Which Visa to apply for?

[a3tsw]

I am due to retire in June of this year and will be coming over to Thailand to live.

I will have enough through a combination of pensions and savings to obtain the retirement visa , but have just read on a post here about another method of staying in Thailand using a non-imm O category  multi-entry Visa and after browsing the UK Thai Embassy website , I notice that they appear to have such a Visa for people on a UK State Pension. (Unless I have read it wrong!)

The only difference , that I can see between these two types of Visa , are that with the  

 

1) 1 Year Non - Immigrant  Long - Stay Type O-A Visa ,

I am allowed to stay in the country all year round , with a reporting requirement every 90 Days , which can be done online , plus the need to keep , in my case approx. 300,000 baht locked into a Thai bank account for a minimum of 3 Months , prior to renewal application  and a recent UK embassy certified declaration of my pension income for renewal purposes.

 

2) 1 Year Non - Immigrant Visa Type O Multiple Entry

Allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 Days (Option to extend by 60 Days at 1,900 Baht towards the end of each period)

Required proof on application  being State Pension statement from my provider , but no requirement for funds to be held in a Thai bank account.

 

Both of these types of visas would be from my home country and if my assessment is acurate, then I am leaning towards the 2nd option , as I travel to Boston , USA every April and Sapporo in Japan during July & August in any case and it just seems , not just less restrictive , but also taken over the period of validity , probably cheaper.

 

Any thoughts?

[lopburi3]

That 60 day extension is for those married to a Thai - there is no 60 day extension of a normal 90 day O visa entry.

[a3tsw]

Hi , thank you for your speedy response , the 60 Day Extension would be something that ,if it were an option , would be one that I would be unlikely to take up in any case , as I would probably prefer to take a short holiday in a neighbouring country , rather than spend 1,900 Baht and waste a day queuing at an immigration office.

thanks again for this information??

[JackThompson]

38 minutes ago, a3tsw said:

1) 1 Year Non - Immigrant  Long - Stay Type O-A Visa ,

I am allowed to stay in the country all year round , with a reporting requirement every 90 Days , which can be done online , plus the need to keep , in my case approx. 300,000 baht locked into a Thai bank account for a minimum of 3 Months , prior to renewal application  and a recent UK embassy certified declaration of my pension income for renewal purposes.

If you go home every year, you could get a new one of these (Non-OA) without ever having to lock up funds in a Thai bank or deal with Immigration, other than for 90-day reports when/if staying in Thailand longer than 90-days at a time.  The bank-money to meet the financials for this visa, obtained at a consulate abroad, can be in any bank.   

[a3tsw]

59 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

If you go home every year, you could get a new one of these (Non-OA) without ever having to lock up funds in a Thai bank or deal with Immigration, other than for 90-day reports when/if staying in Thailand longer than 90-days at a time.  The bank-money to meet the financials for this visa, obtained at a consulate abroad, can be in any bank.   

HI thanks for this information, that would certainly not be inconvenient for me , as I most likely would be spending some time in the UK , most likely around April each year when I travel to Boston and would provide the opportunity to renew such things as bank cards , passport , etc.

it also may prove to be more cost efficient , as I presume that my pension statement , would not require the expensive British Embassy declaration letter.

Many Thanks.??

[JackThompson]

13 minutes ago, a3tsw said:

HI thanks for this information, that would certainly not be inconvenient for me , as I most likely would be spending some time in the UK , most likely around April each year when I travel to Boston and would provide the opportunity to renew such things as bank cards , passport , etc.

it also may prove to be more cost efficient , as I presume that my pension statement , would not require the expensive British Embassy declaration letter.

Many Thanks.??

Also note, you can stretch one of those visas for almost 2 years - but that requires coming in just before the "enter before" / "expiration" date of the visa, and getting a fresh one-year "permission of stay" from it - then getting a re-entry permit on that last entry, to keep it valid for exit/entry during the 2nd year, after the "enter before" / "expiration" date of the Visa has passed. 

Whether the timing of your visits would make that work depends on your schedule - but would potentially allow you to go through the application process only once every ~2 years.

[a3tsw]

Also note, you can stretch one of those visas for almost 2 years - but that requires coming in just before the "enter before" / "expiration" date of the visa, and getting a fresh one-year "permission of stay" from it - then getting a re-entry permit on that last entry, to keep it valid for exit/entry during the 2nd year, after the "enter before" / "expiration" date of the Visa has passed. 

Whether the timing of your visits would make that work depends on your schedule - but would potentially allow you to go through the application process only once every ~2 years.

