This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
What should I do if I accidentally overstayed my METV in Thailand?
May 28, 2024
2 years ago
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTERHelp! Accidental overstay?
First, I know this is totally our fault, we should have checked the stamp, and we didn't.
Situation: we left home (New Zealand) at the start of April and were granted a multi-entry tourist visa (METV)about 2 weeks before we left. This is the one where you can stay up to 60 days at a time. We arrived in Bangkok at the start of April, so naturally assumed we had 60 days to leave. We have been holidaying in Hua Hin.
We want to do an extension so were going to head into an office this week (it has been 50ish days) - we just looked at our passports and the stamp says our entry date and then only 30 days later the exit date (at the start of May). But on the page prior it has our full page for the METV and the date it was granted. Have we accidentally overstayed? Was this a stamp error? Is there any way to explain the situation?
I feel like we made the effort of going through the full formal visa process and paying all the full fees (for all 5 of our family members) and now we face an absolutely massive fine if we've overstayed 😭
First, I know this is totally our fault, we should have checked the stamp, and we didn't.
Situation: we left home (New Zealand) at the start of April and were granted a multi-entry tourist visa (METV)about 2 weeks before we left. This is the one where you can stay up to 60 days at a time. We arrived in Bangkok at the start of April, so naturally assumed we had 60 days to leave. We have been holidaying in Hua Hin.
We want to do an extension so were going to head into an office this week (it has been 50ish days) - we just looked at our passports and the stamp says our entry date and then only 30 days later the exit date (at the start of May). But on the page prior it has our full page for the METV and the date it was granted. Have we accidentally overstayed? Was this a stamp error? Is there any way to explain the situation?
I feel like we made the effort of going through the full formal visa process and paying all the full fees (for all 5 of our family members) and now we face an absolutely massive fine if we've overstayed 😭
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user mistakenly believed they had a 60-day stay on their multi-entry tourist visa (METV) but discovered an exit stamp only allowing a 30-day stay, leading to concerns about overstaying. Community members advised checking with the local Thai Immigration office as soon as possible to correct the entry stamp, potential consequences of overstaying, and the importance of showing the correct visa on entry. The user later updated that their stamps were corrected, they received an extension, and did not incur any overstay fees.
Pelle Eriksson★★★★★
Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...recently on Facebook
Luca G.★★★★★
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
Trusted Thai Visa Agent
OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED
#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTERUPDATE: we went to the office, they asked why we didn’t look at the stamp, we just answered honestly: we didn’t even think about it until last night. They saw that we did indeed have a legitimate visa and went about things the right way otherwise. That was it! They updated all our stamps to reflect the right date we should have been stamped when we first arrived (60 days), granted us a visa extension on top of that (so exit date at the start of July now), and did not charge any overstay fees. Everyone was super lovely, helpful and friendly. Couldn’t have asked for more.
Graham ***********
@Nina ********
congratulations👏👏. I understand how tough it must be supervising 3 kids whilst navigating security and immigration. I have enough trouble doing this on my own.😂 I'll also be diligently checking my entry stamps going forward.Jim *******
@Nina ********
delighted to see an Immigration story that has a happy ending 👍🏻👍🏻Tod *********
Congratulations
really glad it worked out for you and your family
Enjoy your time in thailand 🙂
Thank you for the update too
@Nina ********
(y) (y) (y) really glad it worked out for you and your family
Enjoy your time in thailand 🙂
Thank you for the update too
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Edward ********
As a general note, in a country with so many visa types, entry types, and exemptions, play your part and physically show the IO what you want to enter on. Sometimes people have a visa in their passport and don't want to use it yet. Others will be assumed exempt unless shown otherwise. Eliminate the guessing games - show your visa.
Dhyana ******
On a bright note, if the kids are under 15 they won't get charged for overstaying the visa. Good luck!
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks all! We are headed to the immigration office today either way, I just wanted to prepare mentally if we have to pay a hefty fine 😅 looks like it could go either way. Fingers crossed they will correct the stamp but if not, it is what it is.
Tod *********
Post an update if you can, I believe they will fix the stamps,
You're far from the first person to have this happen to
On the upside, at least you will check your stamps when you stamp in going forward 🙂
You're far from the first person to have this happen to
On the upside, at least you will check your stamps when you stamp in going forward 🙂
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
update comment added ☺️Reply to
Nina *********
Reply
Tod *********
@Nina ********
Take everyone and go to the immigration office TODAY and see if they will correct the stamps. Keep in mind that any immigration office CAN correct an errant entry stamp by air,
remember though, they are under no obligation to do so and can send you back to the airport you arrived at to get it corrected IF they want to.
