Non O-A (Long stay) Visa

[onera1961]

How long can I stay (or get stamped to stay) if I enter Thailand with an O-A (long stay) visa from the USA? It is multiple entry and valid for one year. Do I have to leave the country every three months?

[JackThompson]

The O-A gets you a 1-year stamp each time you enter up until the 'enter before' date on the visa-sticker, so you do not need to leave every 90-days.

 

If you want to get a 2nd year of stay out of it, leave and return just before the 'enter before' date, to receive a new stamp dated 1-year from the day you enter.  During this 2nd year, you will need a re-entry permit to preserve that permitted-stay date, as the "visa" (sticker) will have expired.

[gk10002000]

2 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The O-A gets you a 1-year stamp each time you enter up until the 'enter before' date on the visa-sticker, so you do not need to leave every 90-days.

 

If you want to get a 2nd year of stay out of it, leave and return just before the 'enter before' date, to receive a new stamp dated 1-year from the day you enter.  During this 2nd year, you will need a re-entry permit to preserve that permitted-stay date, as the "visa" (sticker) will have expired.

I have this second year several times now.  Does it really work?  They don't stamp it on the first entry when you first entered Thailand?

[onera1961]

Thanks Jack. If I understand correct, one can stay almost up to two years with an O-A visa.

 

[steve187]

2 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Thanks Jack. If I understand correct, one can stay almost up to two years with an O-A visa.

 

yes correct

[JackThompson]

6 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

I have this second year several times now.  Does it really work?  They don't stamp it on the first entry when you first entered Thailand?

During the time the Visa (sticker) is active (before the "enter before" date), you get a 1-year "permitted stay" (dated 1 year from the enter-date) every time you enter the country. 

 

If you enter just before the Visa (sticker) expires (on the "enter before" date), you will get a "permitted stay" stamp 1-year from the day you enter the country.  It is the "permitted stay" stamp which determines when you must leave the country (or get an extension - another story).   So, yes, it "really works."

 

This is why it is very important, that every time you get stamped into Thailand, you verify that the "permitted stay" stamp given by Immigration is dated correctly.

Edited March 16, 2018 by JackThompson

[gk10002000]

57 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

During the time the Visa (sticker) is active (before the "enter before" date), you get a 1-year "permitted stay" (dated 1 year from the enter-date) every time you enter the country. 

 

If you enter just before the Visa (sticker) expires (on the "enter before" date), you will get a "permitted stay" stamp 1-year from the day you enter the country.  It is the "permitted stay" stamp which determines when you must leave the country (or get an extension - another story).   So, yes, it "really works."

 

This is why it is very important, that every time you get stamped into Thailand, you verify that the "permitted stay" stamp given by Immigration is dated correctly.

OK.  So it is almost the same as if you did not enter the country as soon as you got the visa, but waited several months then when you did enter, as long as before the enter before date, you get the 1 year.  So how long is the enter before date from the time you first get the visa?  Still seems odd that the first time you enter the country, they don't start the clock, but that's OK by me

[lopburi3]

The multi entry O-A visa allows entry at any time during the one year it is valid from issue date.  On each entry you receive a new one year permitted to stay stamp from that entry date.  Simple really.

[sometimewoodworker]

40 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

OK.  So it is almost the same as if you did not enter the country as soon as you got the visa, but waited several months then when you did enter, as long as before the enter before date, you get the 1 year.  So how long is the enter before date from the time you first get the visa?  Still seems odd that the first time you enter the country, they don't start the clock, but that's OK by me

You are being confused by the practice of Thailand splitting the visas valid period from the permission to stay period.

 

In many countries you can only stay while your visa is in date, not so for Thailand.

[glegolo]

I think that your REAL question has NOT been answered here!! You did ask; "Do I have to leave the country every three months"?

 

The answer is a big NO, A O-A VISA works in that sence exactly the same as an extension of stay... You have to do a so called Address-report/90 day report direct to your immigration-office where you are living.. Every 90 days (NOT 3 months) that shall be done...

 

If you are leaving Thailand before you run up to 90 days you are fine and the "clock" resets until you return again, and it all starts over again with a 90 day stay....

 

glegolo

Edited March 16, 2018 by glegolo

[sqwakvfr]

This might help to explain how to maximize the Non-Imm O-A( i have an O-A and I will get 22 months on this one Ext of Stay).  Let's say your O-A has the following(Hypothetically):

 

1.  Issue Date 5 Jan 2016 Enter Before 5 Jan 2017

2.  You enter Thailand on 20 Jan 2016 and Immigration at the Airport stamps you until 19 Jan 2017

3.  You now have Multiple Entry until 5 Jan 2017

4.  Let's say you exit and enter Thailand on Jan 4 Jan 2017

5.  You would then get a permission to stay stamp in Thailand until 3 Jan 2018

6.  Anytime after 5 Jan 2017 you would need a Re-Entry Permit (Single or Multiple) if you want to leave the country.  If you leave without a Re-entry permit then you only be  given a 30 Day Permission to Stay Stamp when you return.  

 

It sounds somewhat complicated but I followed this plan and I am now in my 2nd year with a Multiple Re-entry Permit and will be able to stay in Thailand for 22 months on the Non-Imm O-A which was issued by the LA Thai Consulate.  The only other things I have to do are 90 Day Reports and of course the the TM-30 Updates.  

[Langsuan Man]

O-A Non Immigrant visa, two years,  in passport stamps:

 

 

One of the few times stamps were on the same page

[Suradit69]

6 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I have this second year several times now.  Does it really work?  They don't stamp it on the first entry when you first entered Thailand?

You get a new one year permission to stay every time you enter the country using the O-A visa until the visa expires (one year after it was issued). So if you make one last visa entry just before the visa expires, you will still get a new one year permission to stay.

