I’m from Botswana and overstayed 3 months. Can I come right back?

[peecao1]

I am planning to go to immigration this week with a flight to my home country of Botswana, pay the fine of 20,000 then get aboard my plane. Once there get a new visa and return to Thailand to work as a company has provided me with a letter of employment and a contract to show immigration officers.

Please give me any advice, suggestions or comments you might have as to what might actually happen when I set off on this journey.

Cheers,

Curious

[expatbrit]

You should go straight to the airport and pay the overstay fine at the immigration check point.

If you plan on returning to Thailand to work you will need to obtain a non imm "B" visa. Your employer must also apply for your work permit.

[theoldgit]

I'll move this to the appropriate forum.

[ubonjoe]

Do not go to an immigration office. Go to the airport check in for your flight and pay the 20k baht fine at departure immigration.

You will not have a problem re-entering the country after your trip home.

[Sheryl]

Yes, absolutely do not go to immigration...you risk possible arrest and detention. Just leave at the airport, they will pull you aside to pay the fine at the immigration counter. At that point you are checked in for a flight, they'll let you go once paid.

[Lekong]

As it has been said above, pay at the airport and leave. Then before leaving as you are planning to come back and work, let your company prepare all the necessary documents to get a non B visa for you before you go. If you come back here with a tourist visa, you will certainly go back to Africa for a Non B visa. Could someone here provide him with the link to get the required list of documents for a Non B please? That will help him a lot as he will show it to his company to prepare those documents for him before he goes home. I got it this myself.

Category “B” for undertaking work in Thailand

1. Original passport valid for not less than 6 months from the date of arrival in Thailand and blank pages.
2. Completed and signed application form.
3. Two (2) recent (2 x 2 inches) photographs (taken within the last 6 (six) months).
4. Certificate of Criminal Clearance issued by the police and certified by the Notary Public or the Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Embassy of these countries.
5. The original bank statement (for the last 6 months) and the letter of reference issued by the authorized bank officer/manager. The two documents must be certified by the Notary Public or the Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Embassy of these countries. A copy of each document needs to be submitted.
6. Letter of invitation from the company in Thailand stating the nature of business and the purpose and length of employment.
7. Employment Contract indicating the rationale for hiring the applicant as well as his/her salary, position and qualifications. The document must be signed by authorized managing director and affixed the seal of the company.
8. A copy of educational records of the applicant and letters from the prior employers identifying job description and length of service time.
9. Letter of Approval from the Ministry of Labour (To obtain this letter, the prospective employer in Thailand is required to submit Form WP 3 at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour Tel. 02 245 2745, 02 245 3209 or at a provincial Employment Office in the respective province. For more information, please visit website: www.doe.go.th/workpermit/index.html).
10. International Health Certificate on Yellow Fever Vaccination.
11. Confirmed air ticket paid in full.
12. Visa fee in amount of 13,000 Naira (single entry).
Note: For Football trial or football Players in Thailand
Applicants who wish to enter Thailand for football player trial or as a football full time players should make a request to the Sport Authority of Thailand through their respective sport agents or representatives authorized by their national football associations. The Sport Authority of Thailand will then forward a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for consideration. After receiving approval from the Ministry of Thailand, the Embassy may issue an entry visa to the applicants on condition that they meet all requirement specified above. They may be asked to provide additional evidence of their status as footballer players, i.e. a letter issued by their football clubs in their respective countries.

Let your company go through this list and do the documents that you need from here before going home. Good luck.

[gk10002000]

I recommend you go to immigration.

[expatbrit]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Explain please .

Why do you recommend the OP goes to immigration ?

[Suradit69]

I recommend you go to immigration.

If he goes to immigrations before he is actually leaving the country, he will have no legal basis for being in the country from then until his flight leaves. As others have said, there's a good chance he'd be detained awaiting his date of departure (or longer).

Far better he pay when exiting the country at the airport.

Your unsupported comment without any explanation or justification is rather irresponsible.

[Suradit69]

Do not go to an immigration office. Go to the airport check in for your flight and pay the 20k baht fine at departure immigration.

You will not have a problem re-entering the country after your trip home.

Not sure about his circumstances or time frame or personal need to return to Botswana, but assuming he has everything in order, could he not get the non-imm B in Laos or some place less distant than the consulate in Botswana (which I assume is under the control of the Thai Embassy in South Africa)?

[sometimewoodworker]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Bad advice, as has been proven here on other occasions. Involving hospitality of the immigration department.

[ubonjoe]

Do not go to an immigration office. Go to the airport check in for your flight and pay the 20k baht fine at departure immigration.

