Visa Extension Over 50 To Support Thai Child (long)

[Badbanker]

Visa Extension over 50 to Support Thai Child (Long)

Extension of Non Imm "O" based on Age Over 50 and Support of Thai Child

After an enjoyable visa run to Savannakhet, my wife suggested I go back and do an update and come back for another 3 months of wedded bliss. Being the detailed Bad Banking kind of person I am, I decided it was time to test the waters and try to get an extension of my Non Imm ”O” visa based on the new support of a Thai child clause. I have a British passport and have been a resident of Thailand since early 1988. Over the years I have had work permits and non imm "o" visas but always seemed to be overseas and lost out on the consecutive visas! At the moment I am a consultant and spend time in Europe working there, but not in Thailand.

As I am a masochist, and thanks to Sunbelt’s translation of the new act, it is very clearly spelled out in National Police Office Order 606/2006 that I was eligible to apply for, as the act says under :

"7.17 In case of the foreign national is the member of the Thai national’s family

(Only for Father, Mother, Husband or Wife, ordinary child, adopted child or the

child of the marriage couple.) Each time of permission shall be granted for the

period not exceeding 1 year."

It was very clear my situation fit the bill! I was turning the big 50 in the first week of April and my non imm "O" visa was expiring one the 17th of April!

Over the nearly 20 years of living in this country I have been to Soi Suan Plu many many times and have developed a friendship with 3 of the people who are the ones that actually sit at the desk and do the interview before recommending your extension.

In my present situation I thought of my old friend Officer Somchai* and went down on a Friday, 2 weeks before my 50th birthday, to make sure I was on track about the new extension law. Somchai is a very nice person who is always happy to see me! After the obligatory greetings, in Thai I said what is this new law about me using my son as a sponsor for 1 year visa extensions? His first reaction was is you wife dead or are you divorced. I said no it is this new law that lets me support my son, you know Order 606/2006 7.17 (5) that was issued last year says this can be done.

Big mistake! Khun Somchai like most of the people at immigration, it now seems are not fully conversant (read ignorant) with the new laws and do not understand how you fit in to them. So off we went to talk to another one of the front line officers that screen everyone visiting the dreaded room 101. Somchai gives his buddy the wrong info who says no you have to show the monthly income and that is the only option now open to you!!!!!

I realized by this time that I had done a no no and that was to ask someone who did not know the answer who had the wrong info, who then gave the wrong info to his buddy, who gave the wrong answer to me. Beware! At this point in time I could see myself sitting in Savannakhet drinking more large bottles of very good Lao Beer at 25 baht per bottle.

Wait a minute I don’t drink .... it interferes with my ability to calculate compound interest and thus diddle some poor widow of her due compound interest.

Let’s get out of here and look at the illustrious thaivisa.com website again!

After much study, it is not a figment of my compound interest banking imagination, it has been and can be done. Back I go again on the next Monday morning and this time I am all primed and prepared! I have the following documents:

1. Copy of the National Police Office Order 606/2006 in English and Thai

2. Passport and photocopies of main page, entry stamp page and visa page

3. Original Thai Birth Certificate of son and photocopies

4. Original Thai Marriage Certificate and photocopies

5,. Original Letter from doctor on Hospital Letter Head confirming he delivered my son

6. Copies of House Registration certificate of wife and son

7. Copy of wife’s Thai ID card

All photocopied documents need to be signed by the people they pertain to, thus legally verifying that they are true copies of genuine documents.

So the next Monday I go back again to Suan Plu and ignore dear fiend Somchai! I wander up to the counter and ask for an extension form for a non imm “O” visa. They give me a form and a queue number and I wait for about 30 mins for my turn.

Finally the waiting is over and by chance one of the very nice ladies I that has worked with me before is the one fielding my inquiry! I state to her I am going to be 50 in a short while and wish to apply for extension of my visa based on support of a Thai child. She kindly immediately confirms that yes this is possible can I see your passport and documentation.

I hand over the documents and wait with baited breath for her comment. She reads them and gets up and walks back to the next level of desk behind her and consults a senior for what seems about 5 hours and then returns after 2 minutes smiling. Yes she says all of your documents are in order can you please return the day after your birthday with your wife and son to do the extension.

