Ok Here Is My Case

[Dirk_brijs]

OK I am a 41 year old Belgian national and been living here (Pattaya) for 13 years now.

I have been staying here all this time just on entry stamps and tourist visas as I do work abroad ( I work on cruise ships as a Chef) 4 months on and 2 months off.

I have been staying with the same woman for all this time with whom I have a 10 year old son (Michael). He has my name and has a double nationality.

As I am starting to get a bit tired of all the hassle and as things seem to get harder and harder to even get a stamp (flying out and so on and so on)

Anyway my question now is how should I proceed and what would be the best way for me to get a long term visa.

I still need the leave the country though on a regular base as at 41 still need my job on the ships.

I have been told before that applying for a long term visa would be hard due to the fact me leaving the country every time?

Anyway can anyone give me any advise on how to proceed

Thank you

[wayned]

The easiest option, although maybe not the most dersirable, would be to get married and get one year extensions based on your marriage. You obviously make enough to qualify for the 40000 baht/month requiement and you could get a multiple entry re-entry permit to cover your comings and goings. The only problem that I see is that it came time to extend you were on the cruise ship. Afterall you have live dwith her for over 10 years and have a 10 year old child, there must be some connection.

[wayned]

The easiest option, although maybe not the most dersirable, would be to get married and get one year extensions based on your marriage. You obviously make enough to qualify for the 40000 baht/month requiement and you could get a multiple entry re-entry permit to cover your comings and goings. The only problem that I see is that it came time to extend you were on the cruise ship. Afterall you have live with her for over 10 years and have a 10 year old child, there must be some connection.

[beano2274]

You have a Thai Child, that is reason enough, as the child is over 10years old it would be easier to get registered as the legal father, then should be no problems. Just get an extension and re-entry permits if you want to.

[Mario2008]

The question is indeed if you are the legal father of the child, in essnce if you legitimised the child by going to the court and asked to be recognised as such or going to the amphur after the childs 7th birthday, together with mother and child and have your self declared as the legal fahter.

In all likelyhood that will not be the case, in that case just go togehter with your son and his mother to the amphur and have yourself registered as the legal father.

Being the lagal fahter, living with the child, would make you eligable for a non-O visa and 1 year extensions of stay if you can show an income of 40,000 baht a month or 400,000 baht in a bankaccount in your name in Thailand. For travel abroad you would need a re-entry permit.

Alternatively, you can get a non-O visa and enther Thaand on that one, good for 90 days. In Europe and Australia you would be able to get a multiple non-O on show of the birth certificate naming you as the father. Neighbouring coutnries are likely only to give a single non-O.

[IMA_FARANG]

Just to make it easier to answer:

1. Are you married to her?

2. Are you on the son's birth certificate as the father?

3. Is he registered with your embessy as your son?

I'll leave it to the experts on this topic...since I'm not one...but I am just wondering about the possibility of you getting a long-term visa for the purpose of supporting your wife and child (if that applies).

Of course there are requirements you must meet for that.

Also, if that requires 90 day reporting, that might be a problem due to your work schedule.

But I'll leave that to the experts.

[lopburi3]

Getting married to the mother to make things easier to obtain multi entry non immigrant O visas would seem to be the best option (you do not appear to qualify for extension on basis of child living full time with you as well as not here long enough to extend). Believe you can continue with tourist visa or visa exempt entry if you must. Obtaining single entry non immigrant O visas is also possible on basis of child but getting multi entry is not likely in the area but perhaps in home country (that would be once a year and allow unlimited entry/exit for up to 90 days each time). I would contact Consulates with full details explaining your situation.

[Carlos Primeros]

The 90 days reporting is no problem at all. If you leave Thailand for work abroad, you do not have to report. You only have to report if you are staying more than 90 days continually in Thailand. With a multiple entry visa extension you can leave the country and only when you come back to Thailand, the count down for the 90 days starts all over again.

But of course first you will need a visa with extension (for example after marriage of your Thai Girlfrien).

Good Luck,

Cheers, Carlos

[tombkk]

Since the OP works abroad and therefore does not pay taxes in Thailand, would the THB 40,000 income still count? I always thought that you have to have that income in Thailand and pay income tax on it. I seem to be wrong.

[Mario2008]

Since the OP works abroad and therefore does not pay taxes in Thailand, would the THB 40,000 income still count? I always thought that you have to have that income in Thailand and pay income tax on it. I seem to be wrong.

Income can be from within Thailand, in which case you rpoof the income with tax documents but can also be from abroad, in which case you proof your income with a letter from your embassy confirming your income.

[lopburi3]

There is no such requirement. I suspect many using income are actually retired and getting pension but not enough to qualify for the higher 65k of retirement; or are below age 50.