What are the best visa options for a parent of a Thai child who works outside Thailand?

Interesting as I’m on a roster so that equates to 17 entries a year…. I have been living in Thai on a visa exempt status for over 30 years…I do have Thai kids and am on the birth certificate.. my youngest is 32 years old . During these decades I have been asked exactly 2x why I come so often. The last time was about 3 years before Covid and it involved a short conversation with a higher ranking immigration officer who was summoned but the “booth guy” the conversation was friendly and started with asking if I can speak Thai . The whole conversation from that point on was in Thai…. 3 questions in was do I have kids in Thai and I answered yes… no documents or proof was required but from that point the whole conversation changed to positive…. He asked why no visa and said nothing fits, he understood and shook his head… he nodded at the booth guy and gave him my passport and since that time I’ve even had smiles and quite often a welcome back comment….. in short I wouldn’t worry about a visa and if asked just be 100% honest about work kids etc and should be fine …. A side note too if you are on a Thai borne birth certificate you can open bank accounts etc without the usual rubbish that many go thru (kbank rules)

For almost the same reason my friend got a Elite visa 2 years ago.

@Steven *****

you really have limited options given your extensive travel

I'd say it comes down to DTV if you can find a way to qualify for either the workcation or the soft power category

OR

do what I said and go to HCMC to get that year long, multi-entry Non-O visa, that'll get you in and out all you want for the year the visa is valid for

You are correct, they answered you wrong because that spouse category is for foreign spouses to get piggy back DTV when they're married to the primary holder, not anything to do with having thai wife/child 😕

if you financially support your child, then there is a visa for that. similar qualifications as marriage visa.

I do the same roster went with DTV apply as remote worker left the family part out except as my address gives 5 years without having to insurance (use travel insurance) and money in home bank earning something

The best "visa fit" for you would be to come here free stamp entry, then GO to the thai consulate in HCMC and apply for a year long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on being the father of a thai child.

As a foreign father have ZERO legal parental rights granted when a child is born out of wedlock, just being on the birth certificate doesn't give you any rights to use the child as a reason to get a visa/extension INSIDE the country

BUT

At THAT consulate (HCMC) you do no need proof of parental rights, you need the birth certificate, the thai mothers i/d, house book listing and at least 20K baht in a thai bank in your name or the equivalent in your country. The visa is 200USD, you apply pay and get the visa 2 days later.

That visa is valid for a year from the date they issue it, it's good for UNLIMITED entry for that time and each entry is good for 90 days.

It is the perfect fit for you working rotation like that

Right now HCMC is the ONLY thai consulate in the area that will issue that year-long, multi-entry Non-O for that reason, every other consulate in the world will just sell you a single entry 90 day one <- which will not work for you at all

Pretty sure visa exempt is unlimited now so you can come and go on those indefinitely.

To be honest the DTV is in no way shape or form designed for you in your situation. That said, there is no multi-entry visa designed for you either. Your child looks pretty newborn, so guessing that you have not been to family court to gain parental rights? Therefore legally in Thailand you have no parental rights, so any year long extension is out of the picture too, (because you and the mother were not married). You could pop over to Laos and get a single entry Non-O based on having a Thai child, and then extend that by 60 days, but how that would work with your rotations would take some planning. Or just keep coming visa exempt until you get pulled to one side. Unless you are over 50 and then you could apply for a retirement visa and subsequent extensions.