Re-entry after overstay with different passport

[choppa]

I recently left Thailand voluntarily by air and paid 20,000 baht fine for overstay at the airport and received a 5 year ban on my UK passport.

My question is that I have dual nationality AUS/UK and would like to go back to Thailand on a different passport from another country.

Do you think if I have a return ticket for a week they will let me back in on my never used passport for Thailand from a different country?

[Bunnychow]

You might just get away with it.

[Ian1980]

On my experience i think is not possible.In their database they have your photo,name,surname and date of birthday.

[Ronuk]

I would be 100% certain in these days of heightened security and the need for all airlines and Immigration officials to know who is coming and going, that it would be impossible that your passports are not linked.
If you do get caught at an Airport in Thailand knowing you are already banned, it might turn out to be slightly more serious than the computer saying 'No'. In fact, you may be there a while but not in a hotel of your choice.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Ronuk

[gilo]

Are you absolutely certain that they have imposed the ban and that you are not mistaking the overstay stamp for the ban? is there a stamp in your passport that clearly (in English or Thai) that states this? As it seems that many have been able to leave without the ban being actually implemented. Perhaps you should make absolutely certain on this point first, if you are still unsure Thaivisa service can check (for I believe a modest fee) whether you are on the blacklist or not...might be easier/cheaper to try this route before any other. If you are banned, then I am sorry to hear that and hope that you can solve the problem, legally as the consequences of getting caught re-entering knowing you were banned might not be good at all!.

Edited July 4, 2016 by gilo

[Ian1980]

Are you absolutely certain that they have imposed the ban and that you are not mistaking the overstay stamp for the ban? is there a stamp in your passport that clearly (in English or Thai) that states this? As it seems that many have been able to leave without the ban being actually implemented. Perhaps you should make absolutely certain on this point first, if you are still unsure Thaivisa service can check (for I believe a modest fee) whether you are on the blacklist or not...might be easier/cheaper to try this route before any other. If you are banned, then I am sorry to hear that and hope that you can solve the problem, legally as the consequences of getting caught re-entering knowing you were banned might not be good at all!.

No need to pay anything:on the passport you should have your overstay stamp with the amount you paied. If you are blacklisted,immigration should issue a paper separetly. Follow this and you will know easily if you are blacklisted or not.

[IMA_FARANG]

You might just get away with it.

-----------------------------

And you might not.

Your problem probably won't be with Thailand. They probably don't have that kind of security set up yet.

But nowadays, using a different passport with a different name or from a different country is monitored by many countries as it might be just be a terrorist trying to evade detection by a target country security check.

That kind of thing will get you locked away without anyone holding a key to let you out.

As in Guantanamo.

[KhunBENQ]

Only similar experience or an immigration insider could surely tell.

How much do they use wild-cards when comparing to the banned persons list?

1) Last name match? Unlikely, too many Smiths on the bad boy list

2) Last name and birthday match?

3) Last name, first name and birthday match?

4) Last name, first name, birthday and nationality match?

Who knows?

Only case 4) would let you through with the passport swap.

Since months (or years) they are talking about fingerprinting (face recognition?) at the checkpoints (which would of course incl. detainees before deporting).

If they ever introduce that system the swap passport game would be finally over.

And biometrics is the only method that really works.

Too easy and cheap to get forged documents.

Edited July 4, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[darrendsd]

As another poster said contact ThaiVisaService, they can check if you are blacklisted for a fee of around 3000 Baht

If you are blacklisted I doubt you would get back in and could also be charged with attempting to enter the country illegally

[lonewolf99]

I am going to make an assumption here..

You do not have the 2nd passport yet ?

When you make an application for a passport - you might see on the form there is a section asking if you have ever held another passport before and they want the details of that passport. Number etc...

If you chose to ignore that section or not tell the "exact truth" you might end up in more trouble than you have already started with ?

I can have dual nationality but chose not to. A clean U.K. passport with no overstays or bans goes a long way. Well, until we are totally out of the EU...!!!

Many other countries have draconian laws when it comes to passports and visa violations than you might think. 5 Years will pass soon enough but the record will stay for ever.

[choppa]

I have a red stamp written in Thai next to my Thai stamp last visit stating 5 years ban in my UK passport.

I do have a brand new Aus passport never used for entry in Thailand in which my question is based.

Thanks for all comments and insight

[JackThompson]

Ok, so no question about the ban, then. If you try this, maybe they stop you at the border and turn you around, or maybe they arrest you there. Maybe you get in but they figure it out later, and come looking, or nab you on the way out. Maybe you change your name in Austrailia, but they still put it together - sooner or later.

I don't think I could enjoy myself while "living on the lam" - essentially. If the risk is worth it is your call. At the least, find out what the penalties are for attempting entry and/or being caught in the country while banned. I can guess you would not be treated kindly for, basically, thumbing your nose at them.

I am not trying to be harsh, because I can completely understand missing Thailand after being away a few months. Have you spent much time in Cambodia, the Phillippines, or Vietnam? Maybe India, for something completely different? If not, it might be a good time to check those out, to help pass the time.

