Visas for Children and Spouses in Phuket: Which Route Fits

Match the route to the parent's own visa. Dependants of a work, student or O-A holder apply for a single-entry Non-Immigrant O visa abroad, then extend the stay to 1 year at Immigration. LTR dependants are spouse and children under 20, up to 4 per holder. DTV holders bring a spouse and children under 20.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Which dependant visa you need depends on the parent’s own permission to stay. Embassies grant a Non-Immigrant O visa for the spouse and children of a Non-Immigrant B, ED or O-A holder. LTR and DTV families use their own routes.

Work, student and O-A families: the Non-O dependant visa

The visa is single-entry and must be used within 90 days of issue. On arrival the holder gets an initial permit to stay of up to 90 days. Inside Thailand the holder can apply to the Immigration Bureau to extend the stay to 1 year.

Embassy documents (Kuala Lumpur checklist):

• Proof of relationship with the main visa holder, such as a marriage or birth certificate.
• For a Non-Immigrant B (work) applicant’s family, a copy of the main applicant’s work permit, if applicable.
• For a Non-Immigrant ED (study) applicant’s family, a cover letter from the main applicant’s university, college or school.

The Pretoria embassy adds:

• For children, a copy of the birth certificate, passport and identity card.
• For children who study in Thailand, proof of enrolment in a Thai school.

For an application at the Pretoria embassy, documents issued by non-Thai authorities must be certified by the foreign ministry of those countries before submission. Documents in languages other than Thai or English must be translated into Thai or English and notarised.

Pretoria embassy, beyond the documents above:

• Money proof: an original bank statement showing at least THB 400,000 or equivalent for the last 3 months.
• Who qualifies: a spouse of a Thai citizen or a lawful parent of Thai children, besides worker and student families.

Each mission sets its own checklist and fee. Read the page of the embassy you will apply at before booking.

The extension in Phuket

Phuket Immigration Office is at 482 Phuket Rd., Talad Yai, Mueang, Phuket 83000. It opens in the morning from 8.30 a.m. and in the afternoon from 1.00 to 4.30 p.m.. It is closed Saturday and Sunday and on national public holidays.

Clause 2.20 of Order 12/2568 covers the family of an alien holding a temporary-stay visa under a list of clauses, including work and retirement. It also covers family of holders whose visa code ends in the letter A, except Non-Immigrant L-A. Permission runs no more than 1 year at a time.

• A spouse must have the relationship in law and in fact.
• A child must be no more than 20 full years old. An ill or disabled child who cannot live alone must be under a parent’s care.
• A parent must be aged 50 full years or over.
• Bring a document showing the relationship: marriage evidence, birth certificate copy, recognition of a child, house registration copy or adoption record.

The Immigration fee table lists 1,900 baht per time for an extension of temporary stay. A single re-entry permit costs 1,000 baht and a multiple re-entry permit 3,800 baht.

Families of students

Clause 2.11 covers a father, mother, spouse, child, adopted child or spouse’s child of a foreigner permitted to stay to study under clause 2.8 or 2.9. Permission runs no more than 1 year at a time, and the family member must hold an official or temporary-stay visa.

• A spouse must have the relationship in law and in fact.
• A child must be unmarried, live as part of the household and be not more than 20 full years of age.
• A parent needs a deposit of not less than 500,000 baht in a Thai commercial bank, in the parent’s name, for the 3 months before filing.
• Documents include the student’s passport copy and a document showing the relationship.

LTR dependants

Spouse and children of an LTR holder, or applicant in any of the 4 types, can apply for a dependants’ visa. The limit is a maximum of 4 dependents in total per LTR holder. A child receives the dependant visa until 20 years of age.

Each dependant creates a separate account, one per person. A dependant needs health insurance of at least USD 50,000, or Thai social security benefits, or a deposit of at least USD 25,000 per dependent. The visa fee is 50,000 baht per person.

Parents: the 2025 criteria update extends dependants to parents and legal dependents with no limit on numbers, but it is not in force yet. All changes take effect only after the BOI announcement and a Ministry of Interior announcement, and ltr.boi.go.th still shows the 4-dependant limit. Check ltr.boi.go.th before planning to bring a parent.

DTV families

A spouse and children under 20 can accompany a DTV holder.

Next in this journey

Before the dependant visa, see Thai spouse Non-O route. After the extension, the usual steps are the re-entry permit, the ninety-day report and the host address notice.

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Not confirmed: Switching inside Thailand: whether a child or spouse already here moves to a dependant visa without leaving is unclear; ask Phuket Immigration before booking a flight. Family criteria: a later amendment re-issued the family clause; ask the desk for the current criteria before filing.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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