I'm curious, do immigration authorities know where you are, at any given moment?

[lakecross]

Specifically, your home country's immigration department? Obviously they will know if you leave your home country, and they will know your destination country, but if you are crossing international borders on your travels, by air or road, can they pin you down to a particular country? Or do they just know where you flew out to initially?

One would assume they can track your passport's progress, otherwise it would seem easy for fugitives to evade capture.

[Skint]

At some point you will need a new passport it would be at that point I guess you are screwed. I don't know maybe a criminal can post a more relevant answer.

[Naam]

One would assume they can track your passport's progress, otherwise it would seem easy for fugitives to evade capture.

movements can be tracked only by an international arrest warrant which is accepted by most (not all) countries.

[Naam]

At some point you will need a new passport it would be at that point I guess you are screwed. I don't know maybe a criminal can post a more relevant answer.

you home country authority can void your passport any time if there are valid reasons, i.e. "at some point" might be "any time".

[krisb]

If you swan the Mekong river into Laos and got a boob job they wouldn't find you.

[FiftyTwo]

They don't know where you are or where you have been.

Unless they are tracking your email and phone (hardware and SIM).

Change your email and phone.

[recom273]

Could you imagine UK immigration on behalf of the police force calling Thai immigration, just to check.

[zeichen]

typically speaking, each country is independant and doesn't share information with other countries who enters or exits. If there was one international computer system that tracked every single person, that would be a massive undertaking. Each country is independant right now, but who knows if there is a global governance at some point.

So unless there is an interpoll warrant out for you, your home government wouldn't really know where you are or what you have been doing. It is only conspiracy theorists that believe the government is that powerful to track what countries you have travelled to or where you have worked. It is not like government authorities inform each embassy who is working in their country.

Travel with ease.

[MMarlow]

Yes, Lakecross, if they want to know they will know, and they will get you eventually. Keep your eyes peeled.

They're probably monitoring your posting here also.

[davejones23]

Yes, Lakecross, if they want to know they will know, and they will get you eventually. Keep your eyes peeled.

They're probably monitoring your posting here also.

Not true at all. There are tens of thousands, or maybe even hundreds of thousands of criminals on the run. Authorities only find a tiny percentage of these. Many British criminals live in Spain, but you don't see many being caught.

[FalangBaa]

Only through the microchip implanted in your body that transmits your GPS location every minute to the NSA. Find it and cut it out, then you're safe. Or just go back, turn yourself in and serve your time like a man for the crime you're obviously running away from.

[neverdie]

Could you imagine UK immigration on behalf of the police force calling Thai immigration, just to check.

it happens all the time. Might surprise you but there's an organisation known as Interpol (The international Criminal Police Organisation) and there's thousands of 'international' type inquiries going on every week.

[worgeordie]

I hope not

regards Worgeordie

[olddoc]

Word has it that the Western country with the biggest spy network in the world has incorporated GPS tracking devices into passports.

So the answer would be Big Brother does know !

[JLCrab]

US State Department knows where I am because I tell 'em:

https://step.state.gov/step/

[olddoc]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

US State Department knows where I am because I tell 'em:

https://step.state.gov/step/

Many would not use that service.

They hate government and live in a world of paranoia !

[nisakiman]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

US State Department knows where I am because I tell 'em:

https://step.state.gov/step/

Many would not use that service.

They hate government and live in a world of paranoia !

Or perhaps they value their privacy.

That's not paranoia. It's a desire for freedom from unwanted intrusion into ones private life by busybody state agencies.

[Pib]

According to the movies and TV shows they do...and I believe everything I see in the movies/TV shows.

[BigRick]

The answer to the OPs question is "Yes" they know if you are out of the country trying to collect benefits pretending to be back home.

[Chao Lao Beach]

One would assume they can track your passport's progress, otherwise it would seem easy for fugitives to evade capture.

movements can be tracked only by an international arrest warrant which is accepted by most (not all) countries.

