Thai eVisa website for OA visa, or other options

[ibjoe]

Hi All. This is my first post! I'm happy to have found ASEAN NOW forums. As introduction, I am retired guy from California. January 2022 I visited Thailand under Test and Go VOA (Visa On Arrival aka "exempt" visa), and got two extensions (one 30 day and one 60 day) for 120 days total. Now I will return, December 2022, for extended / indefinite duration. I consider with OA retirement visa. The Thai eVisa website seems to work well, I started an application. I understood I'd need four documents: Financial proof, Criminal check, Health check, Health insurance. A bit onerous, but didn't seem too difficult. But after completing the initial pages I got to the document submission page, and they wanted 15 documents! I don't even know what they all are supposed to be. I think I would need to work with a knowledgeable agent to do this, and I don't know of any in USA. So I changed my plan: Enter with VOA. Then immediately get the 30 day extension. After that do the border run protocol, and I'm planning on visiting other countries anyway. And get new 30 day extension with each new VOA. So 60 days max per border run. Another option is work with agent in Thailand for a longer term visa, like OA visa. My Thai girlfriend suggested I should marry her and that would make things easier, and I'm not ready for that yet. Any comments, questions, suggestions? Thank you, Joe

 

 

[DrJack54]

Minor point first up.

Dont use the term "visa on arrival" as that does exist for some nationalities but being USA you are entitled to " visa exempt entry".

If you return December you will be stamped in for 45 days.

It has been increased to 45 from Oct 1 till end of March 2023

So visa exempt with extension gives 45 days.

You can also do 2 border runs per calendar year and obtain extensions for those.

You mention desire to travel and places such as Saigon is a great place to chill and the handy Thai consulate good place to obtain a tourist visa. 

Eventually if you want to live in Thailand the best options are non O followed by annual extensions. 

Either married or retirement (if over 50) .

That has financial requirements.

Both can be obtained via entry to Thailand with visa exemption and tourist visa entry.

 

You will find many folk suggest don't go down the non O-A path due to insurance requirement. 

Edited September 25, 2022 by DrJack54

[BritTim]

Stay away from the Non O-A visa! You are lucky that the application requirements steered you away from it. If you stay long term, the original Non O-A visa ends up requiring you to have (possibly unobtainable, and certainly costly) insurance.

[khunPer]

As @DrJack54 says, enter visa exempt and change to a non-immigrant O-visa when in Thailand, if you wish to stay for "extended / indefinite duration".

 

I will recommend - if you can afford it - to deposit 800.000 baht in a fixed long-term (i.e. 12-month) Thai bank account, making both change of entry to non-O visa and later extensions of stay very easy. I've been using this method for 15 years now...

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, khunPer said:

I will recommend - if you can afford it - to deposit 800.000 baht in a fixed long-term (i.e. 12-month) Thai bank account, making both change of entry to non-O visa and later extensions of stay very easy.

Many (including myself) park the 800k and keep it in account without withdrawals.

Avoids slip ups 

Just to add to your post...

The initial non O obtained in Thailand requires that the funds be shown to have come from abroad.

For extensions that is not required. 

[ibjoe]

Thank you @DrJack54 for the comments. Now I realize Visa-On-Arrival is for one group of countries and Visa-exempt is for another, including USA where I'm citizen. I see starting October 1, 2022 VOA now gets 30 days instead of 15, and exempt now gets 45 days instead of 30, but only until end of March 2023.

 

Also (including @BritTim and @khunPer) for "non O" visa considerations.

 

I have a question, can I still get a 30 day extension to this new 45 day exempt visa? I understand that if entering by land or sea I can only border run twice per year, but if entering by air there is not limit. Can I get 30 day extension for every exempt visa entry?

 

I understand that there are three "non-" (meaning "non-immigrant") O types:
"O" for family stay, e.g. if I marry my Thai girlfriend, which is good for 90 days but can be extended?
"O-A" for "retirement" (I'm over 50 years old) type, good for one year, and then can be continuously extended every year.
"O-X" also for "retirement", but good for five years, and then can be extended another five years, (and then what?).

