In some cases, no visa is needed as countries have mutual agreements that citizens are free to travel. When a tourist visa is issued, it will have a time limit, often 30 or 90 days. For most people, this is plenty of time, and even if you overstay, the consequences are minimal. However, some governments are very strict and do not like people to overstay their welcome. The punishments can range from fines to prison sentences and restrictions on ever returning. The three countries below have some of the harshest penalties, so be sure to understand the validity of the visa and when you would need to apply for a tourist visa extension to avoid problems. 

1) Thailand

If you overstay your visa in Thailand, you are committing a serious crime. Staying even two or three days longer than allowed can see you sent to local prisons, which are unsanitary and cramped. The punishment does not end there; the mildest form of punishment sees offenders banned from returning for more than five years and immediate deportation. However, due to the perceived level of crime, it is much more likely that you will be fined up to $10,000, and the black marks on your passport will make it much harder to get visas for other countries as your records are checked on every application. You will also need to get a travel visa extension granted to cover the overstay, or you could make things a lot worse. 

2) Russia

Russia is another country you do not want to risk getting stuck in with an expired visa. You will be arrested, fined and deported. After being arrested, you will be placed in jail, and they will make you apply to the authorities for an exit visa. You may not leave on an expired tourist, and an exit visa can take up to 20 days. During this time, you will be a prisoner and have little to no contact with family and friends. Again you will then be restricted from reentering for a period – generally, at least three years and your records will be marked, making it harder to travel.

3) China

Overstaying your visa in China is also not an experience you want to risk. You will be arrested and unable to leave the country. In a move similar to Russia, you will have to apply for an exit visa which takes time to be approved. While you are waiting, you pay a daily fine that increases for each additional day it takes to approve the exit visa. The best advice for all countries with visa entry is to ensure you apply for a tourist visa extension well in advance if you know you will exceed the initially agreed length of stay. This way, you can avoid problems, and as with most things, ignorance of the rules is not a valid defence and will not get you out of the punishments. 

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