O-A Visa from Thai embassy in London

[LucysDad]

 

Does anyone have personal experience of how easy, or otherwise, it is to get this type of visa.

 

Putting the financial information, police report and medical certificate together does not seem particularly onerous.

[SheungWan]

I have been through the mill. If you put together the right docs., the process is straightforward at the Embassy end. 

Doctor: Ask your personal doctor to arrange completion of the required form at end of a regular appointment and then expect to collect after a few days. Your doctor should know that you are clear of the said illnesses with out having to go through additional checks, but up to them. If you just hand request in at surgery desk, the form might sit there languishing.

Police Report: Can be done online and cheaper through the Scottish Police website if service still available.

Bank: Should be no problem requesting the necessary letter from the bank. Preferable go to the bank to make the request. Try to get copies of statements from the bank with headed notepaper.

Notarisation: Certification from solicitor accepted. Much cheaper.

Payment: Take cash.

Note: If you are not sure what is/is not acceptable, can go to Embassy and ask during their notified opening hours.

Good luck.

[OJAS]

I've been through the mill as well. For me assembling all the required documentation was the relatively (and, I stress, relatively) onerous part of the whole process. From then on it really was plain sailing in my case.

 

I did, however, have to wait for a hour in a crowded downstairs room at the Embassy before my ticket number (which I had picked up from a machine upon my arrival) was called for me to submit my application. But even that, in hindsight, turned out to be perfect preparation for what I was subsequently to experience frequently in dealings with banks and Immigration after moving out here!

Edited February 16, 2019 by OJAS

[dode57k]

When I applied for this visa I was (wrongly) refused. Got the medical certificate, police report etc and also took last three years P60's to show my income along with a year's worth of payslips as the Thai Embassy website clearly states money in bank OR evidence of income OR combination of both...here it is...

 

• Bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately £20,000.00 / annum) or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht. If you send a copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned is necessary.
•  

I was turned away by the most unhelpful person I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with as I didn't have the required amount in a bank account. No amount of pleading or asking them to check their own rules mattered. As she threw my paperwork back at me she included her "guidelines" this was an A4 sheet of paper dated three years previous which made no mention of income or combination of income and savings. So as of January 2018 when I applied if you didn't have enough money in the bank you didn't get your visa.

Take this as a warning...don't waste time going to London until you have checked if their outdated and quite frankly wrong guidelines have been updated

[Jaxxper]

Had a good experience with the London Thai embassy. Just need to get all your papers in order.

was a little unclear as to what they wanted notarised so I probably went over the top, but it was acceptable to them. Drop off one day, pick up the next. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Yup, I went through it a couple of years ago, works out a little expensive but worth it IMO especially with the new immigration regulations coming !

£125 for the visa , going up to £150 shortly.

£45 for police report.

Medical certificate can be done in Thailand ( download form from Embassy website, it’s in Thai and English), cost me 360 baht.

Transpot to London and possible overnight stay depends on your location.

Plus notarised docs varies in cost.

 

The Thai Embassy in London is changing the procedure soon ( April 1st I think ) and from then on you apply online and pick up in person ( not sure if registered return post is available) so best to check on this before gathering docs .

[lamyai3]

Agree with the above posts, main thing is to be organised ahead of time.

 

Easy to do the police report online £45, valid for a few months, maybe three?

 

A GP visit will take care of the medical letter, mine cost £15 as they said it was was an NHS service. I got this the same day as seeing my doctor, no medical test other than the stethoscope, and the doctor wanted to pull up and look at my historical records with the surgery before signing.

 

Easiest way with the bank is to get the 800k equivalent into the current account the month before, so it appears on the current month statement. At shorter notice an internet statement might be good enough, or else the bank can knock up something in branch.

 

Finally a solicitor to certify true copies of the above documents, can be as cheap as £2 each page. A UK notary is not necessary. 

 

When you go to the embassy have the papers in simple presentable form (files, folders or additional unnecessary papers are not appreciated), just a single copy of each document and the cash in exact money. 

[Roy111]

I got my O-A from London in October 2018.

 

Advice is as above except as long as you provide the original documents (not photocopy) of Bank Statement, Medical Cert and Police report there is no need for a solicitor to certify copies. This changed sometime in 2018. See the Embassy website: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html

 

The main thing about the bank statement or letter is that it must show both your address and the bank branch address. What they really like to see is a stamp from the bank branch with the bank's address.

 

In the past (2 years ago) I used an ISA account, this time they said 'cannot', but fortunately I was also armed with a current account statement where I had temporarily placed the required funds.

