Extension of stay based on being the parent of a Thai child (Phuket)

[Spartacus]

In need of some current information please

I have searched the subject, but are trying to obtain more recent information relating to Phuket (immigration)

I am currently on a 1 year multi entry Non O (enter before 20 Oct 2015) arrived 17 Aug and are permitted to stay 90 days from that entry (15 Nov 2015)

Now I would like to extend my current stay based on being the parent of a Thai child

1. I have the required funds in a Thai bankaccount (for more than 3 minths)

2. I have the custody of the child 100% and the court papers documentting this (I am no longer married to the mother)

3. I am named as the Father on the birthcertificate

4. The child is living with me and attending school in Phuket (for the last 10 years)

Any recent information of what documentation the Phuket immigration will require and any information of recently obtained, or denied extensions based on same, would be very much appreciated!

Many thanks

PS. I apologise if this should have been posted in the visa section, if so, then please relocate.

[bearpolar]

For a simple visa tourist with child extention(60 days extra) you need only the thai birth certificate + house book/proof of address from immigration itself

Shouldn't need more for a non-o.

[Spartacus]

Thanks Bearpolar, but this is not what I am trying to achieve

What I would like is the 1 year extension of stay based on being a parent of a Thai child, the visa where you would do 90 days reporting and would be able to obtain a WP

I could easily obatin another 1 year multi entry non O at an embassy or consulate outside Thailand, but I would then, as I am doing now, have to leave the country every 90 days

[LivinginKata]

I guess you want to convert your non-immigrant visa to a one year extension based on a Thai dependent.

You'll need copies of your passport pages, copies of financials (+ letter from Thai bank), all your custody paperwork, son's ID papers + tabian baan - all 2 copies of everything (one copy for Phuket other for BKK approval). You might need to bring your son for interview.

Best check with Phuket Immigration all the requirementsas this can be more tricky than we might think. Taking all the above copies.

[bearpolar]

When i went to immigration that they told me the exact same thing that livingkata posted. (need 500k or good salary).

From the volunters experience, it's not an easy visa to get.

[LivinginKata]

When i went to immigration that they told me the exact same thing that livingkata posted. (need 500k or good salary).

From the volunters experience, it's not an easy visa to get.

I would think 400k (seasoned for 2 months) or 40,000 baht/month documented income (from outside Thailand if you don't have a Thai WP)

[bearpolar]

It's crazy that immigration has better reviews of financials than the banks

Bank you can get 10mil baht loans just transfering 100k/m from your own account a to account b on a monthly basis, immigration you need to keep money in account/have a real salary

[Spartacus]

Thanks Livinginkata

I will take the documents mentioned and ask at the immigation office

[nabbie]

I currently use the first extension based on Thai dependent this year - I think your 4 outlines are fine - no probs. Just a little support to your application, you can request a formal letter from school (with child's photo). No charge for it. Also you will need the volunteer (eyewitness) to present at the Phuket immigration. Also if your ex-wife can be present too, it would be very helpful but not mandatory (no worry!). Not sure the divorce certificate is mandatory but the attached paper (I cant remember what it is called) that shows you have a sole parental power. The Court documents will still be good. Good luck! Oh one more thing, if your visa expired date is on 20 Oct, then you can still have a chance to get another 90 days by border run as optional.

[nabbie]

When i went to immigration that they told me the exact same thing that livingkata posted. (need 500k or good salary).

From the volunters experience, it's not an easy visa to get.

500K for guardian, 400K for Thai dependent, I think.

[LivinginKata]

I currently use the first extension based on Thai dependent this year - I think your 4 outlines are fine - no probs. Just a little support to your application, you can request a formal letter from school (with child's photo). No charge for it. Also you will need the volunteer (eyewitness) to present at the Phuket immigration. Also if your ex-wife can be present too, it would be very helpful but not mandatory (no worry!). Not sure the divorce certificate is mandatory but the attached paper (I cant remember what it is called) that shows you have a sole parental power. The Court documents will still be good. Good luck! Oh one more thing, if your visa expired date is on 20 Oct, then you can still have a chance to get another 90 days by border run as optional.

