Criminal background checks

[justaguy]

Yes, Leo will go to Bangkok on his own again in a few weeks. We don't have 72 hours to spare at the moment, so I guess he'll just have to wait until we're settled into Vientiane, and he can go then. Still stupid...

Yes, I plan to cross the border legally. I'll get a 15 day tourist VISA upon entering Laos, and already have a 1 year business VISA lined up.

Basically last and only preperation left is figuring out how to cross that Nong Khai border without issue. I've contacted several immigration lawyers, and all have said they're unable to help. Next step is to contact local immigration directly, request leniency, and hope to hell I can somehow get a 3 day emergency VISA. I really don't feel like travelling on the highway without a VISA in my passport, because if I hit a checkpoint before getting to the order, it's technically 1 year in Thai jail. I'm blind plus will have the dogs with me, so going to jail isn't much of an option.

And no, I'm not going back to Canada without Leo. I decided that on September 17th, 2016 to be exact. That's when I was in the hospital just upon going blind, Leo and myself didn't really even know each other at the time, but for some reason he did a u-turn at that Laos border and came back to take care of me instead of going to visit his family and friends. That's when I promised both him and myself that the next time I'm on a plane to Canada, he'll be on the plane with me, and I intend to make good on that promise. It's his life dream to visit Canada.

However, it will be a good 4 month before he has a Canadian visitor VISA in his passport. About a month to gather all necessary documentation and get it translated into English. Then the posted processing time from the Canadian government is 38 business days, so say 2 months. However, due to his background, I highly doubt he's just going to sail through the application process, so let's say 3 months processing time. I'm confident I'll be able to get him a VISA, but I also know what I'm in for.

Again, people love to complain that Canada just lets anyone and everyone in, and that's simply not true. It's actually very difficult to get into Canada.

You have not at all done your homework did you ? First of all, there is no such thing as a 15 days tourist visa for Lao. Those are 30 days and will cost you as a Canadian 42 bucks. I was not suggesting you go to Canada alone, but with Leo. You are on a extensive overstay already, so staying a little bit longer might not hurt.

I am surprised no immigration lawyer was able to advise you, but I would like to stress again, that the best course of action in these cases are to get to the airport undetected and settle the overstay there. Again, there is a good chance, any landborder will turn you back with this kind of overstay. If you go to the KK immigration office, you will most definitely not be awarded an emergency visa, they will send you to the IDC, and you will remain there, until you can show them a ticket out to Canada, at which time, you will be escorted by immigration officers to your plane seat. So in any case, have 20K + a ticket to Canada on you if you attempt to request for leniency.

You have precious little options left I'm afraid, like I said, the best course of action is getting to the airport undetected (which shouldn't be a big issue) and settle your overstay there, pay 20K and receive a blacklisting from Thailand, how long depends on the number of days you actually were on overstay. In this case you have surrendered to the Authoroties, so the blacklisting would be:

>90 days < 1 year = 1 year
> 1 year = 3 years
> 3 years =5 years
> 5 years = 10 years

As Smiles pointed out, securing Leo a Canadian visa with you acting as a sponsor might be a bridge too far, as you are on an extensive overstay, and since they will want to see a copy of your passport and any relevant stamps and visas, they might decide not to award the visa on the basis that the sponsor is residing in Thailand illegally, but then again, they might not even care.

Good luck, I think you are going to need it.

Edit to add: There is no such thing as technically in jail for one year. If you hit a checkpoint you will end up in the same IDC for a period no longer as you provide a ticket out to Canada and pay the fine, in this case you indeed might be looking at a 10 year ban, providing you overstayed for over one year.

To get to lao, you need to travel over the highway,as going to KK immigration will get you back to Canada,not Lao, they deport people to their country of origin, not to Lao.