[LucysDad]

Thank you all for the very helpful responses - this is Thai Visa.com at it's best.

[Pilotman]

15 hours ago, dode57k said:

When I applied for this visa I was (wrongly) refused. Got the medical certificate, police report etc and also took last three years P60's to show my income along with a year's worth of payslips as the Thai Embassy website clearly states money in bank OR evidence of income OR combination of both...here it is...

 

• Bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately £20,000.00 / annum) or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht. If you send a copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned is necessary.
•  

I was turned away by the most unhelpful person I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with as I didn't have the required amount in a bank account. No amount of pleading or asking them to check their own rules mattered. As she threw my paperwork back at me she included her "guidelines" this was an A4 sheet of paper dated three years previous which made no mention of income or combination of income and savings. So as of January 2018 when I applied if you didn't have enough money in the bank you didn't get your visa.

Take this as a warning...don't waste time going to London until you have checked if their outdated and quite frankly wrong guidelines have been updated

yep, sounds like Thai officials here as well.  Don't know their own rules, don't care to follow them and totally cloth eared when it comes to anyone pointing out their errors. It says something when, if an expat gets anything like a normal service at Immigration, he/she posts their relief and happiness on TV. 

[lamyai3]

23 hours ago, OJAS said:

I did, however, have to wait for a hour in a crowded downstairs room at the Embassy

Slightly stressful experience on the visa collection day - I turned up a bit late, and in my haste dashed downstairs into the almost identical Bangladesh embassy next door. Realising my mistake I tried to exit but got stuck behind a large family helping an elderly relative up the stairs for the next ten minutes... 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Slightly stressful experience on the visa collection day - I turned up a bit late, and in my haste dashed downstairs into the almost identical Bangladesh embassy next door. Realising my mistake I tried to exit but got stuck behind a large family helping an elderly relative up the stairs for the next ten minutes... 

Ha ha , sounds like a good idea for a sitcom !!, although if you come from Bradford just another daily occurrence !.


I arrived first in line to present docs but got set back because I needed 3 filled in copies of the form to apply for O-A and only had one, luckily I had blanks in my folder.

[SheungWan]

One thing I discovered back in 2014 was that there was a discrepancy between what appeared on the website re O-A and the guidance sheet handed out at the Embassy. I went to the Embassy to ask which one prevailed. The answer was the guidance sheet handed out at the Embassy. I found that the website specified notarisation, whereas the guidance sheet allowed certification. That saved a lot of money. I also made a second additional visit to ask whether the request for the British Police Force docs were necessary as specified on the website or if the online Scottish Police printouts were acceptable. The Scottish ones OK. It seemed odd going to the Embassy just to ask questions on separate occasions, but it turned out to be worth it. 

[bilbo52]

Great feedback everyone. A couple of questions if I may in order to boost my confidence in preparation for my O-A visa application at the Thai Embassy in London, UK later this year:

 

Other than Roy111, has anyone else submitted original documents of police check, medical certificate and bank statement plus photocopies of same without requiring notarisation by a Notary Public or certified by a Solicitor? The Thai Embassy visa website that Roy has thoughtfully linked indicates that if original documents are submitted then the photocopies don't need to be notarised or certified.

 

Similarly, has anyone other than Andrew Dwyer obtained/completed the medical certificate in Thailand?

 

As a bit of background, I applied for an O-A visa from the Thai Embassy in London in 2014 which I supported with original documents as requested (including a medical cert obtained from my UK General Practitioner/Doctor) and notarised photocopies. So what has been reported here suggests that it may be less expensive and onerous than I had experienced before. BTW I am currently residing in Thailand.

 

Thanks in anticipation of receiving some confidence building replies.

[Pilotman]

8 minutes ago, bilbo52 said:

Great feedback everyone. A couple of questions if I may in order to boost my confidence in preparation for my O-A visa application at the Thai Embassy in London, UK later this year:

 

Other than Roy111, has anyone else submitted original documents of police check, medical certificate and bank statement plus photocopies of same without requiring notarisation by a Notary Public or certified by a Solicitor? The Thai Embassy visa website that Roy has thoughtfully linked indicates that if original documents are submitted then the photocopies don't need to be notarised or certified.

 

Similarly, has anyone other than Andrew Dwyer obtained/completed the medical certificate in Thailand?

 

As a bit of background, I applied for an O-A visa from the Thai Embassy in London in 2014 which I supported with original documents as requested (including a medical cert obtained from my UK General Practitioner/Doctor) and notarised photocopies. So what has been reported here suggests that it may be less expensive and onerous than I had experienced before. BTW I am currently residing in Thailand.

