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What should I do if I overstay my visa by a few hours in Thailand before my flight?

Thai visa rules overstay SETV visa visa extension Bangkok immigration tourist visa border runs visa compliance

Aug 2, 2019

5 years ago

Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

How big of a deal is it if I overstay by a few hours?  I have a flight to Buenos Aires on Sept 3rd at 11am out of Bangkok, and I'm authorized to stay in Thailand up to the 2nd (via an extension of a SETV, so I can't just do an extension to buy more time beyond the 2nd).  I want to come back to Thailand 3 weeks later via Bangkok and I want to do what I can now to avoid having problems when I'm facing Bangkok immigration.  I've been in Thailand for 2.5 years on tourist visas and border bounces, but I have a new passport (received in January) that only shows 2 SETVs (one of those being from the previous passport) and a border bounce to Laos.  So should I do a border bounce before the 2nd?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The individual is concerned about the implications of overstaying their visa in Thailand by a few hours before a flight. They are considering options such as checking in early at the airport, planning to do a border bounce for a new visa exemption, or getting an extension denial stamp. Comments suggest that small overstays (under 24 hours) may not incur fines if flying out, but caution is advised as immigration tracks entries and exits regardless of what is recorded in the passport. Various strategies are proposed to avoid issues at immigration.

Tod *********

and I think that

@Nathan *******

has more than enough suggestions to figure out what to do.

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Tod *********

You have your choices,

-Get a 7 day extension denied stamp at the immigration office for 1900baht

-Bounce out and back in to get a 30 day visa exempt entry

-overstay under 24 hours without getting fined (because overstays of under 24 hours the fine is waived when you fly out) AND get the "overstay under 24 hours fine waived" stamp in your passport

FWIW: the overstay under 24 hours stamp looks like this:

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Ritish **************

go to airport and inside and wait

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Stevie *******

My experience----Just smile the hours away. Normally, you just have to reach the airport...Once you are at immigration. they will not make any trouble. Just try to avoid to get catched on the way to the airport...If you wanna be safe, go there some houtrs before...

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Tod *********

and while that is what happened to you, it doesn't mean that it will happen like that to everyone.

playing the goof-ball foreigner cuts no ice with the thai immigration staff, face it you're not the first foreigner in the history of thailand to overstay

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Ellie *******

@Nathan *******

less than 24 hours, overstay fine will waived when leaving airport. But you will still get stamped as overstayed.

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks!

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Stevie *******

it Happened to me 2 times, i just smiled and told them that i am really sorry about it.....both times they said it is no problem as long i dont do it for a week or more....I dont want give a warranty, but normally it shouldn´t be a problem.

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks for your advice! I'm not as worried about getting out as I am coming back in. In your experience, do immigration officials just not care that much about short overstays?

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Nathan ********

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Benjamin *****

Oh I hadn't thought of spending the night past immigration, that seems like an even better idea.

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Ellie *******

, it's more about when your airline let you check-in. Immigration (usually, or in some other country) would let you clear passport control as long as you have valid checked-in ticket.

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Benjamin ******

Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't know they had restrictions on when you can pass through immigration.

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hmm...thanks for pointing that out.

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Tod *********

many times you can't check IN that early and until you check in you can't go thru passport control and stamp out :/

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Tod *********

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Tod *********

Or if you don't have two 30 day visa exempt entries by land yet this year you could border bounce for a 30 day visa exempt entry,

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks for the tip!

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Benjamin ******

It's against the law. You have a couple of options:

1. Apply for another extension of stay. If they agree to process it, you'll get refused and have 7 days to leave Thailand.

2. Go to the airport a bit early, and spend the night past immigration [Edit: Or no, too early].

3. Immigration knows when you entered and leave the country, regardless of what's in your passport.

In my opinion, get the right visa for your stay, it's only a matter of time before you get rejected at the airport/ border.

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Tod *********

You could get a 7 day 'extension denied" stamp from the immigration office for 1900 baht

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Nathan ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

So just to double-check, an "exension denied" stamp looks better to immigration officials than a one-day overstay? I just Googled it and someone wrote that an extension-denied stamp "disfigures" your passport.

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Nathan ********

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