My mother-in-law, a retired Filipino national aged 63 recently arrived in Thailand and was admitted with a standard 30 day permission to stay stamped in her Philippine passport. The plan was for my mother-in-law to apply to change status to Non-Imigrant O stay to assist us as my wife, her daughter, is pregnant and we also have a young son. Daughter, teacher, resident in Thailand on non-B for last five years, all paperwork and work permit in order. So they headed to CHaeng Wattana Immigration to change the status with more than 19 days of her current entry permit remaining. Problem with her paperwork, specifically her birth certificate and it is going to take about a week to get one that will be acceptable to Bangkok immigration. By this time there will be less than 19 days remaining of her current entry permit. So we would welcome advice on the best way to proceed: can we extend the current permit and then apply for the change of status? Many thanks

On what basis will she qualify for conversion? Is your wife here on dependent extension of stay based on your extension of stay (this would help answer another current poster). Immigration has said they can approve with proof of age being over 50? Suspect if yes they will be able to do so with less than 19 days remaining as have seen reports to as few as 7 days recently. Normally a 30 day entry can not be extended except for a 7 day period to pack out which may require show of tickets. My concern is that section 2.20 of police order 777/2551 (which a dependent uses for extension of stay) specifically does not cover those here on such an extension as a qualification for there dependents to obtain extensions. In wording it says parents of person here on various other extensions so if allowed they must be including in-laws without it being mentioned. Or are you using a different extension of stay reason?

On what basis will she qualify for conversion? Is your wife here on dependent extension of stay based on your extension of stay (this would help answer another current poster). Immigration has said they can approve with proof of age being over 50? Suspect if yes they will be able to do so with less than 19 days remaining as have seen reports to as few as 7 days recently. Normally a 30 day entry can not be extended except for a 7 day period to pack out which may require show of tickets. My concern is that section 2.20 of police order 777/2551 (which a dependent uses for extension of stay) specifically does not cover those here on such an extension as a qualification for there dependents to obtain extensions. In wording it says parents of person here on various other extensions so if allowed they must be including in-laws without it being mentioned. Or are you using a different extension of stay reason?

Thanx Lopburi, I am not part of the application. We are both here independently as teachers so both on non-bs. I think they are applying for conversion on the family dependent ground but not sure.

OK - should have read more carefully. If approved it will be dependent on daughters status of extension of stay. You say having child so will this be a covered absence or require termination of work (which would effect mothers stay also)? If no work termination/extension ending it appears immigration makes the birth certificate a requirement (although passport should serve this function) and they are using section 2.20 for extension. If they received in timely fashion believe immigration will be able to make conversion as the old requirement of 21 days does not seem to be enforced anymore.

OK - should have read more carefully. If approved it will be dependent on daughters status of extension of stay. You say having child so will this be a covered absence or require termination of work (which would effect mothers stay also)? If no work termination/extension ending it appears immigration makes the birth certificate a requirement (although passport should serve this function) and they are using section 2.20 for extension. If they received in timely fashion believe immigration will be able to make conversion as the old requirement of 21 days does not seem to be enforced anymore.

Much appreciated Lopburi; the middle names in her passport and birth certificate are different, the former with her father's family name and the latter with her mother's! Apparently this is not uncommon in the Philippines but it is beyond me! Anyhow Immigration here understandably want a new birth certificate with her correct name to match her passport; this will take a week. And if the 21 day requirement is not being enforced then that shouldn't be a problem. In a worst case scenario we'll do a visa run if there any holdups or other issues. So again many thanks for the advice and information. Gerry