be no remark on how many days overstayed.

As for your Embassy who "don't like citizens staying log time with 30 days stamp",

True, it will be the embassy - staff having to sort out any problems with the Thai authorities. Nobody wants the extra work.

Back to the point, don't overstay, not even one day.

[sidzz]

Dear dr. Pat Pong.

My friend used an agent, which he now knows was a bad idea, and is just trying to get home. the first available flight is several days after the visa expires so thats why he was planning on going to immigration to extend his visa for a few days. Otherwise its a case of overstaying or doing a visa run to Cambodia, malaysia, or Laos, and coming back on a 30 tourist visa.

[Pi Sua]

I don't want to bother but the information I've given but they are not my ideas and I like to trust you and even accept that they do not exist but they are from the official Internet site of the French embassy in Bangkok. I woud never spread such things if my sources weren't reliable....

If you can read French, I suggest you to have look there....

http://www.ambafrance-th.org/

then "vivre et voyager en Thailande"

then "visa "

and you will read:

En cas de dépassement de la durée accordée par le visa, une amende de 100 bahts par jour de dépassement (avec un maximum toléré de 20 jours)

The words in brackets mean "with a maximum of 20 day overstay tolerated"

In this Internet site, there are quite a lot of mistakes but would they risk to play with the French citizens' freedom with such important information ?

I've already asked them to changed some parts like of that the "100 bahts fine" and still waiting they do it. But about the 20 day tolerance I supposed it was some true information...and if you do confirm that's wrong, I'm going to send a registred letter to the French ambassador in emergency.

It won't be the first time and it's really important to stop that before some are sent to jail.

Whatever, the best way is to never get into an overstay situation. There is the laws and there are the immigration officers who can have a different eyesight at them.....and if the officer hasn't reach his quota yet....

For example....by the law (but they change, especially these days)...the first day overstay should be free....but the second has to be charged as 2 days.

It happens to me and once again it depend on the officer, the first days is sometimes free, sometimes not.

About the French Embassy confiscating passeports; I don't thing that is less work for them. If I didn't pay the fine, I'd had been sent in jail and that would have made trouble for me and them. A lot of work.

In fact, as I said above, for the passeport, there is the law and there is a consul who can have a different eyesight at it.

The main reason is so different that they don't want to work much (it's also a part, I agree) and it would be to long to talk about that but just let you know, I sued them in the French supreme court (Conseil d'Etat) and won. I'm still suing them for another case and I'll be soon suing them again because they don't want to apply the judgment to the others and because they also want to restrict the passeport delivery if you're not working in Thailand.

I don't know about your embassies but we do have a problem with ours. They don't want French citizens travelling to long without going back to France....without controls.....

In fact, I've got much more troubles with the French authorities than the Thai authorities....and I'm not an isolated case.

Are they making some special deal with the Thai authorities to expell us in a different manner ? I do thing it is possible but such thing like spreading wrong and dangerous information about the overstay through the Internet...!?

Surely, this doesn't help with our visa runs and do not forget, there is the law and even if you are right, in Thailand, if they decide you're wrong, then you are.

Last thing: Please, as it is very important, if you could go and ask to your embassies about the French embassy information....it could help to know because if it's true, our embassy should help to get out of troubles. They're here to inform about our rights in the country we're leaving or visiting...and defend us against any abuses.

[Pi Sua]

Sorry for the first sentence.... I've corrected it.

I don't want to bother but the information I've given are not my ideas. I like to trust you and even accept that they do not exist but they are from the official Internet site of the French embassy in Bangkok. I woud never spread such things if my sources weren't reliable....

and also.....

the first day is sometimes free, sometimes not.

I meant sometimes free and it happen that I had to pay 200 bahts.

[george]

http://www.ambafrance-th.org/ 

then "vivre et voyager en Thailande"

then  "visa "

and you will read:

En cas de dépassement de la durée accordée par le visa, une amende de 100 bahts par jour de dépassement (avec un maximum toléré de 20 jours)

The words in brackets mean "with a maximum of 20 day overstay tolerated"

Completely false information from the French Emabssy here. Shame on them!

No overstay is tolerated, overstay is a crime in Thailand.

They even suggesting a "discount" on the overstay fine! The frogs at the Embassy should know that the current overstay fine is 200 Baht per day since many years ago...

[stopper]

So much misinformation out there. It is downright scary!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Well Bruno...you'd better write that letter to His Excellency...the information on the French Embassy website is grossly inaccurate, and potentially very dangerous advice to French Citizens.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Dear dr. Pat Pong.

