My cousin has overstayed his visa by 6 years and when his old passport expired he got a new one sent over, this passport is blank and the old visa in his old passport.So first question is can he leave the country if he takes both passports or does he have to go to either embassy or immigration to get a stamp in his new passport? 2nd question is would it be better and less hassle to go via airport or to a land crossing? He plans to marry on return and at present is currently shi***ing himself! thanks in advance guys

He can show both passports on departure from the country and pay the 20k baht fine. Leaving at an airport is the only good option. Most border crossings will not clear an overstay that long.

cheers joe , thanks for the advice. another question if he does this before march 20th can he come back right away with a 30 day tourist visa without any problems?

I don't recommenced that he leaves and then tries to re-enter on a 30 day visa exempt entry (it is not a visa). He should go to a nearby embassy or consulate and get a single entry tourist visa that would allow a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 day at immigration.

If he chose one that is close to a border he could return overland after flying in to save some money.

so he should go to the uk embassy first in bangkok to get a stamp then fly out from the airport? sorry not very good with these things. would the uk embassy help him with this problem before he flew out?

so he should go to the uk embassy first in bangkok to get a stamp then fly out from the airport? sorry not very good with these things. would the uk embassy help him with this problem before he flew out?

No stamp form the UK embassy would be needed or possible.

The UK embassy would be of no help. People have ended up the immigration detention center because they followed the embassy's advice.

Just get 20k baht together and leave from the airport is the best option.

Nothing to do with the U.K. Embassy.

Leave at the airport and get a Visa in a neighbouring country.

cheers ill pass it on, thanks chaps. so what would visa and country would your recommend he do? He,s scared of not being allowed back in and having to stay away from thailand for too long as he has a job here. How soon could he come back to thailand after he has left the country. really appreciate your advice thanks alot

cheers ill pass it on, thanks chaps. so what would visa and country would your recommend he do? He,s scared of not being allowed back in and having to stay away from thailand for too long as he has a job here. How soon could he come back to thailand after he has left the country. really appreciate your advice thanks alot

Vientiane or Savannakhet in Laos and Penang Malaysia would be be the best place to go for a single entry tourist visa.

Others have left with long overstays and re-entered the country without a problem. He will be OK until the 20th of March.

He won't be able to work though.

He needs a work permit.

Edited January 16, 201610 yr by Eclipse

6 years overstay with a job? So no WP either.

how many days would a single entry tourist give him? how long would he have to stay in laos?

Two days in Laos. 60 days entry and 30 days extension at Immigration for 1,900 baht.

He won't get a work permit with that Visa.

perfect cheers mate, reckon theres going to be long queues in march at the airport for all those looking to clear their overstays. looks like thailand has finally cracked down on this issue. you think they will give him a good interrogation as to why he overstayed for so long? be interested to know how the other people get on when they go the airport to clear up their overstays.

He needs both Passports if possible at the Airport.

He will probably be banned from reentering for some years and he will be fined the maximum which was 20.000 Bath the

last I heard. Check it on Thai Forums they will know.

He should be at the Airport well ahead of time since this is not going to be dealt with in a minute.

perfect cheers mate, reckon theres going to be long queues in march at the airport for all those looking to clear their overstays. looks like thailand has finally cracked down on this issue. you think they will give him a good interrogation as to why he overstayed for so long? be interested to know how the other people get on when they go the airport to clear up their overstays.

He will likely be quizzed (politely) about the reason for the overstay. As long as he is polite in return, they will just note his answers and there will be no serious repercussions (as long as he leaves before March 20).

He needs both Passports if possible at the Airport.

He will probably be banned from reentering for some years and he will be fined the maximum which was 20.000 Bath the

last I heard. Check it on Thai Forums they will know.

He should be at the Airport well ahead of time since this is not going to be dealt with in a minute.

At this time there is no ban for an overstay. But there will be on March 20th.

He needs both Passports if possible at the Airport.

He will probably be banned from reentering for some years and he will be fined the maximum which was 20.000 Bath the

last I heard. Check it on Thai Forums they will know.

He should be at the Airport well ahead of time since this is not going to be dealt with in a minute.

Won't be banned

Advise "your friend" "your cousin" to not mention the work "work" when speaking with Immigration.

Edited January 18, 201610 yr by mgjackson69

Yeah , I was wondering about the 6 yr overstay .......then the mention of the job here ????

Seems your friend has been playing a very dangerous game...............................and so far has won. But luck always runs out .

Best he fly out ASAP , pay the fine and get the correct visa for his situation.

Off topic and unhelpful posts have been removed and from now on will be removed without notice.

perfect cheers mate, reckon theres going to be long queues in march at the airport for all those looking to clear their overstays. looks like thailand has finally cracked down on this issue. you think they will give him a good interrogation as to why he overstayed for so long? be interested to know how the other people get on when they go the airport to clear up their overstays.

"you think they will give him a good interrogation as to why he overstayed for so long? "

I would suggest he avoid talking about having had employment here. That could open a whole new can of worms since he was obviously working illegally. If he plans on returning to work, he needs to comply with employment and visa regulations when he returns.