 

5 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

So how long is the enter before date from the time you first get the visa?  Still seems odd that the first time you enter the country, they don't start the clock, but that's OK by me

When they issue the visa you have one year to use it. They don't start the one year count for the visa validity from when you first enter. Otherwise what would stop someone from buying a visa and waiting 5 years to use it.

 

The visa and your permission to stay are two different things. The visa allows you to enter the country. The permission to stay allows you to remain in the country.  Each has an expiration date. So by using the visa one last time before it expires, you can still have a permission to stay in the country for up to one year despite the visa having expired. So if well timed you could get almost two full years to stay in Thailand.

 

Once the visa expires, you no longer have a valid visa but may still have a valid permission to stay. To maintain that permission to stay, if you want to leave and return to Thailand, you would need a re-entry permit in lieu of a visa. Each time you enter on the re-entry permit your permission to stay would have the same expiration date as it did when you made the last visa entry ... i.e. no new full one year permission, but you keep what you had.

 

Any time you are in the country for 90 continuous, uninterrupted days you would need to do a 90 day report at immigration, but you are not obligated to leave the country as long as you have a valid permission to stay. Anytime you travel out and in the country, you start the 90 day count again.

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2018 by Suradit69

[Laza 45]

7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

The O-A gets you a 1-year stamp each time you enter up until the 'enter before' date on the visa-sticker, so you do not need to leave every 90-days.

 

If you want to get a 2nd year of stay out of it, leave and return just before the 'enter before' date, to receive a new stamp dated 1-year from the day you enter.  During this 2nd year, you will need a re-entry permit to preserve that permitted-stay date, as the "visa" (sticker) will have expired.

I would just add that you need to do a report every 90 days.. online, in person or by post if available in your location.. 

[JackThompson]

10 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

So how long is the enter before date from the time you first get the visa?

One Year.

[Dazinoz]

My wife has this visa and we visited our agent this morning to clarify things but confused us. This post and replies have made it clear. The only thing still not sure of is they said said you still need to have the 800k in the bank 3 months before. We have been told this is not correct. Can anyone elaborate on this? Thanks.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

My wife has this visa and we visited our agent this morning to clarify things but confused us. This post and replies have made it clear. The only thing still not sure of is they said said you still need to have the 800k in the bank 3 months before. We have been told this is not correct. Can anyone elaborate on this? Thanks.

If it is the first extension of stay based upon retirement of a OA visa entry only 60 days is required.

The agent may of been thinking she already had an extension of stay instead of a visa entry.

[Dazinoz]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If it is the first extension of stay based upon retirement of a OA visa entry only 60 days is required.

The agent may of been thinking she already had an extension of stay instead of a visa entry.

I am really confused again. So to get another 12 month permitted to stay stamp she needs 800k in the bank for 60 days? When would this apply from? Her Non O-A visa has an "Enter Before" date of 28th Aug 2018. From what I have read in this post if she leaves Thailand and comes back say on the 26th Aug 2018 she would get another permitted to stay stamp until 25th August 2019. When would the 800k apply. I would assume 2 months before 25th August 2019 at which time she will apply for an extension of stay based on retirement. Am I correct?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

I am really confused again. So to get another 12 month permitted to stay stamp she needs 800k in the bank for 60 days? When would this apply from? Her Non O-A visa has an "Enter Before" date of 28th Aug 2018. From what I have read in this post if she leaves Thailand and comes back say on the 26th Aug 2018 she would get another permitted to stay stamp until 25th August 2019. When would the 800k apply. I would assume 2 months before 25th August 2019 at which time she will apply for an extension of stay based on retirement. Am I correct?

You did not mention her OA visa was still valid.

All she needs to do is leave and re-enter the country on or before August 28th and she will get a new one year entry. Then she would not need to apply for a one year extension of stay until the last 30 days of that one year entry.

After doing that last entry she will need a re-entry permit to keep it valid if she wants to travel

[Dazinoz]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You did not mention her OA visa was still valid.

All she needs to do is leave and re-enter the country on or before August 28th and she will get a new one year entry. Then she would not need to apply for a one year extension of stay until the last 30 days of that one year entry.

After doing that last entry she will need a re-entry permit to keep it valid if she wants to travel

Yep, did not mention that, sorry. Thanks for the info.

[onera1961]

Let me summarize the process as per others posting. ubonjoe, please correct me if my summary is not right.

Using hypothetical dates

 

1. Jane applies for a multi-entry visa in her home country using funding (800K or income method), police report, and health certificate.

2. Visa is granted at the home country embassy on Dec 31, 2017 with a stamp enter before Dec 31, 2018

3. Jane enters Thailand on Feb 1, 2018 and gets a stamp (on Passport) Permitted to Stay January 31, 2019 (one year from Feb 1, 2018).

4. Jane leaves Thailand July 1, 2018 and returns on August 1 , 2018 (multiple entry can return any time before Dec 31, 2018). Jane gets another stamp of Permitted to Stay July 31, 2019 (one year from August 1, 2018)

5. Jane leaves Thailand on Dec 1, 2018

6. Jane enters Thailand Dec 30, 2018 (Multi entry visa is still valid Dec 31 2018). Jane gets Permitted to stay stamped till Dec 29, 2019 (one year from Dec 30, 2018)

7. Jane leaves Thailand on July 1, 2019 with a re-entry permit (at airport before departure or at an immigration office). Needs a reentry permit because ME visa has expired on (Dec 31, 2018)

8. Jane enters Thailand again on August 1 (Jane has a reentry permit to enter) and stamped Permitted to Stay till Dec 29, 2019. Permitted to stay does no change now.

9. Jane leaves Thailand on Dec 29, 2019 for her home country and starts over the process from 1.

 

Jane does not like extension of stay. ha ha ha