Hello folks,

I'm a 43 year old Australian. I came to Thailand in January and my visa was stamped for 30 days. I then went to Vientiene and and got a double re-entrytourist visa. At the end of the first two months I missed getting an extension so I went across the border and come back in at Had Lek. At the end of the second two months I went and applied for an extension and was given two months as I am the father of a baby girl who's mother is Thai. The birth certificate of my daughter was all they required for this. At the end of this two month period I again went out of the country and come in and applied for another extension based on my daughter. I was given another two months, this is in Trat and I was told I would not be able to do the same thing again.

Now I just went to Cambodia for a few days and my passport was stamped for 15 days. Recently my wife has said she wants me to go back to Australia to work and I said I wished to take our daughter with me. My wife has refused to marry me (legally) until the last week which means once married I will be recognised as the legal father of my daughter. Tomorrow we will start the process to marry legally and apply for a passport for our daughter. Once this is done I can apply for a visa for my daughter to visit Australia for a holiday.. It's most likely everything will not be finalised by the end of the 15 day period (12 days now).

I have two questions regarding my situation.

1) Does any one have any experience about how long a visa application with the Australian Embassy would take for my daughter and the possible cost?

2) What visa would I be able to apply for to get at least another one month extension and what would be the best place to go for it? I live with my wife in Trat city.

Any input and help will be much appreciated.

Cheers

Mullumbimby

I think I would go back to immigration and try for another 60 day extension. There is no written rule that says you can't.

Another option would go out an get a single entry non-o that would give you a 90 day entry. You could get it with just the birth certificate. If not then another tourist visa.

Edited November 13, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

I have been doing several 60-day extensions **based on marriage** in a row (meaning: 15-days at the border, 60 days at immigration, 15 days at the border, 60 days at immigration, ...).

You can apply for extensions at least a week before your permit of stay ends, probably even sooner (=now). You could try for another extension and still have enough time to consider other options if that fails.

Explain your situation, stay calm and friendly, but don't give up easily. Sometimes just staying put for a while will give them time to re-consider. You don't need to hide that you are in a difficult situation and that another extension would help you and your family a lot. I found most officers at immigration to be quite humane. Sometimes they might lack motivation, but they are not necessarily mean.

Have you thought about an Australian passport for your daughter?

As said after marriage registered take that paperwork and wife/child and try for another 60 days - I suspect you will get it if explain situation and having just married.

@lopburi

He wrote that "It's most likely everything will not be finalised by the end of the 15 day period".

EDIT: I understand now. Maybe the passport for his daughter is not finished on time, but maybe his Thai marriage registration is.

Edited November 15, 201312 yr by welo