Advice on an over stay

[Pablo McD]

Hi I have really slow internet so couldn't go searching thru the posts for info. I'm flying into BKK going to be leaving from there a month later (if there's no trouble around Feb 5) .Thing is, my company is flying me out 5 days after the 28 days expiry, can't change it because it's work contract and is a nightmare to change the date.

So it's gonna be a 5 day overstay.

is it procedure to just pay an overstay?, or is it a risk of getting into trouble?

Also any advice if i can extend or see an immigration office in Chiang Mai? 3rd option, do a visa run i suppose from Chiang Mai....?

Any advice greatly appreciated! I'm new here (not to Thailand, just to Thaivisa). Thanks P

[ubonjoe]

The company should of helped you get a single entry non immigrant B visa that would give you a 90 day entry.

You can apply for a 7 day extension at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

[Pablo McD]

Thanks for the advice, yep i did a 90 day visa last time, this time is shorter, my company only pays for tickets only (cruise ship) up to me to get a visa, kinda hard when you work on a ship and they have your passport till you leave.

Anyway i guess the main thing is I am trying to avoid going to the immigration office out past Mo Chit Like i did last time for the 30 day extend, in case of the looming unrest in BKK.

Any idea if i can do it from Chiang Mai??

Cheers P

[Briggsy]

You can go to Laos and get a double-entry tourist visa.

[ubonjoe]

You could do it at Chiang Mai or any other immigration office.

[Suradit69]

"Anyway i guess the main thing is I am trying to avoid going to the immigration office out past Mo Chit Like i did last time for the 30 day extend, in case of the looming unrest in BKK."

Actually you would be applying for an extension, in Chiang Mai or any other Immigrations office, and it would not be approved because you entered on a visa exemption, but you would be granted 7 days to exit the country following the refusal.

You would essentially forfeit the Baht 1900 application fee and get 7 days to clear out, so it amounts to a 7 day extension anyway.

[paz]

5 days @500 Bt = Bt. 2,500 that you can pay easily when leaving. There is no consequence whatsoever in doing that.

Note, visa exempt stay is 30 days, not 28.

In my opinion, not really worth the trip and time spent at immigration office where you would pay Bt. 1,900 anyway.

[aveabeeror2]

If for some reason the cops stop you and check your visa status, if expired, you will be imprisoned. No ifs or buts. Having said that ,in over 10 years here, cops have never checked my visa status.

[smileplur]

5 days @500 Bt = Bt. 2,500 that you can pay easily when leaving. There is no consequence whatsoever in doing that.

Note, visa exempt stay is 30 days, not 28.

In my opinion, not really worth the trip and time spent at immigration office where you would pay Bt. 1,900 anyway.

I really hate to be 'that guy' who has to add this little bit, but it seems important to do so. The underlined bit that reads 'no consequence' in the quote above isn't entirely true. Provided you make it to the airport as planned and have the cash to pay the fine after checking in for your flight out of the country, you can pay the fee and there will be no problems with the Thai authorities, Thailand, or future visits to Thailand and obtaining the appropriate visa for whatever reason you visit in the future (tourism, retirement, etc.). As things stand now, they don't make a big deal about having an overstay when it comes to issuing visas in the future.

The part that isn't true is that there CAN be consequences of overstaying that may or may not be applicable in your situation now or in the future. They are as follows:

