Coverting O / OA visa to a parent visa from within Thailand

[Kenny202]

Got a mate here been left with two near babies (wife scarpered). They were married and he has already done the full custody thing through the courts so no issue about paternity. Hes been living here on tourist visas and border hops for far too long and things are becoming urgent so this is a genuine asking for a friend question.

 

He has his hands full and seemingly terrible at organizing anything or paper work so trying to help him out. He engaged the service of a visa agent who claimed she would sort out the O (or OA?) visa and from there get all the parental visa sorted. Hes 42 so cant get a retirement visa. Was a surprise to me as I've had a parental visa for 5 years and had to jump through quite a few hoops to get it. I did mine all by myself. She called him yesterday to say she put in the application but was rejected yesterday because the officers came to his home to interview him and his 2 or 3 witnesses / sponsors and he should have brought them to the IO. Not sure how that works as it was IO who suggested they come to his home so if there was a mistake it was theirs. Immigration admitted they made a mistake but said head office issue. Anyway, none of it making much sense and he is starting to wonder if he is being taken for a ride. I have no idea about O or OA visas apart from I originally got an OA visa from Australia which I later extended for retirement, then converted to parent as I also have a Thai child. 

 

He has been told he needs to get an O visa, which she also said she would organize but he has to go out of the country and back in again to get. Is that how it works? OA visa from your home country....O visa from a 3rd party country consulate or something? I remember when I got my OA visa I basically got a year....which I actually ended up getting near 2 years by leaving and re entering just before the end of the 12 months. Is an O visa the same ie 12 months? He has been told O visa for 3 months then extension as a parent visa. I said to him today well she would need the O visa sorted out before applying for the parent visa or do they do the lot at the same time ie you have to qualify for the parent visa and jump through all the hoops, application etc before starting the O visa process? Not sure what he needs to do now, looks like start the whole process again. I think he wrongly assumed the agent would do some magic but its more of a hand holding thing where he is still going to have to supply all the required photos, docs etc.

 

Can anyone advise what the O visa / extension to parent process is? Does what he is being told sound right?

[DrJack54]

51 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

I remember when I got my OA visa I basically got a year....which I actually ended up getting near 2 years by leaving and re entering just before the end of the 12 months. Is an O visa the same ie 12 months?

Your non O-A is irrelevant for the friend.

Also the agent would be assisting in obtaining a non O single entry visa that provides a 90 day stamp.

51 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

I said to him today well she would need the O visa sorted out before applying for the parent visa or do they do the lot at the same time ie you have to qualify for the parent visa and jump through all the hoops, application etc before starting the O visa process?

The non O is first step.

He would then be applying for 12 month extension based on support of Thai child.

Note there is no such thing as "parent visa" 

 

Seems there was a mix up with home visit. 

Which immigration office? 

What stamp is currently in his passport? 

Visa exempt entry? Or......

 

Why wasn't he previously using extensions from a non O based on marriage 

[Kenny202]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Your non O-A is irrelevant for the friend.

Also the agent would be assisting in obtaining a non O single entry visa that provides a 90 day stamp.

The non O is first step.

He would then be applying for 12 month extension based on support of Thai child.

Note there is no such thing as "parent visa" 

 

Seems there was a mix up with home visit. 

Which immigration office? 

What stamp is currently in his passport? 

Visa exempt entry? Or......

 

Why wasn't he previously using extensions from a non O based on marriage 

I can answer all of those questions but in this case will refrain on some issues. A lot more to the story than I can discuss in an open forum. He was working off shore FIFO so no need for a yearly visa. He came home unexpectedly and you can guess what (or who) he discovered going on in his home. She bailed, he got left with the kids. He currently has a tourist visa and several (too many) extensions already. I'm not really sure how hes been doing it but in and out then extending that out as far as possible then repeat again. Think he has gotten away with it three times, maybe more. I have been telling him for 9 months get the kids citizenship and passports sorted out as I have been through all this stuff myself. Not sure on the visa exempt, or what that means? He doesn't even seem sure of anything himself and in all honesty through lack of getting in front of the problem pretty much only himself to blame...but unfortunately 2 very small children involved. Hes had ample time to get the kids passports, citizenship back home...all that sort of stuff but continues to procrastinate. I fear he may be at the end of his luck. If he cant get this visa he has 60 days to get them passports, visas and get them sorted out to leave the country, which may or may not be enough time. The 60 day entry he got yesterday could possibly be the O visa? I am not even sure he has his court custody papers in order if in fact that's what they are and not just an agreement with his ex wife that the kids can live with him but both still maintain joint custody. Obviously hes one of these people doesn't check anything and hopes for the best. He says he has full custody but I have my doubts. I told him exactly what may happen and he could become separated from the kids if he runs out of time which he refuses to believe anyone or government would do. He will find out tomorrow if he can reapply for the support of a Thai child extension or he has to start making arrangements to go home.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

The 60 day entry he got yesterday could possibly be the O visa?

No. Seems visa exempt entry.

Was it border  bounce?

 

7 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

He was working off shore FIFO so no need for a yearly visa

Previously eg roster workers were living Thailand visa exempt entries.

Immigration at Thai airports seem now to question this. 

 

On face value thinking continue with  Agent not bad idea.

You did not answer which immigration office (unless I missed it) 

 

[Rob Browder]

On 11/21/2024 at 9:36 PM, Kenny202 said:

I am not even sure he has his court custody papers in order if in fact that's what they are and not just an agreement with his ex wife that the kids can live with him but both still maintain joint custody.

He will need to show that to get the 1-year extension, so need to find out - and he needs to get it if he doesn't have it.

On 11/21/2024 at 9:36 PM, Kenny202 said:

He will find out tomorrow if he can reapply for the support of a Thai child extension or he has to start making arrangements to go home.

No need to "go home," regardless.

Until he gets custody papers, visa-exempt with border-runs is currently permitted "unlimited," for now, at safe-crossings and agent-assisted crossings.  Only if flying-in or at Poipet/Aranyaprathet are there reports of denied-entry.  Of course this might change in the future.

 

Also, "Visiting Family" is now a specified legal reason for using visa-exempt entry.  He could bring the kids birth-certs with his name on them with him, in case of an issue.