Steve *********
It might be worth pointing out that you should go to the immigration office as soon as possible and point out the issue to them. If you get stopped by for example the police for any reason I think the potential consequences could be far worse than if you come forward first.
Sandra *********
This has happened to me in the past. I did not know until the day of departure. They just pulled me into the office and corrected the mistake. If you have the relevant visa to allow you sixty days you shouldn’t have a problem. It is the fault of the immigration officer that stamped your passport on arrival. But after that I always checked they had stamped the right date.
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Sandra ********
fingers crossed they look on us kindly like they did you given it was a genuine mistake ❤️John ********
@Sandra ********
sorry it’s not the fault of immigration . People need to take responsibility for themselves and check their stamps when entering a country. 5 people and no one paying attention seems like a bigger issue.Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *******
I totally agree it’s our fault for not looking, but I had to have a giggle at your comment about there being five people and not looking and there seeming to be a bigger issue haha. Given that three of those people are under three years old and can’t read lol, and the other two have to look after the three people until 3 years old hence paying more attention to them (esp if crying/unhappy after a long flight) than the stamps. If the bigger issue is being tired parents, then yes, we have a very big issue 😅Sandra *********
@John *******
sorry but the job of immigration is to inspect your passport if you have a valid visa immigration should see that before they stamp itEllie *******
@Sandra ********
, officers have their job to do as you say. However keeping the passport legally and legit including the stamps on it is the passport owner's responsibility, not the officers'. Humans make mistakes.John *********
@Sandra ********
you must be either new in Thailand or under 30.Ron ******
@Sandra ********
assist the immigration officer by having your passport open to the page with your visa and check the stamp before walking away.John ********
@Sandra ********
some people take responsibility for what happens around them and some people always blame others. Take some personal responsibility and life is much better than always playing the victim cardReply to
John ********
Reply
Steve *********
@John *******
Yes. If you just hand over your passport without highlighting the visa that you want to enter under the IO will assume that you want to enter under a VE because he won’t know that the TV is there. When I entered last week I had a PE visa with a month remaining as well as the new non O that I had just obtained in Penang and it occurred to me that if I didn’t highlight the non O he might stamp me in under the PE or even a VE entry which would have messed up my plan to apply for a marriage Stay extension so I presented my passport open on the non O visa page which then gets stamped “ used” and all good with the entry stamp for 90 days marked “non O”. The importance of checking your passport before leaving immigration when arriving in any country cannot be overstated.Bernd ***********
@John *******
he should have point the officer to the page with the visa. I hope immigration understand and will correct the stamp.🙏Reply to
Bernd ***********
Reply
James ********
YES you should have checked your passports on arrival into Thailand to be sure you were STAMPED in for 60 days as a METV multiple entry tourist visa holder.
Suggest you ask your local Thai Immigration office if they can correct your entry stamp...
If they won't, then you ALL will have to go back to the BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok and see the Thai Immigration Officers... ASKING them to correct your entry stamp.
Hopefully your local Thai Immigration office will correct the error, but they are not obligated to do so.
ALL 5 members of the family will need to go to the Thai Immigration office and or back to the airport.
Good Luck 🍀
Suggest you ask your local Thai Immigration office if they can correct your entry stamp...
If they won't, then you ALL will have to go back to the BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok and see the Thai Immigration Officers... ASKING them to correct your entry stamp.
Hopefully your local Thai Immigration office will correct the error, but they are not obligated to do so.
ALL 5 members of the family will need to go to the Thai Immigration office and or back to the airport.
Good Luck 🍀
Reply to
James ********
Reply
4 comments
2 years ago
21 comments
3 years ago
13 comments
3 years ago
7 comments
4 years ago
12 comments
4 years ago
21 comments
4 years ago
13 comments
4 years ago
24 comments
5 years ago
7 comments
5 years ago
5 comments
6 years ago
6 comments
6 years ago
0 comments
7 years ago
0 comments
7 years ago
0 comments
7 years ago
3 comments
7 years ago
11 comments
7 years ago
5 comments
7 years ago
17 comments
7 years ago
6 comments
8 years ago
9 comments
8 years ago
10 comments
8 years ago
25 comments
9 years ago
6 comments
9 years ago
16 comments
9 years ago
8 comments
9 years ago
7 comments
a month ago
9 comments
a month ago
21 comments
a month ago
16 comments
a month ago
8 comments
a month ago
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.