Thai Visas Denied

Last Friday when I went to the Thai Embassy I found out that they denied our visas. This has major effects on our plans.

We were applying for a 3 month volunteer visa. We have had this before. But the problem was you should secure a working visa once you get into Thailand. We have been just been given the green light to get the working visa but it required us to leave the country to apply for the 3 month visa. 

Now we had to make some major changes in our plans.

Our plan (before our visas were denied) was after teaching in Siem Reap to head to Bangkok and process new passports for Haydee, Michaella, and Justin. A passport must be valid up to 6 months for a person to travel on it. Haydee, Michaella, and Justin need new passports to travel by June. That can no longer work.

So now game plan is to fly from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Manila, Philippines on May 11. The Philippines works out best for us. All of our kids are dual citizens and I (Dustin) have a permanent visa. In the Philippines we have no pressure on extending visas and we have Haydee's family to help us out.

So how long will be be in the Philippines? We don't know. When we get back we need to apply for new passports for Haydee and 2 of the kids. This could take a week or maybe longer. Once we get the new passports we will email our passport numbers to those in Thailand who will make us an invitation letter (which requires all of our passport numbers) and they will snail mail that to us with other needed paper work. Then in Manila we will apply again at the Thai Embassy in hopes that our visas will be granted.

Actually in the processes of being denied we (as a family) was at peace. I had a feeling that God is in control even though we don't know what is going on.

But with that said we are also have many unexpected expenditures. We have spent most of our savings on a last minute ticket to the Philippines. We are planning to initially stay with Haydee's brother, but it would be best if we had our own place. His house is too small to house our family of five. Also we still have a house we are renting in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

But more so then the money, what we need most as a family is to become "settled" or "rooted." There is a whole lot of stress traveling with your family in and out of countries (we have been to 6 countries this year so far) and not knowing if the Thai government will allow you to go to the place you call home. times we have felt like nomads wondering from guest house to hotel to YWAM base. At One thing is for sure, this needs to come to some kind of end sooner then latter.

Please  keep us in your prayers.

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