4.5 year overstay

[7by7]

It is the OP who has created the problem by overstaying, if he hadn't overstayed he would not have a problem.

I wonder how many of those who are making excuses for the OP and other overstayers/illegals in Thailand feel about overstayers/illegals in their home country.

Are they so forgiving about them?

[PeterSmiles]

Has anyone gone through the post history of this troll OP ?

3 posts - 3 topics. Story change every time, never returns to the thread.

Don't understand how this troll still manage to get replies to his bs.

[abrokefarang]

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

I also had a friend that was on 5 years overstay when he was arrested, jailed for a time, heavily fined then deported with a red stamp.

How does a person even function in Thailand without a valid visa/permission to stay? How do you buy or rent a car or motorbike, rent a house or apartment, no $#!t your pants every time you see a checkpoint ahead? One can't possibly have much of a life. People are routinely arrested on overstay here in Phuket, and several people living upcountry have posted about receiving visits from police and immigration checking their status.

Listen. I will be honest. In the 5 years here I was caught red handed TWICE. Once when I tried to book a hotel and the lady flipped through my passport. I nearly shit my pants. She clearly saw I was past my due date. I went back to my hotel room and was just expecting any minute the police would come back knocking on the door. Another time when I tried to rent a motorbike. Lady saw I was expired. She KNEW. If that lady would have reported it the police I would have been COOKED.

Just some friendly advice... Give them a paper copy of your passport if you are on overstay. Never give them the real thing. And don't book hotels and rent motorbikes.

Being on the big o is really scary everyday. Never a good idea to do it. I would never do it again.

[ajarnmarc]

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 !"

These kind of repeat post, makes me wonder where people like yourself are from?

In several countries around the world people sneak over the boarders,

never even passing immigrations. They stay, have kids, send them to schools, work,

and they never bother with getting legal status.

No one would ever think they disregarded the law of the land, they were just looking for a better life,

than where they came from, is the normal statement.

Eventually the Government steps in knowing they have these people in great numbers,

and decides to make amnesty for the ones who qualify.

My point is: most countries don't like aliens who snuck over the boarders,

but at the end of the day, as long as they didn't commit any crimes,

they are either shipped back, or made legal residents.

Not many look upon them as evil people, or people who disregarded the law of the land as it's so often stated here,

and from people who aren't even from Thailand, which is even more strange.

Then we hear from the people that want to look others down, because they've done all the things required of them,

and followed the law to the tee.

Foreigners in Thailand aren't normally jumping the boarder to get in, they are just overstaying their visit,

and later willing to pay in cash; hopefully.

This isn't usually the case in other developed countries which are suffering from aliens entering the country of their choice.

I'd be very interested as I'm sure others here are, to read how you make out in your departure?

Most of the advice given is the norm,

and though I'd probably prefer to enjoy the New Years free,

it's probably the best time to catch Immigration at their best,

meaning they don't wish to go through the fuse of processing paper work,

for something they can just collect a fee for,

and be done with the matter.

I'd probably try this time of the year as well to get out,

and not attract more attention than I need,

especially if I wished to re-enter asap.

Best of luck to you.

Hope you update the outcome,

as I'm sure most of us have friends who are in similar situations as well.

We are or might be to stuck on ourselves to admit it.

But in truth there's no true crime committed here,

since we didn't jump the boarder,

we just overstayed our welcome.

Please people try to put the matter in perspective,

and wish those that fall behind well.

Is that so hard to do?

[FalangBaa]

Most of the advice given is the norm,

and though I'd probably prefer to enjoy the New Years free,

it's probably the best time to catch Immigration at their best,

meaning they don't wish to go through the fuse of processing paper work,

for something they can just collect a fee for,

and be done with the matter.

I'd probably try this time of the year as well to get out,

and not attract more attention than I need,

especially if I wished to re-enter asap.

Best of luck to you.

Hope you update the outcome,

as I'm sure most of us have friends who are in similar situations as well.

We are or might be to stuck on ourselves to admit it.

But in truth there's no true crime committed here,

since we didn't jump the boarder,

we just overstayed our welcome.

Please people try to put the matter in perspective,

and wish those that fall behind well.

Is that so hard to do?

Don't give up the day job. Poetry just doesn't seem to be your thing...

[ajarnmarc]

Most of the advice given is the norm,

and though I'd probably prefer to enjoy the New Years free,

it's probably the best time to catch Immigration at their best,

meaning they don't wish to go through the fuse of processing paper work,

for something they can just collect a fee for,

and be done with the matter.

