Visa Overstay Bans Begin in March 2016
In order to improve control of visiting foreigners, rid Thailand of foreigners who have overstayed their visas, and to prevent foreign criminals from entering and remaining in Thailand, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha approved new harsh penalties that will ban overstayers from reentering Thailand for up to 10 years.
The Thai Immigration Bureau’s proposal to both fine and ban foreigners that are arrested for overstaying their visa have now been signed into law by the prime minister. The new penalties will take effect in March of 2016.
Currently foreigners who overstay their visa only face a maximum fine of 20,000 Thai baht when exiting the country. However, the existing law does nothing to prevent them from reentering Thailand at a later date and then overstaying their visa again!
Immigration Bureau Chief, Police Major General Natthorn Prosunthorn told reporters that “the existing law is weak” … hence the tough new laws.
The harshness of the new penalties is determined by whether a foreigner who has overstayed his or her visa voluntarily turns themselves in or if they are arrested. The length of a foreigner’s overstay is also a factor in regard to determining the severity of the penalty, which are as follows:
- Foreigners who surrender and have overstayed their visa for not more than one year will be banned from reentering Thailand for 1 year.
- Foreigners who surrender and have overstayed their visa for one to three years they will be banned from reentering Thailand for 3 years.
- Foreigners who surrender and have overstayed their visa for three to five years will be banned from reentering Thailand for 5 years.
- Foreigners who surrender and have overstayed their visa for more than five years will be banned from reentering Thailand for 10 years.
Foreigners who are arrested with overstays of up to one year will be banned from reentering Thailand for 5 years. Arrested foreigners with overstays greater than one year will be banned from reentering Thailand for 10 years.
If you have overstayed your visa and exit Thailand before March of 2016, when the new penalties are scheduled to take effect, you still must pay the fine of up to 20,000 Thai baht. However, you will not be blacklisted from reentering Thailand.