Hi again,
Having read the first paragraph several times now , I’m not sure if I have got a handle on this or not.
So , my understanding , is this. That prior to the expiration date on the visa , If I make a trip overseas (making my return to Thailand just before the expiration date) , then on my return at the airport , I should receive a stamp in my passport granting a further one year stay.
Then there is a separate re-entry permit and that is where I get a bit confused , is this re-entry permit issued at the airport when I arrive , depart or is this something that I have to apply for at my local immigration office.
Thank you for taking the time to clarify the procedure for me.[emoji848]


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[lopburi3]

To keep any extension alive when you travel you must obtain a re-entry permit from immigration here in Thailand prior to making that travel.  Some airports can do but probably better to obtain at immigration office as they are valid for the full time of extension.  You write the permit number where you would normally enter visa number on return and make sure they stamp you for the same permitted to stay you had prior to travel.

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, a3tsw said:

So , my understanding , is this. That prior to the expiration date on the visa , If I make a trip overseas (making my return to Thailand just before the expiration date) , then on my return at the airport , I should receive a stamp in my passport granting a further one year stay.

Yes, because the visa confers 1-year stamps upon entry while it is valid.

 

9 hours ago, a3tsw said:

Then there is a separate re-entry permit and that is where I get a bit confused , is this re-entry permit issued at the airport when I arrive , depart or is this something that I have to apply for at my local immigration office.

It is not available upon arrival. 

 

After returning and getting the one-year stamp above, you would go to your local immigration office and obtain a single-entry (1000 Baht) or multiple-entry (3800 Baht) re-entry permit.  A re-entry permit protects the current "permitted stay" stamp in your passport, so that after your next departure/return, you get the same "permitted stay" date you had before you left. 

 

You could also obtain a re-entry permit from some airports and border-crossings upon exiting, but to avoid any question of where/when and delay before boarding your flight, I would suggest getting it at your local immigration office, instead.

[Tanoshi]

A multi entry Non Imm O-A Visa. (Long stay).

Valid 1 year. Can be issued to those who are over 50 who intend to remain in Thailand for long periods. This Visa allows unlimited 1 year entries before the ‘enter before’ date of the Visa, at which point this Visa is ‘used’.

If you leave and re-enter just before the ‘enter before’ date of this Visa type you are granted another 1 year permission to stay. You will however require a re-entry permit if you intend to leave and re-enter Thailand during this 2^nd year permission to stay period.

This is because when the Visa expires on the ‘enter before’ date, so does the ME facility which is only valid until the ‘enter before’ date of the Visa.

Re-enter permits are single entry (1,000 baht) or multiple entries (3,800 baht).

If staying continuously in Thailand for more than 90 days you must make a report to Immigration (know as 90 day reports), unless you leave the Country before 90 consecutive days, in which case your next report date will be 90 days after (inclusive of) the date you re-enter.

If used correctly, you can stay in Thailand for almost 24 months with this Visa type.

[roobaa01]

you can also apply for a non-o x visa which allows multiple entry and 10 yrs stay. however the non-o x comes with strings attached naming a few like thb 3 million in a thai bank acc., thai health insurance....

 

wbr

roobaa01

[toolpush]

A word of caution if you are intending to acquire a Non O-A in your home country:

You will need to have a medical certificate filled out by a doctor confirming that you don't have the following "illness's":

1) Leprosy
(2) Dangerous step of Tuberculosis (T.B.)
(3) Filariasis
(4) Drug addiction
(5) Alcoholism
(6) Third step of Syphilis

 

When I attempted to acquire this visa and went to a Doctor to get this form, I was informed that I would need to wait for 1 month to get the results of the medical tests for leprosy and syphilis. Also, as I had not been a resident in my home country for over 10 years, the police would not give me a police report. I was told that they only gave police reports to residents. Catch 22 anyone?

I simply acquired a tourist visa and then got an extension of stay once in Thailand.

[Tanoshi]

Where did you live for those 10 years.

If you had residency there you should have applied for the O-A from there.

[jerrybeirne]

i am on my second non imm multiple entry o visa based on being a u.k. pensioner.

you can only get it in person in london.

take the documents in one day and pick up the next.

it suits me as i return to u.k. once a year.

i dont mind doing the 90 day visa run to where ever either.

 

make sure you let the u.k. pension people know, four months in advance, that you plan  to

retire and have your pension payed from your 65th? birthday.

take a look at the below link for all the info.

www.gov.uk/state-pension

 

when you get your pension you will get a statement showing how much you will get

and when it starts.

this is the form you will need  to apply for the  visa.

i dont know if they will accept a copy.

on the second year i showed three months of bank statements, signed and stamped by my bank.

to show it was being payed in.

also make sure you have the right size passport photos and background colour.

 

hope this is of help to you,

p.m. me if you wish.

 

enjoy your retirement,

jerry in chiang mai.