Thailand Overstay Fines: THB 500 a Day, Bans and the Airport
Overstaying in Thailand costs THB 500 per day, capped at THB 20,000, a cap reached at 40 days. Surrender with 90 days or less and the fine paid, and no ban follows. Surrender after more than 90 days: 1 year. Arrested after an overstay of up to 1 year: 5 years.
On this page
The overstay fine is THB 500 per day, capped at THB 20,000. If you surrender at the checkpoint, a re-entry ban applies only when the overstay is more than 90 days. If you are arrested, a ban applies for an overstay of any length.
The fine and the legal maximum
| Overstay | Fine |
|---|---|
| Per day | THB 500 |
| One week (7 days) | THB 3,500 |
| 40 days or longer | THB 20,000 |
Section 81 sets the ceiling in the Act: imprisonment, a fine, or both. The consolidated Thai-English text keeps Section 81 unchanged.
Section 81 : Any alien who stay in the Kingdom without permission or with permission expired or revoked shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht or both. Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), Section 81, English text as originally enacted, checked 13 Oct 2026
A few hours late
In practice the THB 500 fine is usually waived for a few hours of overstay, and you explain to the officer when being stamped out. No rule or order was found that sets this, so the safe plan is to carry the fine.
If you are caught
If an immigration officer catches the overstay, it can end in jail when the fine cannot be paid or the overstay is long. After a few overstays, a passport could be stamped as in violation of Thai immigration laws, labelling the holder an “undesirable alien”.
Re-entry bans by length of overstay
The bans come from Ministry of Interior Order 1/2558, published in the Royal Gazette on 21 December 2015 and in force from 20 March 2016. The Order is made under section 16 of the Immigration Act. It does not apply to someone who left before turning eighteen. The tables below follow the Gazette text of the Order, and the Ho Chi Minh City consulate confirms the same tiers.
If you surrender at the checkpoint
The Order’s surrender tiers start above 90 days. With an overstay of 90 days or less, no tier applies. You are not banned on a later visit if the fine is paid before you leave.
| Overstay | Ban from the departure date |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days | 1 year |
| More than 1 year | 3 years |
| More than 3 years | 5 years |
| More than 5 years | 10 years |
If you are arrested
The arrested tiers have no 90-day floor, so a short overstay found by officers is not covered by the “no ban” rule above.
| Overstay | Ban from the departure date |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | 5 years |
| More than 1 year | 10 years |
Paying: airport and land border
A one-week overstay is 7 days x THB 500 = THB 3,500, to be paid before leaving the country, and most easily when flying out. You explain the reason to the immigration officer, who sends you to a nearby counter to pay.
Carry enough funds for the whole fine: a traveller without enough may be taken to the holding cells until funds are raised.
If you leave by land, the same rule applies at the border: the land border, seaport and airport are the checkpoints where you surrender and pay. No step-by-step for a land crossing was found.
60 ถนน มหิดล Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
What Chiang Mai Immigration did in April 2026
These arrests are the case the “arrested” table covers. On 28 April 2026, Chiang Mai Immigration investigators acted on a tip-off and checked the area around Samlan Road, Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang Mai. One foreigner was arrested on a charge of staying in the Kingdom after the permission ended, and was handed to Mueang Chiang Mai police for prosecution.
On 29 April 2026, investigators did the same around Mani Nopparat Road, Si Phum. In that post the suspect said the permitted period ended and he or she neither left nor applied to extend within the period.
Avoid it: extend before the stay ends
A visa-exempt visitor can request an extension of up to 30 days. It must be applied for before the permitted stay ends, and approval is at the immigration officer’s discretion.
- The fee is THB 1,900.
- The form is TM.7, with a photo attached.
- You file at the immigration office covering the area where you live.
Chiang Mai Immigration (ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองจังหวัดเชียงใหม่) is at 71 Moo 3, Sanam Bin (Airport) Road, Suthep, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50200. The telephone is 053 201 755. It offers online extension through e-Extension for certain visa types only.
71 ถนนสนามบิน Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Visa-exempt entry is for tourism only, up to 30 days. Anyone who entered before 15 September 2026 under the old rules may stay until the granted period of stay ends.
Related guides
- Thailand visa exemption: who enters visa-free now
- How to extend a tourist stay in Chiang Mai
- Chiang Mai Immigration Office: address, hours, services
- Ninety-day report in Chiang Mai
- Thailand visa changes in 2026
Photo credits
- Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Chiang Mai International Airport on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Chiang Mai Immigration Office on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Google Maps contributor, Jordan Kuo, Peter Miller (WHY THAI).
Not confirmed: The Royal Gazette text of Ministry of Interior Order 1/2558 is the original of 2015; no amending order was found, but no official amendment index could be reached. Ask Chiang Mai Immigration on 053 201 755 before relying on a tier for your own case.
Reach readers planning life in Chiang Mai. Advertise → hello@chiangmaijao.com
Common questions
How much is the overstay fine in Thailand?
THB 500 per day, capped at THB 20,000, a cap reached at 40 days.
Is a one-day overstay fined?
The THB 500 fine is sometimes waived for a few hours of overstay, but no rule backs it. A longer overstay is charged at THB 500 per day.
Will I be banned from coming back?
Not if you surrender with 90 days or less over your stay and pay the fine before departure. More than 90 days brings a ban of 1 year when you surrender. If you are arrested, up to 1 year over means a 5-year ban.
Where do I pay the fine?
Before you leave, at the immigration checkpoint: the checkpoints are the airport, land border and seaport. At the airport, you explain the reason to the officer and 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 an overstay lead to prison?
Section 81 allows imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding THB 20,000, or both.
How do I avoid overstaying in Chiang Mai?
A visa-exempt visitor can request an extension of up to 30 days. It must be applied for before the permitted stay ends.
Does Chiang Mai Immigration arrest overstayers?
In April 2026 it posted two arrests on a charge of staying after the permission ended.
Read next
Places in this guide
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.
Spotted an error? Report it.