My buddy is 36 and a US citizen. Three years ago he fathered a child with his then-girlfriend, who is Thai. The child holds both US and Thai passports. The parents do not live together but the father has liberal visitation rights.

What options are open to this guy in terms of visa/extension? He doesn't have a job right now. Can he stay without working, based on being the Thai child's father?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us on this.

If your friend is looking to remain in Thailand on a long term basis I do not believe, based on the information provided, that there is a visa which would meet his need.

Is he the legal father?
Please read this thread.

How To Gain Parental Rights As A Father


Yearly extensions of stay are only given to legal fathers, else he can get 90 days non-O visa to visit his son from abroad.

• He could get a non 'O' multi entry visa to visit his child. See DC Thai Embassy
• That would give multiple entries for the 1 year validity of the visa.
• With planning this visa can give nearly 17 months total stay in Thailand.
• He will be given a 90 day stay on each entry. At the end of the 90 days he would need to exit/re-enter or apply for an extension of stay.
• At the end of each stay he could get a 60 day extension. No financials required or being the legal father.
• To qualify for a 1 year extension he would need to be the legal father, have 400k in the bank on the day of application and the child would have to be living with him.
• Once the visa expires and the final stay ends he can apply for a new visa and repeat as before.

Thanks guys.

Yes, he is the legal father. (The US required a paternity test, which was positive, before issuing the child a visa.)

Let's see if my buddy wants to go down any of these routes.

Thanks again!

A "paternity test" in Thai law does not provide the status of Legal fatherhood.

Did you read the information contained in this link?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/381917-how-to-gain-parental-rights-as-a-father/

Thanks for that link...not sure what the status is but assume the guy hasn't gone through the process (and the child is still quite young).

Thanks again for the help.

I am not a lawyer, so I can't be sure, but most Thai visas require a legal marriage to be allowed to stay with wife or child.

"Partners" are not usually given any rights unless there is a legal marriage involved.

I am not a lawyer, so I can't be sure, but most Thai visas require a legal marriage to be allowed to stay with wife or child.

"Partners" are not usually given any rights unless there is a legal marriage involved.

You are wrong.

The legal parent of a Thai can obtain non-o visas and extensions of stay. See clause 2.18 of the police order.