[BritTim]

If it is not too much trouble, could you please post a scan of the stamp sowing the 5-year ban. I am interested to see what the stamp looks like. I am surprised it is (according to your report) in Thai only.

[manarak]

It might just work if using a passport from a different country.

I guess there are enough John Smithes with the same birthdate in UK, USA and Australia.

[elviajero]

• Your passport hasn't been banned, you have.

You have very little chance of getting back in with the passport from AUS as your name and DOB will be enough for a warning to be flagged to the IO.

If you do get in you would be in the country illegally because you are banned. If you are caught you would be arrested, prosecuted, deported and possibly blacklisted forever.

[catman20]

You might just get away with it.

i hope you dont, these rules are put in place for a reason, if you dont respect the laws and rules of Thailand why should they let you back in. i would ban people like to for life.

[anthony0339]

Consult with a Thai immigration lawyer instead of seeking free advice from a forum full of expats who are more concerned with debating than helping the people that post.

[muzmurray]

You presumably overstayed for over 3 years to get the 5 year ban, there must have been a reason for that, and I fail to see how that reason would disappear just by using a different passport.

[Suradit69]

• Your passport hasn't been banned, you have.
• You have very little chance of getting back in with the passport from AUS as your name and DOB will be enough for a warning to be flagged to the IO.
• If you do get in you would be in the country illegally because you are banned. If you are caught you would be arrested, prosecuted, deported and possibly blacklisted forever.

Yes, even if you manage to slip through airport immigrations, any time after that when you need to deal with immigrations for 90 day reports or extensions or border crossings, or when you fly out or whatever, you face arrest for being illegally present in the country. Do you really want to live here with that hanging over your head?

As elviajero said, it was you who was banned, not your passport. And, despite what some people think, Thai immigrations computer system is not as antiquated as they'd like to believe. I assume both your passport have biometric data chips now. It's not just a matter of two people both named John Smith.

[KonaRain]

I think so too, get away with it.. If both passports were American, no way..

But different kine ... Aloha

[NoshowJones]

Consult with a Thai immigration lawyer instead of seeking free advice from a forum full of expats who are more concerned with debating than helping the people that post.

I see your point, but it is of great benefit to get the experience of a poster with the exact same situation as yourself.

[Bunnychow]

You might just get away with it.

i hope you dont, these rules are put in place for a reason, if you dont respect the laws and rules of Thailand why should they let you back in. i would ban people like to for life.

I assume your self righteous wrath is being directed at me, I live and work legally in Thailand and have done so for a long time and pay my taxes, so get off your high horse with respect to banning people because they give an opinion to a question

[MobileContent]

I have a red stamp written in Thai next to my Thai stamp last visit stating 5 years ban in my UK passport.

I do have a brand new Aus passport never used for entry in Thailand in which my question is based.

Thanks for all comments and insight

I think you will have no chance as the system triggers a manual review which would mean they compare the photos of the two different passports as a starter.

[sanukjim]

You might just get away with it.

The OPTIMAL word here is MIGHT. as your name and essentials are in the computer at imaginations.Be prepaird to buy a ticket leaving Thailand that day( at a high price)..

[sanukjim]

I would be 100% certain in these days of heightened security and the need for all airlines and Immigration officials to know who is coming and going, that it would be impossible that your passports are not linked.

If you do get caught at an Airport in Thailand knowing you are already banned, it might turn out to be slightly more serious than the computer saying 'No'. In fact, you may be there a while but not in a hotel of your choice.

Go to Cambodia and come here in five years.It is the price of being a dummy and not taken care of your condition before hand.

[Rayk]

There are 46,695 people in the U.S. named John Smith. And that's just in the United States.

Grow a beard, change your hair style and come in on your new passport.

With the amount of people on the planet with the same name. I highly doubt they could figure it out with a different passport.

[chickenrunCM]

As another poster said contact ThaiVisaService, they can check if you are blacklisted for a fee of around 3000 Baht

If you are blacklisted I doubt you would get back in and could also be charged with attempting to enter the country illegally

there is no charge or anything else, he not attemp the country illegally, he goes through Immigration using a

original passport, worse case can be they don´t let him in, that´s all

[novo58]

everyone here seems

to assume that the OP's name REALLY is John Smith ??

[elviajero]

As another poster said contact ThaiVisaService, they can check if you are blacklisted for a fee of around 3000 Baht

If you are blacklisted I doubt you would get back in and could also be charged with attempting to enter the country illegally

there is no charge or anything else, he not attemp the country illegally, he goes through Immigration using a

original passport, worse case can be they don´t let him in, that´s all

He is attempting to enter illegally because HE is banned. It doesn't matter that he has a valid passport.

I agree that, probably, the worst case at the border would be denied entry. But if he does get in and is caught in country he could be imprisoned for up to two years, definitely would be deported after detention, and would probably face permanent blacklisting.

[jacko45k]

Presuming you fly in from Oz on the Oz passport and not the UK, I would be optimistic.