If I pass immigration, have I left the country?

[daledg]

So my 60 day tourist visa will end Aug 1, I've already extended it 30 days to Aug 31.

My flight leaves Sept 8th at 1:30 in the morning.

If I go to Bangkok immigration, I hear they will give me a 7 day extension (If 15, that would be better so I wouldn't have to ask this)

So that makes my exit date Sept 7th. Can I pass through Immigration on the 7th and then wait a couple hours and leave the 8th?

Also, will immigration in Bangkok ask to see my onward ticket and give me problems if they see I am leaving on the 8th?

[I Like Thai]

They give grace if you are just a few hours over. You'll have no problem.

You also don't actually get an extension. You apply for an extension, it is refused. They then give you 7 days to leave the Kingdom.

[Mario2008]

it is unsure if you will get the 7 day extension, as your flight is on day 8. It depends on strict they check the ticket. But nothing lost with trying and explaining when challenged.

At worst you will have to make a border run to get an extra 15 days.

if they allow it, it will be overstay but there is no fine for an overstay of 1 day at the airport.

[lopburi3]

But if you are near a border and get visa exempt entry you could get 15 days and not have to be concerned - the extension application will cost 1,900 baht for the 7 days so it might not be more expensive.

[Andre0720]

My understanding is that going through immigration get you a stamp...departed on...

Then you are in a "no man"s land" until you reach your destination...

[FiestyFarang]

I can't see a problem at all, firstly as long as you are stamped out before midnight on the 7th you have not overstayed. The departure area is a complex legal area as clearly it is up to the "hosting country to enforce it but I don't think for reasons like this" If in doubt I would try and go to the airport before and ask but I really don't see how they could say you overstayed as you have already been stamped out in the same way someone that arrives and is denied entry never enters the country.

[Tomtomtom69]

But if you are near a border and get visa exempt entry you could get 15 days and not have to be concerned - the extension application will cost 1,900 baht for the 7 days so it might not be more expensive.

Even if you are not near a border, nowhere in Thailand is very far from a border and I'd rather go to the trouble of a visa run than the uncertainty of facing the OP's situation. Generally speaking, you can make almost unlimited visa runs but this 7 day visa "extension" doesn't really look very good to an official, Thai or foreign who sees it in a passenger's passport because it says something like "visa extension refused, must leave the Kingdom by xx date", which is 7 days from the end of the authorized period of stay.

[ARussell]

I was ten days over one time, and the immigration officer was a good sport and let me pass without a fine.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[laislica]

But if you are near a border and get visa exempt entry you could get 15 days and not have to be concerned - the extension application will cost 1,900 baht for the 7 days so it might not be more expensive.

Even if you are not near a border, nowhere in Thailand is very far from a border and I'd rather go to the trouble of a visa run than the uncertainty of facing the OP's situation. Generally speaking, you can make almost unlimited visa runs but this 7 day visa "extension" doesn't really look very good to an official, Thai or foreign who sees it in a passenger's passport because it says something like "visa extension refused, must leave the Kingdom by xx date", which is 7 days from the end of the authorized period of stay.

Good point, what may seem like a saving at one time, may bite you again in the future when an Imm officer looks at your passport next time.

Timing things to the last second can backfire.

My retirement extension expired on the 26th so I planned to leave on the 25th.

Just as well because (for operating reasons) Thai Air cancelled my flight and I departed the next day....

OK I had a night in a nice airport hotel and it really messed up transport at the other end but if I had been also forced into overstay it would have added to the stress no end.

In these circumstances, would Immigration be tolerant?

[lopburi3]

First overstay day is not charged for that reason at airport exits.

[Alwyn]

I can't see a problem at all, firstly as long as you are stamped out before midnight on the 7th you have not overstayed. The departure area is a complex legal area as clearly it is up to the "hosting country to enforce it but I don't think for reasons like this" If in doubt I would try and go to the airport before and ask but I really don't see how they could say you overstayed as you have already been stamped out in the same way someone that arrives and is denied entry never enters the country.

I can see a problem - I think... Give your input as i'm far from being an expert on this stuff. Yes if he clears passport control then he's in a kind of no-mans land and there's nobody to challenge him. But... To go through passport control you need to have checked in luggage and have a boarding check in counters open 3 or so hours before the flight. I don't think it's possible to check your luggage in the day before and get the boarding pass needed to go through passport contro;

[Alwyn]

Pay the 200 baht if they do fine you, odds are they won't anyway

[lumply]

Don't know about the overstay issue but the date on which you have passed through immigration you have technically crossed that country's border. At an airport it is akin to being in transit I.e. waiting for transport (a flight in the case of an international airport) to enable you to physically leave that area en route to another country.

[Mario2008]

Pay the 200 baht if they do fine you, odds are they won't anyway

Overstay fine is 500 baht per day, with a maximum of 20,000.

[sometimewoodworker]

I can

Edited July 26, 2013 by sometimewoodworker

[sometimewoodworker]

I can't see a problem at all, firstly as long as you are stamped out before midnight on the 7th you have not overstayed. The departure area is a complex legal area as clearly it is up to the "hosting country to enforce it but I don't think for reasons like this" If in doubt I would try and go to the airport before and ask but I really don't see how they could say you overstayed as you have already been stamped out in the same way someone that arrives and is denied entry never enters the country.

