Immigration Date Change Over

[Zeus]

Can some one tell me if Thai immigration stations at BKK change the date exactly at midnight ( or reasonably close) within a group arriving on one flight? The reason I ask is that my flight is scheduled to come in at 11:45 pm.on 7/25. Even if it comes in on time or early, I figure I won't get through the Immigration line till after midnight. So would they stamp my passport the date of my flight arrival(25th), or the time I passed through immigration (say 00:10 am on the 26th)? I could deal with both, but the latter would allow for an extra day of stay for the 30 day arrival visa. Of course if the flight is late, I get the later date anyway, but I was just trying to cover all bases.

Zeus

[breadbin]

Does it really matter to you that much?

[Chao Lao Beach]

You can kill a few mins before passing Imm.

[lomatopo]

This question has been posed here many, many, many times. My best recollection was that there were no guarantees that each and every officer changed their stamps (30, 60 & 90 day) exactly at 00:00 in unison.

As they say, YMMV. If it is important then wait until well after midnight, and then insure you got your extra day before leaving.

edited to add: reviewing some other threads note that the Immigration officer knows which flight you arrived on - it's on your form - so may decide to stamp you in using the date that flight arrived. Also, any checked bags may require locating as they pulled off the carousel if unclaimed.

Edited May 21, 2013 by lomatopo

[Langsuan Man]

This is an important question for anyone who has a Visa with a use by date since if not used correctly the visa will become invalid

To prevent this from happening, always give yourself and extra day when making your travel plans

[lomatopo]

In this case I would give myself 3 or 4 (or more) extra days given the possibility of IRROPs (WX/MX; flight cancellations due to weather or mechanical). Returning to Thailand once from the U.S. I was delayed four days due to a massive blizzard in Narita.

But the OP clearly is arriving on a 30 day visa exemption so appears concerned more with gaining an extra day?

[IMA_FARANG]

Many flights arrive around midnight, it's a common thing.

There's no guarantee but as a rule of thumb you can say that the date change happens between 30 minutes and 1 hour after midnight.

That also is one of the reasons that overstay is normally NOT charged on the 31st day.

It's entirely possible to unintentionally arrive just after midnight and do not leave until the 31st day of a 30 day visa exempt entry, simply due to airline flight scheduling.

So they don't bother with making you pay for that inadvertent overstay.

It's also another reason why a smart traveler does NOT throw away his or her ticket stub when they get off their arriving flight.

[Zeus]

Well thanks for all the input.

To sum it up - no one really knows for sure, but if you wait long enough the date is changed. I guess I was hoping to hear some actual experiences.

Does it really matter to you that much?

I really was interested in the answer. My real motivation was that I had paid for a one month (30 day) condo rental, and if I got the "extra" day I could plan on using it all and not just paying for 30 days and using 29 (or 28). I'll probably plan on the date change, and if I don't get it i will still be good based on having the 1 extra day without an overstay fee.

This question has been posed here many, many, many times. My best recollection was that there were no guarantees that each and every officer changed their stamps (30, 60 & 90 day) exactly at 00:00 in unison.

As they say, YMMV. If it is important then wait until well after midnight, and then insure you got your extra day before leaving.

edited to add: reviewing some other threads note that the Immigration officer knows which flight you arrived on - it's on your form - so may decide to stamp you in using the date that flight arrived. Also, any checked bags may require locating as they pulled off the carousel if unclaimed.

I did a search and couldnt find any posts that addressed this question. There are "many" posts on one day overstays, but that wasn't this question. If you know of other post and answers to this topic - please link them. I agree that experiences must vary, which is why I was asking to see if others had any experience.

As to basing it on your actual flight date - It would be interesting to hear if anyone has an actual experience of a immigration officer stamping the previous day because that is when the flight arrived, even though you are passing through immigration the next day when his stamp has changed over. As others have indicated it is unknown as to when that change over actually happens - so the timing around midinght shouldn't be pushed.

In this case I would give myself 3 or 4 (or more) extra days given the possibility of IRROPs (WX/MX; flight cancellations due to weather or mechanical). Returning to Thailand once from the U.S. I was delayed four days due to a massive blizzard in Narita.

But the OP clearly is arriving on a 30 day visa exemption so appears concerned more with gaining an extra day?

Not sure that this applies. An inbound(into BKK) delay would just give me less time in country and I'd still be in the 30 day window. And yes, I have had several that caused me to arrive the next day. In 20 trips, I've never had a outbound(from BKK) delay of more than a few hours.

Many flights arrive around midnight, it's a common thing.

There's no guarantee but as a rule of thumb you can say that the date change happens between 30 minutes and 1 hour after midnight.

That also is one of the reasons that overstay is normally NOT charged on the 31st day.

It's entirely possible to unintentionally arrive just after midnight and do not leave until the 31st day of a 30 day visa exempt entry, simply due to airline flight scheduling.

So they don't bother with making you pay for that inadvertent overstay.

It's also another reason why a smart traveler does NOT throw away his or her ticket stub when they get off their arriving flight.

I would agree with your rule of thumb. Wait 30 min. I guess I was hoping to hear from anyone with actual experience in this specific situation.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Zeus

[Carib]

Deleted.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Carib

[lomatopo]

In all likelihood any past experiences would almost be irrelevant. What are you going to say when the Immigration officer stamps you in at 00:04 for the previous day? "I read on the internet that someone ...".

I often arrive at/near/after midnight but even a bit after they seem to use the previous day, and that is what most of the other many, many threads/experiences have been - maybe your search criteria need refinement? I have arrived as late as 02:45, flight delayed, was scheduled to arrive at 23:05, and was stamped in on that (next?) day accurately.

Maybe at some scheduled shift change or break after 00:00 stamps get incremented? Maybe they have to wait for a senior officer to order them to change the stamps?

I think the downsides of waiting - luggage getting pulled aside, then having to track it down; questions about your delay passing Immigration - outweigh just absorbing the one-day overstay, for which there is no fine?

I assume you have some sort of departing travel plans in place? On day 30? 31? Typically these can be a requirement on some carriers flying to Thailand.

Obviously you could get a real 60 day Tourist Visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in order to address your concerns.

My comments re: giving yourself extra time applied specifically to cases, which LangsuanMan raised, where one has a real visa which has a "use by" date. Obviously it does not apply to those arriving on a 30 day visa exemption.

Edited May 27, 2013 by lomatopo