The OP current stamp is good until 15 Nov 2015, so he enough time to get his paperwork storted without falling back to a visa run on his multi non-O visa.

[whatproblem]

I have been to do this today ,you need the paper from the amphur that give you sole custody ,I had to go get this and I took today ,all was OK after this paper ,best thing to do is take every piece of paper you have with you because they will want what you have not got ,remember the photos ,I had to supply 9 photos x2 copies. This was my 3rd renewed

Edited October 14, 2015 by whatproblem

[nabbie]

I currently use the first extension based on Thai dependent this year - I think your 4 outlines are fine - no probs. Just a little support to your application, you can request a formal letter from school (with child's photo). No charge for it. Also you will need the volunteer (eyewitness) to present at the Phuket immigration. Also if your ex-wife can be present too, it would be very helpful but not mandatory (no worry!). Not sure the divorce certificate is mandatory but the attached paper (I cant remember what it is called) that shows you have a sole parental power. The Court documents will still be good. Good luck! Oh one more thing, if your visa expired date is on 20 Oct, then you can still have a chance to get another 90 days by border run as optional.

The OP current stamp is good until 15 Nov 2015, so he enough time to get his paperwork storted without falling back to a visa run on his multi non-O visa.

If his visa date is expired on 20 Oct, then he can do the border run before or on 19 Oct. This means he can stay here further two months after 15 Nov. That is just optional.

[Jonmarleesco]

Thanks Bearpolar, but this is not what I am trying to achieve

What I would like is the 1 year extension of stay based on being a parent of a Thai child, the visa where you would do 90 days reporting and would be able to obtain a WP

I could easily obatin another 1 year multi entry non O at an embassy or consulate outside Thailand, but I would then, as I am doing now, have to leave the country every 90 days

'I could easily obtain another 1 year multi entry non O at an embassy or consulate outside Thailand, but I would then, as I am doing now, have to leave the country every 90 days.' No, you can't. 3 month single, with 2 month extension. It is that one that you can change to 1 year multi-entry at immigration - I have no experience with Phuket - with a sum in the bank (not sure of the amount, but might be 400,000). The documents seem fine, but immigration will soon tell you if they aren't. Not sure why your reference to obtaining a WP.

[lostinisaan]

Thanks Bearpolar, but this is not what I am trying to achieve

What I would like is the 1 year extension of stay based on being a parent of a Thai child, the visa where you would do 90 days reporting and would be able to obtain a WP

I could easily obatin another 1 year multi entry non O at an embassy or consulate outside Thailand, but I would then, as I am doing now, have to leave the country every 90 days

OP, you can easily get a work permit with your current visa. It doesn't have to be a Non-O from the local Immigration.

Why don't you just use up your current visa which you can extend up to 15 months and do the change when your visa expires?

It's pretty easy to hop on a bus over the weekend and get the next 90 days. Just my five baht to it.

P.S. It's really scary how many foreigners are having full custody of a child.

Just shows how well the relationships between Thai women and foreigners end. And always the kids are the ones who're suffering. No mom, or no dad = Sad.

Edited October 14, 2015 by lostinisaan

[bearpolar]

There's not that many if you hang out with normal people who never go to bars. (ie 99% of people in international schools and there's at least 9 of those schools in phuket with hundreds-thousands of kids each)

[madmitch]

There's not that many if you hang out with normal people who never go to bars. (ie 99% of people in international schools and there's at least 9 of those schools in phuket with hundreds-thousands of kids each)

There is just so much wrong with this one sentence post!

Normal people never go to bars? 99% of parents at International schools never go to bars? That's a sweeping statement!

There are hardly any single foreign parents at International schools? I know quite a few!

At leat nine International schools with hundreds of students in Phuket? I suppose it depends on your definition of International school.

ll totally irrelevant to the OP, to whom I wish good luck.

[bearpolar]

Your post is extremely irrelevant to the OP.

