Long Time Overstay No Problem

[M23]

Hi folks.

cranking over with roughly 19 months of overstay I went with some concerns to the airport, checked in and proceeded to immigration.

The lady smiled as I told her "overstay" and sent be to the "overstay box" inside terminal 2.

I handed them the passport together with 20000 B what is the fine for an eternity overstay.

They smiled, counted the days, put a normal stamp inside the passport and it was done.

I asked the lady;

What you do if there is showing up somebody with 5 years and she replied: Nothing.

If he pays no problems.

I asked her: Did you have already folks with about ten years and she replied: Sure.

So I went away with their best wishes.

One thing you should observe.

Never get caught prior you make it to the immigration line.

You go to the "Hilton" and if you have no cash you may stay around 3 months until they send you back to your home country.

But life is always a risk.

I can not tell you about terminal 1 but I had already former overstays with 5 to 8 months settled this way at terminal 2.

You have to scale out the risk against the trouble to ###### around every three months or even every 40 days with immigrations.

Cordially

M23

[george]

You are correct that unlimited overstay can be paid at Don Muang Immigration, maximum fine is 20,000 Baht.

We recommend the legal way: Do NOT go overstay in Thailand!

Link:

http://www.thaivisa.com/303.0.html

[huski]

Never get caught prior you make it to the immigration line.

You go to the "Hilton" and if you have no cash you may stay around 3 months until they send you back to your home country.

But life is always a risk.

the james dean of overstay

[Indo-Siam]

I recently had lunch with a European gentleman who had been in Thailand for 15 years, and had - along the way - recorded a fairly impressive overstay. In December, he cleared this problem at the airport - and paid his overstay fine of 20,000 baht. He showed me his passport with the stamp - 20,000 baht fine paid, for an overstay of 4,200 days - eleven and a half years!!!!!

He now travels, and says that when he returns to Thailand, and presents his passport to reenter, his passport always draws a laugh from the inbound Immigration desk - along with comments such as ""well, I hope you won't be staying so long this time".

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

[dutch]

With all respect for the " nice " stories about overstay, I think that some readers will not take the time to look at the link that George gave!

Again, why take the risk and violate the law of Thailand?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Steve,

You know what country this guy was from? Most passports expire every 5 or 10 years. If he had it renewed in Thailand at his Embassy, for sure they should of raised the warning sign.

www.sunbeltasia.com

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi folks.

cranking over with roughly 19 months of overstay I went with some concerns to the airport, checked in and proceeded to immigration.

The lady smiled as I told her "overstay" and sent be to the "overstay box" inside terminal 2.

I handed them the passport together with 20000 B what is the fine for an eternity overstay.

They smiled, counted the days, put a normal stamp inside the passport and it was done.

I asked the lady;

What you do if there is showing up somebody with 5 years and she replied: Nothing.

If he pays no problems.

I asked her: Did you have already folks with about ten years and she replied: Sure.

So I went away with their best wishes.

One thing you should observe.

Never get caught prior you make it to the immigration line.

You go to the "Hilton" and if you have no cash you may stay around 3 months until they send you back to your home country.

But life is always a risk.

I can not tell you about terminal 1 but I had already former overstays with 5 to 8 months settled this way at terminal 2.

You have to scale out the risk against the trouble to ###### around every three months or even every 40 days with immigrations.

Cordially

M23

Some people with repeated overstay stamps are declined entry into some other countries, particularly UK and USA. Be careful.

[M23]

Hi Sunbelt Asia and dr Pat Pong

I renewed my European 10-year-passport on January 19. this year at the Embassy in Bangkok and those guys recommended to settle the problem my way.

Their comment.

"They need the money at Thai immigrations."

Carrying my old passport with already three stamps for overstay I crossed frequently the border to the US in LA and SF several times without any problems.

Nobody was even interested to look inside the passport checking for stamps.

As I mentioned it already.

Just do not get caught prior to the yellow line at the airport.

M23

[Nicke]

Interesting stories.

But I would never take that risk, if you in any case get involved with the police, your fault or not, you are the one who will get trouble while staying overstay.

I heard about a small bar browl last month or so, the innocent guy went to jail because he were staying overstay.

[Pi Sua]

Hi

Just few years ago, I help a French guy who was arrested being overstay for more than 2 years.

The police were waiting for him at Chiangmai GPO as he came every month to get some money transfert. He always had to show his passseport at the post office that was probably he was caught.

He was sent on trial and faced little bit more than 1,500 bahts fine. This is sure because I went to the court and paid for him.

That was the official fine for the people who were caught overstay.

But they never sent him back home. The immigration asked me to come back with the money to buy a ticket plane for any destination. I came back with just little money and they bought him a ticket plane to Penang.

The worst thing was that he had to stay in jail till the flight was a direct fly with no possible stop in Bangkok or any other cities so that took longer time, (alltogether about a month in jail).

Of course they took pictures and finger prints.