I'd probably try this time of the year as well to get out,

and not attract more attention than I need,

especially if I wished to re-enter asap.

Best of luck to you.

Hope you update the outcome,

as I'm sure most of us have friends who are in similar situations as well.

We are or might be to stuck on ourselves to admit it.

But in truth there's no true crime committed here,

since we didn't jump the boarder,

we just overstayed our welcome.

Please people try to put the matter in perspective,

and wish those that fall behind well.

Is that so hard to do?

Don't give up the day job. Poetry just doesn't seem to be your thing...

I'm glad it's not my thing...I wasn't trying to be poetic.

[ericthai]

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 agree with your opinion however overstaying is one matter but the risk is if the police need to see your passport at any time for some reason, perhaps a trafic infringement etc. Once they see you haven't a visa then it's the lock up followed by deportation. When you are deported the record of that stays in the RTPI database. Whether you can re-enter or not depends on the competence of Immigration Officer i.e. the place where you enter.

Another poster talking about something you have no idea. When you overstay, once the fine is paid the matter is cleared up. There is a stamp in your passport and this may effect you acquiring a visa for another country. Saying you will not be able to return to Thailand depending on the good the immigration officer is, is utter BS! Go speak to immigration and see what they tell you. Once paid all is ok. As stated in my previous post I helped a guy last year. I checked into these things before we went to the airport to make sure we were ready to accommodate things if he was not allowed back into Thailand. Everyone I spoke to at immigration said the same thing (2 different offices) pay fine done!.

Don't know how long you have been in Thailand but I have been living in Thailand for almost 20 years. In all those years I have only had one police officer ask for my passport, most of the time they ask for your license. I don't carry my passport. Told the office I didn't have it with me and gave him my license. Not an issue.

[taotoo]

No one would ever think they disregarded the law of the land, they were just looking for a better life,

than where they came from, is the normal statement.

I would. The very first thing they did in that country was break the law.

[Timwin]

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

You law book moralists are a dime a dozen. What you do not realize is the fact overstaying is a great side business for Thai immigration. Mere 40 days of overstay and you have to pay to max, 20000 Baht. That is about the fee of 22 tourist visa entries (30 dollars per entry), almost 3 Hiace minibus loads of tourists. Most overstays are less than a year so they actually make quite a lot of money out of overstayers.

It is actually quite clever compromise, not too high sum to come "clean" for most overstayers eventually. After paying, you are once again welcomed into the legal visa run mill, making even more money to Thais!

Edited December 30, 2013 by Timwin

[paz]

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.

That is not your guess, it's your whish. But, you're wrong.

[paz]

...

If I was an Immigration Officer, I would interpret an overstay of more than a month, (unless there was some damned good reason, backed up by evidence) a serious violation that seems to give the impression the foreigner doesn't care about the Immigration laws or their consequences when flagrantly disregarded.

There is only the law and no "interpretation" and no "impression giving" in an overstay fine. Pay it, end of the story, and see you soon.

Always nice to see how many bilious readers gets livid over this simple fact.

[iancnx]

OP and others in a similar situation of x years of overstay .... You are breaking the law. I hope you are incarcerated and then deported and never allowed to return. Your total disregard for the rules, and the absurd support of some TV posters on this and other threads, gives us all a bad name. No wonder Immigration views us all with suspicion and treats us with little respect. I hope and pray the scrutiny of ED visas is just the beginning, and the rules are much more effective and ridgedly applied in the future. Liike it or not all of you reading this, we are tarred with the same brush, and it makes me sick!

[paz]

OP and others in a similar situation of x years of overstay .... You are breaking the law. I hope you are incarcerated and then deported and never allowed to return. Your total disregard for the rules, and the absurd support of some TV posters on this and other threads, gives us all a bad name. No wonder Immigration views us all with suspicion and treats us with little respect. I hope and pray the scrutiny of ED visas is just the beginning, and the rules are much more effective and ridgedly applied in the future. Liike it or not all of you reading this, we are tarred with the same brush, and it makes me sick!

Here's another law book interpreter by proxy. Very hard for this type to comprehend the simple facts expressed above: The overstay fine is just another way of extracting money from foreigner, and having them come for more milking. There is no moral judgment involved, but even if there was, one individual action's do not extend to others. If you have an inferiority complex or guilty feelings of some sort, take care of that another way.

Very sad to know that some can whish prison punishement to the next person just because he/she is paying all at once what is normally paid over the course of 3 or 4 years.

