Thailand Overstay Fine: THB 500 a Day, Max THB 20,000
If you have overstayed, pay at the airport before you leave: it is THB 500 a day, capped at THB 20,000. Do that after a short overstay and there is no ban. Past 90 days you face a 1-year ban if you surrender, and arrest means 5 years.
Work it out for your datesThailand overstay fine calculatorDays past your permitted stay, the fine and the re-entry ban for your departure date, with the source and check date of every rule.On this page
If you have run over by a few days, don’t panic: pay at the airport on your way out and you are done. The fine is THB 500 a day and stops at THB 20,000. The thing worth avoiding is a ban, which only comes if you stay past 90 days or get caught.
How much you will pay
The charge is THB 500 for each day, and the total never goes above THB 20,000. You hit that ceiling at 40 days.
| Overstay | Fine |
|---|---|
| A few hours | Usually waived |
| 1 week | THB 3,500 |
| 40 days or longer | THB 20,000 |
A few hours late is usually waived, so explain yourself to the officer when you are stamped out. Treat that as a favour, not a right.
Anything longer is paid before you leave, and the airport is the easiest place to do it. The officer walks you to a nearby counter. Bring enough funds, because if you cannot pay you may be held until you raise the money.
Want your own numbers? Try the overstay fine calculator.
Will you be banned?
Pay the fine before you fly out after a short overstay and you are not banned on your next visit.
If you walk up to immigration yourself before leaving, the ban depends on how long you stayed, and it counts from the day you leave:
| Overstay | Re-entry ban |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days | 1 year |
| More than 1 year | 3 years |
| More than 3 years | 5 years |
| More than 5 years | 10 years |
Getting arrested is a different story. Even a short overstay then means 5 years, and more than a year means 10.
These bans come from Order 1/2558 of the Ministry of Interior. It does not cover someone who left Thailand before turning eighteen.
When it turns into a criminal case
Under section 81 of the Immigration Act, staying without permission can mean up to two years in prison, a fine of up to THB 20,000, or both. If an officer catches you, jail is possible when you cannot pay or the overstay is long. After a few overstays, your passport could be stamped as in violation of Thai immigration laws.
Stay out of trouble in the first place
Check the date on your entry stamp before you leave the checkpoint. If you need longer, a visa-exempt visitor can ask for up to 30 days more. Apply before your stay ends, since approval is up to the officer. The fee is THB 1,900.
If the officer says no, you must leave within 7 days. Visa on Arrival holders generally cannot extend at all, except when illness stops them travelling, so plan your exit date at the border.
Not confirmed: No later amendment to the Interior Ministry order on re-entry bans has turned up, but no official amendment index is available. Ask the immigration office before relying on a ban tier for your own case. A waiver of the THB 500 fine for a few hours of overstay is usual practice, not a written rule.
Common questions
How much is the overstay fine in Thailand?
THB 500 per day, to a maximum of THB 20,000 for an overstay of 40 days or longer. The total does not exceed THB 20,000.
Is a one-day overstay fined?
The THB 500 fine is usually waived for a few hours of overstay, so explain to the officer when you are stamped out. A longer overstay is charged per day.
Will I be banned from Thailand if I overstay more than 90 days?
If you surrender, Order 1/2558 bans you for 1 year from the day you leave. If you are arrested and prosecuted, the ban is 5 years for an overstay up to 1 year.
Will a short overstay get me banned?
Not when you pay the fine before departure after an overstay of less than 90 days.
Where do I pay the fine?
Before you leave, at the immigration checkpoint: the airport, the land border or the seaport. At the airport you are taken to a nearby counter to pay.
What if I cannot pay the fine?
A traveller without enough funds may be taken to the holding cells until funds are raised.
Can overstaying lead to prison?
Section 81 allows imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding THB 20,000, or both.
Can I extend a Visa on Arrival stay to avoid an overstay?
Visa on Arrival holders generally cannot file for an extension, except in special cases of illness that prevent travel.
How do I avoid overstaying a visa-exempt entry?
