Answered5 years ago

What are the rules regarding children overstaying their visas in Thailand?

Child Visa Overstay Thailand Visa Rules ED Visa Overstay Penalties Tourist Visa Visa Extensions

Clinton ***************

asked Nov 3, 2021

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:::Question about children overstaying their visa:::

Hello, I have some friends planning to come to Thailand in January.  They both plan to enter on a tourist visa, then switch to an ED visa through a language school that will be good for 1 year.  They have 3 small children.  I have read the children can be exempt from penalty for overstaying their visa, but as I have never done this myself before, I’m a little weary to confidently tell them this will work with out hearing more first hand accounts.  Has anyone done this before or know more about it?

Answer summary

Children under 15 years old are exempt from fines for overstaying their visa, and those under 18 cannot be banned from re-entry for overstaying. However, it is important to note that they still require a valid visa or extension to remain in Thailand. If children are found to be overstaying, they will receive overstay stamps on their passports when leaving the country, but no penalties will be imposed at the time of exit.

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Clinton ***************

These are helpful experiences, Thank you!

5 years ago

Ellie *******

Children who are on overstay would get overstay stamps on their passports when they leave the country. Penalties are waved doesn't mean they don't get trails.

Once they are on overstay aka staying in Thailand illegally, they cannot do anything inside Thailand to be back to the status of staying legally. They need to leave the country and back to be staying legally in those cases.

5 years ago

Tod *********

Okay the rules state that children under 15 cannot be fined for overstay and that children under 18 cannot be banned for it <- meaning there are no penalties for overstaying.

BUT

That's not the same as saying they don't need a visa/extension to be here, just that there are no penalties if they overstay.

I'd say they'll be fine, and I know people who have kids that are on multi-year overstays without any issues at all when they leave the country

5 years ago