Changing from a marriage visa to a father of a Thai dependent visa

[bettyswarstead]

Hello.

 

Long story short, I've been married to a Thai woman for 15 years, in Thailand for 14. Have a son who is 11. The marriage has been to all intents and purposes dead for a long time. I stayed around for my son but the toxic environment isn't doing him any good. I wish to divorce once I've worked out how to go about this (including ascertaining whether I have to return to the UK to do so). 

 

Anyway when my marriage visa expires in August I was wondering how straightforward it would be to change it to a visa based on being father to a child born in Thailand. My wife (who isn't per se necessarily the best person to ask) seems to feel that I'd need to get the divorce before doing this, and that the financial requirement for money left in an account would rise from 400K to 800K. Also presumably I can only have a visa based on being a father until my son is a certain age?

 

Any advice greatly appreciated. Cheers!

 

 

[kralledr]

i think for an extension based on a thai child is the same 400k?!

[bettyswarstead]

1 minute ago, kralledr said:

i think for an extension based on a thai child is the same 400k?!

I was hoping that would be the case. It probably makes more sense to divorce first. But I want to know how easy it is to stay around near my son, based on being his father, once I've done this,

 

I've been trying to date but it's not easy as a separated but not yet divorced man.

[pagallim]

It appears that there are a couple of options.   Firstly, having a Thai child, and secondly having a child with dual nationality.   It does appear though that you need to be the sole custodian for the former, but not for the latter.   Have a look at these links:

 

http://piv-phuket.com/long-stay-extensions/custodian-to-thai-child/

 

http://piv-phuket.com/long-stay-extensions/thai-child-custodian/

 

I would recommend you speaking to whichever office that you would intend to obtain your extension.   If you meet the criteria, there should be no difference in changing extension category i.e. this year I changed from Retirement to Marriage.

[ubonjoe]

Some offices will not do an extension based upon being the parent of Thai unless you are divorced. Some might do it if you were separated from your wife and she had formally granted you custody of your child.

After divorce you you would need at least joint custody to do the application.

It is the same 400k baht for the extension.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, pagallim said:

It appears that there are a couple of options.   Firstly, having a Thai child, and secondly having a child with dual nationality.   It does appear though that you need to be the sole custodian for the former, but not for the latter. 

I would not go by the info in either of those links.

They are both full of mistakes. The evern call them a custodian extension which does not exist in the police order.

That is also not a official immigration website as well. It is done by the immigration volunteers.

[bettyswarstead]

Thanks guys. That's some very useful info. 

[holy cow cm]

 

2 hours ago, bettyswarstead said:

Also presumably I can only have a visa based on being a father until my son is a certain age?

And his last question is how long does the family member having a son thing last.

-As long as the son lives with him? Even past 18 or past graduating university?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

And his last question is how long does the family member having a son thing last.

-As long as the son lives with him? Even past 18 or past graduating university?

The rules do not state a maximum age to apply for an extension.

Some offices state it is 20 years old due to reading another part of clause 2.18 for foreign children of the applicant to apply for an extension based upon theirs which a max of 20.

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The rules do not state a maximum age to apply for an extension.

Some offices state it is 20 years old due to reading another part of clause 2.18 for foreign children of the applicant to apply for an extension based upon theirs which a max of 20.

Yeah. I know I have asked you this before and you gave the answer that there is no expiry on it. But seems that there had to be something to it, such as if expiry then the last year would be when they graduate from university. But I really would love to know if it really doesn’t expire, then if you could still live with your son or daughter and if they move out, could that then be transferred to living with your wife as she becomes the family member? It is based on living with the family member or members. 

I still have a good total of 5 more yrs with my youngest daughter before she would go to a university yr after next year and then graduate after, but I would rather not change mine to marriage visa at anytime, even though I could.