I cleared a 15 month overstay at Phuket airport yesterday.

I have an Indian passport. I showed up at the airport well ahead of time but it wasn't necessary after all- mainly because they would not let me check in until 2 hours before the flight. So I had 4 beers as I waited. Checked in finally (Malaysia airlines) and the lady at the counter spotted my overstay immediately and wrote "Long overstay" on my boarding pass. I did not have a ticket out of Cambodia (which is where I am now). The woman refused to give me the boarding pass without an onward ticket from Cambodia. So I went up to the Air Asia office and got a ticket back to Bangkok for ~2500 baht. If you have a long overstay, be sure to have an onward ticket if you are traveling to a 3rd country as the airline can refuse boarding if you don't. On to passport control with a horrible queue, looked like I would have to wait in line for an hour. So I approached an officer and said I'm on overstay- I was immediately taken to the office at the back to pay the fine. Very friendly and professional treatment. No reprimand or any hassles. To say that I was relieved would be an understatement. The whole interaction lasted less than 5 minutes. 20k baht + a small tip (which I offered voluntarily. No demands were made.) and I was on my way. HKT> KL> PNH.

Glad to here all went well

I am happy to hear the overstay problem is resolved.

You will know that as an Indian passport holder visas for Thailand can only be obtained in India.

I am happy to hear the overstay problem is resolved.

You will know that as an Indian passport holder visas for Thailand can only be obtained in India.

True for all except the Elite visa. Also there is another work-around. Enter Thailand on 14 day visa-on-arrival and then try to change it/convert to ED or similar inside Thailand. It is possible with the right connections and fully legal/they have the power to convert visas.

>>>>>>at the end...

The whole interaction lasted less than 5 minutes. 20k baht + a small tip (which I offered voluntarily. No demands were made.) and I was on my way.

<<<<<<<

Small tip? You must be a very lucky man, they could have arrested you for bribe.

and you would not be the first one.

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

20k THB for a 15 month overstay! Cost me 15k to clear 30 days some years ago at Chonburi Immigration.

20k THB for a 15 month overstay! Cost me 15k to clear 30 days some years ago at Chonburi Immigration.

The maximum overstay fine is 20k baht.

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

How do you check your baggage online?

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

they will still want to see your passport,

>>>>>>at the end...

The whole interaction lasted less than 5 minutes. 20k baht + a small tip (which I offered voluntarily. No demands were made.) and I was on my way.

<<<<<<<

Small tip? You must be a very lucky man, they could have arrested you for bribe.

and you would not be the first one.

In this situation I definitely don't see it as a bribe. He wasn't trying to avoid payment of the fine by paying a smaller sum to the Immigration officer. He wasn't getting a reduction. He paid what he was supposed to pay and added on a small tip as a gesture of goodwill.

Don't be so dramatic about this. "Could have been arrested for a bribe". Jesus

Edit: spelling

Edited March 14, 201610 yr by Jay1

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

they will still want to see your passport,

I may be wrong, as i was about 10 years ago about something, but here goes. Cant check in online if have baggage to check in. With baggage, must go to check in counter. !!!

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

they will still want to see your passport,

No, really?

>>>>>>at the end...

The whole interaction lasted less than 5 minutes. 20k baht + a small tip (which I offered voluntarily. No demands were made.) and I was on my way.

<<<<<<<

Small tip? You must be a very lucky man, they could have arrested you for bribe.

and you would not be the first one.

Never depend on Thai Immigration, yes, they can be very good and helpful, but I'm sure many posters know the other side of the coin.

Just curious what would happen if someone did the same as you in India?

There is a jar on the table in the office with TIPS written on it

Or just check in online and print the boarding pass, then no need to deal with the check in desk or wait around.

You know that is a really really good idea by checking in online and printing your boarding pass you bypass the airline check in as some of them can be nasty refusing exit for a number of reasons. It also give you extra time as the airline check in only opens two hours before hand. Good post and you win the prize for this week.

Just curious what would happen if someone did the same as you in India?

Many "westerners" (white people, including Russians and Israelis) have been living illegally for years in Goa and in the Himalayas, specifically in Himachal Pradesh. The maximum overstay fine is INR 10,000 (about 5000 THB).

I didn't do this willfully. It was the result of Thailand's policy that says Indians can apply for a visa only within India, and an incompetent lawyer whom I had the misfortune to hire. He made me wait for 3+ months before telling me that he couldn't get me a visa, by which time I was already on overstay.

Just curious what would happen if someone did the same as you in India?

Many "westerners" (white people, including Russians and Israelis) have been living illegally for years in Goa and in the Himalayas, specifically in Himachal Pradesh. The maximum overstay fine is INR 10,000 (about 5000 THB).

I didn't do this willfully. It was the result of Thailand's policy that says Indians can apply for a visa only within India, and an incompetent lawyer whom I had the misfortune to hire. He made me wait for 3+ months before telling me that he couldn't get me a visa, by which time I was already on overstay.

Why refer to the "lawyer" as incompetent ?

You hired someone in the hope that the legally impossible could be somehow achieved.

Best you speak to Mr.Narendra Modi who, I am sure, will be pleased to negotiate a Bi-Lateral or better visa deal with the Thai people.

Just curious what would happen if someone did the same as you in India?

Many "westerners" (white people, including Russians and Israelis) have been living illegally for years in Goa and in the Himalayas, specifically in Himachal Pradesh. The maximum overstay fine is INR 10,000 (about 5000 THB).

I didn't do this willfully. It was the result of Thailand's policy that says Indians can apply for a visa only within India, and an incompetent lawyer whom I had the misfortune to hire. He made me wait for 3+ months before telling me that he couldn't get me a visa, by which time I was already on overstay.

Why refer to the "lawyer" as incompetent ?

You hired someone in the hope that the legally impossible could be somehow achieved.

Best you speak to Mr.Narendra Modi who, I am sure, will be pleased to negotiate a Bi-Lateral or better visa deal with the Thai people.

Maybe "incompetent" was a bad choice of words. "Sleazy" is perhaps better. Whatever, I am sympathetic to the OP's experience. When you seem to have a difficult issue with visas, you have a choice. You can try to navigate the rules yourself. Alternatively, you can do what members here often advise: hire an expert (an immigration lawyer). Telling the OP he should not have hired an expert because he should be expert enough himself to know the expert could not help is unfair.