Serious Visa Overstay

[zach]

Ok, so I already know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have a serious question and was hoping I could get some honest opinions. I was wondering what you all think the chances of getting caught for visa overstay are. If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine??? I know this isn't the ideal solution but even the max fine on the way out would be ok. Also if I was staying on an isolated bay of Ko Phangan the chances of getting "busted" would be much less right? Please help, thanks,

Zach.

[El Taco Loco]

Sweet Jesus man. Why would you put yourself in that situation. They can jail you for one day overstay. 500 baht a day upto 20k fine. Worth it? Koh Phangan forever?

Or Troll?

Ok, so I already know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have a serious question and was hoping I could get some honest opinions. I was wondering what you all think the chances of getting caught for visa overstay are. If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine??? I know this isn't the ideal solution but even the max fine on the way out would be ok. Also if I was staying on an isolated bay of Ko Phangan the chances of getting "busted" would be much less right? Please help, thanks,

Zach.

[endure]

If you never carry your passport they'll gaol you until you produce it. If you get caught in-country you will be gaoled until you produce enough money to buy a ticket out.

[taxexile]

a friend of mine , passport expired , 2 years overstay when they eventually located his entry details , did 6 weeks in the immigration jail before being flown home (at his own expense).

heavily fined too.

[tgeezer]

In over twenty years of visiting, my contact with the authorities has been slight, I am sure that my status was checked in a case of being robbed and naturally it was in the case of leaving my passport in a taxi however, on two occasions of being stopped by the traffic police; never. I would think that the Immigration and crime divisions of the police force are the only people with your status as a priority and clearly you would not want to contact them. My opinion on whether you will get caught is as good as anyone's so I would answer, minimal. The place you are least likely to get caught is the middle of Bangkok not in the countryside where your annonimity could not be preserved. I think if you have already embarked on this course of action then the question is moot. Every crime has a price and you are happy to take the risk of a maximum fine, are you prepared for the unpleasantness associated with arrest and investigation? On the point of not having your passport with you, I cannot see that working, because if an official has become interested he will not let it drop. I carry a photocopy but that is because of the trouble I had when I lost the passport; the police assumed that I had sold it! A photocopy could easily be forged so I would expect a little nausea and inconvenience en-route to production of the original and hope that I could handle it. You can guage from my conservatism that my reply is of not much use but as yet there are no replies so it is something for you to read.

[cobra]

Jail and fines aside, there's also the real possibility of permanent black-listing.

Whether eventually re-entering the country is even a consideration for you, something to think about.

[DrFisher]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I’m married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I’m guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

[zach]

Well, thanks for the advise. It sounds like it really wouldn't be worth it to me. My friend who has spent alot of time there on and off told me to do this but it sounds like b.s. I don't want to see the inside of a Thai jail or piss off a Thai cop. I'm just a guy who has had a big run of bad luck in the states and am looking for a lengthy time away from it all. I'm just bumed the visa rules have changed. Thanks for all the help. Sorry if anyone thought i was trolling.

Zach.

[tgeezer]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I'm married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I'm guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

Not as bad as it seems I hope did you mean nine days late because you are allowed seven days either way

[rocky]

samui is a little small to try and stay long time without a visa, the biggest problem with breaking any law is any person that is aware, one small fall out and the game would be over.

It would be no good living here always looking over your shoulder, Also if you wont to get a bank account, replace a bank account book, driving licence, land line telephone, etc, people will wont to see you passport and take a copy of it.

[mongoose]

If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine???

Zach.

It goes like this. You get caught with an overstay and they put you in jail untill a court hearing. At court you are fined. If you can pay you go back to jail untill they transport you to the BKK Immigration Center or Jail. You pay for your transport there and for your police accompanyment air tickets too. Then you are in a Bkk jail where you sit untill you can arrange air transport out of Thailand and untill you can get the immigration police there to take you to the airport. Niether can be done fast.

[Karenjane]

If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine???

Zach.

It goes like this. You get caught with an overstay and they put you in jail untill a court hearing. At court you are fined. If you can pay you go back to jail untill they transport you to the BKK Immigration Center or Jail. You pay for your transport there and for your police accompanyment air tickets too. Then you are in a Bkk jail where you sit untill you can arrange air transport out of Thailand and untill you can get the immigration police there to take you to the airport. Niether can be done fast.

