I don't know what some of you people are talking about. It is quite simple to solve. Present yourself at Immigration Office with the requisite amount of cash ie 20,000 Baht. Pay the bill and get an extension of visa. My pal who had overstayed by 39, yes 39, years just did it with no problems.

Now THAT'S what I call an overstay!

Guess you know some monks in the area you're staying.

Take a monk with you when leaving the country,let him explain that you found your way to Buddha, doesn't really matter if you leave by bus, or plane.

A monk will be very helpful. The fact that you've got a child with a Thai man will enable you to get a Thai passport after marrying him.

Guess you know that being polite with a smile in your face, a monk and the fine will fix the problem very easily.

Good luck from lower north-east!------

Marriage to a Thai does not allow anyone to obtain a Thai passport. Only if she were to obtain Thai citizenship would a passport be available.

I am somewhat bewildered as to why you have only realised the ramifications of an overstayed visa of eight years, however I am not aware of your circumstances nor the type of visa you were granted entry on nor how you have flown underneath the radar such a length of time.

Your embassy has offered their advice and assistance which seems to be the most profound.The immigration laws have tightened so much over the years as in the past whereby one could seek out a sympathetic office to deal with this issue are long gone.

I have been on visa runs in the past with organised visa operators who declined patrons due to an overstay issue who were withdrawn form the run to be handled by alternate means and others who tagged along and were parted with some Thai Baht and the rest of us at the borders.

Best of luck and for a positive outcome but I don't think an excuse of I lost track of time would wash unless you were clearly mentally unstable, an alcoholic or addicted to drugs, or a combination of all three.

We had heard a lot of pros and cons of paying the fine in the airport. I would like to actually see what the outcome would be. Could Farlang2012 tell us what she had chosen to do and the outcome so we can all learn the overstay issue and the rectification.

Thankyou for all your answers and advice, I am still weighing out what i should do, i'm still scared of what to expect but it the process i have decided to apply for my sons British passport and take him with me.Iif the worst comes to worst i will have him with me. I just hope i'm allowed back into Thailand. * Fingers crossed*

I have my reasons of why i have overstayed so long Nd i regret doing it but i personally think that it matters now i've decided to sort it out. I'm not turning up with expired passport, overstay and no money. But i have a valid passport and the money to clear the overstay.

I'll defo keep everyone nformed of what i choose to do and how it goes.

Thankyou once again

Once you get willingly to an immigration office, you will be dealt with according to procedures. In your case, it should be paying the fine and moving on.

The long standing members should remember, some 5 years or so ago, when a crakdown of illigal burmese aliens was ordered, and immigration officers could not show success. They ended-up focusing on farangs and stopped a bus doing a visa run from Phuket to Ranong. Everyone in the bus had the passport with them of course. Checked them all, and anybody with an overstay, one day or more, were rounded-up, put in a truck, and driven to Bangkok to appear before a judge. Fines, deportation etc were ordered. The foreign embassies got involved, and a better outcome was resolved between the countries for the farangs involved.

So that is to say, when you decide to resolve your issue, take your passport with you, just make sure that you get to an immigration offficer with it on your own. Once at the immigration, you are dealing with people who apply rules. In your case, the rule should be...20,000 bahts fine, with a smile and a thank you.

Not many options more than showing-up at immigration .

Yes there is and immigration will be the first to tell you - exit at airport. If you go to immigration they will likely have to detain you until your departure. If you go directly to airport you are normally allowed to pay and leave in a relatively simple process.

To those slagging Badbanker, I would like to say that he helped my friend enormously, I conveyed everything Badbanker said to my friend and he was treated well at all time.

My friend was on an overstay of a couple of years, but had no passport, I wrote on here and badbanker had kind words and some ideas, I spoke to my friend and he agreed to go to the Embassy (UK), however he needed some dutch courage, and was out of hand at the Embassy. He went back later and apologised and was told to report to Immigration and hand himself in, until the funds could be sent from the UK (from his mother, and handled correctly by the Embassy). My friend again needed some dutch courage and handed himself in to Lumpini Police station, where an officer helped him and got him prepared for a trip to Immigration. At Immigration, the Embassy were informed, and my friend was arrested and taken to jail, he did not spend his time at IDC but at a jail in Pathum Thani (other reasons involved here I believe), then upon release to an Embassy official and with a new temporary passport and also after paying the court fines he had received he left Thailand via air to the UK, he has since returned to Thailand, and is currently working again.

I was in contact with the Embassy and badbanker on here, the Embassy were great and assisted him whenever they could, they visited him and passed messages from myself to him, badbanker gave the original information and suggestions about the Embassy then Immigration, which I could not fault.

To the OP, sometimes the Embassy is okay, there are certain people there who can help, you need to have the money for overstaying the tickets out of Thailand, and hey presto am sure no issues, if you need assistance I am sure I have the contact email of the guy at the British Embassy if you need it, he can help you a lot, as can some here. Please be careful whatever you choose to do.

Guess you know some monks in the area you're staying.

