ED visa. I forgot to inform my daughter changed school

[geovalin]

My wife's daughter -Cambodian citizen- is learning in Thailand since 12 years.

She has an ED visa with yearly extension expiring in September.

Last April - May she changed her school as she finished M3 (School A) and entered in M4 (School .

I did not inform immigration.

Yeserday immigration officers (Chaeng Watana) told me: "In fact the visa was dead since April and you did not inform us. We have to fine you (overstay) or you ask the previous school to make a fake statement telling that your daughter is changing school now."

The school refused to make a fake statement.

I'm not very keen to pay a 20,000 THB fine (by the way, is someone with such an overstay allowed to apply again for a yearly extension?).

Do you think it's indeed the only one solution?

I was considering to begin the process all over again. Go back to Cambodia. Go to the Thai Embassy in PP. And ask for a NEW 3 month non-imm ED. Then make the extension in Bangkok.

What is your opinion?

How could we avoid the nightmare?

[ubonjoe]

Children under the age of 15 do not pay overstay fines.

When an error is made they will often reinstate the extension after a long overstay.

Taking he out for a new ED visa might be the best solution if you cannot get it sorted out at immigration.

[geovalin]

Children under the age of 15 do not pay overstay fines.

When an error is made they will often reinstate the extension after a long overstay.

Taking he out for a new ED visa might be the best solution if you cannot get it sorted out at immigration.

Thank you for your reply UbonJoe.

My daughter is 16 years old.

When you write "if you cannot get it sorted out at immigration." you mean "if you have to pay a 20,000 THB fine." Right?

Or do you think another agreement could be found?

[ubonjoe]

Since she is 16 it would have to be after paying the overstay. I cannot think of any solution other than what they suggested and the school would not do.

The trip out for a visa may well be the best solution but even that could be a problem if they have canceled her extension in their database which I doubt they have. If they did that then you would have to pay the overstay when leaving.

[geovalin]

Since she is 16 it would have to be after paying the overstay. I cannot think of any solution other than what they suggested and the school would not do.

The trip out for a visa may well be the best solution but even that could be a problem if they have canceled her extension in their database which I doubt they have. If they did that then you would have to pay the overstay when leaving.

The extension is still valid. We would pay the overstay to obtain a new extension but we are not fined yet.

These very helpful officers always mention they "help" (TRUE! it's what they do, as the extension is still valid), "can help", "could help". Do you think they have other "solutions" in mind?

[harrry]

It may pay to handle this quickly. The automatic ban for overstay is not yet in effect but it would not be very nice if you leave it until after the law has been signed and then she gets banned from Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

Since she is 16 it would have to be after paying the overstay. I cannot think of any solution other than what they suggested and the school would not do.

The trip out for a visa may well be the best solution but even that could be a problem if they have canceled her extension in their database which I doubt they have. If they did that then you would have to pay the overstay when leaving.

The extension is still valid. We would pay the overstay to obtain a new extension but we are not fined yet.

These very helpful officers always mention they "help" (TRUE! it's what they do, as the extension is still valid), "can help", "could help". Do you think they have other "solutions" in mind?

I cannot predict what they might be have in mind but there could be other solutions.

I just did some numbers in my head about the cost of the trip for the visa and the visa itself and it makes me think it might not be all that much less than paying the 20k baht overstay fine.

[geovalin]

Since she is 16 it would have to be after paying the overstay. I cannot think of any solution other than what they suggested and the school would not do.

The trip out for a visa may well be the best solution but even that could be a problem if they have canceled her extension in their database which I doubt they have. If they did that then you would have to pay the overstay when leaving.

The extension is still valid. We would pay the overstay to obtain a new extension but we are not fined yet.

These very helpful officers always mention they "help" (TRUE! it's what they do, as the extension is still valid), "can help", "could help". Do you think they have other "solutions" in mind?

I cannot predict what they might be have in mind but there could be other solutions.

I just did some numbers in my head about the cost of the trip for the visa and the visa itself and it makes me think it might not be all that much less than paying the 20k baht overstay fine.

Yes, but the passport is new so it would mean 7 years with a BIG overstay in the passport.

Expense: 4000 THB for the trip. Nothing to pay in PP as we have family.