I am shocked and taken aback and wonder how to thank God for his mercy in allowing such a simple process. I wai her and stumble out of immigration calling my wife at work to tell the good news.

This is the most painless extension preparation I have ever had to undergo!

The fateful day arrives and the whole family does the yellow shirt thing down to immigration. Get a queue number and sit for about 45 minutes while 15 other people get seen to.

Finally they call the number and we sally forth and sit down in front of the desk. One unanimous wai and a smile and a half joke about my son being too big. I explain in Thai with my wife’s support that I am applying for a visa under the retirement at 50 and support of Thai child condition of 606/2549 section 7.17 (5). She looks at us very blankly and says I can give you 60 days now or you will have to show 45,000 baht combined taxed monthly taxed income between you and then I can help you with a one year visa. My wife said it was obvious from what she said in Thai, that she was not at all aware of the conditions of the new law pertaining to support of a Thai child.

We say again there is a new law that was issued last year that allows a foreigner over 50 who is the parent of a Thai child to get a one year visa based on support of a Thai child. She seems amused at the thought and at that moment one of her colleagues walks by behind her desk. She offhandedly in a joking sort of way asks her if this is true? The officer says yes, if the child can be proven to be a Thai national, yes that is correct! Oh, our friendly officers say yes, of course the child is Thai; it is on his birth certificate in front of me;) Good face saving way of saying I am not a fool after all.

It is obvious that most of the front line officers in charge of dealing with you and I, in the day to day extension of visas STILL have no idea of the new laws pertaining to article 7.17 (5) and how they apply to your and my case!

When the penny dropped and she realized that it was possible, we were asked to pay the 1,900 baht fee and asked to have a seat while her senior did the final checking of our application documents. When I next saw the extension application form, it had “support of Thai Child” in Thai written in as the reason for extension on this section of the form.

About this time my wife was asked to sign a consent to sponsor form, the same form that she signed the last time she was my sponsor and we had to show 400,000 baht in the bank for a visa extension. All of these documents were given to a more senior officer and after 10 minutes I was personally summoned by her and asked several questions about the consent form. Things like what is your home phone number and what is the precise address of your residence, as my wife’s house registration like many Thais is at a different place to where we actually live. My son was than summoned and it seemed they wanted to see how he reacted to me as a father. Of course my 8 year old son just clung to dad and acted like any usual son when he has been in a tough situation for an hour or more, when can we go home? He waied the lady and we took our seats.

After I explained this, and the boss signed off on things, we were all summoned back to the initial officer and given a one month extension while the application was under consideration. As I was due to report for 90 days at this time the same officer also did this for me and gave me a nice shiny new reporting card.

During the time of my extension I noticed another gentleman with a child in tow and after introducing myself he also said he was changing over from a Non “B” to a Non “O” and would be applying under the support of Child 7.17 (5)!

Of course we left and went our own way to enjoy a holiday on the beach in Rayong to celebrate the extra month of family bliss and look forward to the next visit in 3 weeks to one month to get the final 8 months stamped in the passport.

I think the lessons to be learned from this extension process are:

1. Do your research on thaivisa.com very carefully

2. Go down to the local immigration office before you need to do the extension for a dry run, till you have everything okayed and in principle acceptable

3. Get an excess of documents prepared to support you extension and they will happy. Not enough and they will not be happy and delay things more

4. Present yourself well (dress, manner and attitude) and know what you want precisely

5. In a friendly and Thai way don't take no for an answer but show a copy of the National Police Office Order 606/2006 in Thai with the relevant section highlighted

6. If the officer you are dealing with still doesn't agree with you politely request, a more senior officials opinion and also show this officer the relevant section

7. Be thankful and show respect when you have been given an extension!

At this point in time I think it is appropriate for me to say thank you to George and the team at Sunbelt and thaivisa.com, for blazing the way ahead and being the ones who did it first and them told us all about it being possible. I think their support of this forum has more than any other thing, made visa extension more predictable and so life in Thailand a bit more pleasent.