Well, kind of.

In Thailand, (and many countries) have PISCES which is a border control system provided free of charge by Uncle Sam (USA) and installed & maintained by Booz Allen Hamilton, you may know of this company as a chap called Edwards Snowdens previous employer.

Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES).

As a general rule of thumb, countries or passport holders that do visa waivers, generally share info and stuff is at their finger tips.

eg, if you are a Kiwi going to Canada, it is amazing how much info they can bring up quickly on you if they want to on your entry.

Don't be naughty by and girls.

[moojar]

Yes, Lakecross, if they want to know they will know, and they will get you eventually. Keep your eyes peeled.

They're probably monitoring your posting here also.

Ah, but only if you are not wearing your tin-foil hat!

[MAJIC]

Could you imagine UK immigration on behalf of the police force calling Thai immigration, just to check.

Depends on the severity of the crime?

[Estrada]

I hope not

regards Worgeordie

Is that a knock I can hear at your door?

[BlueSkyCowboy]

At some point you will need a new passport it would be at that point I guess you are screwed. I don't know maybe a criminal can post a more relevant answer.

They spent 100 million dollars and found Obama BIn Laden. Just a matter of time LOL

[rotary]

At some point you will need a new passport it would be at that point I guess you are screwed. I don't know maybe a criminal can post a more relevant answer.

They spent 100 million dollars and found Obama BIn Laden. Just a matter of time LOL

Somehow I do not believe Obama telling me Osama is dead. I think they are having a beer together every evening on the White House lawn. Like minds drink together as normal. ha ha

[recycler]

If it's important enough to your home countries authorities they will be able to find you.

It's extremely difficult to live without any footprint, you'll need help and people you can trust and/or a lot of cash to minimize your traces. But whatever you do, someday you'll be traced!

For people who use internet, mobile phones, email, let alone facebook, twitter, foursquare, etc. the latter are designed by secret services to follow your moves everywhere you go!

[Cylon]

Some day soon, we will all be chipped,It will inserted at birth,just as they do with dogs now.

[thailandbeachisland]

They know nothing because I have overstayed 25 years as it seems a new trend !

[hawker9000]

One would assume they can track your passport's progress, otherwise it would seem easy for fugitives to evade capture.

movements can be tracked only by an international arrest warrant which is accepted by most (not all) countries.

Well, kind of.

In Thailand, (and many countries) have PISCES which is a border control system provided free of charge by Uncle Sam (USA) and installed & maintained by Booz Allen Hamilton, you may know of this company as a chap called Edwards Snowdens previous employer.

Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES).

As a general rule of thumb, countries or passport holders that do visa waivers, generally share info and stuff is at their finger tips.

eg, if you are a Kiwi going to Canada, it is amazing how much info they can bring up quickly on you if they want to on your entry.

Don't be naughty by and girls.

I think you're overstating the particular role of PISCES. However, where cooperation in the tracking of a person of particular interest is requested, I'm sure Thailand cooperates most of the time, and PISCES might figure in such a request. But I don't think the US is currently "tracking" every one of its citizens overseas as they move from country-to-county, or here & there within a foreign country. (We're not even "stamped out" of the US by immigration when leaving, although I'm sure US authorities have unfettered access to airline manifests & passenger id info whenever they want.) If OTOH you're on someone's radar and they want to locate you, well, different story... And if they need to reconstruct someone's travel after-the-fact, I'm sure they can using host country immigration records as well as a variety of other "footprints" we all leave wherever we go nowadays. In countries like Thailand, Vietnam, etc., I would think it would be particularly easy since hotels, guesthouses, etc. are required by law to inform the authorities of your stays.

Canada and the U.S. do have a uniquely "intimate" arrangement when it comes to sharing information on their respective citizens entering the other country.

[Tanlic]

If you swan the Mekong river into Laos and got a boob job they wouldn't find you.

Unless they drag the river