 

Thanks in anticipation of receiving some confidence building replies.

I'm a bit confused here.  Are you applying for an Non O based on retirement?  I got my Non O based on visiting my Thai wife here.  I only needed to produce my passport and copy of the marriage certificate, no police report, no financial information no medical certification.  When I got here, after one year, I applied for an extension of stay based upon retirement and got it, no problems at all and very little in the way of paperwork. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Great feedback everyone. A couple of questions if I may in order to boost my confidence in preparation for my O-A visa application at the Thai Embassy in London, UK later this year:
 
Other than Roy111, has anyone else submitted original documents of police check, medical certificate and bank statement plus photocopies of same without requiring notarisation by a Notary Public or certified by a Solicitor? The Thai Embassy visa website that Roy has thoughtfully linked indicates that if original documents are submitted then the photocopies don't need to be notarised or certified.
 
Similarly, has anyone other than Andrew Dwyer obtained/completed the medical certificate in Thailand?
 
As a bit of background, I applied for an O-A visa from the Thai Embassy in London in 2014 which I supported with original documents as requested (including a medical cert obtained from my UK General Practitioner/Doctor) and notarised photocopies. So what has been reported here suggests that it may be less expensive and onerous than I had experienced before. BTW I am currently residing in Thailand.
 
Thanks in anticipation of receiving some confidence building replies.

Re: medical certificate.

I was already living in Thailand at the time ( October 2016 ) when I decided to go back for the O-A . While preparing the documents and looking at some of the threads on TVF there were some reports of people having difficulty in obtaining the medical certificate in the uk as gp’s were stated as saying that they had no way of doing some of the tests .
So I decided to get a medical certificate in Thailand in case I encountered difficulties, plus it only cost 360 baht (£8 at the time) so no great loss.
My gp said she couldn’t do these tests so issued a letter saying that from my medical records I didn’t appear to have any symptoms of the 5 ailments ( as I hadn’t lived in the uk since 1995 this was quite comical).

My uk letter wasn’t accepted in Thai Embassy but the Thai medical certificate was , a masterly move on my part !!

My recommendation would be to obtain the Thai version, as you are already here and it is obtained easily and cheaply, in case you encounter problems back in the uk .

[Nurseynutcase]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:39 AM, SheungWan said:

One thing I discovered back in 2014 was that there was a discrepancy between what appeared on the website re O-A and the guidance sheet handed out at the Embassy. I went to the Embassy to ask which one prevailed. The answer was the guidance sheet handed out at the Embassy. I found that the website specified notarisation, whereas the guidance sheet allowed certification. That saved a lot of money. I also made a second additional visit to ask whether the request for the British Police Force docs were necessary as specified on the website or if the online Scottish Police printouts were acceptable. The Scottish ones OK. It seemed odd going to the Embassy just to ask questions on separate occasions, but it turned out to be worth it. 

Guess you were lucky with the Scotland police clearance I had this and checked with the Thai Embassy if that would be ok and was told categorically NO = it must be Scotland Yard.  This was in 2014.  But then again it might just have been I got a stroppy IO officer.

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I'm a bit confused here.  Are you applying for an Non O based on retirement?  I got my Non O based on visiting my Thai wife here.  I only needed to produce my passport and copy of the marriage certificate, no police report, no financial information no medical certification.  When I got here, after one year, I applied for an extension of stay based upon retirement and got it, no problems at all and very little in the way of paperwork. 

He said quite clearly Non Imm OA.

[lamyai3]

On 2/17/2019 at 4:08 AM, Andrew Dwyer said:

Medical certificate can be done in Thailand ( download form from Embassy website, it’s in Thai and English), cost me 360 baht.

Oh, I didn't realise the medical certificate could be done in Thailand for an application in London. Is it ok just from any doctor here (small clinic etc)? 

[Andrew Dwyer]

19 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Oh, I didn't realise the medical certificate could be done in Thailand for an application in London. Is it ok just from any doctor here (small clinic etc)? 

I went to a local hospital but I guess a clinic would work. The key is to use the official form downloaded from the Embassy website.

[OJAS]

16 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

While preparing the documents and looking at some of the threads on TVF there were some reports of people having difficulty in obtaining the medical certificate in the uk as gp’s were stated as saying that they had no way of doing some of the tests .

Looks like things may have moved on since 2008, then, when I obtained a medical certificate for my OA visa application on the basis of a "thorough medical examination" which consisted of the doctor's eyes moving from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet before she signed it!

[Andrew Dwyer]

Looks like things may have moved on since 2008, then, when I obtained a medical certificate for my OA visa application on the basis of a "thorough medical examination" which consisted of the doctor's eyes moving from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet before she signed it!

