People over-staying in Thailand would now have to pay big if caught by the Thailand immigration authorities. Reports say that jail time would be imposed on overseas people who are allegedly overstaying their tenure, despite knowing the fact that their visas have been expired.

For many years, people overstaying their visas, if caught had to pay a fine, purchase air ticket, and leave Thailand when caught by the Immigration authorities. But now with few amendments made in this direction, people overstaying for 42 days or more than that would be arrested and ordered a jail sentence, apart from fulfilling other formalities.

Hence, overstayers would no longer be given the permission to pay some amount of fine, purchase the tickets or leave the country without getting jail sentence. As far as people overstaying for less than three weeks is concerned, they would have the freedom to come at the Suvarnabhumi airport, complete the formalities pay their fine and leave the country.

People overstaying between 22 days till 41 days will have to face problems though as they fall in the GREY area. Their case is dependant on the Immigration officials as well as other officials at the airport to decide whether to order them jail or allow them to leave the country after fulfilling the documentation process. It depends on what kind of circumstances the concerned person is in, when he overstayed his visa term.

But those overstaying 42 days or more than that have to go through jail terms till their paperwork is finalized.