Really it's your problem only if feel sick about some else actions, try to not get even more sick when you will learn, again, that law in Thailand is administered differently from your desires

[Sceptict11]

OP and others in a similar situation of x years of overstay .... You are breaking the law. I hope you are incarcerated and then deported and never allowed to return. Your total disregard for the rules, and the absurd support of some TV posters on this and other threads, gives us all a bad name. No wonder Immigration views us all with suspicion and treats us with little respect. I hope and pray the scrutiny of ED visas is just the beginning, and the rules are much more effective and ridgedly applied in the future. Liike it or not all of you reading this, we are tarred with the same brush, and it makes me sick!

Here's another law book interpreter by proxy. Very hard for this type to comprehend the simple facts expressed above: The overstay fine is just another way of extracting money from foreigner, and having them come for more milking. There is no moral judgment involved, but even if there was, one individual action's do not extend to others. If you have an inferiority complex or guilty feelings of some sort, take care of that another way.

Very sad to know that some can whish prison punishement to the next person just because he/she is paying all at once what is normally paid over the course of 3 or 4 years.

Really it's your problem only if feel sick about some else actions, try to not get even more sick when you will learn, again, that law in Thailand is administered differently from your desires

I sure do hope that over-stayers flood your home country and when discovered are given a small fine and allowed immediately to return so as to repeat the process.

Does that happen in your country or does that country allow anyone to stay for as long as they wish, regardless of visa status? Or are miscreants deported and not allowed to return ?

Please tell us all about this wonderful place with no immigration rules

Edited December 30, 2013 by Sceptict11

[MrRed]

OP and others in a similar situation of x years of overstay .... You are breaking the law. I hope you are incarcerated and then deported and never allowed to return. Your total disregard for the rules, and the absurd support of some TV posters on this and other threads, gives us all a bad name. No wonder Immigration views us all with suspicion and treats us with little respect. I hope and pray the scrutiny of ED visas is just the beginning, and the rules are much more effective and ridgedly applied in the future. Liike it or not all of you reading this, we are tarred with the same brush, and it makes me sick!

Here's another law book interpreter by proxy. Very hard for this type to comprehend the simple facts expressed above: The overstay fine is just another way of extracting money from foreigner, and having them come for more milking. There is no moral judgment involved, but even if there was, one individual action's do not extend to others. If you have an inferiority complex or guilty feelings of some sort, take care of that another way.

Very sad to know that some can whish prison punishement to the next person just because he/she is paying all at once what is normally paid over the course of 3 or 4 years.

Really it's your problem only if feel sick about some else actions, try to not get even more sick when you will learn, again, that law in Thailand is administered differently from your desires

I sure do hope that over-stayers flood your home country and when discovered are given a small fine and allowed immediately to return so as to repeat the process.

Does that happen in your country or does that country allow anyone to stay for as long as they wish, regardless of visa status? Or are miscreants deported and not allowed to return ?

Please tell us all about this wonderful place with no immigration rules

Yep that's exactly the place ...it is called England the only difference is they let every tom dick and harry come and stay legally and then bring there familys over and then claim benefits.

[IsaanUSA]

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.

Report him to immigration!!!

[sustento]

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?

The guy's lived here for 4.5 years without a valid visa. How likely is it that he'll suddenly get caught on the way to the airport?

[paz]

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?

The guy's lived here for 4.5 years without a valid visa. How likely is it that he'll suddenly get caught on the way to the airport?

Near to zero realistically? But is a ritual scaremonging sentence here and no thred would taste the same without.

[beautifulthailand99]

It took all of 36 posts for the first "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" argument to appear.

Sure, everyone breaks the law now and then. Sometimes we don't even know we are doing it.

But there is a big difference between flicking a cigarette butt into the gutter, and dumping a truck load of them outside the Royal Palace.

Much the same difference between letting your visa slip a couple of days beyond its expiry, and going 4.5 years overstay.

As 'guests' in the Kingdom of Thailand, it screams blatant disrespect, whatever the circumstances.

There are many Thai overstayers in the UK and I know a fair few myself - if they leave voluntarily then there is no charge and can often return assuming they qulify for an appropriate visa with only a 1 year ban.

[beautifulthailand99]

Sadly the overarching principle of Thailand isn't the rule of the law but the more universal rule of money.

[Ulic]

Why are you in such a hurry to lake care of your visa overstay, you are already at the max?

Just kidding, a weight will be lifted from your shoulders. Book a flight out, get a visa and stay legal.

best of luck straightening it all out.

[cdnvic]

Off topic replies were removed. The topic is about overstaying in Thailand, not UK immigration.

[F4UCorsair]

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 !"

These kind of repeat post, makes me wonder where people like yourself are from?

