I’ve visited 88 countries — but one simple visa mistake almost got me arrested
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Before boarding the flight for the holiday of a lifetime, we might spend hours rigorously checking the details of our passports, insurance policies and visas. But what happens when you make an innocent mistake? Despite previously visiting 88 countries, one seasoned traveller realised they were on an expired visa as they were preparing to leave Thailand.
Writing in Fodors, travel expert Kimanzi Constable discovered that he’d misinterpreted the rules of his 30-day Visa – and was told at the airport that he was actually on day 31. He had planned to spend six months travelling Asia between July and December 2023, and along the way, he was hoping to find a new long-term base for his work as a digital nomad.
After he arrived in Thailand, he was issued with a 30-day visa – and did not plan to stay more than 30 days. ‘When I looked at the dates on my passport, the stamp said July 30 to August 30. My wife joined me halfway through my 30 days, so she had more time on her visa,’ Kimanzi writes.
![[Railay Beach surrounded by mountains and palm trees, high angle view, Krabi, Thailand]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1840349189.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
But when they arrived at immigration at Pattaya airport on what he thought was the final day of the visa, he waited ‘for what felt like an eternity’ while the customs agents deliberated. ‘After the commotion, the customs agent told me I had overstayed my visa and might be arrested. After travelling to 88 countries, I’ve never overstayed a visa, and this moment was beyond scary,’ he details.