 

For O-A  I need to open an Thai bank account, transfer and maintain ฿800k (more for O-X), I can do that. Hopefully an interest bearing account. I understand I also need health insurance. While my USA plan covers me internationally, it's only does so for emergencies, I need to pay and submit for refund. I plan to get international health insurance anyway. I found this link that details ways around the health insurance requirement: https://www.thaiembassy.com/travel-to-thailand/health-insurance-thailand-for-retirees Any suggestions for international health insurance, covering at least all ASEAN countries (maybe topic for another post)?

 

So now my plan is to arrive on exempt visa, get extensions and do border runs, and depending on how things go eventually work with Thai agent to get O or O-A visa. There is also the elite visa, but I don't see reason to spend that much.

 

Comments? Thank you, Joe

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, ibjoe said:

Comments? Thank you, Joe

Just one person's opinion.

The non O-A can only be obtain in your country.

Apart from that it's not a good idea (imo).

Also forget the O-X and others that you mention.

The best pathway is non O marriage if you end up marrying or non O retirement.

 Both have financial requirements. 

Both provide ongoing annual extensions. 

 

Prior to you obtaining the non O and extentions you mention staying in Thailand with visa exempt stamps and 30 day extensions.

That's possible however only for certain period time.

While visa exempt entries via air have no limit, doing back to back out/in flights using visa exempt will end in tears. 

You have available 2 visa exempt via land with extensions.

Also you can obtain tourist visa in nearby countries.

 

Added note: Opening a bank account (in last few years) can be very difficult on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp.

Suggest that you use an agent for this.

You do not need an agent for the non O and extentions.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by DrJack54

[CANSIAM]

Why don't you just change your online e-visa application to the 90 day Non O. Sounds like you have State side health insurance which may get you through the application. Police check not required. On the last 30 days of your Non O visa get your 1 year extension.....

[ibjoe]

Thank you @DrJack54 for the comments. Good point about getting tourist visa in nearby countries, such as Saigon. Both you and @CAMSIAM mention non O visa. I don't think I am eligible for this until after (if ever) I marry my Thai girlfriend. I don't see the (90 day) O visa is available for retirement. Per https://thaievisa.go.th/non-immigrant-o it is only for family, charity work, medical, etc. not retirement. I appreciate the comments, suggestions, advice! Thanks, Joe

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, ibjoe said:

. Good point about getting tourist visa in nearby countries, such as Saigon. Both you and @CAMSIAM mention non O visa.

You are 50+ years of age hence you can obtain a non O based on retirement. 

You can obtain the non O retirement in USA or in Thailand from a visa exempt or tourist visa entry. 

Easy process. 

Non O marriage has benefit of much easier financials.

However at this point you are not married. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, ibjoe said:

Thank you @DrJack54 for the comments. Good point about getting tourist visa in nearby countries, such as Saigon. Both you and @CAMSIAM mention non O visa. I don't think I am eligible for this until after (if ever) I marry my Thai girlfriend. I don't see the (90 day) O visa is available for retirement. Per https://thaievisa.go.th/non-immigrant-o it is only for family, charity work, medical, etc. not retirement. I appreciate the comments, suggestions, advice! Thanks, Joe

They do issue the non-o for retirement but does not show it until you register and start the e visa application.

Requirements are here on the embassy website. https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/17/nonoretirement/

Nearby embassies and consulates do not use the e visa site. Most will issue a non-o visa for retirement.

You can also enter visa exempt and apply for the non-o visa for retirement at immigration.

 

[ibjoe]

That is very interesting about O (90 day) retirement visa. I only found vague references searching.
But as you say, at Thai evisa site https://thaievisa.go.th/
Select "Which type of visa should I apply for"
Choose "Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wish to stay in Thailand no longer than 90 days)"
Result is "Your visa type is “Non-Immigrant Visa (O)”"
Though when click "View Detail" the screen only describes family, charity, medical, etc. nothing about retirement.
So I probably could apply though the site for O retirement, and follow up with extension.
I also found a Thai "visa assist" site that says enter on Exempt or 60 day tourist, we will change to O (90 day), then after 60 days extend to 1 year retirement.
I have learned a lot due to your valuable comments, thank you @DrJack54 and @ubonjoe .
Joe