This is the form I downloaded from the Embassy website in 2016 .

 

 

Hospital nurse in Pathum Thani took my blood pressure, weight and filled in the form, the doctor put his stethoscope on my chest and asked me if I felt okay , I answered “yes” and he signed the form !!

It’s amazing what they can do nowadays [emoji51]

 

In the uk my gp said she couldn’t do some of the tests and therefore couldn’t sign the form ( fair enough ) , just gave an accompanying letter to say that “ from my medical records I appeared to be in good health “. Quite comical as I hadn’t visited my gp for at least 21 years !!

[OJAS]

17 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

This is the form I downloaded from the Embassy website in 2016 .

 

 

Hospital nurse in Pathum Thani took my blood pressure, weight and filled in the form, the doctor put his stethoscope on my chest and asked me if I felt okay , I answered “yes” and he signed the form !!

It’s amazing what they can do nowadays

 

In the uk my gp said she couldn’t do some of the tests and therefore couldn’t sign the form ( fair enough ) , just gave an accompanying letter to say that “ from my medical records I appeared to be in good health “. Quite comical as I hadn’t visited my gp for at least 21 years !!

Certainly rather more professional in appearance than the scruffy version I downloaded in 2008 - which looked like a millionth generation photocopy!

[bilbo52]

Thanks folks for your considered responses.

 

Pilotman - I applied for a non imm O-A visa (it was based on me being over 50 years of age. I am also unmarried).

 

Andrew Dwyer - thanks for the advice. I will get the medical check-up done here in Thailand and use it as a fall back option. I am trying to keep the whole process as cheap as possible as I have heard of some GPs charging upto £200 to do the med check-up.

 

BTW has anyone recieved the O-A visa from the Thai Embassy in London without providing certified documents by a Solicitor as reported by Roy111?

[Jim P]

I shall be applying for my Non Imm O-A visa in June with the plan to move to Thailand late in July of this year.

 

My question concerns the proof of income. Currently I have my salary from my job and rental income which more than covers the 65,000 baht per month requirement, I can provide a statement going back 12 months no problem showing this regular income. Will they accept the income from my job as part of proof?

 

I shall be retiring early July and will then be in receipt of my pension and a lump sum but ideally I want to get the visa before this, hence I shall still be working in the UK at the time of application.

[lamyai3]

On 2/19/2019 at 3:24 PM, OJAS said:

Looks like things may have moved on since 2008, then, when I obtained a medical certificate for my OA visa application on the basis of a "thorough medical examination" which consisted of the doctor's eyes moving from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet before she signed it!

Quite right too... she was scanning for signs of tuberculosis in the laboured breathing, the involuntary muscle movements of tertiary syphilis, leprosy in the leonine features of the face and the effects of the nerve damage on the extremities, and ended with a glance at the feet and lower limbs for elephantiasis. Five second job for any trained medic in the past 300 years or so, she did great.

[Roy111]

BTW has anyone recieved the O-A visa from the Thai Embassy in London without providing certified documents by a Solicitor as reported by Roy111?

 

I became aware of the no need for certifiaction via a thread on a different forum back in August 2018. The poster there had sent original documents and done it all through the post.

 

From his and my experience (I appled in person), you can be 100% confident that you do not need certified copies as long as your application includes the original documents.

 

[bilbo52]

Roy111, Thank you

[Jim P]

On 2/24/2019 at 4:04 PM, Jim P said:

I shall be applying for my Non Imm O-A visa in June with the plan to move to Thailand late in July of this year.

 

My question concerns the proof of income. Currently I have my salary from my job and rental income which more than covers the 65,000 baht per month requirement, I can provide a statement going back 12 months no problem showing this regular income. Will they accept the income from my job as part of proof?

 

I shall be retiring early July and will then be in receipt of my pension and a lump sum but ideally I want to get the visa before this, hence I shall still be working in the UK at the time of application.

Can anyone answer my question, tia ?

[Jim P]

I will soon be applying for my Non Immigrant type O-A visa from the embassy in London.

 

How long before departure would those that have been through the process recommend, I know I will now have to book an appointment through the online service, I was thinking about one week??

 

I am an Irish passport holder, do I still need an income affidavit?

 

My understanding is that the money doesn't have to be seasoned so I can just deposit the equivalent of 800k shortly prior to my visit, is this correct?

 

Alternatively I have salary and rental income far exceeding 65k per month, is the salary portion of this acceptable? I will be giving up the salary and receiving a pension shortly after my application.

Edited March 1, 2019 by Jim P