Visa for parent of uk/thai child

[bagwan70]

I’m 47 with a 7 year old son (born in the U.K.), I was married to his thai mother but divorced 5 years ago. He’s been living with me for the past 4 years and very occasionally sees his mum. Me and his mum recently got him a thai passport and birth certificate through the London thai embassy, as she doesn’t want to look after him and understands I plan to live in Thailand. (She’s stayed in the uk doing her own thing ). My son and I are now in Pattaya , both on 60 day tourist visas, with him, shortly to start school. We are going to take a short trip to Laos (through Savannakhet) with my Laos girlfriend before we do the school thing.

 

What visas should I be asking for at Savannakhet? Are there still visas based on being a guardian? What paperwork do I need ?

Any other advice?

 

(I have rented a house here for the long term, I have a bank account, car and am financially independent though certainly not rich)

 

thanks in in advance for your help

[ubonjoe]

Why didn't your son enter the country using his Thai passport?

You can get a single entry non-o visa based upon being the parent of a Thai (a guardian visa does not exist) that will allow a 90 day entry. You will need his birth certificate plus a copy. The normal requirement is to have a copy of his house book registration but I suspect that you do not have that since his birth was registered in the UK. They may accept a copy of his Thai passport instead of his house book registry. 

You could get a 60 day extension to visit your so at a immigration office. But you may not be able to get one without you son being registered in a house book. 

You should look into getting him registered in a house book at a Amphoe. You will need to find a Thai that is the house master of a house book that will allow him to registered in it.

If you can sort out the house book registration you could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon being the parent of a That. You would need 400k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 40k baht income.

Your son can get a one year extension based upon being a Thai national at immigration. But it would be best if he was to enter Thailand using his Thai passport.

[LongTimeLurker]

If you are enrolling your son in an International school 

 

1. You can use his UK passport and get the paperwork from the school to apply for a non-O based on education in Savannakhet (if they will issue? I got mine in SGN).

 

2. Then on expiry of that non-O you can get your son an extension based on further paperwork from the school.

 

3. Once he has his 1 year extension you can get paperwork from the school for you to apply for a non-O ("guardian") visa which on expiry can be extended to match your son's extension.

 

If you can initially enter on a non-O with your son then 3. can be skipped as you will extend your non-O with your son's at the same time.

 

There is a Baht 500k bank deposit requirement for your extension seasoned for 2 months.