Thank you

Badbanker

* Not his real name

[Khonwan]

Excellent report Badbanker. Thank you and congratulations.

[Krub]

Thanks for the detailed report and congratulations on your new extension.

If only all the officers were appying the rules in the same way evrywhere it would make it easier for all.

Most of your 'toruble' was getting past the non-informed officers AND making sure they were not offended when you pushed your case

[phuketrichard]

It would appear from what you said that they merely gave you your extension based on being married as that is the 400,000 in the bank and u have been granfathered in. If u had gotten it under the new ruling over 50 and thai child u would not have needed your wife to sign anything

and u have the law wrong;

is the parent of a Thai child to get a one year visa based on support of a Thai child.

"7.17 In case of the foreign national is the member of the Thai national’s family

(Only for Father, Mother, Husband or Wife, ordinary child, adopted child or the

child of the marriage couple.) Each time of permission shall be granted for the

period not exceeding 1 year."

There is nothing about SUPPORT this was last years law. this year u only can get that extension if ur under 50 and HAD an extension before as supporting a thai child so u would be granfathered in. this happens to a few of my friends here in Phuket.

the new law is for over 50 and HAVING a thai child no show of money required.

OK I have a thai child and NO WIFE, never married and no idea where she is or care for that matter. Phuket immigration wants to see my daughters passport ( as her id) and Birth certifcate and 500,000 in the bank for three months, plus i have the court decree granting me full custody. They will then issue me my new 1 year extension, same day. no 30 day extension and come back

1 year one day service ( same as retirement)

I have been on a retirment extesion for 6 years. they asked me why i dont want that one and i told them i dont have enough money in the bank. smiles all around as they know me there.

So far ONLY people going thru sunbelt in bangkok ( as far as i know ) have gotten an extension on these new regulations for having a thai child with NO MONEY in the bank (they charge 6,500 to do it for you).

So if you want to get it done go thru them in bangkok.

6,500 is cheap if ur already in Bangkok. I would have done it that way but i would have had to fly to bagkok , stay 1 night in a hotel, taxi, eating 1 night on the town etc

and it would have cost a lot more than what i have to pay in interest on the money i need to top up to 500,000.

Edited April 22, 2007 by phuketrichard

[lopburi3]

Your extension of stay is most likely under section 7.10 student which (other than the grandfather retirement provision) is what requires the 500k bank deposit. This can be used up to age 20.

[Badbanker]

It would appear from what you said that they merely gave you your extension based on being married as that is the 400,000 in the bank and u have been granfathered in. If u had gotten it under the new ruling over 50 and thai child u would not have needed your wife to sign anything

Sorry if I have misled anyone in my posting!  My non imm O has lapsed for more than three years and was in another passport and another nationality.  I do not have 400,000 in the bank and so I did not present this to them. I can assure you I have made an application based solely on the premise that I am 50 and now supporting a child of Thai nationality.

"the new law is for over 50 and HAVING a thai child no show of money required."  

Yes I agree totally.

I apologise I forgot to include in my quote from 7.17 subsection 5 which states as follows:

(5) In the case of a parent, the said person must be 50 years of age or over;

Hope this clarifies things a bit more for all concerned.

It can be done with a little perserverance!

Badbanker

[talatnat]

Thanks, Badbanker, it is a very helpful report. Your experience confirms my experience that meeting up with the right officer will make all the difference.

[Maestro]

My non imm O has lapsed for more than three years and was in another passport and another nationality. I do not have 400,000 in the bank and so I did not present this to them. I can assure you I have made an application based solely on the premise that I am 50 and now supporting a child of Thai nationality.

If it is indeed for living with Thai child , and I do hope that you will get it, then you will be the first married father reporting on this forum to have obtained this type of extension without the help of a lawyer to guide the immigration official, and you deserve to go on record as such. About a month to wait, and then please scan and post that extension stamp and post it here in this thread.

my wife was asked to sign a consent to sponsor form, the same form that she signed the last time she was my sponsor and we had to show 400,000 baht in the bank for a visa extension

Incidentally, when was this last time when you got an annual extension of stay, that time for marriage?

