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What visa options are available for a French national with Thai children who needs a new visa in Thailand?

Visa TypesNon-O VisaFamily VisaEducation VisaVisa ExtensionCustody and VisaExpat Life in Thailand
Aug 5, 2023
a year ago
Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi.

My friend has 2 children age 12 and 4 and they are both Thai citizens.

He is a french national.

He is not married and he's been living in jomtien for 10+ years. The 2 different mothers are less than helpful.

He used to be on edVisa and lastly he was on family visa.

Last week he went to Cambodia to get a month but when he have the school his passport they said they can't do edVisa because his passport has to many different stamps and visas.

He needs to get a new visa now and a year after that an extension.

What do you recommend him to do and how much would it be?m

Thanks.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A French national residing in Thailand who has two Thai citizen children faces challenges in securing a new visa after being denied an education visa due to having multiple stamps on his passport. He previously held an education visa and a family visa. Responses suggest exploring various options: applying for a Non-O visa based on taking care of his children if he has shared or sole custody, considering a retirement visa if he turns 50, or securing employment for a Non-B visa. Discussions highlight the importance of custody for visa applications, and that he may need to consider legal advice or returning to France for a time to resolve his immigration situation.
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Sam *******
Get a child dependency visa. I'm divorced an been on one for 4 years. Whether or not the mother's helpfull you just need to show you take care your kids sometimes. Photos at house etc.
a year ago
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Jamie ******
Why dont he do a dependant visa
a year ago
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Tony *******
Use a condom!
a year ago
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Jo **********
he should be able to get a visa based on taking care of the children until 18. My friend has this.
a year ago
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Michael *******
a year ago
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Emmy ******
MyNick name is emmy, I am affiliated with Thai Visa and tours Udon Thani, If anyone having trouble to get retirement or marriage visa i will be very glad to help in legal proces till its done." Note: I can only help from Esan any province" if any questions don't hesitate to IB me. Some times i may reply late but i will do as soon. Thanks
a year ago
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Brandon ************
He'd need to get a non-O visa first. The extension requires 400,000 in the bank so I'm assuming the visa requires that as well, but not able to say for sure. This is the requirements for the 1-year extension.
a year ago
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Mark *****
Why can't he stay on the family visa? He is the listed father on the BC and ampur yes?
a year ago
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
My thought was just that if you are a legal father why can't one apply for family visa? Not all are married.
a year ago
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John **********
@Magnus ********
 as I understand it he needs custody awarded by the courts given the mothers are no longer being helpful
a year ago
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John **********
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'll add to this that he is a better man than most sexpats. He works (although online) and sometimes he also had work permit when he worked for companies here.

And he takes care of 2 kids paying private schools for them and giving them the best upbringing.

I see it's a lot om bs and condemning here but that's not fair in his case.
a year ago
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Seb ***********
Maybe find an English teaching job if he is qualified to? Or hire a good family lawyer
a year ago
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Sam *********
find a job
a year ago
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Frank **********
My question is how did he spend 10 plus years here to begin with.
a year ago
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Braulio *********
@Frank *********
 Seems like he was "gaming" the system and now the system is saying "No more". He may need to return to France for an indeterminate period of time. An unfortunate result
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Braulio ********
Not necessarily. He could just live in Cambodia instead. The question is "why Thailand?" If he's looking for a low cost of living and similar culture to Thailand, you can hardly find anywhere more similar than Cambodia (or Laos).
a year ago
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Frank **********
@Braulio ********
 right. Immigration getting a little hard for some.
a year ago
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Frank **********
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Frank *********
I guess the same way everyone else does. Visa... Just different ones hence the problem with a new Education visa.
a year ago
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Magnus *********
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Steve ********
As
@John *********
 says, if under 50 Elite Visa is the way to go. But my strongest advice is for him to pick up these on his next shopping trip😂
a year ago
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John **********
If your friend is 50 or over then he could apply for a retirement visa. If he's under 50 his options are very limited, it sounds like he won't be able to get an elite visa and it's highly unlikely he'll get another ED visa either. I guess he could get a job, get a Non-B and work permit, set up a company and employ 4 Thais to get a work permit...
a year ago
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Paul *********
Immigration clamping down on frequent visitors. I have to make the correct visa in London before they let me back in. Flying back to uk this week then will do the retirement visa
a year ago
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Peter *********
Sounds dodgy
a year ago
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'll add that he is taking care of his kids but hasn't 100% custody. It's shared.

