What Happens If You Overstay a Visa

Schengen Area

The Schengen Area’s 90/180-day rule means you can spend a maximum of 90 days in any rolling 180-day window across all 29 Schengen member states combined. Day 91 is an overstay — even if you only just arrived in a new country.

Penalties vary by country. Germany and France issue fines of €500–€1,000 at the border on exit. Some countries charge nothing but record the overstay. The lasting consequence is the record in the Schengen Information System (SIS) — a shared database checked at every EU border crossing. An SIS entry can trigger denial of a future Schengen visa application.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will electronically record every Schengen crossing when it launches, replacing passport stamps with biometric data. This will make manual overstays trivially detectable that were previously missed due to inconsistent stamp checking.

The trap: the 90-day clock runs across all Schengen countries simultaneously. Spending 45 days in Italy, leaving, then spending 45 days in Spain two weeks later is an overstay. The window is rolling, not per-trip.

Thailand

Thai immigration charges THB 500 per day overstayed, capped at THB 20,000 (~$560) for travellers who leave voluntarily at the airport. The fine is paid at the immigration desk before you board.

The blacklist is more serious than the fine:

• 1–90 days overstay: 1-year ban
• 90 days to 1 year: 3-year ban
• 1 to 3 years: 5-year ban
• Over 3 years: 10-year ban

If caught inside the country before leaving, you can be detained. Enforcement has increased at tourist-heavy areas since 2024. The fine is manageable. The ban means no Songkran next year.

DTV holders are allowed 180 days per entry. Visa Exemption arrivals get 30 days (extendable to 60). Tourist Visa holders get 60 days (extendable to 90). Each type has a different clock — check your stamp, not your assumption.

Indonesia (Bali)

Indonesia charges IDR 1,000,000 per day for overstays — roughly $60 USD per day with no cap for the first 60 days. This is one of the steepest daily fines in Southeast Asia.

The most common trap in Bali: the Visa on Arrival (eVoA) is 30 days, extendable for one additional 30-day period. Total maximum stay: 60 days. Many visitors assume they can keep extending — they cannot. After 60 days, you must leave Indonesia entirely.

Overstaying beyond 60 days triggers deportation, detention at your own expense, and a potential blacklist from future entry. The fine for 60 days of overstay would be approximately $3,600 USD before any legal or administrative costs.

Japan

Japan does not charge a daily fine for overstaying — it simply deports you and bans you. A first overstay, even by one day, results in deportation and a 5-year ban from entering Japan. A second overstay results in a 10-year ban.

Japan’s immigration enforcement is thorough and consistent. There is no grey area, no negotiation at the airport, and no option to pay your way through. The 90-day tourist allowance (for most nationalities) is hard and final.

Japan is also one of the few countries where an overstay on record can affect your visa applications to other countries — some embassies ask for Japan visit history and a deportation record creates complications.

Mexico

Mexico is one of the more lenient countries for overstays. The tourist card (FMM) allows up to 180 days, and an overstay typically results in a flat fine of around $50–$150 USD paid at the airport on departure — not a daily rate.

Serious consequences are rare for short overstays, but a record of repeated or long overstays can result in a future visa denial or reduced permitted stay on the next FMM. Some travellers have reported being granted fewer days on re-entry after a known overstay.

The 180-day FMM limit is one of the most generous tourist allowances in the world, which is why Mexico is a favoured destination for longer-stay travellers. The limit is still a limit.