Please can someone give me some advice? I arrived in Thailand on 03/12/03 and have just checked my passport and discovered that the expiry date is 01/01/04. I thought that the tourist visas validity lasted for 8 weeks? Anyone have any advice on what to do? I am leaving on 02/02/04. Will there be any charges?

Thanks!

Where are you reading that date? If it is the "visa" it just means you had to use it by that date. The date you must leave will be stamped both in your passport and on the back of the TM6 form you have in your passport. The stamp should say "admitted until". If that date is wrong you should go to immigration to correct it. They have a counter set up for that here in Bangkok.

Lopburi3 / klaw

The back of my TM6 has the stamp with

the arrival date only

I don't think they normally write the Admitted

Until date on the back of the TM6

- I think it is only written in the Rubber Stamp

impression in the passport

klaw

The Tourist Visa is for a stay of 60 days

Hi Klaw!

When I count the days (03.12 - 01.01) I guess you have a simple 30day on-arrival tourist visa. This means that you have already an overstay of 12 days. I suggest to go to the next Immigration Office ASAP. Try not to look like a backpacker, be very friendly there, tell them that you just missed the point with 30 days validity because you mixed things up ( you can get a 60 day Tourist-Visa when you apply for it at a Thai embassy abroad). Show them that you are very sorry about your mistake and ask them what to do now. I guess that they say "mai dee" , don't do again, will charge you with 200THB for each day overstay and will give you another ten days extension for 1900THB. Bring two nice looking passport-photos and go there early (08.00-08.30) when they are still in a good mood.

If you want to stay here until 02/02/04 keep in mind that you have to do another border run, cause ten days is all they will give you. And be at Immigration before any Thai official has the chance to check your passport. Good luck

Love shuni

Thank you all for your replies. The expiration date is stated on the rubber stamp on my passport. looks like I'll have to head to Bangkok. I'm currently on Ko Tao...is there anywhere I can get this sorted other than Bangkok?

THANKS AGAIN!

Oh, just one other thing. When I completed the visa form on the plane I stated that I was staying in Thailand for 60 days. Is it worth telling them this as i really don't want to pay all that money (even if it is because of my own ignorance!)?

You did not complete a 'visa form' on the plane. You must obtain a visa in an overseas Embassy or Consulate of Thailand before you arrive.

On the plane you filled out a "landing card" (Tm.6) which, among other things, asked you for your visa number, place of issue and date of issue.

On arrival you obtained a 30 day stay stamp (entry without visa). You are now well into overstay at a time when overstay is not a good thing to be. You are also beyond the extension of 10 days this entry normally allows.

If it were me I would be on the first plane out, even if only a trip to Singapore, paying any overstay at airport. This is normally the safe thing to do. That is not to say you can not work something out with immigration but if you take that path would advise you to be very honest, dress well, keep cool and be be sure to have money to pay any fines.

Hi Klaw,

Please do tell us what happens so that

we can learn from your experience and

use it to help others

Thanks

Roger