Take a monk with you when leaving the country,let him explain that you found your way to Buddha, doesn't really matter if you leave by bus, or plane.

A monk will be very helpful. The fact that you've got a child with a Thai man will enable you to get a Thai passport after marrying him.

Guess you know that being polite with a smile in your face, a monk and the fine will fix the problem very easily.

Good luck from lower north-east!------

Marriage to a Thai does not allow anyone to obtain a Thai passport. Only if she were to obtain Thai citizenship would a passport be available.

Dear Lopburi,

Sorry, for my wrong explanation. I'd be more than happy if the same law would be available for those MEN who'd married a Thai woman, always paid taxes and never did any thing wrong for many moons.

Beside from not being from this country.........

I'm confused.

Someone can overstay in thailand without paying any visa fees for years and all they get is a 20,000 baht fine?

The fine has a cap of 20,000 baht. Which allows people to get legal; so likely a good system.

Two post links removed.

In 2009 I went on a visa run with a visa Co, a Danish guy was 5 years over stay, we went to Vientiane Lao from Bangkok, he just paid 20,000 BHT at the Thai immigration at the border and the visa Co got him a visa in Vientiane and he came back with the rest of the group the next day, it was no trouble.

Once you get willingly to an immigration office, you will be dealt with according to procedures. In your case, it should be paying the fine and moving on.

The long standing members should remember, some 5 years or so ago, when a crakdown of illigal burmese aliens was ordered, and immigration officers could not show success. They ended-up focusing on farangs and stopped a bus doing a visa run from Phuket to Ranong. Everyone in the bus had the passport with them of course. Checked them all, and anybody with an overstay, one day or more, were rounded-up, put in a truck, and driven to Bangkok to appear before a judge. Fines, deportation etc were ordered. The foreign embassies got involved, and a better outcome was resolved between the countries for the farangs involved.

So that is to say, when you decide to resolve your issue, take your passport with you, just make sure that you get to an immigration offficer with it on your own. Once at the immigration, you are dealing with people who apply rules. In your case, the rule should be...20,000 bahts fine, with a smile and a thank you.

Not many options more than showing-up at immigration .

As a non long standing member I can recall in the past Beach Road Immigration office actually facilitated visa extensions but were soon highlighted in the local press and as the competition of other( non Government) Visa clearing operations, their staff were all transferred. Thus ended a happy relationship without even leaving the Kingdom.

In Patong itself are still some smaller Tour and Travel agencies operated and owned by Immigration officers that can advise you on the suitable option considering your requirements and Phuket International Airport would be my choice of departure point if in your circumstance.

Otherwise I would track down Express Visa in Ekamai and seek their help as they have many years of experiencing this kind of dilemma in the day to day operation of Visa services.

As you have a new Passport your cancelled Passport still has your original entry Visa and needs to be photocopied as do all other documents in relation to your stay- the more the better, and the more copies also.A photo identity card such as your licence if current shows also an intention to validate your status as a foreigner wishing to come good , pay the fine , and get on with your life.

Ultimately your at the mercy of the system and how they rate it on the day.

I am not up on overstays at all. However on reading all the answers on here it does become very confusing.

I dont know what part of Thailand you are living in, but I personally would go to the people at 1st Class Visa and ask them for their advise on what to do or ring them, I know the lady there speaks very good english. They are in very well with immigration and would possibly know what to do.

I think they work out of an English bar in Soi 6 or 7. Some other TV members on here may have knowledge of the address.

Hope this is a help.

Ozemade

I don't know what some of you people are talking about. It is quite simple to solve. Present yourself at Immigration Office with the requisite amount of cash ie 20,000 Baht. Pay the bill and get an extension of visa. My pal who had overstayed by 39, yes 39, years just did it with no problems.

I agree with this as I have done it before. Why not just call them direct and ask them? Can't hurt.

Thankyou for all your answers and advice, I am still weighing out what i should do, i'm still scared of what to expect but it the process i have decided to apply for my sons British passport and take him with me.Iif the worst comes to worst i will have him with me. I just hope i'm allowed back into Thailand. * Fingers crossed*

I have my reasons of why i have overstayed so long Nd i regret doing it but i personally think that it matters now i've decided to sort it out. I'm not turning up with expired passport, overstay and no money. But i have a valid passport and the money to clear the overstay.

I'll defo keep everyone nformed of what i choose to do and how it goes.

Thank you once again

I assume that you still have your old passport which has your entry and permit to stay stamps and if you have been careful your original TM6 departure card.

If you have the passport (TM6 is not important) that takes care of your proof of entry and permit to stay problem that some posters mentioned.

I would just buy a round trip ticket to KL and leave paying the 20,000 baht fine there.

Staying over in KL and getting a single entry tourist visa would also be a good idea.

Edited July 31, 201213 yr by ubonjoe

in case of still valid passport , just buy a ticket,go to airport,pay THB20k, fly out n you can come back in.

No problem, as ubonjoe said, if you fly to KL/Malaysia, you could even apply for a tourist visa or non O.