Edited January 18, 201610 yr by Suradit69

cheers guys, really appreciate all the helpful advice. obviously if asked he wont mention about working here illegally, he is a teacher by the way with no work permit so what would you advise he say as to how hes been here for so long on overstay without "work"? His plan is to marry his thai girlfriend on return, will they give him a big red stamp in his passport stating the length of his overstay? he,s worried it might affect his chance of getting a marriage visa in the future

cheers guys, really appreciate all the helpful advice. obviously if asked he wont mention about working here illegally, he is a teacher by the way with no work permit so what would you advise he say as to how hes been here for so long on overstay without "work"? His plan is to marry his thai girlfriend on return, will they give him a big red stamp in his passport stating the length of his overstay? he,s worried it might affect his chance of getting a marriage visa in the future

Not obviously...funny how people let that "work" word slip not realizing it is a red flag.

If Immigration gets inquisitive he will need a story. I have heard that some people manage to stay here for many years using money that they had saved up in their home country.

cheers guys, really appreciate all the helpful advice. obviously if asked he wont mention about working here illegally, he is a teacher by the way with no work permit so what would you advise he say as to how hes been here for so long on overstay without "work"? His plan is to marry his thai girlfriend on return, will they give him a big red stamp in his passport stating the length of his overstay? he,s worried it might affect his chance of getting a marriage visa in the future

There will be a small stamp in his passport, Never seen a red one all that I have seen are blue.

Having an overstay stamp will have no effect on getting a non-o visa or an extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

cheers, can he get a visa on arrival in laos or does he need to get one in advance? He is a complete and utter door knob he's so worried about this that he hardly even leaves his room in fear of being caught before March 20th. Ill keep you guys posted as to how he gets on and ive told him he better get the beers in for me and all you guys that have given great advice. Great to see there are still some wonderful human beings left on this planet.

cheers, can he get a visa on arrival in laos or does he need to get one in advance? He is a complete and utter door knob he's so worried about this that he hardly even leaves his room in fear of being caught before March 20th. Ill keep you guys posted as to how he gets on and ive told him he better get the beers in for me and all you guys that have given great advice. Great to see there are still some wonderful human beings left on this planet.

He will get a Lao visa on arrival. Cost will be $30 to $42 US or 1500 baht dependent upon his nationality,

cheers, can he get a visa on arrival in laos or does he need to get one in advance? He is a complete and utter door knob he's so worried about this that he hardly even leaves his room in fear of being caught before March 20th. Ill keep you guys posted as to how he gets on and ive told him he better get the beers in for me and all you guys that have given great advice. Great to see there are still some wonderful human beings left on this planet.

He will get a Lao visa on arrival. Cost will be $30 to $42 US or 1500 baht dependent upon his nationality,

He is British from the OP. On how he has been living here for long without work and how he maintained himself, he could say his parents are so rich and have been sending money to him or are dead and left a lot of money for him and he had his personal money too that he saved before coming here.

Edited January 18, 201610 yr by Lekong

cheers, can he get a visa on arrival in laos or does he need to get one in advance? He is a complete and utter door knob he's so worried about this that he hardly even leaves his room in fear of being caught before March 20th. Ill keep you guys posted as to how he gets on and ive told him he better get the beers in for me and all you guys that have given great advice. Great to see there are still some wonderful human beings left on this planet.

He will get a Lao visa on arrival. Cost will be $30 to $42 US or 1500 baht dependent upon his nationality,

He is British from the OP. On how he has been living here for long without work and how he maintained himself, he could say his parents are so rich and have been sending money to him or are dead and left a lot of money for him and he had his personal money too that he saved before coming here.

It must be remembered that if "story's" are told then evidence to support the tale may be asked for.

Stevymac - I was in a similar position with original entry visa in old passport and a new unmarked passport. I went to Suvaranabhumi with a ticket out and the 20k baht. I was directed to a desk behind regular immigration. The stamp was transferred from the old passport into the new one (rather incongruous as the entry stamp therefore actually preceded the issuing date of the passport in my case by over 10 years). The departure stamp was placed beside it along with a stamp indicating length of overstay and that the 20k fine was paid. They seemed particularly interested that I still had the TA6 form but maybe that might have been due to when I arrived they might not have had a computerised system in operation. While they were clearly and justifiably nonplussed with my overstay I found them extremely professional about it. No back-rooms or requirements for "tea" money. Indeed the process was being watched by the senior I/O and on leaving the desk I enquired if I was blacklisted and reassured that I was not. The whole process took about 30 minutes Lots of forms to sign relating to understanding pending overstay rules. He should therefore arrive early, be conservatively dressed and accept that he was in the wrong, be apologetic pay his fine and be on his way. He might be questioned on re-entry therefore the sound advice of some of earlier posters to obtain a visa in advance of re-entry. He is right to try and get it sorted out and I fully understand his apprehension but from someone who has been through it he will feel a tremendous sense of relief once cleared. A cold beer airside never tasted so good!