Rules
What happens if you overstay in Thailand?
Short answer
500 baht a day, up to 20,000 baht, and possibly a ban.
The fine is 500 baht for each day of overstay, up to 20,000 baht, and you pay it at immigration when you leave. If you overstay more than 90 days and hand yourself in, you are banned from returning for 1 to 10 years depending on the length; if you are arrested, the ban is 5 or 10 years. Overstayers can also be detained and deported at their own cost.
Checked · 6 sources · How we check
This page covers the penalties only. To stay longer, extend before your permission to stay runs out, through Thai immigration.1
The fine
500 baht for each day of overstay, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht.14 The Immigration Bureau confirms the 500-baht daily fine under the Immigration Act.2 The Thai embassy in Bucharest says the easiest way to pay is at the airport when you fly out, where immigration takes you to a counter.4 Australia's advice says you must pay before you can leave.6
Re-entry bans
| Overstay | If you hand yourself in | If you are arrested |
|---|---|---|
| 90 days or less | No ban listed | 5 years |
| More than 90 days | 1 year | 5 years |
| More than 1 year | 3 years | 10 years |
| More than 3 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| More than 5 years | 10 years | 10 years |
The bans don't apply to people who left Thailand before turning 18.3 Canada's advice (13 October 2026) describes bans of 1 to 10 years whether you leave on your own or are deported.5 Australia's advice adds that Thai authorities can blacklist you permanently.6
Arrest and deportation
Police make random visa checks, and overstayers have been arrested and held until deportation, at their own cost.5 The UK government lists a fine, detention, deportation or a re-entry ban among the consequences.1
The ban table comes from an Immigration Bureau notice published in 2018; foreign governments' current advice describes the same range. We found no official page saying an overstay fine can be paid at a local immigration office before you leave.
Questions people ask
How much is the overstay fine in Thailand?
500 baht for each day of overstay, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht. You pay it at immigration when you leave.
Will I be banned from Thailand for overstaying?
If you hand yourself in, the Immigration Bureau's table lists no ban for 90 days or less, and bans of 1 to 10 years for longer overstays. If you are arrested, the ban is 5 years for up to a year's overstay and 10 years beyond that.
Can I be arrested for overstaying in Thailand?
Yes. Police make random visa checks, and overstayers have been arrested, detained and deported at their own cost.
Sources
- Thailand travel advice: entry requirements (updated 12 October 2026), UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Overstay fines waived for foreigners affected by the 2025 southern floods (28 November 2025, in Thai), Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Warning of overstay in Thailand (Immigration Bureau notice on re-entry bans), Royal Thai Embassy, Mumbai / Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Overstaying in Thailand, Royal Thai Embassy, Bucharest. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Travel advice and advisories for Thailand (updated 13 October 2026), Government of Canada. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Thailand travel advice (updated 29 September 2026), Australian Government, Smartraveller. Checked 14 October 2026.
Facts on this page were checked on the date shown. Rules and prices change; the source is the final word. Found something out of date? Tell us.