It’s not always the case that a foreigner comes into Thailand and lives here all by himself or herself for several years. Whether the reason for staying is for business, for employment, or for retirement, there’s always the possibility that one will want to bring over their dependent to experience the beauty that is Thailand.
Of course, when you talk about dependents, you’d always talk about bringing children in to the Kingdom. They’re most certainly welcome in Thailand, but there will be rules that you will need to abide.
What Visa is Needed for Children to Enter Thailand?
One of the visas that are needed for children who are aged 15 years old and below is the Non-Immigrant Type O Visa.
The Non-Immigrant Type O Visa is intended for the following applicants:
- A Thai national’s spouse who is a foreigner
- Children of Thai nationals who are aged 20 years old and below, whether natural or adopted
- Foreigners who are parents to a Thai national
- Parents and dependents of a foreigner who is in Thailand for work or for study purposes
The other type of Visa that can be used to SMART Visa O. The SMART Visa program is a special visa intended for those who are considered as vital to developing Thailand’s economy and industry. This group includes investors, skilled workers or known as “foreign talents”, foreigners who serve senior management positions in certain companies in the Kingdom and startup entrepreneurs.
The SMART Visa O is similar to the Non-Immigrant Type O visa, but is exclusively used by SMART Visa holders to extend their benefits over to their dependents and families.
For the purpose of this discussion, we’ll discuss only the Non-Immigrant Type O visa.
How to Apply for the Type O Visa
As mentioned above, the Type O visa is intended for direct family members of a holder of a Non-Immigrant Visa. For context, we’ll focus more on the requirements of getting the Type O Visa for children of type B holders who are 15 years and below.
The documentary requirements are as follows:
- The child’s passport, with remaining validity of at least 6 months from date of travel
- Fully filled up application form
- The child’s birth certificate
- Passport photos
- Visa and work permit of the parent in Thailand
Take note – it’s important that the applicant gets the birth certificate duly legalized by their country’s embassy, before submitting the application to the Thai Consulate or Embassy in their country.
Validity of the Visa
Initially, the Non-Immigrant Type-O Visa is only good for one entry, and a stay of 90 days. However, it is possible for the visa holder’s parents to secure an extension at the local immigration office in the city or province where they are staying. There must be 21 days left on the visa’s validity in order to apply for an extension.
When approved, the Visa will now be good for a single stay of up to 1 year. Holders are still required to make the 90-day reporting to Immigration authorities for the duration of their stay.