--

Maestro

[phuketrichard]

cool

BUT i am wondering why u had to have your thai wife there? She has nothing to do with u getting the extension.

Lopburi;

If i was applying for my child being in school i would have to have her school papers, they were not asked for

AS far as I can see it each immigrationis a law unto itself and nothing we can do but accept what they say.

I showed Phuket immigration ( the head guy) the new law in engish and in thai.

he still told me 500,000 in the bank 3 months and they would give it to me right then, no waiting or come back

[lopburi3]

To obtain visa extension for child would have required school paperwork - but if your child had dual nationality they "might" have used section 7.10 for you and that does not require school paperwork (as it was used for the child) who with Thai nationality does not require a visa extension for study. It may be far fetched but could be a way to do it if they were trying to help you. The 500k requirement would fit that.

If you are married the wife must be present and sign if you change from Thai wife to retirement and that may have been the case for thise change.

[geoffphuket]

cool

BUT i am wondering why u had to have your thai wife there? She has nothing to do with u getting the extension.

Lopburi;

If i was applying for my child being in school i would have to have her school papers, they were not asked for

AS far as I can see it each immigrationis a law unto itself and nothing we can do but accept what they say.

I showed Phuket immigration ( the head guy) the new law in engish and in thai.

he still told me 500,000 in the bank 3 months and they would give it to me right then, no waiting or come back

Sounds like a typical case of 'saving face'. Explaining to the officer the regulations of his job is a shure way to g'tee he'll ask you for something you've not prepared for.

Interesting thread....I've another 12 months to wait before I'll be 50

Geoffphuket

[Badbanker]

My non imm O has lapsed for more than three years and was in another passport and another nationality. I do not have 400,000 in the bank and so I did not present this to them. I can assure you I have made an application based solely on the premise that I am 50 and now supporting a child of Thai nationality.

If it is indeed for living with Thai child , and I do hope that you will get it, then you will be the first married father reporting on this forum to have obtained this type of extension without the help of a lawyer to guide the immigration official, and you deserve to go on record as such. About a month to wait, and then please scan and post that extension stamp and post it here in this thread.

my wife was asked to sign a consent to sponsor form, the same form that she signed the last time she was my sponsor and we had to show 400,000 baht in the bank for a visa extension

Incidentally, when was this last time when you got an annual extension of stay, that time for marriage?

--

Maestro

I have a couple of other friends that have been given the extension based on 50 year of age and support of a Thai Child and have not shown any money. They just have not reported on the forum. IN the other thread similar to this one another person sady he had also received his one year extension. I am lead to believe, it is still necessary for a wife in the normal circumstances that one exists, to sign the guarantee letter. My wife said it was the same form she used to sign when we had to pony up the money.

Just looking at the expired passport from hel_l and it was mid October 2004 that I received the final stamp of the 5 year set of one year extensions. Since then I have travelled extensively and been a tourist and a passport swapper for 3+ years.

BB

[Badbanker]

cool

BUT i am wondering why u had to have your thai wife there? She has nothing to do with u getting the extension.

Lopburi;

If i was applying for my child being in school i would have to have her school papers, they were not asked for

AS far as I can see it each immigration is a law unto itself and nothing we can do but accept what they say.

I showed Phuket immigration (the head guy) the new law in engish and in thai.

he still told me 500,000 in the bank 3 months and they would give it to me right then, no waiting or come back

I am not sure precisely why I had to have my wife there but at this early stage of the proceedings with this new law my wife and her documents were necessary.  Maybe in a short while they will allow the extension without your wife but at the moment she was a requirement.

One of the reasons that you should go to Immigration several times is to try and find a sympathetic ear (someone who knows the law) and then maybe quote that person if it was necessary.  The lady that I know who gave me preliminary approval to all of my documents, was sitting at a desk 3 seats away from me but I did not need to say Ms Kanchana over there said this was OK.

Yes finding the right person is essential!

Badbanker

[webfact]

I am not married or was married. I got that extension in January. No financial guarantee required.

What they wanted was my son (13) to sign a paper that I am his father!