My friend used an agent, which he now knows was a bad idea, and is just trying to get home. the first available flight is several days after the visa expires so thats why he was planning on going to immigration to extend his visa for a few days. Otherwise its a case of overstaying or doing a visa run to Cambodia, malaysia, or Laos, and coming back on a 30 tourist visa.

Make sure that he has adequate funds. They'll know that was an agent sourced visa, and may decide to cancel it. Then your friend has a big overstay bill to contend with.

[Pi Sua]

and potentially very dangerous advice to French Citizens.

....as you say....very dangerous....but not only for French because I as did, I think few of them spread these information....

[huski]

paying 200 baht a day for overstay at the airport is very straight foward but don't make it part of your travel plans if your return ticket doesn't match up with your visa.

there was a post i read about 3 months ago about the farang that was ONE day over his visa. that morning immigration happen to do a sweep at his hotel?, apartment? and off to jail he went. he was suppose to leave THAT DAY and had his return ticket to show immigration, it didn't matter that he was suppose to leave that day. there is no grace period or mercy if an immigration police officer CATCHES you.

leaving at the airport and paying 200 baht a day is 100 percent different than being caught overstaying.

[sidzz]

Dr Pat Pong

Cheers for the info.

As far as i know my friend was in Malaysia when he got his houston stamp, so as far as i know theres no laws really been broken.

You say that the visa may be cancelled at the airport, is this your opinion, or has this happened for a fact?

Cheers

Sidzz

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It has happened...Houston visa's too. It is illegal to use an agent and it is illegal to apply by mail unless you are in the juridiction of the issuing office. Malaysia obviously is not in the USA.

[sidzz]

Hi dr pat pong

what then would you recommend for my friends situation, 1) risk overstaying a couple of weeks and pay a couple of K at the airport,2) try to extend at imm. in bangkok for 15 days for 1900baht, or 3) do a visa run to cambodia, laos, or malaysia and come back in on a 30 tourist visa then fly home on that?

Your insight would be most appreciated

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Given that stamp, it'd be too hard to say.

[Axel]

I don't want to bother but the information I've given but they are not my ideas and I like to trust you and even accept that they do not exist but they are from the official Internet site of the French embassy in Bangkok. I woud never spread such things if my sources weren't reliable....

If you can read French, I suggest you to have look there....

http://www.ambafrance-th.org/

then "vivre et voyager en Thailande"

then "visa "

and you will read:

En cas de dépassement de la durée accordée par le visa, une amende de 100 bahts par jour de dépassement (avec un maximum toléré de 20 jours)

The words in brackets mean "with a maximum of 20 day overstay tolerated"

George and Dr. P_P. Would it worthwhile to contact the French Embassy as Thai Visa, to point out the discrepancy?

We have lots of French speaking members, who could help to translate.

Just an idea, but to advice 20 days overstay is ok, is dangerous.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I don't want to bother but the information I've given but they are not my ideas and I like to trust you and even accept that they do not exist but they are from the official Internet site of the French embassy in Bangkok. I woud never spread such things if my sources weren't reliable....

If you can read French, I suggest you to have look there....

http://www.ambafrance-th.org/ 

then "vivre et voyager en Thailande"

then  "visa "

and you will read:

En cas de dépassement de la durée accordée par le visa, une amende de 100 bahts par jour de dépassement (avec un maximum toléré de 20 jours)

The words in brackets mean "with a maximum of 20 day overstay tolerated"

George and Dr. P_P. Would it worthwhile to contact the French Embassy as Thai Visa, to point out the discrepancy?

We have lots of French speaking members, who could help to translate.

Just an idea, but to advice 20 days overstay is ok, is dangerous.

The French aren't the best advice takers as a rule Axel, let alone the Embassy of France. I will have a word to George though. Thanks.

[singa-traz]

The French Embassy in Thailand does not want to process the passport requests from 30 days tourists, and actually should not need to.

If you work in Thailand or have a long term visa, you would be able to register to the Embassy, and this will ease the paperwork.

I guess, Bruno might be another 30 days walker ...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The French Embassy in Thailand does not want to process the passport requests from 30 days tourists, and actually should not need to.

If you work in Thailand or have a long term visa, you would be able to register to the Embassy, and this will ease the paperwork.

I guess, Bruno might be another 30 days walker ... <_<

I suspect that Bruno isn't on the Embassy's Christmas card list. .