A visa-exempt visitor may request an extension of up to 30 days. File before the permitted stay ends.
Does the ban apply if I left Thailand as a child?
Order 1/2558 does not apply to an alien who left the Kingdom before turning eighteen.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official legal texts (Gazette, government portals):
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C.: Advice on Thailand Visa Overstay Regulations (14 Sep 2023) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 132 special part 335 Ng, pp. 42-43 (21 Dec 2015): Order of the Minister of Interior No. 1/2558 (copy hosted by the Royal Thai Police, read via Wayback) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Ho Chi Minh City: Thailand Overstay Measures (updated 30 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra: Overstay Regulations (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Act B.E. 2522, consolidated Thai text with English translation and amendment footnotes (Phuket Immigration Office copy; last footnote 2018) (opens in a new tab)
Show 4 more sources
- Royal Thai Embassy, Doha: Tourist Visa Exemption & Visa-on-Arrival (updated 16 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, London: Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes (effective 15 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Division 1 Bangkok (immigration.go.th subdomain), Fee page, Wayback Machine snapshot of 2024-08-09 (live page blocks automated fetch) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau Order No. 12/2568 (23 Jan 2025), clauses 1-7 on pp. 1-2 (scanned) plus the criteria table (clause 2) and annexes A-C on pp. 3-30; copy hosted by Chiang Rai Immigration (uploaded 2025-03-05); pdf pages 1-2 are images, read by eye (opens in a new tab)
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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Comments (6)
Konoha7Slaw3
I just found out my American friend has overstay since April They had something happen with their bank and are trying to recover lost funds since. Will this be taken into account when trying to leave Thailand? They want to go to Lao next. I was looking into their problem for them and it looks like you get sent back to your home country whether you like it or not. Is this always the case? They also have two little kids with them. What will happen with their situation? Can a lawyer help them avoid getting blacklisted or banned from Thailand?
3 replies
ssantos88
I had a friend on a longer overstay than that, a lawyer accompanied him to immigration to pay the overstay, plus a 7 day extension on top of that to give him time to sort things out and leave the country.
aww4hn
Forgetfully overstayed for 3 months, cuz I thought it was 3 months and not 1 month. Realised, panicked, packed up, made a run to KL for 6 hours and was itching to go back. So went back this time with a return ticket just to clear my future visits. Immigration asked me ZERO questions while leaving, paid 20k THB as penalty though. In and out in under 12 hours.
error-177
No, financial issues won’t be taken into account. And yes, they’ll get deported back to America, fined and banned from entering Thailand for a set period of time, and the flights back to America will NOT be borne by the authorities. Getting a lawyer doesn’t help as well as these rules were clearly stated upon arrival into Thailand. I suggest you tell them to either head to the American Embassy in Bangkok and seek help there, or surrender to the authorities at either the police station or airport. I strongly discouraged them going to Laos next as the authorities there really take a no-nonsense approach to overstayers there as well. Just a few questions, why are your ‘friends’ halfway across the world from home ‘having financial difficulties’ with 2 kids in tow? Do you know how irresponsible that is? Going to Laos will not solve any of their problems, it will only aggravate it.
Tawptuan
For 20 years, I’ve understood, crystal-clear, that if caught on even a 1-day overstay, it can land you in a detention center (nightmare on its own), and possibly deportation. Because of that, I start my visa extension process a month early, do all my 90-day reports on time, and always carry at least a copy of my passport, etc. To do any less, is flirting with disaster for anyone who wants to enjoy life in Thailand. The guy was dealt his just karma.
Black_stranger
I had one day overstay once because I was leaving on the last day of my extension stamp. Thai immigration officers at the Malaysian borders refused to let me LEAVE Thailand because they were concerned I would immediately come back, and if I did, they wouldn't stamp me back in. They had some VVIP visitors that day and didn't want to deal with foreigners, I got unlucky, normally people went through that immigration checkpoint without issues. Had to drive back and find a flight the next day but had ~18 hours of overstay at that point... The officers at the airport acted like I'm some big criminal lol. So yeah, sometimes shit happens...