The mother of my son was present and had to sign that papers as well -

after she was interviewed by a high ranking officer.

(it was similar to the "parental power" issued by an Amphoe).

It helps if the child lives in YOUR household

Got the extension 2 weeks later. I was informed for the next extension

there is a re-run of the entire procedure incl. paperwork.

But rules might change for the benefit of the applicant!

Edited April 22, 2007 by webfact

[phuketrichard]

was this in Bangkok?

what if the mother can not be found?

[Badbanker]

I am not married or was married. I got that extension in January. No financial guarantee required.

What they wanted was my son (13) to sign a paper that I am his father!

The mother of my son was present and had to sign that papers as well -

after she was interviewed by a high ranking officer.

(it was similar to the "parental power" issued by an Amphoe).

It helps if the child lives in YOUR household

Got the extension 2 weeks later. I was informed for the next extension

there is a re-run of the entire procedure incl. paperwork.

But rules might change for the benefit of the applicant!

It almost seems that they want the mother of your child to verify that she is indeed the mother of your child and you are indeed the father of this child.  

Again this is a new law and it will take some time to settle into the minds of the immigration officers and more importantly their bosses.

Badbanker

[webfact]

I am not married or was married. I got that extension in January. No financial guarantee required.

What they wanted was my son (13) to sign a paper that I am his father!

The mother of my son was present and had to sign that papers as well -

after she was interviewed by a high ranking officer.

(it was similar to the "parental power" issued by an Amphoe).

It helps if the child lives in YOUR household

Got the extension 2 weeks later. I was informed for the next extension

there is a re-run of the entire procedure incl. paperwork.

But rules might change for the benefit of the applicant!

It almost seems that they want the mother of your child to verify that she is indeed the mother of your child and you are indeed the father of this child.

Again this is a new law and it will take some time to settle into the minds of the immigration officers and more importantly their bosses.

Badbanker

indeed I can fully confirm what you mention. Some friends of mine had the same experiences. Important is the mother and you have to have parental power over your child. That's the other side of the coin: only the birth certificate will not satisfy the immigration officer.

[phuketrichard]

hey i dont think that is correct, I have a court order granting me full custody of my daughter

i asked them about that and they said fine

The visa is for u not your wife so in effect she is not needed.

u dont need a thai wife execpt to make the baby LOL

[Badbanker]

It is now well over 2 weeks since I got my first 1 month extension under consideration stamp and I was wondering if anyone has experience about going back for the second final stamp?

In the past (3 years ago) I have always gone back to get the final stamp one week before the one month was up.  Is this still possible?   

BB

[wca01]

My "under consideration" stamp was until April 18th; I got my extension on April 11th. One week should be just fine. (Not necessary to go in in person.)

WCA

Edited April 24, 2007 by wca01

[Badbanker]

My "under consideration" stamp was until April 18th; I got my extension on April 11th. One week should be just fine. (Not necessary to go in in person.)

WCA

I will leave it till Friday and then visit Suan Plu and give it a go.   In the past when I was applying for extension based on supporting the wife it always took at least 3 weeks to get the final extension.

I will then at Maestro's request, scan the pages and present them to the forum.

Badbanker

[Badbanker]

Just checked on the visa extension at Suan Plu and have been told it will be ready on Wednesday!

If anyone wants to meet me be at Suan Plu at 10 am on next Wednesday the 2nd of May when my Maybach arrives. I can be described as 6 foot tall and devilshly handsome dressed in a 3 piece bankers grey suit with a carnation in the lapel and of course a gold fod watch!

See you soon.

Bad banker

[JimmyGreaves]

Can you still get this Visa Extension for over 50, thai child and not married?

[Lite Beer]

Can you still get this Visa Extension for over 50, thai child and not married?

You can but a lot of offices do not like giving it and put all sorts of obstacles in the way.

Most successful applications are in Bangkok. However Bangkok are telling people to go to their local offices.

Probably a good idea to contact an expert such as forum sponsors Sunbelt.

Here is another thread on the subject.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Acquired-1-Y...ather+extension

[JimmyGreaves]

Thanks Lite Beer. Will do some investigations on this one and report back!