Do children under 12 need their own visa to enter and exit Thailand with parents?

Thai visa rules Children's visa requirements Immigration regulations Work permit Overstay rules Family visas in Thailand

Sep 27, 2022

2 years ago

John *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi all,

My wife and I have just had our work permit and visa finalised. We have a 2.5 year old son and have been told by parents and our employer that kids under 12 just get stamped in and out with parents. Thoughts? Experiences?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The consensus among commenters is that the belief that children under 12 can simply be stamped in and out with their parents is incorrect. Children need their own visas for entry and exit from Thailand, regardless of age, though they are not subject to fines for overstaying or bans.

Lindsay *********

100% untrue. See what Tod said. Your child will need a visa of you plan to leave Thailand and return. There may also be confusion as to whether your child was born here in which case slightly different rules apply.

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Lindsay ********

AFAIK there are no special rules for foreign kids born here, they need visas or they can overstay just like foreign kids that come in with their parents.

Actually children don't need a visa to exit and return (even if they're on overstay). Kids can get back in on a visa exempt entry (if they come from a country that gets those) overstay, leave and come back again and again.

As I said I know kids whove had multi-year overstays, leave and come back on a visa exempt entry and then overstay again.

Until they hit 15 there's no fine, and no negative thing at all for either the child or the parent.

I agree with you though Lindsay, that they SHOULD get the correct visa/extension for the child, and their employer KNOW this too.

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

That is not correct 😕 Kids do NOT get stamped in and out with the parents.

I believe what people are really telling you is;

Children under 15 cannot be fined for overstay, and children under 18 can't be banned for it <- that is not the same as saying kids don't need a visa, it's saying that there is no fine or banning for them to overstay.

I know foreigners with foreign children here on multi-YEAR overstays and they can exit and re-enter the country without issue. What they can't do is get a visa inside the country while on overstay, but there is no issue at all having them overstay.

2 years ago

John *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

ok great. Yes I may have been paraphrasing incorrectly. What you have said is what they were telling me.

2 years ago

Reply to

John *************

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