Overstayed...Attempts to Leave: Please Advise

[Sudaca]

Hi! My name is Stacy Johnson. A friend of mine is allowing me to use his username to post my case. I have been here in Thailand close to a year without proper paperwork (Visa). About ago week ago, I tried leaving via Bangkok Airport and was "turned away". While waiting in line, I was approached by an officer, asked to show my passport and then found myself being interviewed in a room near the general area. The police were nice enough but I was essentially told not to leave that particular day. Part of the problem it seemed was that my reason for staying was not valid so to speak. I simply here too long, hanging out on Koh Tao...this was obvious. I was also there quite early and although this may have nothing to do with it: I think I had too many bags. In any event. I have since contacted a lawyer who has agreed to meet me at there as I attempt to leave again (about five days from now). I am a bit nervous but because there will be someone there with me, it doesn't feel as daunting as it wtould otherwise. If there is any advice that can be offered in terms of how to avoid incedent, I would greatly appreciate it. If not, simply wishing me luck would be a big help.

[Mario2008]

Strange story and see no reason why you were picked out in the que and told to go away.

Overstay of about 1 year is simply leave the country after paying a fine of 20,000 baht. Nothing more to it than a notation in your passport.

[ubonjoe]

Did you have 20,000 baht to pay the overstay fine? If you had been on the no travel list they would not of let you go free.

[paddyjenkins]

This story just makes no sense at all. I've ever been approached, I've never seen anyone approached. Why even bother approaching anyone when they are about to be seen anyway by an officer, at the immigration counter. Sorry, sounds like some kind of troll post.

[LuckyLew]

Am I allowed to call BS on this one?

Could have created own user name .... and on and on

[Cyrille C]

More of 90 days overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 1 year

More of 1 year overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 3 years

Wish you good luck

[ubonjoe]

More of 90 days overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 1 year

More of 1 year overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 3 years

Wish you good luck

Those new rules have not gone into effect yet.

[AGareth2]

good luck

[benj005]

maybe it's because she doesn't have the funds to pay for overstay.

If I had the money i would help you out. I'm sorry.

I hope this gets resolved quickly for you.

[PomRakBKK]

Let us know how it ends!

[Sudaca]

Hi guys,

I'm the owner of this user name.

I have let her post, as she didn't know how to create a new topic.

So for the ones who are complaining why she didn't don't it, ok, she couldn't do it. Easy guys.

Thanks for the ones who have tried to help.

Was difficult for me to understand her story too, so I have suggested her to post here and find the answer.

[lostinisaan]

More of 90 days overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 1 year

More of 1 year overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 3 years

Wish you good luck

Those new rules have not gone into effect yet.

I had to sign this form when i renewed my visa two weeks ago. Not yet, but maybe?

I'm just wondering what too many bags have to do with it?

[larsjohnsson]

This story is very strange and not realistic.

[ubonjoe]

More of 90 days overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 1 year

More of 1 year overstay = forbidden from re-entering the Kingdom for 3 years

Wish you good luck

Those new rules have not gone into effect yet.

I had to sign this form when i renewed my visa two weeks ago. Not yet, but maybe?

I'm just wondering what too many bags have to do with it?

The new rules have not been approved yet.

Lots of people including myself have signed the form for a couple of months now.

[lostinisaan]

This story is very strange and not realistic.

So Stacy just preferred to stay on Ko Tao and forgot about her real life. It took almost a year to realize that she did something wrong, an overstay.

If she has 20 K in her pocket, plus a valid ticket to fly out on the same day, i do not think she'll face any problems. Which would change, if she gets busted and they find out that she's on such a long overstay.

Just in my opinion, a lawyer isn't really needed. Wish Stacy best of luck, if they enforce the new rules, it could be possible that Stacy might not be able to see Ko Tao for the next three years.

How many over stayers are actually on all the islands, places like Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket and of course the Isaan.

[ubonjoe]

Some off topic and inflammatory posts have been removed. Any more will be removed without notice.

[bertty]

All a bit fishy, Sorry you have been here too long so we cant allow you to leave.

Still nice of the lady to post using a friends account, rather that it being yet another story about a friend.

Who knows she could be the lucky one, every time she tries to leave they will get lucky and pick her out in a queue of hundreds, and tell her time and again sorry you cant leave.

Personally sounds like someone fishing for answers or to see if it has happened to anyone else... Just in case.

[AlanAunuum]

if she has not left by now its 20.000 baht lighter and a 3 year ban

[ubonjoe]

if she has not left by now its 20.000 baht lighter and a 3 year ban

As I have written twice before in this topic there is no banning being done now because the rules have not been approved yet.

[Songhua]

This story just makes no sense at all. I've ever been approached, I've never seen anyone approached. Why even bother approaching anyone when they are about to be seen anyway by an officer, at the immigration counter. Sorry, sounds like some kind of troll post.

