My Thai Girlfriend Is Having A Baby But...

[mrobie64]

My Thai born girlfriend is pregnant with our first child but she does not have Thai citizenship. She has all necessary paperwork that shows she was born in Thailand but her parents are from China. She was denied citizenship last year because four years ago she was arrested for participating in a village card game. Is there a long term visa that I am eligible for as the father of a Thai child even though the mother doesn't have citizenship, yet?

[lopburi3]

You would not be eligible for extension of stay as the father of a Thai child regardless of her nationality.

[Briggsy]

As your girlfriend does not hold Thai citizenship, under what visa/book/card does she remain in Thailand?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

My Thai born girlfriend is pregnant with our first child but she does not have Thai citizenship. She has all necessary paperwork that shows she was born in Thailand but her parents are from China. She was denied citizenship last year because four years ago she was arrested for participating in a village card game. Is there a long term visa that I am eligible for as the father of a Thai child even though the mother doesn't have citizenship, yet?

The child will not have Thai citizenship either.

[Jimjim]

Cannot babies born in Thailand be eligible for citizenship regardless of their parents? I know countries have different laws, but wondered about Thailand.

[sbk]

No, a parent has to be a Thai national.

[KamnanT]

No, a parent has to be a Thai national.

Or have a certificate of residence. Children born in Thailand to residents are eligible for Thai citizenship. So conceivably you can have two resident foreign nationals with a Thai child.

[mrobie64]

As your girlfriend does not hold Thai citizenship, under what visa/book/card does she remain in Thailand?

My girlfriend's family live among the hill tribes in Chiang Rai province. They are recognized by the Thai government as having been born in Thailand and have special ID cards indicating such but they are restricted from travelling outside of the province without permission from the local government office. Despite being born in Thailand the card says that she is Chinese. All of her siblings received their citizenship in July 2006. Were it not for the gambling offense my girlfriend would also have her Thai citizenship. Of course without citizenship she cannot get a passport.

I am now in Singapore to get a new tourist visa and was told at the Thai embassy this morning that I might not get one because I already received two this year. I've only been in Thailand full time since July 2006.

So the Thai government won't let my pregnant girlfriend leave and they don't want to let me stay. What a country!

Edited August 22, 2007 by mrobie64

[Prakanong]

Talking to a girl the other night who said it took her 30 years to get Thai citizenship - DNA evidence put in the lot.

Thai mother German father now lives in Thailand with Scottish hubby

[mrobie64]

No, a parent has to be a Thai national.

Or have a certificate of residence. Children born in Thailand to residents are eligible for Thai citizenship. So conceivably you can have two resident foreign nationals with a Thai child.

Certificate of residence? She has a government issued ID card but it is not a citizenship card. Is this card sufficient to document residence in Thailand?

[mrobie64]

Talking to a girl the other night who said it took her 30 years to get Thai citizenship - DNA evidence put in the lot.

Thai mother German father now lives in Thailand with Scottish hubby

Yikes! My girlfriend is 22 and her family filed the application for citizenship with Thai government when she was around 10-years-old.

The other problem is that the Thai government won't allow non-citizens to legally marry so that option is not available to us.

[samran]

No, a parent has to be a Thai national.

Or have a certificate of residence. Children born in Thailand to residents are eligible for Thai citizenship. So conceivably you can have two resident foreign nationals with a Thai child.

Certificate of residence? She has a government issued ID card but it is not a citizenship card. Is this card sufficient to document residence in Thailand?

I'd take the matter up with a human rights lawyer. Admittedly, if she has a criminal conviction, she may find a tough time getting her citizenship done (as would be the case in many places), but the rest of her family are now all naturalised, so by rights so should she.

Dunno if her current status in Thailand is going to get your far though, in my opinion.

[mrobie64]

My Thai born girlfriend is pregnant with our first child but she does not have Thai citizenship. She has all necessary paperwork that shows she was born in Thailand but her parents are from China. She was denied citizenship last year because four years ago she was arrested for participating in a village card game. Is there a long term visa that I am eligible for as the father of a Thai child even though the mother doesn't have citizenship, yet?

The child will not have Thai citizenship either.

Fortunately the child will have American citizenship once I register it with the US embassy.

[mrobie64]

No, a parent has to be a Thai national.

Or have a certificate of residence. Children born in Thailand to residents are eligible for Thai citizenship. So conceivably you can have two resident foreign nationals with a Thai child.

Certificate of residence? She has a government issued ID card but it is not a citizenship card. Is this card sufficient to document residence in Thailand?

I'd take the matter up with a human rights lawyer. Admittedly, if she has a criminal conviction, she may find a tough time getting her citizenship done (as would be the case in many places), but the rest of her family are now all naturalised, so by rights so should she.

Dunno if her current status in Thailand is going to get your far though, in my opinion.

Yeah, the criminal conviction is a big problem but it's on the level of a misdemeanor not a felony so hopefully that'll make a difference. I'd like to somehow get it expunged from her record as it is the only blemish there.

Funny that gambling is considered such a cultural taboo and is illegal here as it seems to be the unofficial national hobby.

[dannyh2000uk]

well all i can add is when I was last at Suan Plu; see post: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=121278

I happened to be there with my thai girlfriend and our baby ( baby was born in trat hospital, while i was getting treatment-lol)

anyway while at suan plu, the officer told my girlfriend that i didn't need all this medical letter info, that as I was father to thai baby ( un-married but on birth cert)- " I could get automatic 60 day visa stay anytime "?????- i.e now or in x months time.

I have searched this forum but is there a rule somewhere for falang fathers of thai/falang offspring?

anyway good luck with your quest, and you are right-gambling!!!- oh well i guess issan could end up in jail.

Edited August 22, 2007 by dannyh2000uk

[lopburi3]

A 60 day extension of stay is available one time only. Below is the quote from Police Order 606/2006:

7.23 In case of entering for

visiting a Thai wife /

husband or child.

The permission shall be

granted only one time with

the granted period not

exceeding 60 days.