1. You will be in violation of the law when you are on the overstay in the country. This violation of the law is potentially very serious. If you were to come into contact with the authorities and they discover that you are in the country illegally as a result of this overstay, you are likely to be arrested. The arrest will result in you spending time in IDC while you organize payment of the fine and transportation out of the Kingdom for your deportation. Deportation generally results in being blacklisted for some length of time. This is fine if you don't intend to visit Thailand again anytime soon, but could have implications for future visits. Your time spent in IDC would certainly not be a picnic either.
   • This is not an attempt to scare you as is often suggested in other threads where people have shared this information. The fact of the matter is that people overstay every single day in Thailand. The length of their overstays varies from a couple of days to several years. There are reports here of people overstaying for a decade or more. From everything I have read, even these people have been fine when they made it to the airport. The likelihood that you will encounter the authorities and they will check your passport for an overstay issue is very remote and the risk associated with it is minimal. Usually people are caught this way when they have otherwise been in violation of the law requiring police intervention. Crimes like assault, theft, drugs, etc. will involve the police. They will want to see your passport. As long as you refrain from involvement in criminal activity, the risk is negligible. When it comes to something like assault, this includes being the victim of an assault as both parties would be required to make a police report. So, don't get into a fight with some idiot at a bar! The risk is very, very small; however, the risk is still there, and you should be aware of it in order to make an informed decision about what to do in your situation. Are you willing to take the risk now that you are aware of the consequences? For many, the answer is yes. As an adult, you are capable of making that determination yourself. For me, the answer is an absolute no.
2. Your passport will be stamped with the overstay. As I said, this does not currently have any implications whatsoever for Thailand, entry into Thailand, or future visas or visits to Thailand. That may or may not change in the future. As time goes by, we have seen requirements for visas change. They usually get more strict with time. They may decide that having an overstay stamp in your passport should be viewed negatively when deciding upon the issuance of a visa, entrance to the country, etc. As it stands now, it doesn't matter. As far as I know, getting a new passport would eliminate any of these problems, as there would no longer be an overstay stamp. If it is or if it becomes computerized, then that record of overstay may stay with you permanently. Furthermore, some other countries (some in the Middle East for example) view and overstay stamp in a passport as reason enough to deny entry or a visa to visit their country. If you travel to many countries as a part of your job, you might want to consider the implications of having an overstay stamp in your passport regarding the countries you regularly visit or there is any likelihood you may visit in the future.

All of this can be avoided by simply paying 1,900 baht at any immigration office and getting a 7 day extension on your 30 day visa exemption that you will receive when you enter the Kingdom. As they say, it is up to you. At least you are informed about the possible repercussions of your actions should you choose to overstay. In my opinion, those who advocate overstaying in any country when it can be avoided easily are foolish for the aforementioned reasons. Good luck. I hope this helps you make an informed decision.

[Pablo McD]

May I quote " it's better to be safe than sorry". Just need to make sure I can see an immigration office in Chiang Mai, i think I'll do the office and 7 day extension if possible.

Personally, i never like to show any disrespect to the laws culture of a foreign country, and having an overstay stamp in my passport is something that would contradict that respect. Happy new year all and thanks so much for your advice !

[aveabeeror2]

5 days @500 Bt = Bt. 2,500 that you can pay easily when leaving. There is no consequence whatsoever in doing that.

Note, visa exempt stay is 30 days, not 28.

In my opinion, not really worth the trip and time spent at immigration office where you would pay Bt. 1,900 anyway.

I really hate to be 'that guy' who has to add this little bit, but it seems important to do so. The underlined bit that reads 'no consequence' in the quote above isn't entirely true. Provided you make it to the airport as planned and have the cash to pay the fine after checking in for your flight out of the country, you can pay the fee and there will be no problems with the Thai authorities, Thailand, or future visits to Thailand and obtaining the appropriate visa for whatever reason you visit in the future (tourism, retirement, etc.). As things stand now, they don't make a big deal about having an overstay when it comes to issuing visas in the future.

