Hi all. Finally ready to take care of the visa problem tommorrow. I am so scared I feel like shitting my pants. I am going to the airport to pay my fine of 20k. Can I stay in Thailand or do I have to take a plane flight out? Assuming I am not thrown in idc? About my visa situation.. Long story but I moved here and gradually fell behind on going on the twice monthly Cambodian visa runs. I was too afraid to do anything about it for years. Now I'm ready. It's been a long time.

No point in going to the airport without having a flight out of Thailand.

YOU MUST leave !

Leave plenty of time the Police will likely detain you whist they check for any outstanding issues.

Edited December 29, 201312 yr by Sceptict11

You can only pay it at the airport if you are leaving the country.

You could fly out and return the same day.

It would be better to get a tourist visa before returning though.

I don`t know about the technicalities but yes you need to leave Thailand.

Book a flight to PP as you`ve been thinking about going to Cambodia according to your other posts.

Not a pleasant situation, hope you can sort your life out.

GL

4 year overstay, you actually think that they will let you back in? My guess is that you will be persona non grata for 5 years.

It's a game of chance with over stayers now sometimes ok sometimes not

4.5years could be a problem with an anal Immgration officer

I'd enjoy the new year first if I was you

Good luck

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Leave on a holiday. New years eve is perfect (two holidays).

Good luck/

don't listen to all scaremongers.. come a couple of hours before you fly out and pay 20k sign then you are out, no problems coming back..

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just make sure you have the 20,000 baht ready in crisp 1,000 bills. I know someone who had a 9-year overstay (yes, nine) and had to return to the US to sort out an inheritance matter (death of his mother). He paid the 20k, no questions asked, spent 3 months in the US and then returned to Thailand with no visa, getting 1 month on arrival, again no questions asked despite his 9-year overstay. This was about 2 years ago, and as far as I know he's still in Thailand now and has not made a visa run in the past 2 years. Overstay is no big deal, as long as you keep a low profile.

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just make sure you have the 20,000 baht ready in crisp 1,000 bills. I know someone who had a 9-year overstay (yes, nine) and had to return to the US to sort out an inheritance matter (death of his mother). He paid the 20k, no questions asked, spent 3 months in the US and then returned to Thailand with no visa, getting 1 month on arrival, again no questions asked despite his 9-year overstay. This was about 2 years ago, and as far as I know he's still in Thailand now and has not made a visa run in the past 2 years. Overstay is no big deal, as long as you keep a low profile.

I would think this guy you are referring was very lucky to return to Thailand and no questions asked. And, as you say, he's still in Thailand with no valid visa.

Furthermore, as you stated, 'overstay is no big deal as long as you keep a low profile'. What an absolutely stupid comment to make.

why is it stupid comment??

some people live in the out of the way villages,never come to the big citys

i have several friends who are on 5 or 6 years overstay

no family in the out side world,they all read & write thai

their happy're that a pig in a mud hole

Not everybody have English as their first language (included me:-).

One "grammar police" post deleted

To the OP, as many people say, get a flight ticket, 20.000, nice dress and don't worry

Not everybody have English as their first language (included me:-).

One "grammar police" post deleted

To the OP, as many people say, get a flight ticket, 20.000, nice dress and don't worry

It certainly sounds like a simple process according to you. Whether it be 4.5 yrs or 9 yrs overstay and you can get to the airport 'in time' before you are caught with having no valid visa. Certainly a risky business prolonging your overstay, would you not agree?

A few years ago, my wife came into Thailand on her UK passport, we were both told to go through Thai Passports, the airport chaps saying "my pen rai, you are Thai".

I left the country and came back a few weeks later, then we both left the country. Upon leaving, I handed two UK passports to the Immigration chap, he stamped mine out, no problem. Then he made a huge deal about the wife being 2 days over, even telling her off in Thai about it, she was taken to the office, I had to pay the 1,000 baht etc (I did offer them more money to throw her in Jail !). But I couldn't understand why they were so pissed that she (a Thai) had overstayed, especially when they were doing all the talking in Thai.

9 years overstay, love to see that !

Overstay? The Suan Plu IDC, Immigration Detention Center, is a decidedly unpleasant place, crowded, smelly, sleep on the floor, not too good food, etc. Glad I've never been incarcerated there.

I was there on a visit to a Lao Hmong guy a few years ago. Saw a youngish farang guy inside with I suppose his Thai wife on the outside of the bars. She was sliding in a couple plates of food in to him while the two boys, 3-5 years old (?), played around. Not a pretty scene.

Mac

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just make sure you have the 20,000 baht ready in crisp 1,000 bills. I know someone who had a 9-year overstay (yes, nine) and had to return to the US to sort out an inheritance matter (death of his mother). He paid the 20k, no questions asked, spent 3 months in the US and then returned to Thailand with no visa, getting 1 month on arrival, again no questions asked despite his 9-year overstay. This was about 2 years ago, and as far as I know he's still in Thailand now and has not made a visa run in the past 2 years. Overstay is no big deal, as long as you keep a low profile.

I would think this guy you are referring was very lucky to return to Thailand and no questions asked. And, as you say, he's still in Thailand with no valid visa.

Furthermore, as you stated, 'overstay is no big deal as long as you keep a low profile'. What an absolutely stupid comment to make.

"'overstay is no big deal as long as you keep a low profile'.

Here's another situation that seems to be popping up more and more frequently here on the hub-of-circumvention. Probably won't be long before this sort of thing has more onerous consequences in the same way that greater scrutiny is being applied to ED visa applicants. Probably it's going to get more expensive to overstay or restrictions on re-entry will apply or there will be more Immigrations check-points like those that seem to be appearing in Phuket from time-to-time.