He just came back three weeks after his deportation.

I don't think the fine on the court has changed but I think it's better to pay 20,000 to avoid this ######.

[mrmnp]

I wonder what complications the enforcement of the 90 day reporting for long stays will have on overstays?

There are penalties attached to failure to report every 90 days. I wonder if an unforgiving immigration official might just start tacking on additional penalties for failure to report, especially if you have reported once and can't claim lack of knowledge?

[mrmnp]

Posted: Tue 2004-03-09, 19:59:49 

Member

Group: Members

Posts: 13

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Joined: 2003-05-09

Ranong Immigration is now telling people they will not issue visa/stamp passport if you have 3 overstays in passport.

I know some people who always overstay their visas, I guess they will change their minds now. (They dont have work permit) 

   

dr_Pat_Pong Posted: Wed 2004-03-10, 09:07:25 

Dr. & Prolific Senior Admin

Group: Admin

Posts: 5,171

Member No.: 110

Joined: 2002-11-20

The serial overstayers are unlikely to change their ways. Just wait and listen to the wails when visa's are denied the irresponsible sods. 

 

[Pi Sua]

Just do it three times....10 year overstay each

[huski]

I wonder what complications the enforcement of the 90 day reporting for long stays will have on overstays?

There are penalties attached to failure to report every 90 days.  I wonder if an unforgiving immigration official might just start tacking on additional penalties for failure to report, especially if you have reported once and can't claim lack of knowledge?

i have never heard of anyone arrested for not reporting their address every 90 days. it is a requirement to do so, however many forget and many believe their extension(s) was reporting their local address.

you will have to pay a fine which is the max 2000 baht and receive a stamp in your passport. one that doesn't report their address every 90 days over and over again is at the most risking not receiving an extension the next time because of lack of respect for the immigration's requirement.

completely different than immigration grabbing you on the street for an overstay of your visa.

[davethailand]

shoot me down if you want but, is'nt it just stupid and irresponsible to allow an overstay like this.

what valid reason can people give for not getting off their <deleted> looking at their visa and re-newing it, if people have 20000 bht to give immagration at the airport why not pay a 10th of that to get a stamp,

is it worth it, what if you get in a problem with the old bill, monkey house

why take the risk,

i would like to see someone like this try and get a work permit

[davethailand]

shoot me down if you want but, is'nt it just stupid and irresponsible to allow an overstay like this.

what valid reason can people give for not getting off their <deleted> looking at their visa and re-newing it, if people have 20000 bht to give immigration at the airport why not pay a 10th of that to get a stamp,

is it worth it, what if you get in a problem with the old bill, monkey house

why take the risk,

i would like to see someone like this try and get a work permit

good luck

[Indo-Siam]

The 11.5 year overstay guy was from a European country, and he had a serious taxation dispute with that government - such that when his passport expired, he could not get it renewed. So he just stayed on - for 11+ more years. Then - rules changed in home country, and his tax problem went away. So he went to embassy and got new passport - and now had to get legal - by leaving the country. I have no idea how he survived so long - but he does speak fluent Thai, and he has high-up Thai friends in government.

I am absolutely NOT diminishing the importance of not getting caught in overstay status.

Last month, I also met my first person who had direct, personal experience with getting arrested for working illegally - in Pattaya, and involved with dive shop activities. His report was diffeent than what I have heard - he was put in IDC for about 48 hours - which he described as an absolute ######-hole. He then ended up on house arrest in his apartment for 40 days. Every few days, police would show up, tell him to get dressed, walk him down the street to an ATM machine, and have him withdraw the maximum and give it to them. Then - back to his houes arrest. He was basically an ATM slave. He finally arranged for a big pay-off, to buy his freedom. He never did leave Thailand. But he is now very determined to not get caught short again.

Steve

Indo-Siam

[huski]

He was basically an ATM slave

that's harsh, i have seen some guys in pattaya under this magic spell...but having the police take you to an ATM machine every few days would suck

[davethailand]

i,ve met guy's in pattaya and bangkok who have overstay, their reasons are they just forget and are now skint and can't afford to correct it,

not all are bad and it's funny how some of them manage to find musician work, buy drugs and get p****d everyday and moan about being skint, they are tossers, the guy's with real reason's, i've met some also and ok fair enough. stuck in a hole thats maybe not there fault.

BUT lengthy overstay is'nt worth it.

[ASIC]

About someone with a 20,000 Baht overstay applying for a work permit. My pointy-haired boss is trying this. I will let you guys know how it goes.

ASIC

[andreasbkk]

Its not a problem about the 20K for overstay; it a problem what will happens IF YOU ARE CATCH before...

20K never mind, but catch by police with a overstayed passport is not very good.

You really never know when a police officer wants to see you passpport. This weekend, i actually was attached by the maifia, so I was very happy for my work permit and that every think was in order.

