Thailand’s family-visa paperwork has shifted — but the headline is not that every age limit or document is brand new. Immigration Bureau Order 214/2569 revises and supplements an earlier immigration order, so foreign residents and their dependants need to understand which route they are using before preparing an application.
The order was signed on 25 September 2026, took effect on 1 October and was published in the Royal Gazette on 4 November 2026. It concerns visa issuance and changes of visa category for certain family members of foreign nationals permitted to stay temporarily under specified purposes in Section 34 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
It is not a blanket change to every family visa in Thailand. It does not automatically create a new rule for marriages to Thai nationals, and it should not be read as changing all retirement, DTV, LTR or work-permit procedures.
What Order 214/2569 actually changes
Order 214/2569 revises item 11 of the earlier Immigration Bureau order governing visa issuance and changes of visa category. It updates the criteria and supporting-document schedule for specified dependants of foreign sponsors. Because it revises an earlier order, it would be misleading to say that every age requirement or document appeared for the first time in October 2026.
Related Immigration Bureau Orders 145/2569 and 146/2569 were also published in the Royal Gazette on 4 November. They address associated investment, family and temporary-stay procedures, but they are separate instruments. This article focuses on Order 214/2569 and does not merge their requirements into one supposed “new family visa rule”.
Which relatives may qualify?
Depending on the sponsor’s immigration purpose and the route selected, the order addresses spouses, children, adopted children, a spouse’s children and parents. The assessment can include:
- Spouses: a legally valid and genuine marriage, supported by the appropriate records.
- Children, adopted children and stepchildren: generally unmarried family members who meet the order’s household and age conditions, including the stated maximum age of 20.
- Parents: generally a father or mother aged at least 50, subject to the exceptions and sponsor categories stated in the order.
These are criteria for the specific visa-issuance or visa-category-change pathway. They are not a guarantee of approval and should not be applied indiscriminately to every visa type.
Employment-based dependants: documents to prepare
For certain dependants of foreign employees, the documentary checklist goes beyond a passport and proof of relationship. Depending on the sponsor’s case, applicants may be asked for:
- the sponsor’s work permit or receipt showing that a work-permit application has been submitted;
- the employer’s company-registration documents and stated business objectives;
- the employer’s VAT registration evidence; and
- the relevant shareholder list, with exceptions applying to certain business structures or circumstances described in the order.
Families should also prepare the application form, passport copies and official proof of the family relationship, such as a marriage or birth certificate. Immigration may require translations, legalisation, current company records or additional evidence appropriate to the case.
Example: a Non-B worker in Hua Hin
Consider a foreigner employed by a Hua Hin company who holds a Non-Immigrant B status and wants their spouse or child to join them. The family should first confirm that the sponsor’s purpose and the selected visa-issuance or category-change route fall within the order. They may then need to show the work permit or application receipt, the employer’s company and VAT records, shareholder information where applicable, and certified evidence of the family relationship.
This example does not mean that every Non-B holder receives an automatic dependant visa. It shows why the sponsor’s exact employment documents and the family member’s route matter.
What this does not automatically change
Not across the board. Order 214/2569 is not an announcement revising the general conditions for a foreigner seeking permission to stay as the spouse of a Thai national. Nor does it rewrite all retirement extensions, DTV applications, LTR applications or work permits.
It is also important to distinguish an initial visa or change of visa category from an extension of an existing permission to stay. Those procedures can have different legal bases, checklists and filing points.
For background, read our Non-Immigrant O guide, browse the Thailand visa guides or see our visa extension assistance page.
What foreign families in Hua Hin should do
- Confirm the foreign sponsor’s immigration purpose and whether the route is covered by the order.
- Check the family relationship, age and marital-status conditions.
- Gather original records, certified copies and, where relevant, the sponsor’s work and company documents.
- Ask the responsible Immigration office whether translation, legalisation or newer company evidence is needed.
- Check the applicant’s current permitted stay before filing; do not confuse a category change with an extension.
For most families already living in Hua Hin, this is not a message to change visas immediately. It is a reminder to review the current checklist before a new application or in-country change of visa category is submitted.
Need help with a family visa route?
Next Step Hua Hin can help foreign residents review the relevant route, organise documents and prepare for immigration procedures. Contact our Hua Hin team for an individual assessment. Final approval remains with the competent Thai authorities.
Official source
Royal Gazette: Immigration Bureau Order 214/2569 (Thai PDF). Signed 25 September 2026; effective 1 October 2026; published 4 November 2026.
This is general news information, not individual legal advice. Immigration officers may request further documents based on the applicant’s circumstances. Reviewed 10 November 2026.
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