My brother has just been arrested in bangkok by immigration police for overstay of over 4/5 years!! Also he is wanted in the UK for drugs offences. Will he have been sent to the Immigration detention centre or a jail, and how do they go about deporting people to the UK police, anyone have any experience of the immigration detention centre?

[davethailand]

If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine???

Zach.

It goes like this. You get caught with an overstay and they put you in jail untill a court hearing. At court you are fined. If you can pay you go back to jail untill they transport you to the BKK Immigration Center or Jail. You pay for your transport there and for your police accompanyment air tickets too. Then you are in a Bkk jail where you sit untill you can arrange air transport out of Thailand and untill you can get the immigration police there to take you to the airport. Niether can be done fast.

My brother has just been arrested in bangkok by immigration police for overstay of over 4/5 years!! Also he is wanted in the UK for drugs offences. Will he have been sent to the Immigration detention centre or a jail, and how do they go about deporting people to the UK police, anyone have any experience of the immigration detention centre?

The IDC is apparently worse than the normal jail and if he has 4-5 years overstay i'd say he's going to be there for a long long time and its also going to cost alot of money.

Basically he's f**cked.

[mopenyang]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I’m married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I’m guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

I'm also curious about this.

Are you saying you were two days beyond the seven days grace period that is (or was?) granted per the Immigration link below?

http://www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

[mpdkorat]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I'm married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I'm guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

Edit I was mistaken

Edited January 14, 2007 by mpdkorat

[mopenyang]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I'm married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I'm guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

Why 2000 baht, you were only two days late should have been 500 baht per day??

Nope. You're thinking of overstay.

On the 90 days thing there is a set fine of 2,000 baht unless it has been raised?

Check this at the very bottom: http://www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

[naka]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I'm married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I'm guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

Why 2000 baht, you were only two days late should have been 500 baht per day??

No, 500 Bt/day is the fine for overstay, not late 90 day reporting on a retirement/marriage visa

which is a fixed fine of 2,000.

Naka.

[taxexile]

My brother has just been arrested in bangkok by immigration police for overstay of over 4/5 years!! Also he is wanted in the UK for drugs offences. Will he have been sent to the Immigration detention centre or a jail, and how do they go about deporting people to the UK police, anyone have any experience of the immigration detention centre?

The IDC is apparently worse than the normal jail and if he has 4-5 years overstay i'd say he's going to be there for a long long time and its also going to cost alot of money.

Basically he's f**cked.

good !

[britmaveric]

Tax -

[Dupont]

Ok, so I already know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have a serious question and was hoping I could get some honest opinions. I was wondering what you all think the chances of getting caught for visa overstay are. If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine??? I know this isn't the ideal solution but even the max fine on the way out would be ok. Also if I was staying on an isolated bay of Ko Phangan the chances of getting "busted" would be much less right? Please help, thanks,

Zach.

You will be looking over your shouder forever.

And.. How will you get there? The police often get on the buses these days and check everybodies passports and ID cards as they have nothing much else to do between Hua Hin and Chumphorn in the middle of the night.

You can never again check into a hotel or rent a motorbike or car, cannot buy one, and if you are ever in an accident of any kind, the game is up and you are in the wrong regardless as you shouldn't have been there

[Briggsy]

Oh, and should you ever want to leave Thailand even if it's just for one day, you're screwed.

[Phuket Dragon]

Overstay ? Maybe hire privat a turbo prop plane on a smal airport and fly to a neightbore country ?

Dragon.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Phuket Dragon

[Briggsy]

Or spend four days coming through the jungle with the desperate Burmese.

[JimsKnight]

Ok, so I already know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have a serious question and was hoping I could get some honest opinions. I was wondering what you all think the chances of getting caught for visa overstay are. If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine??? I know this isn't the ideal solution but even the max fine on the way out would be ok. Also if I was staying on an isolated bay of Ko Phangan the chances of getting "busted" would be much less right? Please help, thanks,

Zach.

You will be looking over your shouder forever.