And of course if/when things get changed, the Thai Visa resident whiners will moan about the capriciousness of the Thai government or they don't really want us here or they keep moving the goal posts. The blame will lie with those who continually break the law and those who encourage them with tales of "overstay is no big deal"

And of course, these people only consider themselves. If others get screwed as a result, too bad.

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by Suradit69

A few years ago, my wife came into Thailand on her UK passport, we were both told to go through Thai Passports, the airport chaps saying "my pen rai, you are Thai".

I left the country and came back a few weeks later, then we both left the country. Upon leaving, I handed two UK passports to the Immigration chap, he stamped mine out, no problem. Then he made a huge deal about the wife being 2 days over, even telling her off in Thai about it, she was taken to the office, I had to pay the 1,000 baht etc (I did offer them more money to throw her in Jail !). But I couldn't understand why they were so pissed that she (a Thai) had overstayed, especially when they were doing all the talking in Thai.

9 years overstay, love to see that !

" (I did offer them more money to throw her in Jail !). "

What a great idea next time i am in that situation i will do the same!!

I don't know the circumstances, but I have huge difficulty believing that anybody could possibly overstay 4+ years and not have resolved to do something positive about his situation well before now.

OP, can you tell how this actually happened? Why did you not do something before now?

Not everybody have English as their first language (included me:-).

One "grammar police" post deleted

To the OP, as many people say, get a flight ticket, 20.000, nice dress and don't worry

It certainly sounds like a simple process according to you. Whether it be 4.5 yrs or 9 yrs overstay and you can get to the airport 'in time' before you are caught with having no valid visa. Certainly a risky business prolonging your overstay, would you not agree?

Not only that, but it also shows a real lack of any kind of respect for the laws of this Kingdom !

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just make sure you have the 20,000 baht ready in crisp 1,000 bills. I know someone who had a 9-year overstay (yes, nine) and had to return to the US to sort out an inheritance matter (death of his mother). He paid the 20k, no questions asked, spent 3 months in the US and then returned to Thailand with no visa, getting 1 month on arrival, again no questions asked despite his 9-year overstay. This was about 2 years ago, and as far as I know he's still in Thailand now and has not made a visa run in the past 2 years. Overstay is no big deal, as long as you keep a low profile.

this story really does prove the incompetence of the immigration dept' in LOS who are only interested in the cash...

I don't know the circumstances, but I have huge difficulty believing that anybody could possibly overstay 4+ years and not have resolved to do something positive about his situation well before now.

OP, can you tell how this actually happened? Why did you not do something before now?

The OP may have considered it a positive move to overstay given whatever personal situation he was in.

Sorry, I forget what i paid every 90 days. say 1900 baht. you saved 34,200 there. but 20,000 fine, up 14,200. but you saved tons of time and other expenses. going to Laos isn't that cheap, i think i spent 14,000 baht for 4-5 days on everything.

but you had the stress of someone either telling on you, or every cop you saw might ask. or something else. that stress is about a million baht.

anyhow, good on you for posting. it's all good, life goes on. and remember, worse things can always happen.

like this 7-days of death driving over the holidays.

I don't know the circumstances, but I have huge difficulty believing that anybody could possibly overstay 4+ years and not have resolved to do something positive about his situation well before now.

OP, can you tell how this actually happened? Why did you not do something before now?

The OP may have considered it a positive move to overstay given whatever personal situation he was in.

His opening post, "Long story but I moved here and gradually fell behind on going on the twice monthly Cambodian visa runs. I was too afraid to do anything about it for years", implies otherwise.

I agree with jaapfries post, " Not only that, but it also shows a real lack of any kind of respect for the laws of this Kingdom !"

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by F4UCorsair

To the OP: Thanks for once again showing Thailand how honest and fair and upstanding all of us (foreigner) guests here are. You've made it so much easier for us all to be treated more fairly. Thumbs up.

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by Tatsujin

4.5 years overstay!

Unbelievable

You are either a VERY STUPID or VERY LAZY person, with luck you can enjoy the Thai prisons for a few weeks

The irony is, that a significant amount of posters on TV moan about lax immigration in their own countries. I don't pertain to know the OPs circumstances, but really there is no excuse or it. These long overstays should be clamped down on far harder IMO.

No sympathy from me, you should have dealt with it 4.4 years ago...

off topic reply removed.

4 year overstay, you actually think that they will let you back in? My guess is that you will be persona non grata for 5 years.

I hate when guys like you make comments on things you have not experience yourself or have direct knowledge. The OP is looking for help from

people that have direct experience. You are talking about something you have not experienced and have no idea what will happen. You are scaring him with what you think will happen. Thaivisa is about helping, not acting superior and commenting on things you don't know.

OP don't worry, I helped a friend a year ago that was a little over 2 years overstay. I took him to the airport, gave him the money for the fee. We went to Laos to get him a tourist visa. He was down on his luck. We were back in Thailand 2 days later with no issues.

From the immigration line he was taken to a small desk. He said the guys were really nice and asked him why he over stayed and before he could answer they said you forget? he said yes. They asked if he needed a receipt he said no, they laughed and said ok. Stamped his passport and was done. I expected a long drawn out procedure and was surprised when he called me asking where I was in the terminal in less than 10 minutes. No police check to see if there were any issue (as one poster speculated) he was very happy and re-leaved. He did have a stamp in his passport and this was not an issue in Laos with getting a tourist visa.

From my direct experience you don't need to worry, it is an issue to overstay and I don't recommend it, but the guys at the airport where good.

I hope you can get things turned around. I wish you all the best!

Could you post a picture of your rompers.Good luck I think you will have no problems but remember Imodium is you best friend