Overstay at airport (Flight date or immigration exit)?

[thaiman]

Visa expires on Sept.6 but flight is at 1am on Sept 7. If exit through immigration, after checking in, at 11:30pm on Sept 6, is this overstay?

What is considered overstay? Flight date or date walking through immigration checkpoint?

[Mario2008]

Some say flight date, some say date you go through immigration.

Personally I think the last, but that is no guarantee. 1 day overstay is noted, but not fined at an airport.

[nanoth]

I know the same situation every year and the answer is:date of immigration check point!

After, you enter a special zone and you are considered as "out" of the country!

[AsiaCheese]

I know the same situation every year and the answer is:date of immigration check point!

After, you enter a special zone and you are considered as "out" of the country!

Unfortunately, not so! Had this situation myself before (me thinking it was perfectly calculated), but the Immigration people went to great lenghts explaining that it's the date on the boarding pass that counts! Technically speaking, once you've gone out through Immigration, you're in no-mans land, but...

[Suradit69]

I know the same situation every year and the answer is:date of immigration check point!

After, you enter a special zone and you are considered as "out" of the country!

Unfortunately, not so! Had this situation myself before (me thinking it was perfectly calculated), but the Immigration people went to great lenghts explaining that it's the date on the boarding pass that counts! Technically speaking, once you've gone out through Immigration, you're in no-mans land, but...

"Technically speaking, once you've gone out through Immigration, you're in no-mans land, but..."

If you decide to take some "free samples" from the duty free shop after you go through Immigrations or throw a drunken hissy-fit as soon as you board the airplane, it won't be the No-Mans Land Police who arrest you. You're still very much in Thailand although your freedom to go anywhere you want is limited. Getting a stamp in your passport going through Immigrations doesn't magically transform the ground you're standing on, it just changes where in Thailand you can go.

[jacko45k]

It is the date of the flight...... I know I had a discussion over it once.

But for the OP it is a single day and normally not an issue.

[realenglish1]

Its no big deal usually the date of the flight but if you get a immigration officer who had a fight with his wife that day the worst that can happen is a charge for one day overstay that is 500 baht You will not go to jail for that so take it easy

[ubonjoe]

For an overstay of less than 24 hours there is no fine.

[horsewell]

I overstayed one day once got a few stamps in the passport but being in the airport means you won't be arrested and not even a fine. It said that I overstayed for less than 24 hours and that was it. Mind you that was a few years ago now but can't see it changing too much.

As far as I know international airports are special and once you pass the gates it's the same as leaving the country as regards to immigration issues like this.

Either way, it's a minor issue that you shouldn't be so concerned about unless it happens regularly.

[thaibreaker]

For an overstay of less than 24 hours there is no fine.

Ubonjoe is right, as always, no exception here.

I have calculated it this way every time, no fine, I guarantee it.

[nanoth]

May I confirm my post?

I have used a 90 days-visa O for 28 years!

I have always:

-been through immigration chechkpoint at 11.30pm Day 90;

-used the same flight at 00.30am DAY 91!

I had never known any problem because the regulation is not Thai but international!

I will give you the text of this international agreement very soon!

[NRGF]

May I confirm my post?

I have used a 90 days-visa O for 28 years!

I have always:

-been through immigration chechkpoint at 11.30pm Day 90;

-used the same flight at 00.30am DAY 91!

I had never known any problem because the regulation is not Thai but international!

I will give you the text of this international agreement very soon!

Concur, I have done exactly the same in the last two years, with no problems at all.

[ericthai]

Nanoth, you may be correct however it is all up to the officer. They can decide to stamp you or not. Remember this is Thailand so each officer interprets the law as how they see it. You will not have to pay a fee but if you get stamp or not is going to be what mood the officer is in. i have seen people 1-2 day over stay at a boarding crossing at the train station and not pay a fee or get a stamp. So again all depend on the immigration officer.

For the OP nothing to worry about. As stated worst will be a stamp in your passport. I know guys that have had 3-4 months overstay go to the airport pay the fine and leave with no issues.

[hawker9000]

I know the same situation every year and the answer is:date of immigration check point!

After, you enter a special zone and you are considered as "out" of the country!

Unfortunately, not so! Had this situation myself before (me thinking it was perfectly calculated), but the Immigration people went to great lenghts explaining that it's the date on the boarding pass that counts! Technically speaking, once you've gone out through Immigration, you're in no-mans land, but...

Concur with this. Date shown on my exit stamp trip before last proves it. Maybe up to the officer to note this and results are not always the same, but for sure you cannot COUNT on it being the date you pass through immigration if your flight is actually after midnight. Not arguing about the safe-side being "out of the country", but I too am speaking from personal experience, and unless you get lucky, it's the actual flight date that really matters. I certainly wouldn't bet an overstay on it.

[jrtmedic]

I have never, ever, in many, many years had an immigration officer want to examine my boarding pass!

Just my experience

[Maestro]

I believe in Thailand it is still necessary to present your boarding pass to the immigration officer together with your passport. If you forget to give him your passport, he will ask for it. You place the two documents on top of the high part of the officer's desk, he takes them down onto his work table, and you cannot see what he does with them unless you are exceptionally tall and lean forward to look down on his desk. I happen to know, though, that he compares the flight number on the boarding pass with the number you wrote on the departure card and then writes, or should write (sometimes he forgets) the flight number next to the departure stamp in your passport. It is his responsibility to make sure that he puts the correct flight number in the passport and therefore he cannot rely only on the number written on the departure card.

[Andre0720]

Dear Andy,

Thank you for contacting **** regarding your recent inquiry. if you pass through immigration at 11PM of September 1, you will not be charged for overstay fine of 500 baht even if your flight is September 2.
Regards,
******
We have generated a support ticket to help us track your inquiry. *********************. Please use this code in any further communication

[ericthai]

Dear Andy,

Thank you for contacting **** regarding your recent inquiry. if you pass through immigration at 11PM of September 1, you will not be charged for overstay fine of 500 baht even if your flight is September 2.

Regards,

******

We have generated a support ticket to help us track your inquiry. *********************. Please use this code in any further communication

Yes, I believe this is what several TV members have already explained. The OP may get a stamp in his passport but there will be no fine to pay.

Stamp or not will be decided by the immigration officer at the time.