Overstay fixed

[bubblegum]

For those out there with a (long) overstay, you might want to read this;

I was on a six year overstay (due to medical problems) and finally able to put an end to my illegality (read able to travel again).

I booked a flight to KL, from KL to BKK (to get a new passport, mine was going to expire) and from BKK back to Phuket.

Showed up at Phuket airport immigration, showed my medical files, letter from the doctor who treated me and 20.000 bath.

All immigration did was copy my stuff and collect the 20.000 bath, stamped my passport and of I was.

Next mornings first flight out of KL to Bkk, arrived at airport, got a visa exemption stamp when to my embassy for the passport.

From BKK back to Phuket.

Took 24 hours but can be done in just 12 hours if planned right.

Now I wait for my passport to be send to me, get my income statement from our consul and change visa exemption to non O.

Like my gf told me "welcome to Thailand"

[ubonjoe]

That is how it works. But my question is why you didn't get extensions of stay for medical treatment from immigration instead of going on overstay?

Problem you may have getting conversion done to a non immigrant visa entry is time to do it you only have 15 days from date of entry to make the application.

[bubblegum]

That is how it works. But my question is why you didn't get extensions of stay for medical treatment from immigration instead of going on overstay?

Problem you may have getting conversion done to a non immigrant visa entry is time to do it you only have 15 days from date of entry to make the application.

All I know is that after my first visa run where I thought I would not make it back alive, I would never do a visa run again. Now after 6 years I felt better and was able to do the travelling.

Yes I might have to go out again if my passport does not arrive in time.

[ubonjoe]

If you run out of time for conversion instead of just getting another entry I suggest you get a single entry non-o visa from any nearby embassy or consulate.

You would only need passport to prove you are 50 or over.

[Ianatlarge]

Congratulations, you got just about the best outcome possible. I hope that your medical problems are behind you. However, I recommend that others take a more cautious approach to overstays.

[Frank James]

Always glad to hear a success story from a fellow 'hard way artist'.

[petercool]

Yes, if you can get to an airport with any overstay then fines apply and it can be simple, however, if for any reason your visa is checked at any point prior to reaching the airport then Immigration Police or regular police can arrest and imprison you.

[Card]

Why 20000 baht? Is this some kind of fine or a bribe and who set the fine/bribe?

Edited September 6, 2013 by Card

[Sceptict11]

Why 20000 baht? Is this some kind of price or a bribe and who set the price/bribe?

Nothing to do with "bribes"

The FINE for overstay is 500bht/day to a maximum of 20,000bht. The fine is as detailed in Thai immigration law!

[roberta]

That is how it works. But my question is why you didn't get extensions of stay for medical treatment from immigration instead of going on overstay?

Problem you may have getting conversion done to a non immigrant visa entry is time to do it you only have 15 days from date of entry to make the application.

In 2010 I was in hospital in BKK. I had a letter from my doctor asking for one month extension. I still had to go to immigration and wait around all day for my number to be called. Fortunately, a nurse escorted me and helped with the paperwork. But my request was arbitrarily refused (no reason given) and all I got was 7 days. So I had to fly while still sick, got a DVT on the long flight and ended up right back in hospital. I wished I had just overstayed and paid the fine.

[winstonc]

so its 20.000 no matter how long you overstay.excellent.....i can understand people doing it...good luck to them.

[NancyL]

Just to be clear -- was the OP ill and unable to travel during the entire six year overstay?

I know of others with long overstays, who had a medical problem at some point toward the end of the overstay and a couple of visa agents advise they have to have a ticket back to their home country to correct the overstay, not just 20,000, a ticket to KL and a letter from a doctor saying they were recovering from a broken bone during the past few months. With these cases, the guys basically ignored the overstay until they had injuries, needed medical assistance and found hospitals, rehab facilities, charities etc, reluctant to assist someone on a long overstay.

Edited September 6, 2013 by NancyL

[bangkokstick]

IT's encouraging for all the people who are lazy to do visa runs ! Thank you !

[bubblegum]

Just to be clear -- was the OP ill and unable to travel during the entire six year overstay?

I know of others with long overstays, who had a medical problem at some point toward the end of the overstay and a couple of visa agents advise they have to have a ticket back to their home country to correct the overstay, not just 20,000, a ticket to KL and a letter from a doctor saying they were recovering from a broken bone during the past few months. With these cases, the guys basically ignored the overstay until they had injuries, needed medical assistance and found hospitals, rehab facilities, charities etc, reluctant to assist someone on a long overstay.

Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul in Phuket. The hospital did explicitly tell me NOT for immigration since they don't like to tango with immigration.

I now have done this trip and by the time I needed to sign for the passport work in BKK I could hardly hold the pen ( I was partly paralyzed before) .

Thing is if you see me about you would think I'm just another healthy old fart, so people find it hard to believe my story. O well "up to them"

I do not propagate overstay but was unable to abide by the rules and there're no exceptions. Anyway I'm happy to be legal.

[Sceptict11]

"Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul

A "one year passport" is usually a restricted document good for a one way trip home !

[bubblegum]

"Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul

A "one year passport" is usually a restricted document good for a one way trip home !

No its not !

It is a normal passport without bio-metric fingerprints.

[Sceptict11]

"Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul

A "one year passport" is usually a restricted document good for a one way trip home !

No its not !

It is a normal passport without bio-metric fingerprints.

