Hopefully l have put this in the appropriate section, apologises if not. l am trying to get a Thai passport for my 14 year old Thai/English daughter, as we intend to move from the UK back to Thailand soon as possible. Unfortunately her mother, who l am now divorced from is being difficult. l need her to sign a simple form to say she gives permission for me to apply for the passport at the Thai embassy in London, because not possible for us both to be present. She is refusing to do it, because she simply does not want my daughter in Thailand, she cares only for her life with her millionaire boyfriend in Singapore. Has anyone similar experience of this situation, can you help ? She has a British passport, we were legally married when she was born in 2004, so she is entitled to a Thai passport. Trying to deal with the Thai embassy in London is like do a marathon in treacle ! Please help, what can l do ?  

Since she has a UK passport already, travel to Thailand on that passport. Unless she has one already, she should then apply for her Thai ID card  and subsequently the Thai passport. Then do a passport 'flip' on a subsequent trip (by air) out of Thailand and back.

24 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Since she has a UK passport already, travel to Thailand on that passport. Unless she has one already, she should then apply for her Thai ID card  and subsequently the Thai passport. Then do a passport 'flip' on a subsequent trip (by air) out of Thailand and back.

The mothers consent is required whether applying for a passport in the UK or Thailand.

59 minutes ago, Mark1972 said:

Please help, what can l do ?  

I don’t know how you get around the consent issue, but if you can’t get that resolved your daughter can enter Thailand with the British passport and then apply for a 1 year extension of stay as a Thai national. You could renew that each year until you’ve resolved the Thai passport issue. Even though she would enter as a Brit she is Thai and has the same rights as any other Thai.

18 minutes ago, elviajero said:

I don’t know how you get around the consent issue, but if you can’t get that resolved your daughter can enter Thailand with the British passport and then apply for a 1 year extension of stay as a Thai national. You could renew that each year until you’ve resolved the Thai passport issue. Even though she would enter as a Brit she is Thai and has the same rights as any other Thai.

l appreciate we can do this, but such a hassle when she is Thai. Thanks anyway.  

52 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Since she has a UK passport already, travel to Thailand on that passport. Unless she has one already, she should then apply for her Thai ID card  and subsequently the Thai passport. Then do a passport 'flip' on a subsequent trip (by air) out of Thailand and back.

Her ID card has run out, but the issue is the same in Thailand or UK, her mother needs to give consent if we are both not present. Thankyou for your comments.

Despite still needing the mothers sign-off, the Thai passport issue would ultimately be easier once your daughter is in Thailand. One would be dealing face-to-face with with local amphurs, the MFA and Thai Immigration. Trying do deal with it while in the UK where the MFA interface is via their terminally challenged, career paper-shufflers at the RTE is an obfuscation that can possibly be avoided by dealing more direct with them in-country.

 

Personally, I would go with elviajero's fix in post#4 and accept that life is not meant to be easy.

The best option may be is to get some help from a lawyer here and file for full custody of your child here at an Amphoe. Just some proof her mother has abandoned her and is doing nothing to help with her. You would need some witnesses to attest to it. Your daughter is old enough and could be the key witness to it.

With full custody your ex wife's consent would not be needed for anything.

In all the immigration laws you will always find the word "alien", these laws just don't apply for Thai citizens. She can just enter Thailand with her UK passport and stay here as long as she wants without doing anything. Imho she can't be fined at all, and even if she should ever be fined for doing this, what would be the worst to happen? Maybe a few thousand baht fine, but she will obviously not be deported or banned from Thailand ????

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

In all the immigration laws you will always find the word "alien", these laws just don't apply for Thai citizens. She can just enter Thailand with her UK passport and stay here as long as she wants without doing anything. Imho she can't be fined at all, and even if she should ever be fined for doing this, what would be the worst to happen? Maybe a few thousand baht fine, but she will obviously not be deported or banned from Thailand ????

No ban - but possibly having to pay 20K Baht when flying-out to clear the infraction (I think I recall a post where this occurred).  Once-per-year at the local immigration-office for a 1-year extension would be worth avoiding that, I would think.  And only that until the custody-issue can be resolved and/or the mother discovers being a PITA didn't stop her daughter returning, so signs for passport-permission.

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

No ban - but possibly having to pay 20K Baht when flying-out to clear the infraction (I think I recall a post where this occurred).  Once-per-year at the local immigration-office for a 1-year extension would be worth avoiding that, I would think.  And only that until the custody-issue can be resolved and/or the mother discovers being a PITA didn't stop her daughter returning, so signs for passport-permission.

I do not think children under 20 years old get fined for overstay

 

I was just thinking if a person with a Thai ID card would they be refused to entry into Thailand without a passport

11 minutes ago, offset said:

I do not think children under 20 years old get fined for overstay

 

It is under the age of 15 they don't get fined. Under the age of 18 they are exempt from the overstay banning rules.

