I want to extend my current visa for 1 year based upon having a Thai child. However, I am advised that my current visa type (a volunteer visa), cannot be used as a basis for visa extension for having a Thai child. (Is this correct?). Instead, I am advised to go out of Thailand to a nearby Thai embassy and apply for a single-entry O visa to visit my son, then return to Thailand, then apply for the 1-year extension.

2 questions:

- Is it true that I must have a non-immigrant O visa before I can apply for the above extension? What's wrong with having my volunteer visa?

- If I do need to get an O visa, which is the best embassy to apply at and what documents will they want me to provide?

Thanks for any advice

Simon

PS - Tomorrow I pick up my confirmation letter from the British Consulate in Pattaya that confirms my monthly overseas income.

Check to see if you can do a change of visa status. You should be able to that if you have 21 days remaining on your permit to stay. It will cost you 2000 baht for the change and then 1900 baht for the extension.

If what you got was an extension of an exempt entry that is what you still have so you cannot get an extension of that permit to stay.

Please don't use visa because you don't have one you have an extension of stay and are trying to get another extension of stay.

Just about any consulate will give you a single entry non-o to visit your child. Just show them the birth certificate and submit a copy with the application.