O RETIREMENT VS. OA RETIREMENT VISA

[Jimmy B]

Hello,

I wish to retire to Thailand after this covid mess dies down. Can anyone tell me the difference between the O and OA long stay/retirement visa. From what I've heard The O visa is obtained in Thailand and doesn't require health insurance. The OA visa is obtained in one's home country and the 400k THB IP 40k OP health cover is required. What would be the best option and can anyone shed light on this confusing issue. Thank you.

[fishtank]

Obtain a Non Imm O Visa in your own country and apply for the extension in Thailand.

Or arrive in Thailand with a Tourist Visa or a Visa exempt Entry and apply for an extension in Thailand.

No rip off insurance will be needed.

Edited August 5, 2021 by fishtank

[DrJack54]

You can obtain non o (retirement) in some home countries. Some you cannot eg Australia.

 

You can also enter on tourist visa or visa exempt and then obtain a non o (retirement) at immigration in Thailand.

 

The visa exempt entry gives 45 days permission of stay. You could apply for the non O with 15 days left on you POS.

 

The non O rt would require you to have 800k in Thai bank on day of application.

The non O grants you 90 day stay.

You then can apply for 12 month extension. You would need the 800k to be in bank for 2 months prior to applying for extension. 

 

Do you have a Thai bank account.

Personally I would avoid a non O-A at this point in time.

Edited August 5, 2021 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Or arrive in Thailand with a Tourist Visa or a Visa exempt Entry and apply for an extension in Thailand

If he arrives in Thailand with tourist visa or visa exempt he would first up obtain a Non O and subsequently apply for 12 month extension.

[Dan747]

When I arrived in April with a Non "O" Single entry (That is all the Thai Embassy in Wash DC would disperse) I went ahead and got an extension for 60 days to the tune of 1,900 baht due to Covid-19-Nothing else. Planning on my return in the fall. What would you all recommend??

[gk10012001]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

You can obtain non o (retirement) in some home countries. Some you cannot eg Australia.

 

You can also enter on tourist visa or visa exempt and then obtain a non o (retirement) at immigration in Thailand.

 

The visa exempt entry gives 45 days permission of stay. You could apply for the non O with 15 days left on you POS.

 

The non O rt would require you to have 800k in Thai bank on day of application.

The non O grants you 90 day stay.

You then can apply for 12 month extension. You would need the 800k to be in bank for 2 months prior to applying for extension. 

 

Do you have a Thai bank account.

Personally I would avoid a non O-A at this point in time.

Can't the person also start the monthly income transfer method using the non O instead of the 800k baht on deposit method?

[gk10012001]

Getting the OA in advance before you travel from your home country means you do not have to do anything when you first arrive in Thailand.  You have to buy the Thai approved health insurance or get your insurance company to sign off on some paperwork, and the special COVID coverage also, either on the same insurance plan or get something separate.  Then there is the health certificate, criminal report, and a few other odds and ends you can look up.  Once you get all that and the OA visa, you fly to Thailand and show up and enter.  Of course you still have to do the 90 day reports.  Some people opt for the convenience of the OA.  In addition, with the OA, for the first year, your monies stay in your home country and you do not need to transfer anything into Thailand.  After the one year when you apply for the extension, you will then have to either do the 800K baht deposit or have made arrangements for the monthly transfer of 65000 baht, and pay attention to the deposit rules and seasoning requirements for how many months that must have started before applying for the Retirement extension. 

[DrJack54]

5 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

In addition, with the OA, for the first year, your monies stay in your home country and you do not need to transfer anything into Thailand.  After the one year when you apply for the extension, you will then have to either do the 800K baht deposit

A Non O-A is a multiple entry visa. Valid for 12 months. Every time you enter Thailand in that 12 months you are stamped in for a year. 

If you exit and reenter Thailand just prior to it's expiry you will be stamped in for 12 months. 

You would not need to apply for an extension for almost 2 years. 

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

6 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

Can't the person also start the monthly income transfer method using the non O instead of the 800k baht on deposit method?

@ubonjoe can you answer this question. Is it 2 months of transfers or longer. 

Edited August 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

@ubonjoe can you answer this question. Is it 2 months of transfers or longer. 