Don't think she even made it that far. OP says she may have been whisked aside due to having too many bags. Do Imm officers now scour the check-in queue for such 'obvious' signs of overstay?

[Mario2008]

Sounds more like an offical from the airline wanting to bump some passengers because of overbooking.

[bertty]

This story just makes no sense at all. I've ever been approached, I've never seen anyone approached. Why even bother approaching anyone when they are about to be seen anyway by an officer, at the immigration counter. Sorry, sounds like some kind of troll post.

Don't think she even made it that far. OP says she may have been whisked aside due to having too many bags. Do Imm officers now scour the check-in queue for such 'obvious' signs of overstay?

To many bags = overstay ? Seriously ?

[Absolut]

What she fails to mention is if she had the 20,000 baht to pay for the overstay.

I can see an airline check in staff member possibly alerting immigration to an overstayer and that could have been why she was picked out of line before she got to an immigration counter.

Can the OP or the member who's account she's posting from provide in the info on whether she had the 20,000 baht available and ready to pay?

I can't imagine someone being denied permission to leave if they have the funds to pay the overstay fee, different story if they don't though.

[ATF]

Sounds more like an offical from the airline wanting to bump some passengers because of overbooking.

I think she asked the airline staff or the airline staff told her to go home if she didn't have the 20k for the overstay.

Immigration would have no choice but to bang her up.

[NancyL]

I think it was the airline doing some "prescreening" before she actually was interviewed by Immigration and they caught the fact that she was both on overstay and had excess luggage and were asking her if she had the funds to cover both extra charges. The airline probably asked an immigration official to come look at her passport (but not arrest her) just to confirm that yes, indeedy, she was on overstay and would be asked to pay 20,000 baht in addition to the airline's charges for excess bags.

Here in Chiang Mai, a Korean Air official looks over passports and asks passengers with overstay if they have the funds to pay the fine before they go thru the hassle of checking someone into the flight. Note -- it's Korean Air doing this first check, not Immigration.

[iancnx]

I think it was the airline doing some "prescreening" before she actually was interviewed by Immigration and they caught the fact that she was both on overstay and had excess luggage and were asking her if she had the funds to cover both extra charges. The airline probably asked an immigration official to come look at her passport (but not arrest her) just to confirm that yes, indeedy, she was on overstay and would be asked to pay 20,000 baht in addition to the airline's charges for excess bags.

Here in Chiang Mai, a Korean Air official looks over passports and asks passengers with overstay if they have the funds to pay the fine before they go thru the hassle of checking someone into the flight. Note -- it's Korean Air doing this first check, not Immigration.

Makes sense. An airline would not want to put luggage in the hold if there was a chance of a no show at the gate due to immigration difficulties. Suggest OP didn't have the cash and actually was gifted a get out of IDC card. She should be grateful for that if this is indeed the accurate story.

[ksamuiguy]

just a thought, do you have a valid passport with a thailand entry stamp?

[96tehtarp]

I think it was the airline doing some "prescreening" before she actually was interviewed by Immigration and they caught the fact that she was both on overstay and had excess luggage and were asking her if she had the funds to cover both extra charges. The airline probably asked an immigration official to come look at her passport (but not arrest her) just to confirm that yes, indeedy, she was on overstay and would be asked to pay 20,000 baht in addition to the airline's charges for excess bags.

Here in Chiang Mai, a Korean Air official looks over passports and asks passengers with overstay if they have the funds to pay the fine before they go thru the hassle of checking someone into the flight. Note -- it's Korean Air doing this first check, not Immigration.

This is the best explanation so far. The OP isn't likely to be the first passenger who has tried to check in without sufficient funds to cover the fine. It's a major headache for the airlines once the baggage has been loaded if the passenger cannot be boarded.

Now that I remember, every time I have checked in with an overstay I have been required to show the check in agent the cash I would use to pay the fine. The check in staff want to see the cash before they check in my luggage. I'd forgotten this until this topic came up here.

[Lakegeneve]

if she has not left by now its 20.000 baht lighter and a 3 year ban

As I have written twice before in this topic there is no banning being done now because the rules have not been approved yet.

Indeed you have and it is amazing how many people cannot seemingly read plain english.

However, for the benefit of the OP - in case she is delayed for some more weeks - can you suggest when you believe that those rules will be approved and could go into force? I thought I had read by end of August which might then impact the OP but then I saw another Post piece which said October....

[ubonjoe]

I think October is probably closer to correct than this month. Perhaps late September.

It is awaiting interior ministry approval is what has been said. But I think it is likely being done as a ministerial regulation which requires cabinet approval. At the moment there is no cabinet to approve it.