I can see a problem - I think... Give your input as i'm far from being an expert on this stuff. Yes if he clears passport control then he's in a kind of no-mans land and there's nobody to challenge him. But... To go through passport control you need to have checked in luggage and have a boarding check in counters open 3 or so hours before the flight. I don't think it's possible to check your luggage in the day before and get the boarding pass needed to go through passport contro;

The 3 hours depends on th airline. Thai air will let you check in more than 12 hours before your flight if you want. I don't know if they will go past midnight. But I asked and was told that 6am checkin for an 11pm flight was no problem.

[hawker9000]

Don't know if this is generally true, and I've never overstayed, but a couple of years ago I noticed that having passed through airport immigration outbound BEFORE midnight for a flight at around 2AM, the date showing on my passport stamp was for the actual date of the flight (i.e., the "next day"), and NOT the date on which I actually passed through immigration.

Edited July 26, 2013 by hawker9000

[Nana Cowboy]

1 day is free so whats the big deal?

[Mario2008]

1 day is free so whats the big deal?

1 day is free, but still noted in the passport.

Such note in the passport can be a problem visiting other countries, but if it is depends largely on the nationality and the country one wants to visit.

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes it can be done that way.

Your only problem may be exactly when your flight opens for check-in. Usually the check-in counter doesn't open until 3 hours before flight departure time. So if you have a1:30 a.m. departure time on the 8th your check in will probably open at around 10:30 p.m. on the 7th.

No problem.

Once you pass through immigration at swampy, there are many shops where you can get a coffee or even a beer. Tha's all on the other side of immigration. after you go through immigration leaving.

Your only real problem will be waiting the 3 hours or so from the time you pass immigration until your flight leaves.

The departure gates are often not open until 1 hour or so before a flight departs ..... but nobody's going to ask you any questions if you just walk into any open departure gate area and just sit there in a chair.

Believe me it's done all the time. Because of time zone differences between Thailand and Europe or the U.S. MANY flights leave Bangkok early in the morning .... after midnight and before 5.a.m. the next day.

It's not unusual to see people waiting and even catching a quick nap in a couple of chairs or even on the floor while waiting for their flight.

The immigration won't hassle you.....they've seen it all before.

Backpackers do it all the time.

In my younger days I've even napped on floors in such places as Doha, Bahrain, or such airports in the middle east on those long 12 plus hour transit stopovers there.

P.S. If you do nap, the security patrols may wake you and ask for a ticket. Just show it and they will go. They are just doing their job.

Edited July 27, 2013 by IMA_FARANG

[Monkeyrobot]

Pay the 200 baht if they do fine you, odds are they won't anyway

It's now 500Baht per day capped at 20,000.

[cardholder]

I can't see a problem at all, firstly as long as you are stamped out before midnight on the 7th you have not overstayed. The departure area is a complex legal area as clearly it is up to the "hosting country to enforce it but I don't think for reasons like this" If in doubt I would try and go to the airport before and ask but I really don't see how they could say you overstayed as you have already been stamped out in the same way someone that arrives and is denied entry never enters the country.

I can see a problem - I think... Give your input as i'm far from being an expert on this stuff. Yes if he clears passport control then he's in a kind of no-mans land and there's nobody to challenge him. But... To go through passport control you need to have checked in luggage and have a boarding check in counters open 3 or so hours before the flight. I don't think it's possible to check your luggage in the day before and get the boarding pass needed to go through passport contro;

Read the OP again.

His flight is at 01:30 so he can most likely get checked in arounr 22.30 on the 7th and head straight through immigration.

[rct99q]

I was ten days over one time, and the immigration officer was a good sport and let me pass without a fine.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It is not only about the fine. If you are caught prior to leaving the country without a valid visa, for any reason, such as a police check stop, got caught up in a an altercation that was not your fault, some hotels will not check you in if you have an overstay, ther are many reasons one cn be asked to produce ones passport. If checked and you are shown to be on an overstay, you will be detained, automatically.

So you managed to get out without paying a fine, okay. Do not make it sound like this is an acceptable practice to stay in Thailand on an overstay. It can be cause for some serious trouble if caught.

As a side note if you produce yourself to immigration and declare you are on an overstay and agree and have the funds to pay the fine, no problems. people with maximum penalties of 20,000 baht have done this, left the country and returned the same day no problem.

[gjwgjw]

It's 500 bht per day for overstay, no hassles ,no problem on future visits. Why would you bother with all the fuss of visa extensions/runs just relax and pay the 500baht fine

[ARussell]

Agreed. Pay the fine, if they really care about one day overstay.

I know someone who has done it many times. After paying the fine, it just resets.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hawker9000]

It all goes in the database... All it takes is for some ambitious government official in the right place at the right time in response to some public outrage to declare a "crackdown" on overstays, and it would all be at the expense of non-Thais (in other words, cheap & easy). Nope. If an overstay happens it happens, and unexpected things do happen. But I certainly wouldn't make a habit of even 1d overstays, and plan my stays to avoid it. In Thailand or anywhere.