The part that isn't true is that there CAN be consequences of overstaying that may or may not be applicable in your situation now or in the future. They are as follows:

• You will be in violation of the law when you are on the overstay in the country. This violation of the law is potentially very serious. If you were to come into contact with the authorities and they discover that you are in the country illegally as a result of this overstay, you are likely to be arrested. The arrest will result in you spending time in IDC while you organize payment of the fine and transportation out of the Kingdom for your deportation. Deportation generally results in being blacklisted for some length of time. This is fine if you don't intend to visit Thailand again anytime soon, but could have implications for future visits. Your time spent in IDC would certainly not be a picnic either.
  • This is not an attempt to scare you as is often suggested in other threads where people have shared this information. The fact of the matter is that people overstay every single day in Thailand. The length of their overstays varies from a couple of days to several years. There are reports here of people overstaying for a decade or more. From everything I have read, even these people have been fine when they made it to the airport. The likelihood that you will encounter the authorities and they will check your passport for an overstay issue is very remote and the risk associated with it is minimal. Usually people are caught this way when they have otherwise been in violation of the law requiring police intervention. Crimes like assault, theft, drugs, etc. will involve the police. They will want to see your passport. As long as you refrain from involvement in criminal activity, the risk is negligible. When it comes to something like assault, this includes being the victim of an assault as both parties would be required to make a police report. So, don't get into a fight with some idiot at a bar! The risk is very, very small; however, the risk is still there, and you should be aware of it in order to make an informed decision about what to do in your situation. Are you willing to take the risk now that you are aware of the consequences? For many, the answer is yes. As an adult, you are capable of making that determination yourself. For me, the answer is an absolute no.
• Your passport will be stamped with the overstay. As I said, this does not currently have any implications whatsoever for Thailand, entry into Thailand, or future visas or visits to Thailand. That may or may not change in the future. As time goes by, we have seen requirements for visas change. They usually get more strict with time. They may decide that having an overstay stamp in your passport should be viewed negatively when deciding upon the issuance of a visa, entrance to the country, etc. As it stands now, it doesn't matter. As far as I know, getting a new passport would eliminate any of these problems, as there would no longer be an overstay stamp. If it is or if it becomes computerized, then that record of overstay may stay with you permanently. Furthermore, some other countries (some in the Middle East for example) view and overstay stamp in a passport as reason enough to deny entry or a visa to visit their country. If you travel to many countries as a part of your job, you might want to consider the implications of having an overstay stamp in your passport regarding the countries you regularly visit or there is any likelihood you may visit in the future.

All of this can be avoided by simply paying 1,900 baht at any immigration office and getting a 7 day extension on your 30 day visa exemption that you will receive when you enter the Kingdom. As they say, it is up to you. At least you are informed about the possible repercussions of your actions should you choose to overstay. In my opinion, those who advocate overstaying in any country when it can be avoided easily are foolish for the aforementioned reasons. Good luck. I hope this helps you make an informed decision.

I conveyed that info in a line or two.

[scorecard]

May I quote " it's better to be safe than sorry". Just need to make sure I can see an immigration office in Chiang Mai, i think I'll do the office and 7 day extension if possible.

Personally, i never like to show any disrespect to the laws culture of a foreign country, and having an overstay stamp in my passport is something that would contradict that respect. Happy new year all and thanks so much for your advice !

Just remember that Chiang Mai immigration office is very busy every day, you can get the extension but it may take half a day or so.

There are several (legitimate) visa agencies in CM who can help to speed this up. Typically:

- Visit the agency (one is located within about 1.5 kilometres of the immigration office, don't know the locations of the others) the day before and they will get needed documents all prepared, you'll need 2 passport sized photos.

- Go to agency the next day at the time given (means the time they have set up with the immigration office)

- They will take you (their vehicle) to the immigration office, you'll be in and out within probably 20 minutes. And they take you back to their office

- Fess: a. Posted immigration fee. b. Agency fee 1,300Baht.

Agency office is about 10 -15 walk from the centre of the cit.y

PM me if you want the visa agents address and phone no. You will speak to one of the farang owners.

[paz]

No need to use an agency with Thai Immigration offices.

Then regarding the verbose, and unapplicable scaremonging long lecture above, shows what happens with some people that have the need to pontificate all the time and have too much time in their hands, they incidally come very little and have to come up with the most elaborate fantasies to pass to the next person their own insecurity.