[Spartacus]

Thanks All, your input is truly valued

Scheduled to swing by immigration tomorrow, bringing the documents mentioned and getting their current view on the requirements

@Nabbie, thanks for the tip about the letter form school, will obtain

@whatproblem, is there a specific document that you need for the Amphur to prove the custody? The court verdict is not sufficient? I assume you just brought the court verdict to the Amphur to obtain this doc? Do you know the name of the document?

Thanks

[jphasia]

Thanks All, your input is truly valued

Scheduled to swing by immigration tomorrow, bringing the documents mentioned and getting their current view on the requirements

@Nabbie, thanks for the tip about the letter form school, will obtain

@whatproblem, is there a specific document that you need for the Amphur to prove the custody? The court verdict is not sufficient? I assume you just brought the court verdict to the Amphur to obtain this doc? Do you know the name of the document?

Thanks

Hello Spartacus, I would be glad to know how it goes and especially how long the process will take to get the extension of stay. I am in exact situation with 1 year non O multi entry based on child, full custody from paper attached with the divorce certificate from the amphur, birth cert with my name as the father, the kid in school in Phuket...

I can easily also get non o 1 year multi entries every year in a neighboring country ( I got 5 in the row already) but if this process does not take too long, i might try this extension.

Thanks

[Spartacus]

Extension of stay based on being the parent of a Thai child (Phuket)

Went for my visa extension application today (29 Oct 15)

Arrived at the upstairs office at 1110hrs and walked straight to the expat volunteer (no que) who did his best in sorting my papers without knowing too much about the kind of visa I were applying for

After this it was to the next table where 2 Thai immigration police officers (man and a women) check your paperwork before you get to the immigration officer who will process the application of stay

Here at this table, they were more sure of the documents needed and 2 additional forms were taken out from a drawer, one was to give consent to the immigration could check your background and the other was a declaration that the applicant was not involved in a court case (Thai) or had committed a crime in Thailand. Both were easily filled and submitted there and then

List of documents required for my visa extension application: (2 sets of copies of everything including the application form (TM.7) and bring all originals)

1. Passport copies, as per normal (data page, visa page, entry stamp and white slip)

2. 2x passport type photos

3. Copy of updated bankbook (states first page only, but they took copies of every page), letter from bank stating that the account holds more than 400.000 THB and a bank statement showing that the funds have been available for at least the last 3 months (letter and statement must not be older than 7 days)

4. Custody paperwork (final court order) There is a document which can be obtained from Amphur that certify the custody, but I did not obtain and did not have to provide)

5. Birth certificate

6. ID card (as my daughter has passed her 7 years Birthday, she now have her own ID card) if no ID supply, passport.

School Papers were not required and supposedly only required if applicant is supporting a farang child attending a Thai school (possible as well, but must show 500.000 THB).

7. Tabien Baan (1^st page and all relevant pages showing the dependents name)

8. Photographs showing your relation to the dependant (have to be your normal 4x6 prints, nothing smaller will be accepted. I had 35 pictures with me, but in the end only 2 (x2 for each set of application copies) was required, one showing our house from outside and showing the house number, the other of my daughter and me together outside showing the house)

9. Map to house from nearest main road (I drew mine at the office, but I guess a google map print would suffice)

10. Proof of residence, this was a surprise to me, but was quickly obtained from downstairs office by showing

1. 3 copies of your passport as above
2. Registration Form for the Owner of Residence (I had this form already signed by my daughter who is also my “landlord”)
3. Signed copy of landlords ID card

After all of the above were supplied the fee of 1900THB was settled and I was told to wait for receipt and my passport.

After this the immigration officer handling my case called me up and asked me to sign two additional forms, both in Thai. I did not ask what it was, just signed it and they were put into each pile

My passport was stamped with permission to stay until 15 Dec and to report on the same day for news on extension (original permit expires 15 Nov).

The official that handed over the passport stated that the extension might not be available on the 15 Dec (more than 6 weeks from now) as the process was slow in Songkhla (I thought it had to go to Bangkok for approval, but seems Phuket comes under Songkhla)

I also inquired about leaving Thailand during this waiting period, this is possible and you would have to obtain the normal re-entry permit and could also obtain the multiple re-entry, but it would only be valid until the day you get your extension, then it would be void and a new re-entry would have to be applied for which follows your new extension visa number.

