What should I say at airport immigration if my kids have overstayed their tourist visa in Thailand?

May 15, 2024
6 months ago
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Family of 6 with 4 kids. Next week we leave Thailand after 7 months. All of us entered on 30 day tourist visa. Then myself and the wife went onto 6 month ED visa. All 4 kids have overstayed past the first 30 days. All 4 kids are under 14yrs old.

Is there any advice on what to say as we pass through airport immigration knowing our kids have overstayed? Or should we just say nothing?

Will there be any problems coming back to Thailand with the kids having overstay stamps in their passports?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A family of six, including four children, is concerned about the implications of their kids overstaying their 30-day tourist visas while they were on 6-month ED visas. They seek advice on how to approach immigration at the airport and inquire about possible future entry issues into Thailand. Comments suggest that while children typically are not fined for overstaying and may not face issues re-entering Thailand soon, there could be scrutiny on the adults' ED visas and the family should prepare for potential questions at immigration.
Maryam ****
Any update on this?
Nathan ***********
You’re fucked, they’re going to keep your kids! Just kidding, I think.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nathan **********
keep my kids… bonus!! 🙌🏾
Jan ******************
@Nadeem *******
Next time you’d like to spend 7 months in Thailand I would recommend that you apply for a six months tourist visa at home before you leave. Then your whole family is free to stay up to nine months if you do two fast border runs and get extensions at the immigration in Thailand.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jan *****************
thanks that’s great advice!
Shayne **********
No consulates are giving dependent visas for kids so don't worry if they're all under 15 you won't have any problems at all.

It's a Ministry of Foreign Affairs problem and immigration don't care about kid's overstaying. It's just another stamping that passport which will disappear in a few years when they get a new passport.

Any visas can be scam visas even retirement visas old men! If you're not going to immigration yourself, in your own province then you're getting a scam visa.

So please shut up about dodgy education visas!
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Shayne *********
thank you for your contribution. Much appreciated.
Burnard ************
@Shayne *********
I think you are correct except when you assert the stamp disappears after they get a new passport. With computers and biometrics, your history no longer disappears after someone gets a new passport.

Back in the olden days that was the case but with advent of databases the information stays virtually forever.

That being said, I doubt that anyone will hold that against children. But it could be an issue depending on how it is entered into the database and how much a future IO pays attention to the dates.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Burnard ***********
we plan to return to Thailand in December for 5 months. I hope there are no issues for my children as we renter the country again….
Burnard ************
@Nadeem *******
Shouldn't be. But I have given up trying to predict what Immigration will do 100% of the time. As they don't seem to have a consistent rule book they follow.

Good luck.
Jj ****
I would go to the airport 3-4h before in case you face some interview by immigration and get issues
Jj ****
Tbh kids are not fined but I doubt you will get an easy time.. overstaying 7m is not something they like
John **********
ED visas come under a lot of scrutiny due to them being abused by people to stay in Thailand but not attending classes, not fulfilling the purpose the visa was issued for
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
we attended a lot of classes where possible. It wasn’t a bullshit visa for us.
John **********
@Nadeem *******
you need to attend according to the school schedule not when you want to. Will the school give you a letter saying you did that and the level you attained?
Graham ******
@Nadeem *******
where possible? oh dear.
John **********
The ED visas are likely to be more problematic in returning to Thailand than the kids overstay stamps
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
can you elaborate on that please?
Jim ********
@Nadeem *******
Were they legal ED visas or bogus visas obtained through an agency?
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim *******
Legal. All done legit with a Thai language school.
Jim ********
@Nadeem *******
Make sure you have documents supporting your language school and attendance record whenever you enter Thailand, or expect to get interrogated and possibly denied entry
Graham ******
@Nadeem *******
So be prepared to be questioned in Thai at the Immigration desk
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
thanks that was funny.
Graham ******
@Nadeem *******
It was not a joke, it's their way to see if those on ED Visas did actually attend class by testing their language skills
Robert *****
You won’t have any problems. Be safe and lovely family…🙏👍
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ****
thanks Robert. Appreciate it.
Yorgos **************
Hahahaha. Are you Indian?
Giuseppe **********
@Yorgos *************
, by his name might be Greek, ignorant racist
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Yorgos *************
are you racist?
Yorgos **************
@Nadeem *******
is it racist asking someone if he is Indian (or American or Muslim or Russian or Buddhist, etc)? It is forbidden question? Not politically correct? I was trying to figure by your name and surname where are you from and your origin. It's a kind of hobby
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Yorgos *************
your “hahahaha” laughter implied to me that my post made you laugh. And if you found my post funny, your subsequent question seemed very odd given it had no connection to my post did it? Why don’t you ask your personal “hobby” questions to people after you get to know them a bit better. And for your information, I am from the UK. Born in London. Lived in the UK all my life.
Yorgos **************
@Nadeem *******
, sure.. i would be proud if my origin was from india anyway. you misunderstood me from the beginning, but you are justified. Being of Indian descent and claiming to be British hides deep shame. Have a nice day and good luck with immigration.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Yorgos *************
you didn’t answer me when I asked why you laughed and asked that question about where I am from. That speaks volumes about what you were trying to achieve. And then you further insult me with your latest response.

If I was the admin/moderator of this group I would block this comedian as he is clearly not adding any value.

Garrett Greenwald

David Crewmen

Stuart Cumming

Brandon Thurkettle
Nigel *******
Following please keep us updated and I hope all is okay.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nigel ******
thanks will do
Andy *******
You will all be incarcerated for 14 days..
Christopher *************
Maybe if you had followed the rules to start with you wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe Immigration won't let you in again for some time? Any advice from here could be conceivably construed as abetting?
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Christopher ************
drama queen! 💃🏻 you always get one…
Stefanie *********
Following 🙂
Duncanc **********
Do let us know how it goes.
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Duncanc *********
thanks will do
Lee ***********
Aren't they exempt anyway
Jan ******************
They will neither be banned, which normally is the case with people overstaying more than 90 days.
Jim ********
@Lee **********
They're not exempt. It's just they can't be fined or arrested
Nadeem ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Lee **********
yes but it’s my first time in this situation. What if I get an immigration officer who is having an “off” day? I don’t want to come across as being arrogant. Do I just state the law to him/her?
Jan ******************
There’s really not much to say after seven months. No one will be fined or banned.
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