What can I do to regain entry to Thailand after being denied entry multiple times and seeking parental rights?

@God ******

it’s not about psychological abuse. You assumed everything without any facts. So then you jump onboard making allegations. If it was his son, why would he need to apply to have custody?

Nothing of what he said says that is his biological child, his wife or that he has not been abusing the visa exemption. So yeah, let’s definitely jump on board and reward him.

@Andrew *******

right.

So you want me to doubt that his child is his based on your opinion.

And you want me to assume that him getting a visa exemption is something illegal.

You’re a special one.

Congratulations 🎉 ✨🧞‍♂️

Personally, I’ve observed that such intrusive conjectures are abusive and unconstructive.

If you have such a view or a suspicion, perhaps reach out to him in private in an empathetic way rather than just mouthing off like a typical type.

Lavender Smiles You are WRONG! . . . . He is not married to the mother, thus he doesn't have any automatic parental rights and cannot apply for the Non-O Family Visa and the subsequent 1-year Extension.

Even with his name on the birth certificate, he normally still needs a Thai Family Court order or an Amphur registration and acknowledgement, to be the legal father of the child

It also can depend on the age of the kid, to get legal paternal rights.

Some people claim they were able to get registered as the legal father on the Amphur, even when they were NOT married to the mother, as long as the child is under 5 years old. I strongly doubt these reports or a “got lost in translation”. You would need to be married to the mother.

Without an acknowledged marriage and the Kor Ror 22 or 2 (whichever applies)

OR

the Amphur or Thai Family Court issued document that acknowledges his paternal rights,

he can’t apply neither for the Non-Imm-O Family Visa, nor for the 1-year Extension

It is YOU who is spreading disinformation. Stop this immediately.

@Michael *******

with which document did you prove for the Vientiane embassy that you are the father? If it was the cild's birth certificate, this would be really laughable, because a mother at birth, can name any male person as being the alleged father, it needn't be the "real" father. So a birth certificate alone, normally should not bear any weight, but certain embassies and Immigration offices seem to not give a royal f... about it

@Terrence ******

I am again telling you that this is wrong.

@Michael *******

There is no 2-times limit to visa exempt entries. The count method is "per 1-year period", not per calendar year. They look back at your 365-days recent stay history, and if you have reached 157 days accumulated stays by visa-exempt entries (no matter how many you did!) they will deny entry. You can have as many visa-exempt short holidays as you want and still be classed "real tourist" as long as you don't maximize each stay and keep below the 157 days mark. There but is a 2-times limit to extensions of the 60-days out of a visa-exempt entry. The first extension will be 30 days, and the second extension will only be for 7 days. 60+30+60+7 = 157 days maximum per "one-year period"

@Michael *******

I don't think that anything "restarts"

Immigration could have meant calendar year, but this would be complete nonsense.

My guess rather is, they meant a rolling 1-year period.

Because "calendar year" won't make any sense.

It would mean that you can stay on two visa exempt entries 157 days in the old year until December 31st, and right after New Year you stay another 157 days.

It would mean 314 days of consecutive stays on visa-exempt entries. Never ever will they allow this! Just thinking about it makes me laugh

@Nongnuch *******

incorrect

@Robert *******

well . .YOU and ME are neither correct nor incorrect. I have just had an exchange with

@Maxim **********

who is an Immigration volunteer. . . . . . . . .

@Terrence ******

WRONG! There is no such limit. The count method is "per 1-year period", not per calendar year. They look back at your 365-days recent stay history, and if you have reached 157 days accumulated stays by visa-exempt entries (no matter how many you did!) they will deny entry. The number of visa exempt entries is NOT limited, the number of extensions (!!) for those is limited to two per one-year period

@Nongnuch *******

Not applied at such. I know people denied entry trying to enter a third or four time this year despite been well below the threshold. For example, in Nong Khai border, nobody can enter a third time in a year, even if you came only a few weeks each time. Each border and airport still act independently of each other.

@Maxim **********

maybe that's why Thai people need electronic calculators to add 14 to 60 . . . and the Immigration officers are all the same - incapable of counting ?

@Maxim **********

that's very sad to hear. . . .it means that they are preventing REAL tourists from entering. People who don't have the slightest intention of misusing the visa exempt system. IF officially (!!) two exempt entries are allowed and two extensions, per running year, which is 60+30 and 60+7 = 157 days of stay, then WHY would they not allow real tourists 6 visa exempt entries for a 14 days holiday stay each, and every time? The total amount would be only 84 days within one year . .. it is a shame, it is irrational. They are able to see the total days on their Central Computer, every traveller has a profile in their computer showing all relevant data and previous entries. Why would they deliberately keep REAL tourists out of Thailand instead of welcoming them for several holidays throughout the year ? The mind boggles

@Michael *******

ok good luck buddy.

@Ian *********

So, you are proven WRONG from the whole Internet 😅😄 but to your defense I must say: In Thailand, processes like this one are not moulded in granite. Amphur office, Immigration and other authorities always have the means to look leeways and decide upon their own interpretation - it is called "up-to-you" on one side, and "corruption" on the other side. This is Thailand for you

@Ian *********

however, as much as I wanted to agree with you : NOW after asking ChatGPT, I have severe doubts! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

No, simply being named on a Thai birth certificate does not automatically make you the legal father.

Under Thai law, a child born out-of-wedlock is the mother's legal child, and the foreign biological father needs to go through a formal "legitimation" process, usually by marrying the mother, registering at the Amphur (district office) with her consent, or getting a court order, to gain full parental rights like custody or inheritance.