This is my account of events and it might be different for other applicants, but I would recommend following this if you are in a similar situation to me

Best of luck

Edited October 29, 2015 by Spartacus

[jphasia]

Extension of stay based on being the parent of a Thai child (Phuket)

Went for my visa extension application today (29 Oct 15)

Arrived at the upstairs office at 1110hrs and walked straight to the expat volunteer (no que) who did his best in sorting my papers without knowing too much about the kind of visa I were applying for

After this it was to the next table where 2 Thai immigration police officers (man and a women) check your paperwork before you get to the immigration officer who will process the application of stay

Here at this table, they were more sure of the documents needed and 2 additional forms were taken out from a drawer, one was to give consent to the immigration could check your background and the other was a declaration that the applicant was not involved in a court case (Thai) or had committed a crime in Thailand. Both were easily filled and submitted there and then

List of documents required for my visa extension application: (2 sets of copies of everything including the application form (TM.7) and bring all originals)

1. Passport copies, as per normal (data page, visa page, entry stamp and white slip)

2. 2x passport type photos

3. Copy of updated bankbook (states first page only, but they took copies of every page), letter from bank stating that the account holds more than 400.000 THB and a bank statement showing that the funds have been available for at least the last 3 months (letter and statement must not be older than 7 days)

4. Custody paperwork (final court order) There is a document which can be obtained from Amphur that certify the custody, but I did not obtain and did not have to provide)

5. Birth certificate

6. ID card (as my daughter has passed her 7 years Birthday, she now have her own ID card) if no ID supply, passport.

School Papers were not required and supposedly only required if applicant is supporting a farang child attending a Thai school (possible as well, but must show 500.000 THB).

7. Tabien Baan (1^st page and all relevant pages showing the dependents name)

8. Photographs showing your relation to the dependant (have to be your normal 4x6 prints, nothing smaller will be accepted. I had 35 pictures with me, but in the end only 2 (x2 for each set of application copies) was required, one showing our house from outside and showing the house number, the other of my daughter and me together outside showing the house)

9. Proof of residence, this was a surprise to me, but was quickly obtained from downstairs office by showing

• 3 copies of your passport as above
• Registration Form for the Owner of Residence (I had this form already signed by my daughter who is also my “landlord”)
• Signed copy of landlords ID card

After all of the above were supplied the fee of 1900THB was settled and I was told to wait for receipt and my passport.

After this the immigration officer handling my case called me up and asked me to sign two additional forms, both in Thai. I did not ask what it was, just signed it and they were put into each pile

My passport was stamped with permission to stay until 15 Dec and to report on the same day for news on extension (original permit expires 15 Nov).

The official that handed over the passport stated that the extension might not be available on the 15 Dec (more than 6 weeks from now) as the process was slow in Songkhla (I thought it had to go to Bangkok for approval, but seems Phuket comes under Songkhla)

I also inquired about leaving Thailand during this waiting period, this is possible and you would have to obtain the normal re-entry permit and could also obtain the multiple re-entry, but it would only be valid until the day you get your extension, then it would be void and a new re-entry would have to be applied for which follows your new extension visa number.

This is my account of events and it might be different for other applicants, but I would recommend following this if you are in a similar situation to me

Best of luck

Thanks a lot for your feedback. It should then work the same way for me as i am in the exact same situation (and also in Phuket). My son is also my landlord and has his Thai ID. Bank book, bank statements and letter from the bank shouldn't be a problem. I guess banks knows about it. I am wondering if photos of the kid and the father must specifically in the front of the house or it is photos showing them together only. I have tousands if photos with my son on the beaches, on the parks...which definitely show that we are together.

Thanks again

[Spartacus]

You're welcome,

Pictures must show house, they were very adamant on this particular subject

Bring lots of photos and let them choose

As said, in the end the officer stapled 2x 4x6 photo prints on a A4 piece of paper (x2) but he definitely looked at a few and made his own choice

And an add on to the above post (which i will edit) I had to draw a map to my house from the nearest main road ( I guess this could have been overcome by a google map print, but I did not bring one)