The rules allow for 2 months for the first extension application. Immigrations interpretation is that it only applies if you have entered on a non-o visa. If you have been here for a long period of time they will want 12 months of transfers.

[KeeTua]

11 hours ago, fishtank said:

No rip off insurance will be needed.

Not at the moment but anyone considering settling down here should have a plan B for the day Non-0 visas and extensions of stay will be required to show insurance. In the future I doubt any visa class or extension of stay will be exempt from an insurance requirement.

[CANSIAM]

11 minutes ago, KeeTua said:

Not at the moment but anyone considering settling down here should have a plan B for the day Non-0 visas and extensions of stay will be required to show insurance. In the future I doubt any visa class or extension of stay will be exempt from an insurance requirement.

Agreed, won't be long now - 3.3 million baht annual health coverage minimum for ALL yearly extensions regardless visa class !

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Agreed, won't be long now - 3.3 million baht annual health coverage minimum for ALL yearly extensions regardless visa class !

Pure guess work imo. 

However that's what forums are for ......... various opinions.

Edited August 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[CANSIAM]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Pure guess work imo. 

However that's what forums are for ......... various opinions.

Correct PURE guessing........ I'm sure foreigner friendly Anutin is working on it........ 

Edited August 6, 2021 by CANSIAM

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Correct PURE guessing........ I'm sure Anutin is working on it........ 

They are putting together a change for OA visas and extensions but not for any other visas or extensions. It was in the news a couple of months ago.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Correct PURE guessing........ I'm sure foreigner friendly Anutin is working on it........ 

It's an interesting one. 

Some expats here due to age and or pre existing medical conditions perhaps cannot obtain insurance.

Think one sticking point even for greedy gov might be for the group marriage to Thai. 

The Thai insurance companies would love it if it was Thai only companies.

[CANSIAM]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

It's an interesting one. 

Some expats here due to age and or pre existing medical conditions perhaps cannot obtain insurance.

Think one sticking point even for greedy gov might be for the group marriage to Thai. 

The Thai insurance companies would love it if it was Thai only companies.

At some point I'll try to kill my O-A.........  lol 

[KeeTua]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Some expats here due to age and or pre existing medical conditions perhaps cannot obtain insurance.

Think one sticking point even for greedy gov might be for the group marriage to Thai. 

After witnessing the hardships the Thai people have had inflicted on them during this pandemic expats should not expect much sympathy in the future. One glimmer of hope some could cling to is there would be a grandfather clause for current Non-0. Hope for it but don't count on it, have a backup plan if possible.

[DrJack54]

21 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

At some point I'll try to kill my O-A.........  lol 

 

21 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

 

Many have. 

Pre the insurance requirement and of course Mr Covid......the non O-A was a ripper visa and suited many. In fact some folk obtained one every 2 years and didn't even do extensions.

 

You will no doubt be aware that all you need to do is exit Thailand without reentry permit (in the future) and reenter visa exempt and then welcome to world of non O (RT) and extensions without bs insurance.

Anyone with a non O-A and happens to be married would be aware if they do their extensions based on marriage in lieu of retirement then no need for insurance.

Edited August 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[club]

12 hours ago, fishtank said:

Obtain a Non Imm O Visa in your own country and apply for the extension in Thailand.

Or arrive in Thailand with a Tourist Visa or a Visa exempt Entry and apply for an extension in Thailand.

No rip off insurance will be needed.

When I was in the USA in  September 2020. I had a Non imm O visa that was valid. I also had a re entry permit I paid 1000 thb that immigration here told me I needed. When I talked to the Thai Embassy Los Angeles  to find out what i needed to do to return to Thailand because the borders were closed. They told me I needed OA visa along with bank statements , FBI background check, Thai insurance including $100,000 Covid Insurance and a COE. Covid negative test. Certificate of Entry. Then  quarantine for 14 days once I landed in Thailand. Don't know if this has changed

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, club said:

When I was in the USA in  September 2020. I had a Non imm O visa that was valid. I also had a re entry permit I paid 1000 thb that immigration here told me I needed. When I talked to the Thai Embassy Los Angeles  to find out what i needed to do to return to Thailand because the borders were closed. They told me I needed OA visa along with bank statements , FBI background check, Thai insurance including $100,000 Covid Insurance and a COE. Covid negative test. Certificate of Entry. Then  quarantine for 14 days once I landed in Thailand. Don't know if this has changed

 

That was changed in October of last year.

