inu

Hi Scorecard- the answer is yes- it is possible if you adopted your son when he was a child. Please refer: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Life/Adoption-of-children/australians-overseas

I am currently applying- although my situation is different as I am still in the process of adoption. But Australian Immigration have confirmed on several occasions that my soon to be adopted daughter will be eligible for citizenship -providing she meets the criteria- which she does.

Good luck!

The process is very straightforward and I am sure that there are many other TV members who have made the same application. Here's a brief overview:

You apply under a 118 visa (Citizenship by Descent.) You will need a copy of the birth certificate noting you as the father and also a DNA paternity test. The Embassy will advise you where to get the test done as it must be taken by a lab recommended by them.

https://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents/118.pdf

Whether you are married or not is not an issue.

Once citizenship has been granted you can apply for an Australian passport and your son will have full Australian citizenship.

Where you live has no relevance. I applied for my daughter in Bangkok 5 years ago but haven't lived in Australia for over ten years - or Thailand for the past 4.

My experience with the Embassy was that they were extremely helpful and guided us through the process.

Good luck!

1976. Trekking with a friend and getting lost near the Myanmar border in the top of the ‘Golden Triangle’. 5 guys come out of the bush armed with military rifles. They tell us they have to ‘escort’ us as we are in a very dangerous place (!) Off we go with one guy following, chopping at the undergrowth with a large machete- very scary. He looked angry.

After walking with us for an hour or so they asked for money. I gave them $20 and they disappeared. My friend and I - still lost but alive.

You can enter Thailand as many times you like before 9 May 2012.

Every entry will give you a 90 day permission to stay.

Thanks- that's great. Really appreciated.

1. Yes

2. No

3. You will not have this issue on multiple entry visas, but yes you can apply at any consulate.

Thanks for the very fast response! I've just checked my passport and it states that it is valid for multiple journeys and must be utilised before 9 May 2012. It does not say anything about being valid for 1-year. Am I right it thinking that that the 2012 date means it stays valid for one year?

Sorry for my ignorance but have to make a quick decision about whether to leave and reenter so want to make sure I am understanding correctly.

Hi, hoping someone can advise me.

My wife was offered a job with a Bangkok clinic and we obtained a B visa for her and an O for myself and our child as dependents in Australia. We requested a 12-month visa with multiple entries.

Our passport entry stamps say we can stay until 10th August 2011. The problem is that the clinic has messed up their paperwork and told us today that it may take another 4-weeks for them to complete (!) So the chance of obtaining an extension by 11th August is not looking good.

My questions are:

1. As we have multiple entry visas can we leave Thailand before 10th August and then re-enter using the same visas?

2. Is there any way we can apply for extensions to our visas and not have to leave the country while the clinic gets their act together?

3. If we have to leave before 10th August and cannot reenter on our visas do we have to return to Australia and start again, or can we go to KL or Singapore and apply there?

Thanks in advance.

Thanks Guys,

Advice taken.

Hi Guys,

Probably a dumb question but I can't find a definitive answer.

Can I extend my ED visa on the actual date the last extension expires? Or does it have to be before?

My expiry date stamp is 21st March but I cannot get to Immigration until midday that day. Normally I extend one week before the date on the expiry stamp.

I checked with my school but got different answers.

Appreciate any advice or experience.

The extension of stay is always inside Thailand. But to obtain the visa entry required will likely require a trip outside.

Thanks Lopburi,

R

You need to take action first. You are over age 50? That will be your extension of stay for one year. Once you have that wife/child can obtain non immigrant O visas with proof of your extension of stay and then extend. Child can only use this to age 20 and must be living with you and wife.

Thanks Lopburi,

Yes- I'm well past 50! I'm assuming from Mario's post that the extension of stay can only be obtained outside of Thailand? Our child is 5-weeks old.

R

Also are you each going to obtain a retirement extension of stay or just use one and the other obtains a dependent extension of stay? Procedures and financial requirements would be different (only one needs to meet for dependent option).

Hi Lopburi,

I will be applying for the visa with my wife and child as dependents.

Kind Regards,

R

You can always try, but normally immigration will want you to get a non-immigrant visa from abroad, such as Laos.

Thanks for your advice Mario.

