Need Some Good Advice. Accidental Overstay.

[Redlines]

my wife and I are both on 60 day tourist visas issued in KL. I don't know why but I had thought we had 90 days. Clearly I was wrong and we are now on overstay since the 15th. We just realized it at diner tonight. So I need to know what our best option is now. We are moving toBKK in a couple Weeks, signing up with Thai language school and headed to Laos to get an Ed visa.Should I just get tickets for KL and fly there , part the overstay fine on the way out, and then fly back simply stamping in for the regular 30 day stamp? will they give us any problems coming back after the overstay? Thank you in advance.

[stoneyboy]

Probably not the answer you are looking for,but why did you not check the stamp in your passport upon arrival,that's the first thing I do when entering any country.

[stoneyboy]

Incidentally you could have obtained a 30 day extension for a fee of 1900 baht.

Best of luck in getting sorted.

[Redlines]

Incidentally you could have obtained a 30 day extension for a fee of 1900 baht.

Best of luck in getting sorted.

This is actually what my original plan was. I think that is why I had 90 days in my head rather than 60. I can't bitch about now. Only accept the situation Im in now and deal with it.

[noob7]

"We are moving toBKK in a couple Weeks, signing up with Thai language school and headed to Laos to get an Ed visa.Should I just get tickets for KL and fly there , part the overstay fine on the way out, and then fly back simply stamping in for the regular 30 day stamp? will they give us any problems coming back after the overstay?

Would be great, in case the Language school could get you the papers now. But you haven't started the process, have you?

Because the other thing is usually the way, I would go for. Get 500 Baht x2 for every day after the 15's (13.000 so far, leaving 2morrow, I think)

Go at the airport direct to the overstay counter, smile at them, say both of you confused it with the 90 days, you usually wanted to have with a extension, a bit smalltalk, money, stamped, done!

With the paperwork, you could get the visas in KL, methinks

[Mario2008]

A few day overstay is normally not a problem for getting an extension, but I don't know how they will feel about a 2 week overstay. You can try your luck. But flying out and returning by air is a good option.

[Ackybang]

Hey Redlines.

Just be completely honest, say exactly what your opening post said - smile and pay the overstay. I have overstayed a stamp date by a week before - genuinely forgot the date. Hardly crime of the century. Told the truth, laughed, paid the fine to an immigration officer at a border point, got a receipt, and had no problems whatsoever re-entering overland. I wouldn't stress it too much - we are all people, and are all prone to make mistakes - just be cool, and the job's done. I can imagine anyone would only ever have problems in this Country, regardless of the circumstances, if they were unnecessarily rude, or angry.... you'll be fine.

Happy travels.

[Gone]

Where are you staying now? Bkk? Depending, I would go to Immigration and explain your situation and ask for the extra 30 days extension. As Mario said, I'm also not sure what they will do or say but worth a try.

Coming back with an overstay is never a problem so don't worry about that. They actually like people who overstay. More money.

[dddave]

I knew of a fellow who had a 2 year overstay. Finally paid the B20,000 maximum fine, left Thailand for a month, returned and promptly applied for and received a retirement visa.

I wouldn't worry too much.

[54321]

Probably not the answer you are looking for,but why did you not check the stamp in your passport upon arrival,that's the first thing I do when entering any country.

That's useful.

[stoneyboy]

Probably not the answer you are looking for,but why did you not check the stamp in your passport upon arrival,that's the first thing I do when entering any country.

That's useful.

What's useful is when travelling overseas,one knows the immigration laws concerned with the country to where you are travelling relating to the current passport/passports you hold.

In the age of the Internet all the information is there in black and white for one and all to see.

It's what's known in England as a schoolboy error.

[Nisa]

There are visa companies where you can go by van or bus daily and cross the border to get a 15 day entry (total cost is about 2000 baht including everything but your overstay). You leave in the morning and get back in the early evening or late afternoon. The same visa run companies do land runs for Tourist Visas but you need to spend one night. If interested, I can send you links of some companies. They give all the details and prices right online.

I have never heard of anyone being interested in why you overstayed in terms of giving a break or penalizing you more (and I have overstayed at least a dozen times). Bottom line there is no getting out of it or no special not in your passport about you didn't mean to. You just pay the 500 a day fine (max 20k). I am assuming you only have a single entry visa and not sure how long you have gone over the 60-days but you possibly could go down to immigration and get the 30-day extension which I am 99% sure would be from the expiration date of your visa and would cost you 1900 baht. If you leave the country and come back in on a visa exempt (15 day land / 30-day air), you can go down to immigration and get a 7-day extension on top of this.

Not sure how far along you are with the EDU Visa but some of these schools take 4 to 6-weeks to get you the paper work to submit at the embassy (out of country).

Although it would be unlikely, you can get yourself into some serious problems if caught on overstay if not at immigration or border where you can pay the fine. My concern with you going to immigration is that you may no longer be entitled to an extension and that means you can pay your fine there but not sure they are going to let you walk out since you'd still be in the country illegally. This is why I would personally recommend making a run for the border even if just for a 15-day entry.

[noob7]

I am[...] not sure how long you have gone over the 60-days

[Nisa]

Where are you staying now? Bkk? Depending, I would go to Immigration and explain your situation and ask for the extra 30 days extension. As Mario said, I'm also not sure what they will do or say but worth a try.

Coming back with an overstay is never a problem so don't worry about that. They actually like people who overstay. More money.

You are probably right but since he only has 15-days left on an extension (if I am understanding him right), I'd personally do a border run given the slight chance they tell him you can't get an extension. Maybe no problem and possibly somebody has been in this situation but it could be you need to apply for the 30-days BEFORE the visa expires and this would make sense too since the Visa is over and basically closed on the 15th since he didn't extend it .. though things don't always make sense. Also not sure what they do at the immigration office when you show up on overstay and no way to correct the overstay. I just worry it is like walking in the police station announcing you have an arrest warrant and asking for advice on how to take care of it ... chances are, you are not going home ;-)

[Tatsujin]

I don't think it's a big deal, either jump on a plane and fly somewhere and come back, or hop on a border run bus and get a new tourist visa. Job done.

[theslime]

Probably not the answer you are looking for,but why did you not check the stamp in your passport upon arrival,that's the first thing I do when entering any country.

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