 

6 minutes ago, offset said:

I was just thinking if a person with a Thai ID card would they be refused to entry into Thailand without a passport

A passport is required for entry but it can be expired. Unless they had a passport for another country they would not be able to travel to here without a passport.

1 hour ago, offset said:

I do not think children under 20 years old get fined for overstay

Good point. 

6 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Good point. 

 

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

It is under the age of 15 they don't get fined. Under the age of 18 they are exempt from the overstay banning rules.

 

13 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Despite still needing the mothers sign-off, the Thai passport issue would ultimately be easier once your daughter is in Thailand. One would be dealing face-to-face with with local amphurs, the MFA and Thai Immigration. Trying do deal with it while in the UK where the MFA interface is via their terminally challenged, career paper-shufflers at the RTE is an obfuscation that can possibly be avoided by dealing more direct with them in-country.

 

Personally, I would go with elviajero's fix in post#4 and accept that life is not meant to be easy.

Yes l am starting to think it is the only solution now. All this is about money, she has paid me  £110 maintenance for my daughter in 3 years and she  worried l will expect something from her when we return to Thailand, which l don't. Thanks for your comments.

14 hours ago, elviajero said:

I don’t know how you get around the consent issue, but if you can’t get that resolved your daughter can enter Thailand with the British passport and then apply for a 1 year extension of stay as a Thai national. You could renew that each year until you’ve resolved the Thai passport issue. Even though she would enter as a Brit she is Thai and has the same rights as any other Thai.

Yes l think this is the answer, thankyou. 

13 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The best option may be is to get some help from a lawyer here and file for full custody of your child here at an Amphoe. Just some proof her mother has abandoned her and is doing nothing to help with her. You would need some witnesses to attest to it. Your daughter is old enough and could be the key witness to it.

With full custody your ex wife's consent would not be needed for anything.

Her mum gave me full custody 3 years ago, so need to look into this, thankyou

46 minutes ago, Mark1972 said:

Her mum gave me full custody 3 years ago, so need to look into this, thankyou

If you have full custody legally with the legal papers you not need the mother to get a Thai passport, I have got my son a passport without the mothers consent ( I have court paper for his custody), but if you only got custody with her say so but no legal papers I think you will not get a passport without her consent 

As the girl's Thai ID card has expired, she will have to get a new ID before she can apply for the Thai passport, I believe. She may also have to show her Thai birth certificate to apply for the ID card or the passport or both.

I had a similar problem and the solution was quite easy. I applied to the court for an order to dispense with the need for the mother's authorisation for a passport on the basis it was in the child's best interest and his right to have his own passport. 24 hours done and dusted. 

One over option, when your daughter will reach 15.She has the right to choose the full custodial rights for one parent.In this case the father if she wants to stay with you.

I have insisted on getting this option written on my Thai divorce court order.I get it..my daughter is only 8 years old, 

You need may be only few months to wait

Good luck.

 

 

On 10/16/2018 at 1:11 PM, ubonjoe said:

It is under the age of 15 they don't get fined. Under the age of 18 they are exempt from the overstay banning rules.

 

A passport is required for entry but it can be expired. Unless they had a passport for another country they would not be able to travel to here without a passport.

At what age in Thailand can the young lady make her own decisions on this subject, and cannot be challenged by either parent?

 

 

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

At what age in Thailand can the young lady make her own decisions on this subject, and cannot be challenged by either parent?

At the age of twenty they do not need parental consent to get a passport.

I think you are being a little naive thinking your 14 year old "English" daughter is going to want to stay in Thailand. Passport issues aside, you should be making contingency plans for who she is going to stay with when she wants to go back "home"; and, you have a new Thai girlfriend.  

26 minutes ago, kensisaket said:

I think you are being a little naive thinking your 14 year old "English" daughter is going to want to stay in Thailand. Passport issues aside, you should be making contingency plans for who she is going to stay with when she wants to go back "home"; and, you have a new Thai girlfriend.  

What arrogant nonsense. She may feel far more at home in Thailand rather than in the xenophobic UK.

 

Also, assuming her father does not have her best interests at heart and, by your reckoning, is actually a sex tourist says more about you than him.

2 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

What arrogant nonsense. She may feel far more at home in Thailand rather than in the xenophobic UK.

 

Also, assuming her father does not have her best interests at heart and, by your reckoning, is actually a sex tourist says more about you than him.

Yup, sometimes the truth can seem to be arrogant nonsense. Additionally, xenophobia is a reality in today's world; and, it certainly is not limited to the U.K.  Finally, I have been married to the same Thai lady for just under 50 years; so, I don't have the insight you seem to have on sex tourism.