R

Hi Guys,

Has anyone had experience changing from an ED visa to a retirement visa? My wife and I, both Australians, are in our second year on an ED Visa and have decided we want to live here long term. A couple of questions:

1. Can we convert from an ED to a retirement visa without leaving Thailand?

2. Are there any links we can go to to find out the procedure?

I checked the immi site but couldn't find anything specific to our situation.

Kind Regards,

Richard

Believe you get paperwork from hospital and present it at your District Office - but have never done myself.

Thanks Lopburi.

R

I am sure it must be the report of birth that you personally make. If Hospital or someone else makes the report it is not considered that you are the legal father from my understanding - only when you do yourself.

Thanks very much Lopburi,

That sounds like it. Where is this normally done?

Kind Regards,

Richard

Check with the embassy but I think that what you require is a Federal Police check relating to children...In Australia it would result in getting a "Working with Children " clearence.

try

http://www.afp.gov.au/business/national_police_checks.html

Thanks Harry,

I have spoken to the Embassy and it is a document issued here in Thailand. The person I spoke to said our Lawyer would know but he has never heard of it. I am checking with the District Office to find out if they know anything.

Hi Folks,

I am trying to find out about the Child Guarantee License required by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok for Australian fathers to apply for Australian citizenship for their Thai born children. (Children of Thai mother.)

I would appreciate any advice about where to get the License from- and what exactly it is. I'm assuming it is something that you get from the District Office when you register the birth? Our lawyer has never heard of it.

Hi Folks,

Does anyone know what a Child Guarantee License is- and where you get one from?

Any info would be of great assistance.

Thanks everyone.

My friend is still in Australia and needs to get her ED visa before coming to BKK- so is unable to sit in a class to check out the lessons- which is why she wants to find out about other peoples' experience.

Hi Guys,

I have friend coming from Australia who wants to study Thai. She is applying for an ED Visa but is having trouble choosing between Walen and Pro Language in BKK.

Any thoughts or advice from people with experience of either school would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to you all for you help.

OK, are you talking about a multiple entry Non O? Sorry, but I'm still confused about the Non O. It seems to be the best solution but I am trying to find out for what purpose it can be issued. I've just checked on the Thai embassy website and we only qualify for "Other". Can this be interpreted to mean 'investigate retirement'?

Retirement falls under the O category. You can tell them for retirement.

You would only need a single entry non-o. Don't get it confused with the O-A visa.

It would be best to apply for your visa at a consulate other than Sydney or the embassy.

Perth and Brisbane have been reported to give good service and you can do mail in applications to them.

Thanks Ubonjoe,

Have you had any feedback about the consulate service in Melbourne?

Joe was taliking about the muliple O-A, which gives you a year upon each entry.

The non-immigrant visa comes in different categories, like non-B for business and Non-O for other purposes, like marriage to a Thai, volunteerwork and retirement.

You could just apply for a multiple O based on retirement. That will give you 15 months opposed to the 2 years of a multiple O-A, but is easier to get.

Thanks Mario,

That's a lot clearer now. I think we'll try for the 'O'.

I am not sure he noticed that your wife is under 50. He is writing about the O-A visa mentioned earlier.

Even if your wife was over 50 it would be 65K X 2 for two visas. A multiple entry allows you to leave the country and return for 1 year and get a 1 year permit to stay each time. If you make an entry the day before the visa expires you get another years permit to stay.

OK, are you talking about a multiple entry Non O? Sorry, but I'm still confused about the Non O. It seems to be the best solution but I am trying to find out for what purpose it can be issued. I've just checked on the Thai embassy website and we only qualify for "Other". Can this be interpreted to mean 'investigate retirement'?

Thanks Lite Beer,

I can arrange the money, what is the normal length of a Non O visa as I would have to have the 800,000 in a Thai bank for 2-months prior to applying?

It is 90 days. Yes 2 months.

Hi Ubonjoe,

I'm in Thailand at the moment but leaving in a few days. Have tried several times to open a bank account but no luck so far. How do I actually get the money into a bank account when I return? Will immi give me a letter I can give to a bank saying I'm allowed to open an account? I tried initially with a B visa but had no luck with that either. (No work permit.)