He's also not 50 yet.
a year ago
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Peter *********
@Magnus ********
 him.
a year ago
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Peter *********
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ********
 what does?
a year ago
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Peter *********
@Magnus ********
 him.
a year ago
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Peter *********
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Frank **********
Recommend he goes back home for some time. Or if he is over 50 try for a retirement visa.. How did he stay in Thailand for 10 years before?
a year ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank *********
 That's a great idea. His 2 children willl be taken care by you during that time, right?
a year ago
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Alan **********
@Maxim **********
a year ago
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Frank **********
@Maxim **********
 oh be quiet.
a year ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank *********
 That's what I thought, you didn't read OP post at all.
a year ago
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Frank **********
@Maxim **********
 that post doesn't say anything at all the he has custody. It says he has 2 children by 2 different women. Maybe you should read the original post.
a year ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank *********
 The post is pretty clear: "The 2 different mothers are less than helpful.", meaning they give no ****. So yeah, he cant let his children with those two clown while he's gone. His post could not have been clearer.
a year ago
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Frank **********
If you want to continue this you can send me a message so we don't make this thread cluttered. Either way have a great night.
a year ago
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Frank **********
@Maxim **********
 still does not specify he has custody. Mothers not being helpful could be construed as they are not cooperating with him to get a family visa. You are making an assumption just like I am.
a year ago
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Frank **********
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Frank *********
 Ed and sometimes family
a year ago
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Magnus *********
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Vernon *********
Stop being a sperm donor!
a year ago
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Graham *******
can he get the 12 month extension of stay with 800k in the bank?
a year ago
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham ******
 he needs a visa forst
a year ago
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Magnus *********
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Brandon ************
Unless he has custody of the children, they won't help him get any kind of visa.
a year ago
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Steve *******
@Brandon ***********
 He can get a 90 days Non Imm O in Laos based on having a half Thai child if his name is on the birth certificate.
a year ago
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เตเต้ ******
@Steve ******
 in Ubon province they don’t do squat with birth certificates even for extensions. It might be different for other districts and I’d confirm via correspondence with any consulate before I hitched my wagon to a birth certificate. And depending on the family situation or where the mothers families are located he may not be able to make these runs so easily. But if his district allows only BC then it could be a temporary solution until he can get it sorted via the courts.
a year ago
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Steve *******
เตเต้ สตีฟYou can get a 60 days visit family extention with your name on your half Thai childs birth certificate in Ubon. You can also get the 90 days Non Imm O visa at Vientiane and Savannakhet, Laos.
a year ago
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Steve *******
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Magnus *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 he's the father on the birth certificate. But as he never married anyone and is taking care of the 2 kids alone, he never needed to apply for 100% custody.
a year ago
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เตเต้ ******
@Magnus ********
 to add to that, I would also recommend him getting a lawyer, and it doesn’t even have to be a very good lawyer, or one that cost a lot of money, because the court is going to ensure that everything is done properly in the best interest of the children, which is clearly him becoming the full custody parent. It would probably help out in the end regarding his future Visa as well, if he had some sort of counsel to mitigate any further issues with immigration. 
a year ago
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เตเต้ ******
@Magnus ********
 if he’s taking care of both of the kids, then it should be an easy process for him to get legitimized as the father if he hasn’t already done so, and then petition the court to give him full custody and then aside from the stacks of paperwork and photos. Immigration is going to require him to submit. . And another thing aside from the birth certificate really meaning nothing

Per Thai law,

the court is still going to require him to have DNA test for both the kids and then it’s probably going to be about a three month four month process to get full custody if neither of the mothers are willing to cooperate, but Many here have done it and it just takes time .
a year ago
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เตเต้ ******
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