Non Immigrant O-X visa - Request for advice

[Able]

I'm looking at the option of the new Non Immigrant O-X 5year long stay visa (the 10 year visa with 5 year + 5 year extension option).

 

The UK Royal Thai embassy website gives a comprehensive list of requirements that seem manageable and the website says:

"Foreigners who enter Thailand with other type of Visa/Visa Exemption may contact the immigration Bureau and Apply for Non-O-X visa"

Which suggests I can enter Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt and go through the process at the immigration Bureau within Thailand. Thus potentially saving an unnecessary trip to the UK to renew my Non Immigrant Type 'O' which will expire before I next travel. 

 

Has anyone tried this who can share their experience and advise on the process?

I.E. Is the website accurate, can it be done entering with a visa exempt? Would I need to carry out the process in BKK or could I do so in Khon Kaen, closer to home?

Are there any hidden requirements like Yellow Book, Pink ID card etc? Anyone priced up the insurance costs yet?

 

All advice welcome.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Swimman]

I very much doubt you will find many(any?) who have taken advantage of this expensive visa. 

[onera1961]

Keeping 3 million in a low interest Thai bank is not my cup of tea. 0-X visa also requires age limit and 90-day reporting. What are the benefits? With O-A, I can almost stay two years and then keep renewing.

[ubonjoe]

As far as I know immigration is not issuing the non-ox visa.

People have inquired about it but were told no. It is not shown on the immigration website.

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know immigration is not issuing the non-ox visa.

People have inquired about it but were told no. It is not shown on the immigration website.

 

Isnt it the same as an OA,  issued in home country ?

 

Its on the Australian Thai consulate sites as an option. 

 

Interested to know how it works as the Australian sites only mention money in an Australian account to get the Visa (same as an OA).  Is it the same as an OA as in you only need the Thai account etc when you go to an extension. Do you get stamped in for 5 years ?

[Thaidream]

From what I can glean from the various embassy websites- the visa is valid for 5 years but  the maximum stay is 1 year and one has to report to Immigration to have documents renewed to get another 1 year stamp.  I am not sure how it would work if one leaves the country prior to the end of 1 year and then comes back in- another 1 year stamp?  

 

According to the Embassy websites they will issue the Visa but I can find no guidance how in practice it would work with Thai Immigrations.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Isnt it the same as an OA,  issued in home country ?

Not the same as the OA visa. It has entirely different requirements including health insurance.

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

ts on the Australian Thai consulate sites as an option. 

I could not find it on the Canberra embassy website. It may be there as an announcement.

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Interested to know how it works as the Australian sites only mention money in an Australian account to get the Visa (same as an OA).  Is it the same as an OA as in you only need the Thai account etc when you go to an extension. Do you get stamped in for 5 years ?

The 3 million baht has to be in a Thai bank account. The visa is valid for 5 years but only allows one year entries.

Info about it is here. http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/other/7394/80938-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-(Long-Stay-10-years).html

[Thaidream]

Yes- the 3 Million has to be in a Thai bank account and I believe- the medical insurance has to be purchased from a provider in Thailand.  One of the Embassy Websites has a link to several Thai insurance providers who then document the coverage needed.

 

I also remember reading that the extension of stay each year- one has to show the bank documentation that the 3 million has been topped up and the medical insurance still active.

 

However- I wonder if the O-X is multiple- then could one leave the country before the extension of stay expiration and return and be stamped back in for another year and do this for 5 years since the Visa is valid for that period.  If that is so- then that would avoid having to go to Immigration each year and have all the paperwork reviewed. The O-A works that way but it is a one year Visa.

[Peterw42]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I could not find it on the Canberra embassy website. It may be there as an announcement.

On the Sydney site. A little confusing as listed with OA, apply in Australia, no mention of Thai account etc.

All the same requirements as OA plus below.

"Additional documents required for 5-year visa

Eligible applicants: citizens of Japan, Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States

• Evidence of adequate finances:
  • a deposit account of at least THB 3,000,000 (approximately AUD 120,000), or
  • a statement of income with an annual amount of more than THB 1,200,000 (approximately AUD 48,000), or
  • a deposit account plus monthly income with a total amount of more than THB 3,000,000 (approximately AUD120,000) per year
• Evidence of health insurance from a Thai insurance company"

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, onera1961 said:

Keeping 3 million in a low interest Thai bank is not my cup of tea. 0-X visa also requires age limit and 90-day reporting. What are the benefits? With O-A, I can almost stay two years and then keep renewing.

Agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, just as Thai embassies and consulates in Western countries have now largely stopped issuing non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 and over in favour of the non-OA visa , so it would not surprise me in the slightest for the non-OA visa to be similarly superseded in practice by the non-OX visa eventually.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, just as Thai embassies and countries in Western countries have now largely stopped issuing non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 and over in favour of the non-OA visa , so it would not surprise me in the slightest for the non-OA visa to be similarly superseded in practice by the non-OX visa eventually.

Most Thai embassies and official consulates stopped issuing non-o visas for being 50 or over long ago. The honorary consulates were doing them but many no longer do them.

The OX visa will never replace the OA visa. The OX visa was a pipe dream by a minister that is no longer one. 

[NancyL]

I took offence at a recent story in the Chiang Mai media about how no one in Chiang Mai had applied for the O-X visa because, quoting a local immigration head, "none of the local foreign retirees can afford it". 

 

That's just plain stupid and he should know it.  I know several retirees, Hubby and I included, who have more than 3 million baht in local banks, but we don't care to trade in our good international health insurance plan for substandard Thai health insurance plans, especially when we'd still have to do 90 day reports, TM30s and whatever that "annual check in" feature entails.  For us, it isn't a matter of the money, it's because the plan offers absolutely no benefits over what's available now.

