Help! My son has no visa,

I am a US citizen teaching here in Thailand. My Non-B visa expired last week, (The school dropped the ball) got a 7-day extension and a 90-day extension after getting my work permit. At the same time my son who is only 9 and a Mexican citizen with a Non-O visa had to get a 7-day extension on his visa as well.

After completing all the necessary paperwork for my visa I thought it would be a snap to get his especially because I was told his visa would follow mine.

BUT! To extend his visa they wanted his birth certificate, not a problem, BUT it’s in Spanish. He was refused any further extensions, even though my Non-B was extended to the end of my contract, another 90 days, unless I have his birth certificate translated into Thai and officially stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I was told I needed to go to BKK, a trip I can’t afford by plane and not enough time by bus, to have the document translated (If I can find someone capable of translating Spanish into Thai, not withstanding the expense for R & B while in BKK and translation fees.) and return here by Monday July 7th before 3 PM to get the Non-O extended.

I am in south central Thailand, much closer to Penang where I got his Non-O visa in the first place using his Mexican birth certificate (In Spanish) without any problems.

Should I make a visa run to Penang and just get him another Non-O or even a Tourist visa? He’s going to school here and I am told he could still do that on a tourist visa.

Is there some new regulation demanding his birth certificate be translated into Thai? It wasn’t even suggested it needed to be translated until just two days before I got his 7-day extension. I wasn’t asked for his birth certificate then, why now five days later? His passport should be enough. I wasn’t asked for my birth certificate.

I do not want to be left stranded in Malaysia with no via at all for my son.

Best Regards,

Onearmedman

Edited July 4, 200818 yr by Onearmedman

You don't have to go to Bangkok yourself. Just contact a translation office and they will do the translation and legalistion for you and send it to you by mail. Not sure if you also need to have the birthcertificate stamped by the Mexican embassy. Some translation offices can arrange that as well.

Have a look at the websites of the Mexican or Spanish embassy for translation offices who do Spanish.

The only problem is you don't have a lot of time. For children there is no overstay fine and a few days will in all likely hood not have serious consequences. Just say sorry up-front and explain the situation.

Otherwise go to Bangkok by bus and extend your son's visa there. Can all be done on Monday.

A good option is to go to Penang and get your son a tourist visa or even better a non-O either besed on depency or on education. A tourist visa can be changed into a non-Immigrant visa as long as there are more than 22 days left on it. (Will cost you another 2000 to change the visa). So this will give you more time to arrange the translation by mail.

Don't forget to get re-entry permit for yourself if you leave the country.

don't worry, a child under 15 years old can be on overstay, there's no trouble and no fine involved.

don't worry, a child under 15 years old can be on overstay, there's no trouble and no fine involved.

Not for a few days. But with a long overstay even a child can have trouble re-entering Thailand.