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One of the most common issues you will find in Thailand when it comes to Thai immigration is overstating. Yet it is also the easiest to to avoid. You will end up with daily fines, criminal charges or worst deportation from Thailand. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation. Likewise you can also be banned from Thailand for varies lengths of time. Fines are calculated and capped.
An overstay is when you have lived in Thailand for longer than what you have been authorized to do.
Note that even one day stamp is an overstay. This will create problems for you even for the one day overstay. Its treated the same as a 1 year overstay. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
Its all starts with the Immigration Act. This Act tells you how many years you can be imprisoned for. Likewise in terms of fines the statutory maximum is 20,000 THB. Most overstays in Thailand don’t get prison sentences. They get a fine and are deported.
In real life Thai immigration deals with this in an administrative manner. There are two scenarios. The first is the short term overstay where the person reports to immigration voluntarily. These are for stay under 90 days. The second is longer overstays. This is where you lived in Thailand for longer than 90 days. From the 90 day overstay you will be banned from Thailand.
The common practice today is that the overstay fine is 500 THB per day for your overstay. You should see legal advice and go to immigration with an attorney. Speak to our immigration lawyer for advice. Dont go alone. There is the statutory cap as explained about. Its 500THB per day to a maximum of 20,000 THB. This is about 40 days.
500 THB per day for each day overstayed, and maximum total fine up to 20,000 THB.
Notes and real-world caveats:
If you have overstayed your visa and have an airline ticket to leave then this tends to be straight forward.
Now if you get caught by police and you have overstayed then you have a problem. This is a more complex problem. If you are stopped by police or immigration for example at an ID check then it becomes complicated. You will end up in the IDC (Immigration Detention Center) in Bangkok where you will be processed for deportation. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
Yes for those who forget the 90 day reporting there will be a fine for this also to a maximum.
Blacklisting can be a big problem. This means you cannot visit Thailand again. The blacklisting depends on how long you overstayed your visa and the circumstances. Basically blacklisting in Thailand works as follows:
Overstay more than 90 days but not exceeding 1 year → 1 year ban (or, in some administrative practices, up to 1 year).
Overstay more than 1 year but not exceeding 3 years → 3 year ban.
Overstay more than 3 years but not exceeding 5 years → 5 year ban.
Overstay more than 5 years → 10 year ban.
This listed hangs outside the doors of Thai immigration in Bangkok. This is more than a fine. This means you will denied to enter the country. You visas will be refused in your home country and will just disrupt your future plans. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
Typically overstaying over 90 days means deportation and not just a simple administrative fine. Deportation means you go thorough the system. You will be transferred to the IDC and there will be a short court hearing. Then back to IDC where you will be deported at your own expense.
Long term residence in Thailand have to complete the 90 day report. This can be people on the retirement visa, marriage visa or a Thai work Permit. They need to report the residency every 90 days. The slip has to be kept in the passport. Sometimes people become confused by this. Note reporting you 90 day creates complications and fines. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
There is a late notification fine. The fine is a total of 2,000 THB for this. If you get caught then the fine is 5,000 THB.
Thailand used to use the TM6 arrival/departure card used to be used. Since this year 2025 Thailand switched over to the digital replacement of the card. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card or TDAC. This collects you arrival data before landing. If you entered Thailand and don’t leave then it will flag your passport as an overstay. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
Airlines are responsible to check that your travel documents are in order. Immigration stamps are now cross referenced with the airline manifest.
Long stayers like those on the retirement visa , marriage visa or work permits. The updated address keeps track of people in Thailand. Failure to comply leads to fines. Remember that even if you have not moved you still have to report your address.
Thai immigration and the police from time to time do checks or raids at bars. They will check for expired visas and stamps during these crackdowns.
In practice, the digital TDAC and electronic visa systems have made it faster for immigration to detect missing departures.
Typically when immigration discovers that you have overstayed:
Interview and documentary check. Immigration officials will check your passport. They would want to know why you had overstayed. They might be wanting to know if you are doing drugs or something else.
Assessment of penalty. The officer calculates the days of overstay and the fine (usually 500 THB/day up to the cap).
Payment of fine and exit clearance Nor to speak to our immigration lawyer for assistance. If this is a short overstay it will get a fine and that will be the end of it. They will stamp overstay into your passport.
Detention and deportation If this is a longer overstay then you will be arrested and deported. You will be detained, processed through court and removed from Thailand at your own expense.Blacklisting normally happens when this is done.
Possible arrest if other offenses or fraud are suspected.
Sometimes you have a legitimate excuse for the overstay. You could have had a flight canceled or if there was a medical emergency you will need a medical certificate. They will look at how long the doctor told you to rest. This will determine how you are treated for the overstay. See how to clear overstay in Thailand.
Know your stamp date : You must always check your expiration date. There could be a mistake Remember and make a mental not on when you are suppose to leave the country.
Use TDAC/e-arrival on time. Complete any required digital arrival forms and keep confirmations.
If you need longer stay, apply for extension BEFORE your stamp expires. Extensions on a tourist visa is available at Thai immigration. An additional 30 days can be bought for 1,500 THB
Voluntarily report and pay fines if you realize you’ve overstayed. Self-reporting is almost always better than being caught, and immigration offices will generally process voluntary cases more smoothly. These are the Thailand overstay fine or deportation.
Keep documentary proof of emergencies. If the reason for overstay was outside your control (serious illness, natural disaster), obtain official documents (hospital records, airline cancellation notices) to present to immigration. Normally while you are in hospital you can get them to extend you visa or stay even a visa waiver can get an extension during a medical emergency.
Use a reputable immigration lawyer like GAM Legal Alliance or visa agent for complex cases. Especially if you face long bans from Thailand. Some are multiple years long. If there where criminal charges, or deportation, professional advice can be crucial.
Even a one-day overstay is a breach of Thai immigration law. In practice, punishments vary by circumstance.
Standard fines are 500 THB per day up to a maximum (commonly 20,000 THB). Voluntary reporting and payment simplifies resolution for short overstays.
Blacklisting (re-entry bans) depends on the length of overstay — from a year up to 10 years. Some enforcement actions where you have overstay for a long time will get you a long term banned. If you face a ban, appealing or seeking legal assistance is your best option
Thailand now uses digital arrival/departure systems (TDAC) and other e-tools that make it easier for immigration to detect missing departures. Don’t assume “old ways” of dodging detection still work.
The information contained in our website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advices. For further information, please contact us.