You can enter using a re-entry permit for a extension of stay now and apply for a non-o visa.

[Robin]

Never forget that Retirement visa are a Taksin era creation.  One of his more sensible ideas IMO.  AS this Junta does not really like any farangs, especially long stayers who might be corrupting innocent Thais with ideas of democracy and fair government, there is always the possibility that Retirement visas will have new and arduous requirements added once tha Covid emergency is over and tourists return.

Never expect any sensible or logical moves from any Thai government.

[club]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That was changed in October of last year.

You can enter using a re-entry permit for a extension of stay now and apply for a non-o visa.

I didn't receive the OA visa until Dec of 2020. Like I said I already had a O visa and re entry permit

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, club said:

I didn't receive the OA visa until Dec of 2020. Like I said I already had a O visa and re entry permit

Was your re-entry permit still valid?

It think the consulate may sold you a visa you didn't need.

A friend returned in October of last year with a extension of stay and a valid re-entry permit.

[club]

40 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Was your re-entry permit still valid?

It think the consulate may sold you a visa you didn't need.

A friend returned in October of last year with a extension of stay and a valid re-entry permit.

 

40 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Was your re-entry permit still valid?

It think the consulate may sold you a visa you didn't need.

A friend returned in October of last year with a extension of stay and a valid re-entry permit.

Re entry i got right before i left for Thailand Sep 2020. Visa was still good until April of 2021.  At first they said i could return on my O visa and re entry permit. They emailed me a week later and said re entry permit was valid but thet said it would not work and that I needed to change O visa to OA. 

[CANSIAM]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

 

Many have. 

Pre the insurance requirement and of course Mr Covid......the non O-A was a ripper visa and suited many. In fact some folk obtained one every 2 years and didn't even do extensions.

 

You will no doubt be aware that all you need to do is exit Thailand without reentry permit (in the future) and reenter visa exempt and then welcome to world of non O (RT) and extensions without bs insurance.

Anyone with a non O-A and happens to be married would be aware if they do their extensions based on marriage in lieu of retirement then no need for insurance.

My permission to stay is Dec. 19 so I will have to re-align my health insurance dates to match the year extension date, also I have to leave Thailand in March for 4-5 months so I guess that would be my chance to kill without a reentry permit.... another thought - would they allow me a 60 day covid extension in mid December due to my plan on leaving the country on March 2 ? 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

My permission to stay is Dec. 19 so I will have to re-align my health insurance dates to match the year extension date, also I have to leave Thailand in March for 4-5 months so I guess that would be my chance to kill without a reentry permit.... another thought - would they allow me a 60 day covid extension in mid December due to my plan on leaving the country on March 2 ? 

That would do the 60 day covid 19 extension if they are still available in December.

If you wanted to end the OA extension you probably could just show a few months of insurance and they would only issue the extension to that day.

[DrJack54]

35 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

My permission to stay is Dec. 19 so I will have to re-align my health insurance dates to match the year extension date, also I have to leave Thailand in March for 4-5 months so I guess that would be my chance to kill without a reentry permit.... another thought - would they allow me a 60 day covid extension in mid December due to my plan on leaving the country on March 2 ? 

Sounds like your well aware of your options. Bit of toss the coin thing..

 

My guess is that covid extensions will continue for some time to come.

 

Personally I would opt to obtain covid extension/s prior to end of current permission of stay.

Then as stated earlier next entry will be visa exempt, followed by non O in Thailand. 

Edited August 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[Sophon]

1 hour ago, Robin said:

Never forget that Retirement visa are a Taksin era creation.  One of his more sensible ideas IMO.  AS this Junta does not really like any farangs, especially long stayers who might be corrupting innocent Thais with ideas of democracy and fair government, there is always the possibility that Retirement visas will have new and arduous requirements added once tha Covid emergency is over and tourists return.

Never expect any sensible or logical moves from any Thai government.

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure both the retirement extension and the OA visa predates Thaksin's reign as Prime Minister by many years. 

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, Sophon said:

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure both the retirement extension and the OA visa predates Thaksin's reign as Prime Minister by many years. 

The one year extension of stay was before him. But the OA visa became available 2003 or so.