[Pi Sua]

The French Embassy in Thailand does not want to process the passport requests from 30 days tourists, and actually should not need to.

If you work in Thailand or have a long term visa, you would be able to register to the Embassy, and this will ease the paperwork.

The French Embassy has already lost in supreme court (it wasn't me) concerning the passeport delivery. They just can't simply refuse.

Wathever your visa is, they can't simply stop you for travelling round the world as long as you like or even staying wherever you like.

Also concerning the registration, I just won the trial and they now have to register you after six month living in the country with or without a job and even with 30 day visa, regardless on what you're doing except of course if you are a treat.

It's not even they shouln't give you a passeport wether you are registered or not and whether you have only 30 day visa and what kind of visa it is, but according the French passeport law, they have to look first where your official leaving place is, where you really spend your time more than 6 month a year ! And according to our constitution we can choose our living place anywhere in the world.

They can't either disrespect the international conventions and pacts and we are just few to remind them they exist. For me, as I have a young boy here going to school, they shoud have never try to sent me away from him and his mother even if for some very special reasons I can't get long term visa. The French Embassy just have to respect the law and the principle of the family.

As they refused to provide him registration, ID card and a passeport (even he is French by blood and registered in my family book), I sued and I won in Supreme Court.

I can show evidence of staying here....and as I said before...the Thai authorities never made me any problems.....just my people did .

They have to do everything possible to help you and keep your family united (European Convention of the Human Rights, Convention of the Children Rights and Pact UN of the Civil and Politic Rights).

But now it appear that my country, "the country of the Human rights" wicth has signed all of these conventions is shitting on them.

Something is sure, it depend on the team in the French Embassy. Some people are open mind and realize there are no point to make it more difficult than it is and some just like to show they have the power to help or cheat you.

On they bloody and dangerous website, the 20 days is another big thing and I really couldn't imagine they would endanger all the French citizen.

They still keep us very well aware writing that they are not responsible for the content.

I knew they were cheating us about our rights like registration, passeport delivery, wedding and many other things and I've already informed the Senate and the Minister of the foreign affairs about what was going on down here.....but it is a big family....and unless you do not sue in court....they usually don't make a move !

I'm going to inform his Excellency and Paris once again about this terrible.... let's call it "mistake" ....but I thing they'll just put my letter straight into the bin and carry on spreading their shit (excuse my French).

Of course, for me no Christmas card but it's better they would give me poisoned frogs !

[Pi Sua]

I forgot, thanks to have point out this really important thing and sorry again to have spread such insane informations.

I'll keep informing as much French people as I can, I do hope than will avoid more problems than we need.

Best wishes for the end of this year

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Bruno....get off the 30 day visa's. It is pissing off the Republic, and it will soon piss off the Thai Authorities. Go get a real visa. It is a priority.

[capitalinvestment]

Absolutely never &lt;deleted&gt; with immigration and keep your visa updated.

Excellent post!

Not just imm but also the labour or revenue departments!!!

[Pi Sua]

Dr

I'd like to but I really can't. For the moment we have no choice. Leaving at the border I'd be the first happy to change this situation, believe me. Also upset to give money to the burmese junta.

To risky and pricy to get to Cambodia or Laos, my passeport is full off Burmese stamps and I'll probably be denied a visa. Over there, they don't know the situation and wouldn't care about.

The immigration here at high level in the province knows our case very well and it's a really special and complicated case. A very uncomon situation. The main problem, the French Embassy has made it worse and is carrying on on that way. The Thai authorities even don't understand why my Embassy is acting like that.

They actually block the situation and I'm waiting for the Supreme Court to decide....again and again....

Very special case....only one way....the 30 day visa and it's not my intention to piss off the republic...

Hope it'll end by 2004!

[Pi Sua]

George and Dr. P_P. Would it worthwhile to contact the French Embassy as Thai Visa, to point out the discrepancy?

We have lots of French speaking members, who could help to translate.

Just an idea, but to advice 20 days overstay is ok, is dangerous.

It's an excellent idea and it would be really great to contact them. It'll help not only the French. Too many people believe hard what the autorities say and will spread it as long as it is published.

I did it two months ago about the 100 baht fine, that's antic and deeply stupid and can lead people in difficult situations ! No move has been made.

Their e-mail...in case...

[email protected]

[george]

Can someone PM me a polite text in French language to the French Embassy in Bangkok, I will be happy to contract them. Thanks.