Phuyai

If both children were to attend a school in Bangkok before applying to migrate to the UK, then: * the older child would be close to this magic age of 18 after graduation - requiring a visa application that is not under a family unit option? * If higher education study is contemplated for the younger child, then the 3-year qualifying UK residence period applicable for non-international fee admission (mentioned by @richard_smith237) may suggest moving to complete school education in UK?

The issues to consider are immigration, education admission requirements, fees, academic performance (school and student), and social issues. All of these contribute towards some future life plans that the OP has not elaborated. That life plan may include the current family of OP, wife-to-be, and children (currently 13 and 16) remaining as a family unit, for 5 years or perhaps for 10 or more years while undertaking higher education. Teenage years are a time when peers start to become more important than parents. In my experience, this is universal. A child who is moved between countries before their teen years will likely easily make new friends. During teen years this becomes more problematic, and even more when moved to a different cultural and language setting. In summary: consider the social issues very carefully as I think these will be the dominant matters, and discuss your planning and all the options with these teenagers before you decide anything. The outcome of your plans for their lives will be determined by the children, not necessarily through overt actions.

@BritTim and @marin: Thank you for the helpful replies. "they may not want to claim this since it would lay them open to potential military call up when they reach 20 years old." I have been told this is a consideration. In another post, (https://aseannow.com/topic/1277835-convert-a-visa-exempt-to-a-non-o/) I found this Link given by eboy https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=2537 The requirements for your suggestion of Non-O (Ed) are https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/3.FOR-EDUCATION-NON-ED.pdf An alternative might be visa application as dependents (Non-O Children of non-Thai national) but income requirements might be an issue. https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/7.CHILDREN-OF-THAI-NATIONALITY-NON-O.pdf I will pass on this information.

Greetings all! I am asking a question for my Thai wife's relative. The relative, a Thai woman (mother) living in USA, who has recently divorced, has two sons. The family of 3 wants to come to Thailand to visit mother (the son's grandmother). Travel is planned for 31 July. The mother wishes the sons to study while in Thailand. The mother has a Thai passport, the sons have American passports. The family of 3 plans to stay in Thailand for about 2 years while the eldest son completes high school. The Thai Embassy has advised that a Non-O visa is suitable for each of the two sons. The initial question: can the two sons enter Thailand visa exempt and then apply for Non-O visa at a Thai Immigration office? If conversion from visa exempt to Non-O is not possible once in Thailand, options might be: urgently apply in USA to obtain the visas before departure travel to and apply for visas in a neighbouring country (eg Lao PDR) Thank you for your advice.