...also I was happy for good employees helping me in the middle of the night. Thank you very much staff and management

/Andrew

[M23]

Hi davethailand,

I agree that you are on risk overstaying a long time period but if you do not frequently browse the bars, if you do not mess up the police, if you do not drive a car on your own...then there is a very low risk.

Sure, you may be checked at routine controls even inside a taxi and may be checked for drugs in the red-light circles but with normal attitudes...

there is a low risk.

I do not agree with you concerning a 600 day stay.

This makes you mess up 14 times to cross the border .

It wastes your time and even you money.

Same this it is boring to travel so many times to the Laos border or elsewhere.

Carrying a 1 year visa may be fine but even on a 3 month visa you are 5 times on the run what costs you more than the 20000 B overall.

What is left is just the risk but within 15 years I did not get controlled one very time.

M23

[dr_Pat_Pong]

shoot me down if you want but, is'nt it just stupid and irresponsible to allow an overstay like this.

what valid reason can people give for not getting off their <deleted> looking at their visa and re-newing it, if people have 20000 bht to give immagration at the airport why not pay a 10th of that to get a stamp,

is it worth it, what if you get in a problem with the old bill, monkey house

why take the risk,

i would like to see someone like this try and get a work permit

I won't shoot you down Dave. The overstayers are incredibly irresponsible, and responsible for anti-foreigner attitudes displayed by police.

[samran]

The government should round up illegal immigrants and deport them.

[davethailand]

M23

all i can say is that you have been very lucky and good luck for the future.

i've done border trips, luckily now i have 1 year extensions but i would'nt have to give a second thought about doing a border trip if i lost the year, i would go every month if need be, there is no way i would risk it.

if you don,t frequent the bars,work, drive cars, bikes what are people doing with their time to stop them from going to the border and doing it correctly, it's nice not having to worry about getting caught because you're cheating the system.

i agree with ,dr patpong, this is why it's getting harder here in thailand because as far as the police are concerned we are all at it.

i'm 100% legal here, i even pay taxes, i can go anywhere without worrying about being illegal and i love it.

**** going down the other road because i bet this won't be allowed to continue in the future.

[ChiangMaiThai]

it's nice not having to worry about getting caught because you're cheating the system.

M23 is not cheating the system. He understands the system and he is operating within its rules. The rules, as they are enforced state that if you are on overstay, as long as you make it to the counter at the airport, no matter how many months or years you have overstayed, you pay a maximum 20,000 Baht fine and all is forgiven. If you get caught before you make it to the airport, you go to the Hilton. He knows the rules, has assesed the risks and decided on a course of action. It may not be for everyone, but it is wrong to state that he is cheating the system. Often times the people that get most upset with those like M23 are the ones who have gone to great lengths to do every single thing by the book. And there's nothing wrong with doing things by the book. But these people seem to get extremely aggravated when someone operates from a different perspective. I don't believe for a second that those who overstay are responsible for giving all farangs a bad name here.

To each his own.

[Sunbelt Asia]

About someone with a 20,000 Baht overstay applying for a work permit. My pointy-haired boss is trying this. I will let you guys know how it goes.

All is forgiven if it happen before. However, if he was on overstay NOW, I can't imagine how he could ever get a WP. The WP is tied to your Visa in your passport.

www.sunbeltasia.com

[davethailand]

About someone with a 20,000 Baht overstay applying for a work permit. My pointy-haired boss is trying this. I will let you guys know how it goes.

All is forgiven if it happen before. However, if he was on overstay NOW, I can't imagine how he could ever get a WP. The WP is tied to your Visa in your passport.

www.sunbeltasia.com

exactly

i know there is way's to work the system but honestly can anybody tell that they are 100% satisfied with staying in thailand for the duration with the consent worry of being found out before going to the airport.

madness!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

it's nice not having to worry about getting caught because you're cheating the system.

M23 is not cheating the system. He understands the system and he is operating within its rules. The rules, as they are enforced state that if you are on overstay, as long as you make it to the counter at the airport, no matter how many months or years you have overstayed, you pay a maximum 20,000 Baht fine and all is forgiven. If you get caught before you make it to the airport, you go to the Hilton. He knows the rules, has assesed the risks and decided on a course of action. It may not be for everyone, but it is wrong to state that he is cheating the system. Often times the people that get most upset with those like M23 are the ones who have gone to great lengths to do every single thing by the book. And there's nothing wrong with doing things by the book. But these people seem to get extremely aggravated when someone operates from a different perspective. I don't believe for a second that those who overstay are responsible for giving all farangs a bad name here.

To each his own.

He is breaking the law CMT ... however you cut it, he is breaking the law.

[p_brownstone]

Truly amazing how quickly people forget.

Only a few months ago the "know it alls" were panicking about the false Satun 804 Visas they had obtained through Agents and the Immigration Department suddenly decided to launch a crackdown.

It's impossible to explain or reason with some people, but they will cry like babies if - when - the Immigration Department decides to play tough on this one too, and, of course, blame everyone but themselves.