1."British nationals, as well as unrepresented European Union and Commonwealth citizens, who need to travel urgently and whose passport has expired, been lost or been stolen can be issued with a British emergency passport by a British foreign mission"

2.The emergency passport can be used to make a single or return journey to the UK or another country of residence, via a maximum of five transit countries.

The emergency passport is issued with a validity which is limited to the shortest time appropriate to the holder’s travel requirements whilst taking account of the transit and destination country requirements (for example, many countries require travel documents to have a minimum validity of six months).

Standard stuff for most Western Nations.

[Ulic]

Congratulations, always nice to be legal.

[Cheapcharly]

I don't mind to go every 6 months to lao to pick up a new visa.

My god, go away from your town sometimes.

Planes are cheap...

[chickenslegs]

I don't mind to go every 6 months to lao to pick up a new visa.

My god, go away from your town sometimes.

Planes are cheap...

Did you not read that he was too ill to travel?

[Sceptict11]

I don't mind to go every 6 months to lao to pick up a new visa.

My god, go away from your town sometimes.

Planes are cheap...

Did you not read that he was too ill to travel?

For six years ?

[chickenslegs]

I don't mind to go every 6 months to lao to pick up a new visa.

My god, go away from your town sometimes.

Planes are cheap...

Did you not read that he was too ill to travel?

For six years ?

That question has been asked and answered already.

[Cheapcharly]

No. I talked about fit guys who think it s easier to pay 20k baths than getting visa legally.

[dighambara]

IT's encouraging for all the people who are lazy to do visa runs ! Thank you !

I would never call people not making viusa runs -"LAZY"...

Visa runs are (IMHO) a real pain and the Immigration system here is hardly modern.

In most countries, the residence requirement for a permanent resident certificate or citizenship - low cost - is 18 - 36 months.

[ubonjoe]

IT's encouraging for all the people who are lazy to do visa runs ! Thank you !

I would never call people not making viusa runs -"LAZY"...

Visa runs are (IMHO) a real pain and the Immigration system here is hardly modern.

In most countries, the residence requirement for a permanent resident certificate or citizenship - low cost - is 18 - 36 months.

What do you mean when you say visa runs? Border runs (15 days for most) or visa runs making a trip to a embassy or consulate.

Ask a Thai how easy it is to get a tourist visa to any western country.

Try getting residence in the US or the UK without having a close family member there. Also check all the fees. Then citizenship afterwards.

Edited September 6, 2013 by ubonjoe

[bubblegum]

"Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul

A "one year passport" is usually a restricted document good for a one way trip home !

No its not !

It is a normal passport without bio-metric fingerprints.

1."British nationals, as well as unrepresented European Union and Commonwealth citizens, who need to travel urgently and whose passport has expired, been lost or been stolen can be issued with a British emergency passport by a British foreign mission"

2.The emergency passport can be used to make a single or return journey to the UK or another country of residence, via a maximum of five transit countries.

The emergency passport is issued with a validity which is limited to the shortest time appropriate to the holder’s travel requirements whilst taking account of the transit and destination country requirements (for example, many countries require travel documents to have a minimum validity of six months).

Standard stuff for most Western Nations.

Did I mentioned an emergency password? No I did not!

Just a normal passport but only for 1 year.

And not everybody is British, although that might to be to big a thing for you to understand.

Edited September 6, 2013 by bubblegum

[ALFREDO]

"Yes I was unable to travel all those years, hospital only gave me a letter for my embassy when I needed a new passport and needed to travel to BKK for that. Thanks to this letter I was issued with a 1 year passport by our consul

A "one year passport" is usually a restricted document good for a one way trip home !

No its not !

It is a normal passport without bio-metric fingerprints.

1."British nationals, as well as unrepresented European Union and Commonwealth citizens, who need to travel urgently and whose passport has expired, been lost or been stolen can be issued with a British emergency passport by a British foreign mission"

2.The emergency passport can be used to make a single or return journey to the UK or another country of residence, via a maximum of five transit countries.

The emergency passport is issued with a validity which is limited to the shortest time appropriate to the holder’s travel requirements whilst taking account of the transit and destination country requirements (for example, many countries require travel documents to have a minimum validity of six months).

Standard stuff for most Western Nations.

Not for Austria !

I used such Emergency Passport and traveled with him without any problem in the region - South East Asia, stayed some more month!

[mickjn]

Well done Sir,bravo

[Nana Cowboy]

this is really great news and I thank the OP for reporting it. I've been feeling a bit under the weather myself and you just never know what can happen in life. sicks can get worse, days turn to months, turn to years and even decades so happy to know about this. good information for the uncertain future. good luck and good health OP

[Arkady]

so its 20.000 no matter how long you overstay.excellent.....i can understand people doing it...good luck to them.

A prison sentence is also applicable but Immigration seems happy to just collect the money. There was some sabre rattling a few months ago to the effect that might start arresting long term overstayers at the airport and process them for prosecution with the recommendation of a prison sentence to deter others. Nothing has come of it so far. It would make sense to increase the maximum to B100,000 and automatically blacklist long term overstayers but they would need to amend the Immigration Act for that.

Bottom line is that currently a touch base policy applies. You get to the airport and pay the 20k fine and you are home and dry. Get caught before you get to the airport or can't pay the fine and you go to prison, possibly for several months awaiting trial and/or paying off your fine at B200 a day. The Immigration prison is also much worse than the general Thai prisons because they care even less for foreign prisoners than Thais.