Immigration in Thailand to blacklist overstaying foreigners

Thai Visa Stamp
Immigration in Thailand to Blacklist Overstaying Foreigners – www.plnmedia.com

The Thailand Bureau of Immigration has announced plans to crackdown on foreigners overstaying their visa beginning in 2016.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha approved the Thai Bureau of Immigration’s proposal to ban overstaying foreigners from re-entering the country beginning in March 2016.

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The proposal has several points, one being that those who overstayed a short period of time will not be blacklisted, however those overstaying lengthy periods of time or have been arrested for overstaying will be blacklisted under the new measure.

Bangkok Post published an article which gave more insight to how those caught overstaying will be subjected to the new ruling.

For cases of surrender, those who overstay their visa by up to one year will receive a one-year re-entry ban, and for more than one year they will be banned from re-entering Thailand for three years. Those with more than three years’ overstay will blacklisted for five years. Excessive overstay of five years or more will result in a re-entry ban of 10 years.

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In cases of arrest, those who overstay their visas by up to one year will be banned from re-entering Thailand for five years and those with more than one year’s overstay period will be blacklisted for 10 years.

Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prausoontorn said he expected a large number of foreigners would turn themselves in.

The Nation also published an article with the following inserts:

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This will facilitate the authorities’ monitoring of foreigners and screen quality visitors, he said.

“The existing law is weak, with fines of only Bt20,000,” he said.

Current rules allow European, American and Asian visitors a 30 day arrival visa, renewable for 30 days, while those with prior-arranged visas can stay 60 days and extend for 30 days.

Overall, 900,000 foreigners in Thailand have asked for an  extension on their visas from October 1st to November 30th, 2015.

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