I have a question for our Visa knowledge persons, with regard to some long range planning of mine. Its based on an optimistic assumption of no COVID restrictions in Jan/Feb-2022 … and if there are restrictions, it hopefully doesn’t matter as then the dates below would all be almost exactly 1-year later (ie I would delay this by 1-year).

 

I believe it also involves changing a Type-OA to a Type-O Visa in the future ....

 

I am age-67 and my permission to stay on my Type-OA Visa expires on 27-February-2021. I plan in next week or so (after purchasing Health Insurance on Thai approved list) to apply for my 1st extension (1-year) on my permission to stay. I have all the requirements met for such a “permission to stay” extension (I just need to complete Health Insurance).

 

I like to travel a LOT outside of Thailand, multiple times for 2 to 4 weeks at a time, in the January to April time frame, returning to Thailand for 2 to 3 weeks, and then leave Thailand again. By end-April, I like to stay in Thailand until end of the year (other than a 4-week visit to Canada/Europe in the Aug-Sep time frame).

 

Obviously this year (2021) I am staying in Thailand due to the COVID global pandemic.

 

But having to be in Thailand, to do Visa/"permission to stay" paperwork inside Thailand in the February timeframe can put a constraint on my international travel plans for February in year 2022, 2023, 2024 etc ....

 

So I was thinking (and hope to have checked by forum experts ) the following plan :

 

    (1) apply for a 1-year “retirement” 1st extension on Type-OA Visa in mid-February-2021 which if approved should take me to mid-February-2022 

 

    (2) if traveling Internationally in January to April-2022, leave Thailand (likely depart in January-2022) without an re-entry stamp, and return to Thailand on a Tourist Visa exempt status (ie 30 days) 

 

    (3) with my next international trip likely within 30 days, leave Thailand again  (and possibly repeat step-2 & 3 a couple of times)

 

    (4) after last travels, return to Thailand (~mid/late-April-2022) on a Tourist Visa exempt status (ie 30-days) and then apply for a Type-O Visa (90-days) based on retirement … followed by applying for a 1-year permission to stay on the Type-O due to retirement.

 

Once I have the Type-O visa (with a ~May/June permission to stay expiry) I am set for years of travel in January-to-April  without a 'February' permission to stay renewal 'interference'.

 

Is that logical ?

 

Are there regulations that could disrupt the above plan? ... or things to prepare/need to be aware of ? (Clearly I need to limit the duration of Tourist exempt entries).

 

Thanks in advance for any criticisms and/or agreements its an ok plan.

Your plan would work. Yes you could 'play around' with enter visa exempt few times then eventually obtain no O and subsequent extensions.

Don't see the point. I was with up to exit at some point with extension based on retirement to your non O-A without reentry permit. Yes.....then we differ. When you enter visa exempt obtain your non O and then extension. With every extension buy a multi reentry permit. Continue every year doing same re extension. If possible lock away 800k in designated Thai bank a/c. Happy days

One year from now your plausable plans may need to change as who knows what Immigration 

will see in the crystal ball a year from now.

Your plans might work out. I would suggest that you also consider possibly changing to a Thailand Elite visa. This would allow you to travel in and out of Thailand at will without ever needing to worry about dates. There is a cost involved, of course, but once you have locked in the conditions for the Privileged Entry visa, you then never need to worry about future possible regulation changes for retirement extensions (such as insurance and large increases in the required money in the bank).

The timing sounds like it will work.  Your non-imm O is good for 90 days.  You can apply for the retirement extension during the last 30 days.

Spontaneity. 

 

As a retired guy - I have found last minute travel suits me best... go with the wind, with my mood... or just stay home...