And.. How will you get there? The police often get on the buses these days and check everybodies passports and ID cards as they have nothing much else to do between Hua Hin and Chumphorn in the middle of the night.

You can never again check into a hotel or rent a motorbike or car, cannot buy one, and if you are ever in an accident of any kind, the game is up and you are in the wrong regardless as you shouldn't have been there

Zach everyones pretty much right on this one. Its best to stay legal unless you wish to permanently go native in the back of beyond and live like a total hermit. <Yes> you can do the heavy-overstay thing and it possibly may save you some coin if you manage over three years but you'll always be fearing whats in your blind spot and if you let people know who you think you can trust then the secrets out and you've made yourself a possible target for revenge blackmail / attacks.

If you get yourself a steady income from outside sources (easier said than done, but doable) you can manage to stay legit without trying to cut corners to save every baht.

[Neeranam]

You can never again check into a hotel or rent a motorbike or car, cannot buy one, and if you are ever in an accident of any kind, the game is up and you are in the wrong regardless as you shouldn't have been there

If you had a 5 year driver's license you could use that to rent a car and check into a hotel.

A friend of mine overstayed for 8 years - coast him 20,500 baht on the way out.

It's a big gamble - if you can speak Thai and know how to bribe officials it may be worth it, or if you know any very influential people.

The Immigration jail is a lot worse than the other jails(which are not very pleasant).

[astor]

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I’m married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I’m guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

I had the same experience like as you, 2 days late about my 90 days report. But they forgiven me, no fine no anything. They jut said me: ok the next time you get care about that. and not forget it.

It depends by which clerk you find. Have good clerks , and have a bad clerks

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(DrFisher @ 2006-12-16 07:51:46)

Let me give you my personal experience maybe that will give you a good idea of what will happen.

I am employed by the Thai government (officer status), I pay taxes, I’m married to a Thai national, and I have 2 children who have taken Thai nationality. I was 2 days late checking into immigration for my 90 sign in (because of the weekend and I know it is no excuse) but I was fined 2,000 B and told me very sternly not to let it happen again. So, I’m guessing they will not be as nice to someone in the situation you described.

Doc, why not send your 90 ady reporting by post? I do that and have been over 1 month late with no problem.

[webfact]

From my own experiences:

Overstay is not a mistake which can be easily/lightheartedly excused in this country anymore".

In most cases it isn't treated as a peccadillo!

[dantilley]

Well, thanks for the advise. It sounds like it really wouldn't be worth it to me. My friend who has spent alot of time there on and off told me to do this but it sounds like b.s. I don't want to see the inside of a Thai jail or piss off a Thai cop. I'm just a guy who has had a big run of bad luck in the states and am looking for a lengthy time away from it all. I'm just bumed the visa rules have changed. Thanks for all the help. Sorry if anyone thought i was trolling.

Zach.

Hi,

Well for a start you can get a tourist visa from a Thai embassy abroad which can keep you there for 3 months. Then, after that, you can do 3 more monthly "border runs" where you simply cross into a neighbouring country and then return straight back into Thailand again with a 30-day entry stamp. Of course, you will have to leave the sanctity of Koh Pha Ngan for a day or so to do this each time.

So that can give you 6 months. Is that enough time "away from it all"?

If not, you can go and apply for another tourist visa and start the process over again for another 6 months. But there's some uncertainty as to whether you'll be granted the next tourist visa, in which case you just have to find another idyllic beach on which to be based for another 6 months, and there are plenty around in the region (be sure to check visa status of your desired location though).

Then, after 1 year (6 months in Thailand, 6 months in another nearby country), you could even then return to Thailand on another tourist visa, this time granted for sure as you've been away for 6 months, and then do 3 more border runs. Surely 18 months is long enough away???

Edited January 21, 2007 by dantilley

[Tolley]

Interesting topic in light of a converstion which i had with a good friend of mine last night.

He has been in Pattaya for 6 months and staying at a very upmarket hotel for the whole time.

Last night i asked him about his visa status.

He said that it was five months overdue and that he had worked it out and that seeing that the maximum fine was 20k baht it was cheaper than doing all the visa runs!!!

He seems to think because he has bucketloads of money nothing is a problem.