Overstay Penalties For Non-imm 'o' Visa

[tutsiwarrior]

need advice folks...I have a non-immigrant 'o' visa (expires 17 July) and I must leave and return before 2 May to comply with the 90 day reporting requirement. I shall be travelling on business not to return for a few months first week of June. The friendly people at the overstay office at Don Muang advised that the daily over stay penalty is 100baht. It costs 8000baht to fly to Singapore to get the passport stamp so it looks like an overstay of 30 days and a 3000baht fine might be preferable.

If I chose this arrangement would the immigration people at Don Muang put me in jail for flagrantly violating the overstay rules or would it be simply routine, pay the money and go to the check in counter? Normally this wouldn't be an issue but I am broke and presently can't afford the expense and the hassle of a trip to S'pore.

With regard to renewing my non-immigrant 'o' visa while I am abroad can anything be done while I am still in Thailand to expedite the process? I presently have no money in the bank so I cannot comply with the new bank balance requirements. I will have plenty of dough when I return. Better to return on a tourist visa and start the process locally?

Lopburi...you out there?

all the best

[Axel]

Tutsi, the first problem I don't get. Your visa is valid till 17 July, so why do you have to leave and return before 2 May? When did you arrive here last time to calculate your 90 days at which you just report your whereabouts? When you have been here for 90 days, just tell them you are still here, that's what it is all about.

You leave first week of June while your visa allows you to stay till 17 July? There is no overstay, for which btw the fine would be Baht 200 per day, not 100.

Another thing is the extension of your visa, while abroad. This is a problem since you will be gone for a couple of months...

Go to the immigration, with ticket on hand, explain to them that you want to extent NOW, since later you have to travel. If your non-imm O is valid for one year, they might accept or give you a chop to come back by....

[tutsiwarrior]

axel...my understanding is that non-imm 'o' visa holders have to leave the country every 90 days in order to 'report' to thai immigration. The non-imm 'o' visa is renewable yearly...separate activities...

[konangrit]

His other point still stands,though. Your fine will be 6000 THB, not 3000 THB. So you will only be saving 2000 Baht. If money is so tight, can you not travel out of Thailand overland?

[bkk_mike]

If the cost of the flight is the issue - you could try Air Asia's web site.

www.airasia.com

You may have to search a bit to find a cheap day for a flight, but you can return same day in some cases, but it seems ideal for a visa run.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Go in to Immigration Tutsi. Be nice and I am sure they'll sort something for you.

[Axel]

axel...my understanding is that non-imm 'o' visa holders have to leave the country every 90 days in order to 'report' to thai immigration. The non-imm 'o' visa is renewable yearly...separate activities...

tutsiwarrior, somewhere is a mis-understanding in here. Your visa expires July 17, when you are due for your yearly extension.

So you can stay until such day, but have to report to immigration your address every 90 days, in person or by mail.

If you leave the country, get a re-entry permit, when you return, you still can stay until July 17.

Different story, if the non-imm O is for 60 days, extentable once by 30 days, but multiple entries. In such case, yes you have to leave after 90 days and return on

the same visa, which allows you to stay another 60 (+ 30) days, but no need to report since you stay less than 90 days.

[astral]

You do have your knickers in a Tutsi.........

If you have a one year visa and your current entry stamp is valid until the 17th July you can stay until then.

Just go and report at the end of your 90 days.

If your entry stamp is until the 2nd May, but the visa stuck in your passport

is valid until the 17th July, then you need to go out and in again on or before the 2nd.

Do not risk the overstay - 200 baht a day.

It is not the money.

If you have any problem during your overstay, you will be deported and probably

not allowed to return.

[lopburi3]

Believe you have permitted to stay time and 90 day reporting confused. If you are here on a multi entry non immigrant visa you never have to report (unless you extend stay) but you do have to exit the country and return at the end of the entry stamp (90 days). This is not what we call the 90 day reporting.

You might be able to extend your stay at immigration for a month but it will cost you 1,900 baht for the tm7 and is not automatic.

So you have that option, a border crossing run (need not be air to Singapore), or risk jail and never being able to return if you have bad luck. I would not even consider the overstay as an option. As if done it will cost you at least 6,000 baht so a border run would be cheaper.

As for non immigrant visa on what basis is yours issued? Do not believe many places in the local area will be receptive to issue multi entry.

[tutsiwarrior]

lopburi...my non-imm 'o' visa issued on the basis of marriage to thai lady. Sounds like the overstay option is too risky, however the guy at the overstay payment desk at Don Muang mentioned either going into immigration in BKK and purchasing an extension or paying the daily penalty...I sure he said 100baht per day 3 months ago. I said to him 'you guarantee no hassles if I choose to overstay a week or two...just pay the penalty and no possibility of arrest and deportation?' and he said no probs.

So looks like a run to the Cambodian border...what a drag, first go to BKK, spend the night and catch a bus early morning. Don't even want to think about the bus ride, no food, smelly toilets and etc. Fukcin' ordeal. Then stay in some flop at the border, get up the next morning and repeat.

Anyone know of a less painless way to proceed going overland? What would a BKK taxi driver charge for a day hire?...(thai wife would negotiate).

[natee1]

travel agents organize 1-day round trip tours to the border in comfy minibuses, details in any of the free monthlies in the pubs, Bangkok Post as well ?

There is a train leaving early mornings from bkk to Aranyapathet- takes 5-6 hrs, 3rd class carriages only if I remember correctly, but lots of food vendors and fun, take a bottle of vodka on board... It costs less than 100 Baht (the train).

Where did I put the timetable? Will ask a neighbour about taxirides tonight.

[natee1]

oops, just noticed the date, sorry I am too late..