Living in Thailand long time overstay- HOW?

[thaibeachlovers]

I've often heard of farangs living in Thailand on an expired visa.

However, when one goes to hospital- passport please

when one stays in an hotel- passport please

driving licence- passport

residence in Thailand - passport

bank- passport

etc

etc.

So, how do they do it? Just never get sick, or leave the house?

[celso]

I go to phayathai2 and they never ask for my passport. I guess I showed it when I first registered, but only that one time. And even then, they just photocopied the main page, didn't look at the visa section at all.

Same when I go to the bank (kasikorn and TMB), neither ask for my passport, just my bank book and card.

[bubbadaguy]

non-immigration people, except maybe police, don't care about your visa status. it ain't their responsibility.

[Iamemjay]

A Thai drivers licence is often a good substitute

[CharlieH]

Passport is often required purely for ID.

I , and many I know dont actually use/carry the real passport, I have a coloured photocopy of the front page laminated in plastic like an i.d card, that works 99.9% of the time. No one, other than immigration has ever asked or wanted to see my visa status, just ID.

[Langsuan Man]

Most ask for the passport face page, rarely has anyone wanted to see the Visa page

[longstebe]

It's sods law, the day you overstay is the day there's a checkpoint set up for this outside your village

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thailandbeachisland]

You really think that any of these people can read and understand a visa ?

[Colabamumbai]

That reminds me of a fellow here teaching 11 years now, no passport. Police in his village call him when they need a translator and then they sit and drink beer. If I did not know the fellow I would think that his story was bs. He has one piece of I.D. from his home country. So in this case the school is also complicent. (I think that is the correct word).

So he does not have to worry about visa issues.

My paranoia would not allow me to do that, but it makes for an interesting read.

[mikebell]

That reminds me of a fellow here teaching 11 years now, no passport. Police in his village call him when they need a translator and then they sit and drink beer. If I did not know the fellow I would think that his story was bs. He has one piece of I.D. from his home country. So in this case the school is also complicent. (I think that is the correct word).

So he does not have to worry about visa issues.

My paranoia would not allow me to do that, but it makes for an interesting read.

The word is 'complicit' and exactly right for your context.

[Jip99]

That reminds me of a fellow here teaching 11 years now, no passport. Police in his village call him when they need a translator and then they sit and drink beer. If I did not know the fellow I would think that his story was bs. He has one piece of I.D. from his home country. So in this case the school is also complicent. (I think that is the correct word).

So he does not have to worry about visa issues.

My paranoia would not allow me to do that, but it makes for an interesting read.

"complicit"

But it doesn't detract from your post.

[smooth expat]

Just give 'em a copy. If they ask for the real thing go somewhere else. Simple.

[smooth expat]

Most ask for the passport face page, rarely has anyone wanted to see the Visa page

Does happen, mate. That's why you need to use the copy.

[thaibeachlovers]

A Thai drivers licence is often a good substitute

They required photocopies of my visa page when I applied for a Thai driving licence, and again when I upgraded to a 5 year licence. Also for the yellow book.

[dighambara]

Most replies are spot on.

Visa page was copied for the first event for Thai DL, Yellow Book, Bank account, etc, but never required again - even for a new DL.

There is a well known story in Udon Thani about an American who overstayed his entire life. A newspaper interviewed him, the police knew he had overstayed, but he ran out of money - lived as a rag picker. He spoke Thai fluently and was completely accepted inthe community. When he died, he was a pauper.

[manly100]

If you've no plans to exit the kingdom why bother with papers?

[HeavyDrinker]

I was thinking this very thing recently. I went to Philoke for work recently but forgot my passport. The wife had to fax a copy to the hotel as I couldn't even check in without it......

[bunnaag]

I go to phayathai2 and they never ask for my passport. I guess I showed it when I first registered, but only that one time. And even then, they just photocopied the main page, didn't look at the visa section at all.

Same when I go to the bank (kasikorn and TMB), neither ask for my passport, just my bank book and card.

KTB in Had Yai ALWAYS ASK FOR PASSPORT TO COPY MAIN PAGE AND SOMETIMES VISA

[Ulic]

Once you are set up with bank accounts, drivers license, condo rental etc.. you will

a/ not be asked for your passport

b/ even if asked nobody cares as visa overstay is not there department.

[Bender]

ah it seems that more and more people on this website, like the op, start to have this idea....

.... you know, this idea, why bother with the 800K, 90 days report, etc etc

and use TV forum to get some information

[andrew55]

A Thai drivers licence is often a good substitute

They required photocopies of my visa page when I applied for a Thai driving licence, and again when I upgraded to a 5 year licence. Also for the yellow book.

Previous threads suggest that license requirements vary from office to office. Sukhothai only took a copy of the front page of my passport for 1 and 5 year licenses.

In 6-8 years I have never had my visa status checked. I was always on the 'visa on entry' thing as I visited Sing. and KL monthly.

[mickjn]

I was thinking this very thing recently. I went to Philoke for work recently but forgot my passport. The wife had to fax a copy to the hotel as I couldn't even check in without it......

I ring a friend up country say I will be coming up in a couple of days.She walks over to the hotel and books me in.When I arrive they give her the key to the room,never been asked to sign in or show passport at least 10 times.When I leave, pay cash,500 baht a night I am sure the rate is about 1200 baht.My friend and a few of the staff went to school together.I am not complaining

[sniffdog]

non-immigration people, except maybe police, don't care about your visa status. it ain't their responsibility.

Not completely true. Hotels and apartment owners do care about the visa status as they have to report to Immigration.

[HeavyDrinker]

I went out this morning and needed my passport twice (once for the bank, again to register a new micro SIM for some reason), Given the fact that the UKPA are pretty much making it near impossible to get a new Passport in Thailand I'm pleased to say that my laminate jobbie (info page and visa page) did the trick and the real thing is happily back in the safe....

[Rimbuman]

It is about time the Thai government is going to make some effort to make it possible to get permanent residence status or Thai nationality at least for the non Thai married with Thai nationals.

My wife holds a passport from the country where I come from, it wasn't easy to obtain but she got it, and so are there many more Thai who did the same thing.

This is a serious concern that should be looked at by those responsible for handling these matters. Overstay is no real solution.

[ericthai]

It is about time the Thai government is going to make some effort to make it possible to get permanent residence status or Thai nationality at least for the non Thai married with Thai nationals.

My wife holds a passport from the country where I come from, it wasn't easy to obtain but she got it, and so are there many more Thai who did the same thing.

This is a serious concern that should be looked at by those responsible for handling these matters. Overstay is no real solution.

Thailand immigration is currently accepting PR applications, they will accept applications until I believe the 30th of December. They started accepting applications on the 12th of December. Might be too late to get everything needed pulled together to apply for this year, but you can get it ready for next year.

They have been accepting applications every yer, just there was a period from 2005-2009 they were not being processed. We are being told all back-logged applications have been taken care of and they are ready to work on new applications.