Why a Name on a Birth Certificate Isn't Enough:

Mother's Automatic Rights: Thai law presumes a child born to an unmarried mother is her legitimate child, granting her sole parental power.

Limited Father's Rights: A foreign father's name on the certificate (often for nationality purposes) doesn't grant legal rights for custody, education, or inheritance in Thailand.

How to Become the Legal Father:

Marriage: Marrying the mother at the time of birth or later automatically legitimizes the child.

Registration (Amphur): Jointly applying with the mother at the local district office for legitimation (child's consent needed if over 7).

Court Order: Filing a petition with the Thai Family Court, especially if the mother doesn't consent or for cases like abduction/seduction.

Why This Matters:

Without legitimation, you can face significant hurdles in making decisions for your child or securing their future in areas like education, inheritance, and even obtaining your own long-term visa related to the child.

@Ian *********

ah well this WOULD explain a lot. He can get the visa in Vientiane with the birth certificate, but he cannot get the 12-months extension based on this certificate on Immigration. VERY irrational, the mind boggles. . . . . but please, keep on reading what I am saying 😎😄

@Gardar **************************

I think it also depends on the age of the kid, to get legal paternal rights. Some people reported they were able to get registered as the legal father on the Amphur, even when not married to the mother, as long as the chiled is under 5 years old

@Nongnuch *******

alright, good to know

@Gardar **************************

No, simply being named on a Thai birth certificate does not automatically make you the legal father.

Under Thai law, a child born out-of-wedlock is the mother's legal child, and the foreign biological father needs to go through a formal "legitimation" process, usually by marrying the mother, registering at the Amphur (district office) with her consent, or getting a court order, to gain full parental rights like custody or inheritance.

Why a Name on a Birth Certificate Isn't Enough:

Mother's Automatic Rights: Thai law presumes a child born to an unmarried mother is her legitimate child, granting her sole parental power.

Limited Father's Rights: A foreign father's name on the certificate (often for nationality purposes) doesn't grant legal rights for custody, education, or inheritance in Thailand.

How to Become the Legal Father:

Marriage: Marrying the mother at the time of birth or later automatically legitimizes the child.

Registration (Amphur): Jointly applying with the mother at the local district office for legitimation (child's consent needed if over 7).

Court Order: Filing a petition with the Thai Family Court, especially if the mother doesn't consent or for cases like abduction/seduction.

Why This Matters:

Without legitimation, you can face significant hurdles in making decisions for your child or securing their future in areas like education, inheritance, and even obtaining your own long-term visa related to the child.

@Graham *****

one subclass of the TR 60 day visa is for visiting thai family less than 60 days.

@Maxim **********

you are not coming from Cambodia by land. The land border between Cambodia and Thailand is completely closed

@John *********

Ofc, everyone know that. I was answering that "price varies depending on the difficulty of the case ie the number of stamps in the passport etc". Price vary (was) only at Cambodian border if you have Non-O history stamp, or by air if your last notice is a denial entry. There is no other price variation with VIP/Safe Entry. Me with infinite stamp, or someone else on a few stamps, we both pay the same thing.

@Michael *******

You do, you just have no clue what it look like.

When you get denied entry it is mentioned in your passport by writing. But it's not a stamp in the traditional sense.

It's also mentioned in their computer/log.

@John ******

Really? Isn’t the worst situation happening at airports right now? I mean the daily crowds of people who are not allowed to enter at the arrival area. If you really can compare, please tell me which land border crossings are strict and do not let people in. I’m trying to find a solution for myself.

@Viktoria ********

trust me he is correct , land borders have way more security now and people watching the officers do their job properly,it's actually worse than airports , only a few people use land border so it's easy for them to do their job and deny you

@Viktoria ********

No the worst is not happening at airports as there are thousands of people going through them each day. Land borders have very few each day buy comparison .

@Viktoria ********

seems that all entries are strict right now. If you are abusing the visa exempt process or too many tourist visas, it might be time to get a longer-term visa

@John ******

Thank you for the advice, but as the author mentioned, sometimes it’s more complicated than just doing a visa. I’m glad that you have this option. Thank you for the link to the group, I will definitely check it.

As for Nong Khai, I will share my own story: already in February 2025 I faced a crazy female officer there. Now everyone knows about her. She shouts at everyone without listening to the details, does not let people in Thai without a visa, and sometimes even does not let them out. She doesn’t care if you never did border runs and even if you never had more than two stamps per year without extensions. After that situation, I went to another land border and passed without any problems, because I am not a real violator — all my actions were within the old rules (before ).

Now I’m trying to understand the situation at other land borders — Nong Khai can be forgotten, that is already obvious.

@Michael *******

pm

@Michael *******

I never had border runs with group. I always go away with breaks from a month to 6 months, but I haven’t had a visa for the last 3 years.

@Viktoria ********

- How many days have you been in Thailand in 2025? It is less about the border and now about the amount of time. I just shared the first post I saw, but there are tons others. Not here to argue with you about it.

@John ******

About 125. The main nightmare is that ‘at the officer’s discretion’ is not a law. A law means the same rules for everyone, without any ‘discretion’. Then we won’t have to guess whether they will let us in or not, how many days and which stamps we get. My friend just entered through Nong Khai with a third stamp, while others are already being refused at their second.

@Viktoria ********

- it is up to immigration to determine if you are living here on visa exempt or not. Instead of focusing on a friend getting lucky, if you are trying to live here, go for the correct visa that allows you to live here.

@Viktoria ********

- I mean, just search this group or other groups and you will see the posts. Quickly did and screen shot the first post that came up,