Foreign Nationals Required to Sign Acknowledgment of Penalties for Visa Overstays

In an effort to raise awareness of the bars to reentry that are imposed when a foreign national exceeds his or her authorized period of stay for more than 90 days, Thai immigration authorities are requiring foreign nationals applying for a new visa, extending a visa or making a 90-day report to complete an official form entitled "Acknowledgment of Penalties for a Visa Overstay." The acknowledgment explains that foreign nationals who overstay more than 90 days are subject to bars of one year or more, up to a permanent bar, depending on the duration of the overstay. Applicants must provide their name, nationality and passport number and sign the acknowledgment form.

 

Foreign nationals who overstay for up to 90 days also incur financial penalties of THB 500 for each day of overstay up to 41 days. Overstays of 42 days or longer can result in the maximum fine of THB 20,000 or a term of imprisonment or both, followed by deportation with the possible bars to reentry.