Best Visa For 19 Yr Old American Girl Visiting Her 3 Yr Old Thai Uncle?

[inquisitive]

I've got a friend who posed an interesting question to me. He lives in Thaikand with his 1-3 year old children. The kids were all born here which means they have dual Thai/USA citizenship. His granddaughter lives in the USA and only has US citizenship. She wants to take a year off from college to visit in Bangkok my freind says he'll pay the expenses if she will act as nanny to the kids while she's here. She wouldn't officially be working, of course, but rather just taking care of her little uncles. (yes, that does sound strange, but technically that's the relationship bwtwen the 19 year old American and the young Thais) So here's the question: What would be the best visa for her to apply for? Can she take advantage of he fact that her uncles are Thai citizens living in Bangkok? She's probably going to take some cooking classes and perhaps even some Thai classes when she's here, so would a student visa be better/easier? Or is she going to have to do some visa runs?

Any advice or thougnts would be appreciated.

[Nisa]

She would have to be attending/enrolled in an accredited school a certain amount of hours a week for an EDU visa. Where is she in the US? Probably just easier (and cheap) for her to get a double entry tourist visa before she comes. That will take care of a good chunk of her stay and she can figure out the rest while here (there are always different options). Somebody else would have to advice you if there is any family type thing that would apply in this situation as I am unaware of any.

Edit (side note): Although I assume the kids have a Thai mother and are Thai citizens as you state, just want to clarify that being born in Thailand doesn't make you a Thai citizen as being born in the US makes you a US citizen regardless of parents status or citizenship.

[Lite Beer]

A two entry Tourist Visa will give 60 days each entry.

Both entries can be extended at immigration by 30 days.

Giving a total of 6 months.

She might even be able to get a 3 entry version.

This would give up to 9 months.

Afterwards she can get another Visa in Asia.

Best bet is to turn up with as many entries as she can get and take it from there.

There will always be an option including studying Thai.

[Mario2008]

For a year long stay one could try to get a multiple non-immigrant visa to visit her grandparents from a honorary consulate, alternatively a double entry tourist would give her almost 6 months with 2 extensions and then she can apply for another double entry tourist visa for another half year.

If one of her grandparents is Thai, then one of her parents must be Thai which means that she is also Thai.

[inquisitive]

For a year long stay one could try to get a multiple non-immigrant visa to visit her grandparents from a honorary consulate, alternatively a double entry tourist would give her almost 6 months with 2 extensions and then she can apply for another double entry tourist visa for another half year.

If one of her grandparents is Thai, then one of her parents must be Thai which means that she is also Thai.

Well, you'd think so, but both of her parents are Americans. Her grandfather on her father's side married a thai lady only after this lass was born. Thus her step-grandmother is Thai, but I would guess that Thai citizenship can't be conferred if the connection with a Thai citizen was formed after her birth. OTOH, there have been lits crazier things in the law, so I'll tell him to check into it.

[Mario2008]

Nationality of the parents at the time of birth is the determining factor. Guess she is not a Thai national.

But she could try to get a multiple non-o visa to visit her grandfather. No guratees she will get one, but she could contact one of the honorary consulates in the US and see what they say.