Expired Passport - Overstay

[blackpuddin]

My passport (British) has expired already and I am on overstay.

Now I am in a position to sort things out at last.

I plan to go to the embassy to obtain a new passport. I understand this will take about one week.

I will then purchase an AirAsia ticket to Singapore/Malaysia or Cambodia.

SO I will have a new passport with no stamps and an old passport that is in overstay.

I also have sufficient cash to show on re-entry and can show income from abroad during my stay.

Question

Do I go to the airport - pay the 20,000 Baht overstay, leave and return or

Do I go to Suan Plu and sort things out there?

Experienced help would be apreciated

Moralistic judgements and flames will be ignored please don't waste your time - I am not interested in them

I would just apreciate a reasonable piece of advice airport or Suan Plu

Thanks

[britmaveric]

If you can make it to the airport, pay the fine and leave, then come back. Just hope you don't get stopped prior to getting out the country or you will be in deep shi*e.

[meom]

Will the embassy issue a new passport without questions asked to someone who's already on overstay?

The OP doesn't mention when his passport expired; if it expired just recently I guess it's no problem but if it expired a long time back maybe somebody will get curious either at the embassy or the airport.

Anyway good luck.

[Maestro]

Do I go to Suan Plu and sort things out there?

I doubt whether this is a valid option for you, as you have no valid passport at the moment and it will probably take you some time to get a new passport.

If you surrender to an immigration office tomorrow (Thursday) in order to pay the overstay fine (THB 500 per day, maximum 20,000) immigration will want to see a valid passport and will probably stamp it with something telling you to leave the country by Friday.

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Maestro

[sriracha john]

Robert.... (friend of the Swede Mats)... is that you?

if so, PM me

Edited March 16, 2006 by sriracha john

[Noel]

Will the embassy issue a new passport without questions asked to someone who's already on overstay?

The OP doesn't mention when his passport expired; if it expired just recently I guess it's no problem but if it expired a long time back maybe somebody will get curious either at the embassy or the airport.

Anyway good luck.

I cannot see that the Op's situation as regards overstay will be of any concern to the British Embassy:that is a matter between him and the Thai authorities.

The best option is to get a new passport and then leave the country via Don Muang.

Given the OP's situation and what might happen if he were stopped en route, it might be advisable to make the new passport application by post.

The procedure is set out at British Embassy Services

Edited March 16, 2006 by Noel

[shotover]

Even if you exit Thailand at Don Muang with a new, blank passport, won't the immigration officer stamping you out be looking for evidence of a valid visa?

I don't know, I just assume the Thai authorities verify that persons leaving the country have a valid visa or entry stamp?

[billd766]

When I renewed my passport a couple of years ago in Bangkok the embassy told me to fold down the pages with current visas and then they cut the top and bottom corners of the old passport including the covers.

I then went to Suan Phlu with both passports and the immigration dept renewed the visas in the new passport.

This made me legal in Thailand again.

I don't know what type of visa the OP has but he will have to show the old passport which held the original visa at the airline check in and if there is no corresponding visa in the new passport he may not get any farther unless he goes to the immigration desk before checking in.

At that stage what happens will be up to immigration.

It must have been a long term visa as most countries require at least 6 months on your existing passport before they ill allow you into the country.

[Noel]

Even if you exit Thailand at Don Muang with a new, blank passport, won't the immigration officer stamping you out be looking for evidence of a valid visa?

I don't know, I just assume the Thai authorities verify that persons leaving the country have a valid visa or entry stamp?

He will have to show his old passport or he will have major problems, above and beyond overstay.

That should not be a problem as the British Embassy will return the old one along with the new one, the old one having been clipped.

They will want to look at his last entry stamp, 'Permission to Stay' date etc, plus his TM 6 card.

He may well also have to answer some pertinent questions as to how he has been funding himself and why he has overstayed.

[blackpuddin]

Thanks very much for the feedback

Yes I know the general procedure - been there done it before.

I will have both passports with me.

The question remains will the immigration at the airport accept a blank new passport or will I need to get the old (expired) visa transfered at Suan Plu.

I don't feel at that stage the pertinent questions bears any relevence as I am not being investigated for working - I am just exiting the country

Thanks again

[PREM-R]

I suspect that if you turn up to pay your 20,000 baht overstay at the airport they will look at your new and old passports and then stamp your new passport with overstay. I do not see that you can get an expired visa 'transfered' to a new passport.

[Noel]

Thanks very much for the feedback

Yes I know the general procedure - been there done it before.

I will have both passports with me.

The question remains will the immigration at the airport accept a blank new passport or will I need to get the old (expired) visa transfered at Suan Plu.

I don't feel at that stage the pertinent questions bears any relevence as I am not being investigated for working - I am just exiting the country

Thanks again

Perhaps you will be lucky and get an officer you got on well with when he processed your last overstay.

I really cannot see why they would bother transferring an expired visa to a new passport.

Is that what happened the last time?

[Maestro]

I will have both passports with me.

The question remains will the immigration at the airport accept a blank new passport or will I need to get the old (expired) visa transfered at Suan Plu.

You do not need to show a visa when leaving the country.

Immigration at Don Muang will want to see your last entry stamp and the departure portion of the arrival card that was put in your passport when you arrived.

If your old passport has a visa that is still valid, Suan Plu will transfer it to your new passport, collect the overstay fee at the same time, and probably stamp your new passport with an order to leave the country by a certain date.

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Maestro

[Krub]

Wouldn't it be 'better' to loose the old passport, report it lost to the police, have it replaced by the embassy then exit at Don Muang ?

Will Don Muang have your record on computer or have time to look for it before your flight out ?

[Maestro]

Wouldn't it be 'better' to loose the old passport, report it lost to the police, have it replaced by the embassy then exit at Don Muang ?

Will Don Muang have your record on computer or have time to look for it before your flight out ?

I suspect he would be detained, brought to a warehouse where all arrival cards are stored, and asked to find his last arrival card.

That’s what happened in such circumstance years ago. Today, with computerisation, it may hopefully be easier.

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Maestro

[visarunner]

Take both passport's and the departure part of your TM card with you and they will not ask many questions.

Pay the fine , get yr overstay stamped and board the plane or make a VisaRun to the Camboborder.

Just do not get caught before any exitpoint.

Good Luck