My Visa Expires Today...

[olsen]

The past 2 years I've been staying in Thailand on a 1 year visa supporting my 2 sons.

The past 2 visa renevals I supplied the immigration with:

• My childrens birth certificates where I am registered as the father.
• Proof of income to support my children (40,000 THB per month)
• Photos of me and my children and my wife together.

But yesterday the immigration officer told me they need a document from the Governor that I am the childrens father.

<deleted>?? They told me to go to the Amphur on Monday morning and return with the documents in Monday afternoon. Then I would get my visa.

But hey...my visa expires today, but the officer in charge just told me to come back Monday and he would sort it out.

To my knowlege I am now overstaying my visa and if I am caught I will be jailed and deported....

Also....on Monday I go to the Amphur to take care of this document, but they will for sure ask to see my passport/visa and now I am worried that they will not give me this document due to my expired visa??

And a question....how will the Amphur believe that I am the father if the Immigration don't believe it via the childrens birth certificate? Do they need a DNA test? That will probably take more than 1 weeks....so I guess I will need to leave the country for a visa run??

I wonder why the immigration officer didn't mention that I could get a visa extension there so I had time to solve the Governor document???

[Mario2008]

Immigration wants rpoof that you are the legal father. if you were not married to the mother and didn't legalize the children by going to court and ask to be recognized, you are not the legal father and will not get an extension of stay. If you are the legal father, it will be in the records of the amphur and you get a letter from them (Khor rhor 14 I believe) to comfirm this.

In case you are the legal father, there is no problem. Immirgation routiney extend without fining for an overstay if your last day of your permission to stay was on a holiday and you go to immigration the first day they are open after that date.

If your children are 6 or 7 there is a way to get custody over them at the amphur in a half hours time, if both children and mother agree.

More on getting custody over children when not married here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/381917-how-to-gain-parental-rights-as-a-father/

[lopburi3]

If going to immigration you are here on one year extensions of stay rather than visa so that is what you want. As said above there is a requirement that you are recognized by law as the legal father. If children are young and it has not been done yet you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit them and believe that will be approved on basis of birth certificates (without the formal legal determination which may require court action). As also said it is a weekend and immigration is closed so you are not overstay if you visit on next workday.

[olsen]

Thanks a lot for these answers - that was indeed a great help!