1 question, 3 answers from 3 different immigration "officials"....need some help

[glockdoc]

If the answer is right in front of me in previous posts, thanks in advance for pointing me to it.

I am a US citizen in Thailand on a 60 day tourist visa. My girlfriend and I had baby 3 weeks ago and I am going to get a non 'O', stay with family.

Person 1, at the Houston Consulate, told me it would be no problem to go to Jomtien and change status from "tourist' to non 'O', just have your documents in order.

Person 2, the temp "greeter" at the door in Jomtien, told me "no, you have to apply in Cambodia or Laos and come back on a non 'o' then extend.

Person 3, at the extesion desk, told me no problem, but I had to go to Bangkok immigration to do it and could only go if I had less than 21 days left on my current stamp.

All 3 said no problem, you are eligible.

I am pretty sure all I am going to need for the visa is just the birth cert, but..........

I have my income letter from the US Embassy, copy of the house book with my daughter in it, birth certificate listing me as father, copy of my lease for residency, and the usual passport photos and copies. From what I can tell I have all the documents in order, I just need to know if I need to go back to Jomtien and keep asking until I get a "yes, go to BKK, or book a visa run and apply out of the country.

Anybody have experience doing what I want to do?

Thanks, JC

[ubonjoe]

You will not be able to get a visa or one year extension of stay at immigration until you are the legal father of you child by marriage or legitimization. See: How To Gain Parental Rights As A Father

You can get a 60 day extension at immigration to visit you child with just your name on their birth certificate.

You also can get a single entry non-o visa at a nearby consulate also.

[Mario2008]

Per above answer.

Congratulations with the birth of your child, but currently you will get a non-O visa abroad but you can't get extensions of stay and thus also not convert to a non-O visa. Immigration in Thailand cannot give you more than a 60 day extension until you have legitimized your child through the courts (or have married the mother).

[TerryLH]

"1-question-3-answers-from-3-different-immigration-officials need-some-help/"

#'s 1 and 2 are not immigration officials.

Congrats on your baby. You have a lot to look forward to.

[glockdoc]

Thanks for the info guys! Sounds like I will have to keep doing what I have been doing for another 18 months when I turn 50. LOL.....

[ubonjoe]

Just spend a little time and money to do the legitimization there are many that have done it. It will take about 3 months.

In the mean time you could get a 60 day extension now and then go out and get a single entry non-o then the 60 day extension again. That will give you almost 7 months of stay by leaving one time for the non-o visa.