Sole Custody Of Thai Daughter

[jucel]

Hi, I have a thai daughter (10 months old) and have her birth cert with my name on it. My girlfriend and I (not married) have decided to split and i am going to look after her full time in thailand. What docs do i need to sign/complete? What visa can i apply for etc. Any information on this would be much appreciated.

I am currently on a 60 day tourist visa and would like something more permanent as it will be tricky for me to do visa runs now!

thanks

[lopburi3]

Believe you should obtain legal custody - believe some will be able to provide the details but may take awhile for them to see post. The financial requirement for one year extension of stay is the same as marriage - 400k in bank account or 40k income.

[bellste]

You need a “Support Visa”. It isthe same as some call “Marriage Visa”. They are for one year,with 90 days extensions.

[thaiphoon]

There is no such thing as a marriage/support visa; can obtain multiple entry Non-O visa on basis of Thai wife/child (requiring 90 day border runs) or apply for 12 month extension of stay based on marriage to Thai/Thai child (requiring 90 day address reporting).

[Mario2008]

Being named on the birth certifcate is not enough. Since you are not married to the mother you only have joined custody with the mother if you legitimised the baby at birth. In Thailand that is done by having the father registering the birth of the child. If anybody else did the registering, inclusing the hospital, you didn't legitimised the child and you are not the legal father and do not hold joined custody with the mother.

Checkin if you legitimized the child is easy, your name should be twice on the BC.

If you did legitimize the child, it is a question if your immigration office will accept joined custody or not. Some offices seem to demand sole custody for this extension.

If you didn't legitimize the child, you will need to get a lawyer and pettition the court to be listed as the father and to be granted custody over the child. That are two different things in that case. My understanding is that the process is not that difficult, providing the mother cooperates.