In several countries around the world people sneak over the boarders,

never even passing immigrations. They stay, have kids, send them to schools, work,

and they never bother with getting legal status.

No one would ever think they disregarded the law of the land, they were just looking for a better life,

than where they came from, is the normal statement.

Eventually the Government steps in knowing they have these people in great numbers,

and decides to make amnesty for the ones who qualify.

My point is: most countries don't like aliens who snuck over the boarders,

but at the end of the day, as long as they didn't commit any crimes,

they are either shipped back, or made legal residents.

Not many look upon them as evil people, or people who disregarded the law of the land as it's so often stated here,

and from people who aren't even from Thailand, which is even more strange.

Then we hear from the people that want to look others down, because they've done all the things required of them,

and followed the law to the tee.

Foreigners in Thailand aren't normally jumping the boarder to get in, they are just overstaying their visit,

and later willing to pay in cash; hopefully.

This isn't usually the case in other developed countries which are suffering from aliens entering the country of their choice.

I'd be very interested as I'm sure others here are, to read how you make out in your departure?

Most of the advice given is the norm,

and though I'd probably prefer to enjoy the New Years free,

it's probably the best time to catch Immigration at their best,

meaning they don't wish to go through the fuse of processing paper work,

for something they can just collect a fee for,

and be done with the matter.

I'd probably try this time of the year as well to get out,

and not attract more attention than I need,

especially if I wished to re-enter asap.

Best of luck to you.

Hope you update the outcome,

as I'm sure most of us have friends who are in similar situations as well.

We are or might be to stuck on ourselves to admit it.

But in truth there's no true crime committed here,

since we didn't jump the boarder,

we just overstayed our welcome.

Please people try to put the matter in perspective,

and wish those that fall behind well.

Is that so hard to do?

Does Thai law dictate that overstaying your visa term is a crime? YES.

is there a prescribed penalty for overstaying? YES.

So in truth, there is a crime committed! How could you ever contend otherwise?

I AM putting it in perspective. If you overstay, you are committing a crime, albeit one that seems to be fairly easily resolved, but a crime nevertheless.

Thank you for wishing me well if you're suggesting I'm falling behind??? But, falling behind what....? Presumably falling behind the desire to commit to the laws of the land, and desire to do the right thing?? I don't understand your (lack of) logic.

In response to another post, I wish I'd checked the OP's history as well. This could easily be a troll?? I guess the good to come out of it is that thee have been 70+ posts of opinion on what may happen under this possibly hypothetical (in broke farang's case) situation.

Edited December 30, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[jacko45k]

Let us hope you don't put off coming back for 4.5 years eh?

Do let us know how it went.

[Pattayarossoblu]

The question is:how can a human being live in peace and sleep well on night with a 4 or 5 or 9 years overstay?I will be scare to stay one day on overstay.This is a no respect attitude to the thai law and prove that money is the real God.......but in those 4 years,may i ask where did u live?

[ubonjoe]

More off topic posts removed.

[Kitsune]

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?

The guy's lived here for 4.5 years without a valid visa. How likely is it that he'll suddenly get caught on the way to the airport?

Near to zero realistically? But is a ritual scaremonging sentence here and no thred would taste the same without.

You mean it would not be politically correct without it.

[chrisinth]

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...

Can't really call it incompetence when they are following the requirements of the law.....................

[chrisinth]

About a week ago, I went for my regular 90-day visit to Immigration and for the first time (in 10 years) I saw the Officer processing it through the computer. Surely this means they can monitor over-stayers as, when the 90 day visit or other visa limitations are due and the foreigner doesn't show, it can be programmed to flash up on the screen - constantly - until he DOES show.

When he doesn't, he is emailed or telephoned or contacted in some way through his last known address.

It is going to get more difficult playing Russian Roulette with the Immigration Authorities in Thailand as articles in these pages remind us.

If I was an Immigration Officer, I would interpret an overstay of more than a month, (unless there was some damned good reason, backed up by evidence) a serious violation that seems to give the impression the foreigner doesn't care about the Immigration laws or their consequences when flagrantly disregarded.

Yes, I am a goody-goody when it comes to my paperwork - I hate unnecessary trouble!

The problem with the above is that anyone on overstay would not be doing 90 day reporting. Unless it has changed recently, if you aren't in the system for 90 days you are invisible. (This I would suspect, has changed though)

Also this does not apply to tourist or visa exempt stamps, and I believe that with the exception of the O-A visa, all the rest are extensions.

[justaphase]

I got busted with os near my home earlier this year. I have a wife and 2 kids so they let me go..