You will not have a problem re-entering the country after your trip home.

Not sure about his circumstances or time frame or personal need to return to Botswana, but assuming he has everything in order, could he not get the non-imm B in Laos or some place less distant than the consulate in Botswana (which I assume is under the control of the Thai Embassy in South Africa)?

Botswana is on the list of counties that must apply for visas in their home country. See this from the Vientiane embassy: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/RestrictedCountries2013.pdf

This has been covered in other topics that those on the list will not get a visa anywhere within the region.

[BritTim]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Surely a troll post. You cannot be serious.

Perhaps, at the back of your mind is "another unjustified overstayer; justice would see him locked up and blacklisted from the country".

[Tom Cahill]

Do not go to an immigration office. Go to the airport check in for your flight and pay the 20k baht fine at departure immigration.

You will not have a problem re-entering the country after your trip home.

The immigration won't help you. They will give you problems or just be unhelpful and say it's not their problem. You need to do as this person says. If it's only three months it's nothing. One issue you may have is returning, but what you can do if this doesn't work out back in Botswana, is:

1. get them to issue you a new passport, then come back with no stamps in it;

or, easier and cheaper,

2. book a flight to Penang or KL and then don't come right back in, and get a visa in Penang for two months, which can be extended for one more.

I'm not sure how this works with your new job, but it will get you back in and won't cost you any more money really, and you won't have to wait around at home, bribing people to get your passport replaced.

[expatbrit]

Do not go to an immigration office. Go to the airport check in for your flight and pay the 20k baht fine at departure immigration.

You will not have a problem re-entering the country after your trip home.

The immigration won't help you. They will give you problems or just be unhelpful and say it's not their problem. You need to do as this person says. If it's only three months it's nothing. One issue you may have is returning, but what you can do if this doesn't work out back in Botswana, is:

1. get them to issue you a new passport, then come back with no stamps in it;

or, easier and cheaper,

2. book a flight to Penang or KL and then don't come right back in, and get a visa in Penang for two months, which can be extended for one more.

I'm not sure how this works with your new job, but it will get you back in and won't cost you any more money really, and you won't have to wait around at home, bribing people to get your passport replaced.

An extremely unhelpful post which provides inaccurate information !

Botswana is on the list of counties that must apply for visas in their home country. See this from the Vientiane embassy:

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/RestrictedCountries2013.pdf

Citizens of Botswana MUST apply for Thai visas in their own country.

[gk10002000]

I recommend you go to immigration.

If he goes to immigrations before he is actually leaving the country, he will have no legal basis for being in the country from then until his flight leaves. As others have said, there's a good chance he'd be detained awaiting his date of departure (or longer).

Far better he pay when exiting the country at the airport.

Your unsupported comment without any explanation or justification is rather irresponsible.

Exactly, If he goes to immigration he would have troubles. Do any of you really think the original poster was real?

[gk10002000]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Explain please .

Why do you recommend the OP goes to immigration ?

Immigration should be the place one goes to in order to sort out immigration issues.

[expatbrit]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Explain please .

Why do you recommend the OP goes to immigration ?

Immigration should be the place one goes to in order to sort out immigration issues.

Really ?

There are many issues which should be addressed at an immigration office but a substantial overstay is not such an issue.

Significant overstay is best resolved with the Immigration Officers at the airport just prior to departure.

[BritTim]

I recommend you go to immigration.

Explain please .

Why do you recommend the OP goes to immigration ?

Immigration should be the place one goes to in order to sort out immigration issues.

For a long overstay, rarely. I can only conceive of one circumstance where it could be right.

Suppose, you have a return air ticket, but are completely out of funds. In that case, you cannot exit through the airport. You will do anything to get back home.

You can turn yourself into immigration who, once they understand the situation, will imprison you. The judge will reduce your fine from the original 20,000, likely to something in the 5,000-10,000 baht range which you still cannot pay. They will let you work off this fine by staying in jail. I think you get credited 200 baht for each day behind bars. Assuming a 5,000 baht fine, after 25 days, they will take you to the airport and deport you. Note that it is critical that you have an air ticket before trying this or you will languish in prison a long time.

[whitemouse]

I recommend you go to immigration.

That is simply cruel. You may not like certain people, or maybe you don't like anybody, but to wish them harm? I don't understand this!

OP, do not go to any immigration office, you will very likely be arrested, and what follows is a nightmare that only a very, very cruel person can wish to a fellow man!

Go straight to airport, , leave the ccountry, and have 20.000 THB ready in cash, just like all decent people here have advised you!