Non-imm 'O' extension of stay (family dependent)... and moving goalposts.

[wedders]

A word of warning for anyone looking to extend an 'O' on the basis of having custody of a Thai child (in my case after a divorce) - there is now additional paperwork required.

Here is the list. All paperwork needs to be supplied in duplicate because one set is kept at the regional office and the other is sent to Bangkok (unless you are in Bangkok of course).

- the basic form for an extension of stay (so 2 passport size photos, 1 for the duplicate set);

- copy of passport with all relevant visa/extension pages and departure card;

- 400,000 baht minimum balance over 3 months with copy of bank book(s);

- bank letter with current balance (strictly no more than 3 days old);

- copy of rental agreement;

- copy of landlord's house book for the rented property (new);

- copy of landlord's house book for his/her own residence (new);

- copy of landlord's ID card (new);

- copy of TM 30 form to be completed and signed by the owner of the house (new);

- copy of divorce certificate;

- copy of custody document (ampur or court);

- letter from child's school confirming attendance;

- photo of you with your child in front of your house;

- photo of you with your child inside your house (new);

- photo of you with your child in front of his/her school;

- copy child's birth certificate;

- copy of house book where your Thai child is registered;

- your child's presence with you on presenting the documentation to the immigration officer (new).

Obviously if you own a house the procedure will be a bit different but the TM30 form will still have to be filled in by the person in whose name the house is registered (or by the company officer if applicable). Don't know how that will affect the various tabien baans required but they may well still want the Thai house owner's house book if registered elsewhere.

Having previously gone in to get the 'required documents list' from immigration and having been fobbed off with the wrong one, to say I'm pissed off would be an understatement. Doing it 'by the book' requires a kilo of paperwork and multiple hoops to be jumped through. And even then it's not good enough.

But if you're over 50 and have a Kasikorn bank account with 2 baht in it, a visa agent can get you a year's retirement extension for 15,000 baht cash, no questions asked. So much for cleaning up Thailand's extremely mucky act, as promised.

Yeah I know. TIT.

[ubonjoe]

That was at Jomtien I believe.

Having the money in the bank for the 3 months is not in accordance with the immigration order. For an extension based upon being the parent of a Thai the money only has to be in the bank on the date of application. Some offices want 2 months (same as marriage). Three months is only for retirement extensions.

Having your child with you is a normal requirement.

The other requirements are about normal.

Some other offices are wanting the TM30 now.

If you need more time you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit your child.

[wedders]

Yes - when I say "new", I meant in comparison to last year's requirements.

As for a 60 day 'visitation' extension, I'm a single dad, my daughter lives with me in Thailand 100% of the time

Edited September 9, 2014 by wedders

[ubonjoe]

Yes - when I say "new", I meant in comparison to last year's requirements.

As for a 60 day 'visitation' extension, I'm a single dad, my daughter lives with me in Thailand 100% of the time

The term visit is what it is called in the immigration order. You can get it even if your child is living with you.

[wedders]

Yes I know, and that's about as daft as the rest of their cumbersome, corrupt system.

Just how pathetic is it that with 15,000 baht the problem of 'extra' documentation can just be made to go away.

When a father is staying in the country to ensure his daughter manages to see some of her mother's family, to learn the language and generally feel at home here, the Thai system makes ridiculously excessive demands (what happens if the landlord is living abroad, for example?) - and effectively is saying bribe us or we will throw you - and a Thai national - out of the country.

Pathetic.

[ubonjoe]

The requirement for copies of the landlords house book and ID card is required for many types of extension for proof of residence. It is nothing new.

I think it may not be much longer that those arrangements through an agent will not be possible. They have already looked into a few agents activities.

[wedders]

As I said above, these are additional requirements since I last extended on the same basis.

I certainly hope the agents' activities will be looked at, but they can only exist with the connivance of people within the immigration office itself.

[Paul888]

I am sorry to disagree but I don't think that any of the documents on that listed are particularly unreasonable. You have to consider that as well as people like yourself legitimately taking care of their child 100% of the time (as I am also) there are others that are using a child they have little contact with for visa purposes only.

Just keep your cool and get your documents sorted. Don't even consider that alternative route because if the shit hits the fan on that, you are going to suffer a lot more inconvenience than gathering a few documents.

[wedders]

I take your point and understand the need to avoid fraudulent claims on the part of the authorities, but the same effort isn't put into ensuring other extensions especially retirement, education visas, etc aren't subject to fraudulent claims - and these massively outnumber us. Single fathers with custody of Thai kids are very few and far between.

In the Pattaya area it is a very simple matter for a fee of about 15,000 to 20,000 baht to obtain the retirement extension with nothing in the bank. And many go this route. Which means officials are complicit too, both in banks and immigration.

When an honest guy turns up at immigration having done his own paperwork, no backhanders paid, he is given the third degree. Sorry but that's the way I see it at least at this immigration office.

Edited September 10, 2014 by wedders

[salavan]

hi wedders i had exactly the same as you last time so i decided to change to a retirement extension

but even for a retirement extension still needed the following: copy of landlord's house book for the rented property (new);

- copy of landlord's house book for his/her own residence (new);

- copy of landlord's ID card (new);

- copy of TM 30 form to be completed and signed by the owner of the house (new);

[wedders]

Yes salavan. The annoying thing was that I went into immigration a week before specifically the get the exact list of paperwork required, and they fobbed me off with the wrong one (probably because they didn't have the list for people in our case and didn't want to admit it.) Last year they needed neither the TM30 nor the tabien baans, so after enquiring here on ThaiVisa (and the latter weren't mentioned) I turned up with the docs from last year's list.

I'm still unclear on how one is supposed to get these when there is a letting agency intermediary and the tenant has zero contact with the landlord, or means to contact him.

Still I was lucky, I was able to contact mine... now I'm sitting in a vast queue right now at immigration, hoping third time lucky...

Edited September 10, 2014 by wedders