Advice required: Getting a visa for an adopted Ethiopian child

[bangkokpoppys]

HI - a good friend is successfully approaching the end of an adoption process in Ethiopia and will soon have a lovely daughter to bring home to BKK. He has his own company here in BKK, and his lawyer is unsure of visa processes.

From experience, Ethiopians don't need a visa for SIngapore and any processing can be done there (no Thai embassy or consulate in Ethiopia). However, he needs to extend the Non-O facility to his new daughter and is unsure of how to go about it.

I suggested that a visa agent that could help, however beyond that do not know where to start.

Hope to hear some useful suggestions on TV, thanks in advance.

[Lite Beer]

If he has an extension of stay from Immigration the child should be eligible for 12 month extensions as his dependant.

2.20 In the case of a family member of an alien who has been permitted temporary stay under clauses 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6,2.7, 2.10, 2.12, 2.13,2.4, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.21, 2.22,2.26,6.29 of this Order (applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse):

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);

(2) Proof of family relationship;
(3) In the case of a spouse, the marital relationship shall be de jure (legitimate) and de facto; or
(4) In the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse, the said person must not be married, must be living with the family, and must be less than 20 years of age; or
(5) In the case of a parent, the said person shall be 50 years of age or over.

Police Order 2008.pdf

[ubonjoe]

The child will need a non immigrant O visa in order to get an extension of stay as his dependent.

The best option would be to do a visa application to the embassy in Cairo which is responsible for Ethiopia by courier.before traveling. See: http://www.thaiembassy.org/cairo/en/organize I suggest you contact them for more info.

[ubonjoe]

More info after doing some research.

Most important is that she gets immunized for yellow fever. She will need that for entry to Thailand and other countries as well.

She can enter Thailand and get a 15 day visa on arrival (See http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/services-20130503-153844-612966.pdf ). She would need an onward ticket to get it and pay 1000 baht after completing an application form. The onward ticket could be to a country where she can enter without getting a visa in advance. This could be a good option to give her a bit or a rest and to acclimated to a new a place and family. If she is under 15 she could stay a bit longer by overstaying because she would not pay a fine on departure.

She can enter Singapore and get 30 days on entry. Also Cambodia and Laos by getting a visa on arrival.

I checked the Thai embassy in Singapore website to confirm that will issue her a visa. So this is a viable option for getting the visa.

Laos would also be another option if she was to get a visa on arrival for here and then make a trip to Vientiane for the non-o.

[Mario2008]

I assume it will be an international adoption, In that case check if the child can get his nationality and how long it will take to apply and receive a passport for the child.