[jenny2017]

3 minutes ago, NancyL said:

I took offence at a recent story in the Chiang Mai media about how no one in Chiang Mai had applied for the O-X visa because, quoting a local immigration head, "none of the local foreign retirees can afford it". 

 

That's just plain stupid and he should know it.  I know several retirees, Hubby and I included, who have more than 3 million baht in local banks, but we don't care to trade in our good international health insurance plan for substandard Thai health insurance plans, especially when we'd still have to do 90 day reports, TM30s and whatever that "annual check in" feature entails.  For us, it isn't a matter of the money, it's because the plan offers absolutely no benefits over what's available now.

The Immigration head seems to be a "nice guy."/....

[Swimman]

2 minutes ago, NancyL said:

I took offence at a recent story in the Chiang Mai media about how no one in Chiang Mai had applied for the O-X visa because, quoting a local immigration head, "none of the local foreign retirees can afford it". 

 

That's just plain stupid and he should know it.  I know several retirees, Hubby and I included, who have more than 3 million baht in local banks, but we don't care to trade in our good international health insurance plan for substandard Thai health insurance plans, especially when we'd still have to do 90 day reports, TM30s and whatever that "annual check in" feature entails.  For us, it isn't a matter of the money, it's because the plan offers absolutely no benefits over what's available now.

You must be easily offended -- I allow such throwaway comments to pass over my head - I would advice you do likewise.

[Peterw42]

In reality, has anyone done an OX Visa ?????

 

It seems to be an "open other end" situation. As UJ has said, they dont do the "conversion to" in Thailand, to apply in home country you need to already have a Thai account etc.

 

Home country application would mean, fly to Thailand on visa exempt/tourist visa, open an account (most banks will say no), deposit 3 million, then go back home and apply. Show a balance using on-line banking etc as no branches of Thai bank in home country.

 

 

[4evermaat]

besides the benefit of getting a "non-immigrant" vs a "tourist" visa, any reason not to just get a 5yr Thai Elite Membership for 500k THB or 20 year for 1mil THB?

 

Or do a non-B business visa.  I understand that can be done via an agent for 60-70kTHB (not sure if it is more for the first time); and non-B can be issued at Penang or Kota Bharu in Malaysia.  Can extend locally or opt for the multiple non-b if you have 10 months on work permit.

 

Heck....marrying a thai might be a good option.

[pearciderman]

11 minutes ago, 4evermaat said:

and non-B can be issued at Penang or Kota Bharu in Malaysia.  Can extend locally or opt for the multiple non-b if you have 10 months on work permit.

 

It is 8 months on the WP and you now need to be an owner, shareholder or director of a company - not just any old diving instructor.

[pearciderman]

25 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

In reality, has anyone done an OX Visa ?????

 

Yes, at least one person has.

 

 

[Peterw42]

3 minutes ago, pearciderman said:

 

Yes, at least one person has.

 

 

Was that with 3,000,000 in a Thai account prior to application ? US account ?

 

 

 

[pearciderman]

10 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Was that with 3,000,000 in a Thai account prior to application ? US account ?

 

Not a clue, this photo came to another visa advice page.

 

Sorry.   :-)

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Was that with 3,000,000 in a Thai account prior to application ? US account ?

 

I am sure it was in a Thai bank since that is what is shown on the embassy's website. http://thaiembdc.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o-x-long-stay/

 

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, Swimman said:

You must be easily offended -- I allow such throwaway comments to pass over my head - I would advice you do likewise.

Maybe because I know the dude who was interviewed, well enough that he knows my situation and I know he knows other foreigners who are better off than me.  It wasn't a throwaway comment, it was an indication of his contempt for the resident retiree expats.

[Swimman]

11 minutes ago, NancyL said:

Maybe because I know the dude who was interviewed, well enough that he knows my situation and I know he knows other foreigners who are better off than me.  It wasn't a throwaway comment, it was an indication of his contempt for the resident retiree expats.

Whatever you say. I guess you are a very popular person at immigration.

[S Landreth]

18 hours ago, pearciderman said:

Yes, at least one person has.

[S Landreth]

18 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Was that with 3,000,000 in a Thai account prior to application ?

yes........

 

Bualuang Thanatavee Fixed Income Fund: http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/BuildYourWealth/MutualFunds/BBLAM/FixedIncomeFund/Pages/BTNTV.aspx

[SunsetT]

On 25/04/2018 at 4:16 AM, NancyL said:

I took offence at a recent story in the Chiang Mai media about how no one in Chiang Mai had applied for the O-X visa because, quoting a local immigration head, "none of the local foreign retirees can afford it". 

 

That's just plain stupid and he should know it.  I know several retirees, Hubby and I included, who have more than 3 million baht in local banks, but we don't care to trade in our good international health insurance plan for substandard Thai health insurance plans, especially when we'd still have to do 90 day reports, TM30s and whatever that "annual check in" feature entails.  For us, it isn't a matter of the money, it's because the plan offers absolutely no benefits over what's available now.

Yes, I think the visa cost and criterium seem  quite reasonable, but the compulsory Thai insurance is ridiculously expensive for the paltry annual maximum inpatient coverage at age 65yrs of about 400k thb (Less than £10k) for an annual premium of 59/60k thb (£1370) . The only advantage over UK based insurance is that there do not appear to be any excess charges.

 

Also the O-A from the UK is now more attractive in that original documents provided with their copies do not now need notarisation:

Note: 

- Please submit the originals of bank statement, criminal record check, and medical record, as well as one photocopy of each document. In case that an applicant could not submit the original documents, the Embassy will accept the photocopies which have been certified by a Notary Public officer or Solicitors.

[onera1961]

I absolutely see no advantage of this visa type and not sure the demographics it was targeted to. If it did not have age limit, there might be lots of applicants.