Visa overstay charge lands international visitor in trouble at Phuket Airport

An international visitor was apprehended at Phuket International Airport this week, facing charges of overstaying his visa, according to the Phuket Immigration Checkpoint’s Facebook page managed by the airport division of Phuket Immigration. The arrest occurred on August 30, with the individual now at risk of being blacklisted under the Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out regulation.

The man, whose identity and nationality remain undisclosed, was detained in the international departure hall. Precise details surrounding the arrest were not revealed by the officials. He was subsequently taken to the Sakhu Police Station to face charges in alignment with the Immigration Bureau regulations.

Overstaying a visa incurs a daily penalty of 500 baht, capped at a maximum fine of 20,000 baht. Furthermore, as per the Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out policy initiated in 2016, any foreigner arrested for overstaying their visa, regardless of the duration, faces deportation and a ban from re-entering Thailand for a minimum of five years, reported Bangkok Post.

However, the policy does provide some scope for leniency. Foreign nationals who voluntarily surrender for overstaying their visa are subject to a more lenient punishment. If the overstaying period exceeds 90 days, they face deportation and a ban from re-entering the country for at least one year.

For those who voluntarily surrender for overstaying durations less than 90 days, there is no ban on re-entry.

The unnamed man was apprehended at the international departure hall, although officials did not provide further details regarding the circumstances of the arrest. The name and nationality of the man were not disclosed.

Three weeks ago, Immigration police officers arrested an Iraqi man in the central province of Kanchanaburi after almost 15 years of overstaying in Thailand.

As part of a concerted effort to root out illegal immigrants across the country, Thai authorities, led by the Royal Thai Police and Immigration Bureau, meticulously investigated cases in each province.

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