Sorry if i've missed the answer to my query.

At the moment i'm on a retirement visa.

Thai Girlfriend and i have a 12 year old together.

Can i change my 'non O' retirement to a parent/guardian visa?

If so can i do this without leaving the country?

1 hour ago, charliedundee said:

Sorry if i've missed the answer to my query.

At the moment i'm on a retirement visa.

Thai Girlfriend and i have a 12 year old together.

Can i change my 'non O' retirement to a parent/guardian visa?

If so can i do this without leaving the country?

That extension is based on having Thai family (a child, in your case).  If you meet the financial qualifications, you should be able to do so. 

 

The IO may not be happy about this, as a family-based extension is more work than a retirement-based extension.  Some will make you leave the country and return to "start over," unless an agent is brought into the money-equation; this depends entirely on the immigration-office involved.

11 hours ago, charliedundee said:

Thai Girlfriend and i have a 12 year old together.

Can i change my 'non O' retirement to a parent/guardian visa?

You will need to have your parenthood legalized at an Amphoe to change the reason for your extension of stay (it is not a visa) to an an extension based upon being the parent of a Thai. You will need 400k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 40k baht income.

If you decide to try for the change be sure you do not meet the financial requirements for an extension based upon retirement or immigration will try and push you not to change.

Thanks for the replies.

I have an option to get married but my question is,

I am legally divorced but don't have my decree absolute, can i get my ex-wife to email me a copy of it or does it have to be an 'original' document from the British court?

Thanks

3 minutes ago, charliedundee said:

I am legally divorced but don't have my decree absolute, can i get my ex-wife to email me a copy of it or does it have to be an 'original' document from the British court?

I am not sure it needs to be an original document. I suggest you contact the UK embassy to find out what they will accept to do the affirmation of marital status. That is the only place where you will need it.

The embassy tells me a copy of the decree absolute is fine but the website says original, or court certified, documents are required!

Unfortunately the UK county court doesn't accept payment by bank transfer and they send the document by post so could be a lengthy process. 

Will maybe try it with a copy and post what happens.

14 minutes ago, charliedundee said:

The embassy tells me a copy of the decree absolute is fine but the website says original, or court certified, documents are required!

Unfortunately the UK county court doesn't accept payment by bank transfer and they send the document by post so could be a lengthy process. 

Will maybe try it with a copy and post what happens.

I had original and a good laser jet copy.

I first supplied the copy which was accepted. Still have original.

 

If you succeed and get married apply based on marriage.

@ubonjoe

 

Do you need to legalize your parenthood if you are not switching from a previous non-o? Im still with my girlfriend, both kids have my name and they've lived half of their life in my country.

 

Has the embassy in laos started to require funds? I have no funds in my account, wife has all of them and uses them for the business, i could not keep big amounts in my own account for months. 

edit: just saw the laos thing isnt for parenthood, penang accepts bank book copy or statement that don't show deposits or anything? so i can just transfer 200-400k from her account to mine for 1 day and im all good?  Get legalized as father, get 1 year? What about penang, can i not get legalized and get the 90day and then re-apply for 1 year? i don't mind travelling.

 

Would it be easier to get married and get a visa in Laos? I think i saw in other threads that laos does not require funds for that visa? 

Edited May 1, 20197 yr by bearpolar

10 hours ago, bearpolar said:

Do you need to legalize your parenthood if you are not switching from a previous non-o? Im still with my girlfriend, both kids have my name and they've lived half of their life in my country.

Legalizing your parent hood is required to apply for a one year extension of stay based upon being the parent of a Thai.

It does not help to have it done at most embassies and consulates.

 

10 hours ago, bearpolar said:

Has the embassy in laos started to require funds? I have no funds in my account, wife has all of them and uses them for the business, i could not keep big amounts in my own account for months. 

No they have not. You can get a single entry visa at the embassy in Vientiane or the consulate in Savannakhet with no financial proof.

Savannakhet will issue a multiple entry non-o based upon marriage with no financial proof.

 

10 hours ago, bearpolar said:

edit: just saw the laos thing isnt for parenthood, penang accepts bank book copy or statement that don't show deposits or anything? so i can just transfer 200-400k from her account to mine for 1 day and im all good?  Get legalized as father, get 1 year? What about penang, can i not get legalized and get the 90day and then re-apply for 1 year? i don't mind travelling.

 

Penang will issue a single entry non-o with 200k baht in a bank or a multiple entry non-o visa with 400k baht in a bank. The funds only have to be in the bank on the date you apply. Penang often only issues single single entry for first application based upon being the parent of Thai and then a multiple entry for the 2nd one.

10 hours ago, bearpolar said:

Would it be easier to get married and get a visa in Laos? I think i saw in other threads that laos does not require funds for that visa? 

Yes

interesting, since the 100k in penang is discontinued i will go with the marriage, thank you.

 

It's a shame that you can get 60day extention as a parent of a thai on a visa exempt but not a 1 year extention, that would be amazing. 

 

On a side note, i communicated with the canadian consulate and they finally replied to me for the first time in 2 years.  They do not do family visas but marriage visas has no fund requirement. I was thinking about getting married in canada but then i looked at the amount of work it requires and... no thank you. ????

Edited May 2, 20197 yr by bearpolar