O-A visa re-entry

[Kilick]

I have an O-A visa that had to be used by December of 2022. I came into the country January of 2022 and was stamped until December 13 as per my valid insurance policy. I left in June for 4 months came back in October and was stamped again until December 13 as per the expiration of my insurance. I purchased another policy that is good until December 13th 2023 and did a border bounce to Malaysia and was stamped back into Thailand until the 26th of October 2023. I left again in February 2023 and have just re-entered thailand only to be given a 45 day stamp as the original o-a visa has expired. Even thought I was valid until Oct 26 2023.

 Am I to understand that I am unable to leave the country and return using this visa after the use by date but I could stay until October 26 2023 as per the stamp from malaysia 

 

[Red Phoenix]

Two questions for clarification of what you wrote:

#1 - Did you have a Re-Entry Permit when you last entered Thailand? Without such re-entry permit the Visa you had is being voided, and you then receive a Visa Exempt 45-day permit to stay. 

#2 - Is your Passport validity shorter than the Permit to stay that the Non Imm O-A Visa entry would provide you?  That might explain the 26 October permit you received, instead of a 13 December one. 

[ThailandRyan]

Reentry permit was needed to keep the second year of the Visa alive if you left the country after the first year....

[DrJack54]

57 minutes ago, Kilick said:

. I left again in February 2023 and have just re-entered thailand only to be given a 45 day stamp as the original o-a visa has expired

You needed to obtain a reentry permit.

You now have a 45 day permission of stay..

 

Nothing can be done.

Sadly a big error.

 

The "multi entry" part of the visa expired along with it in Dec 2022. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by DrJack54

[Kilick]

29 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You needed to obtain a reentry permit.

You now have a 45 day permission of stay..

 

Nothing can be done.

Sadly a big error.

 

The "multi entry" part of the visa expired along with it in Dec 2022. 

I didn't know or realize the re-entry stamp was required. Thanks for the update

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Kilick said:

I didn't know or realize the re-entry stamp was required. Thanks for the update

Yep. Your not the only one. 

The error has been made before. 

 

You could consider obtaining a non O based on retirement from your visa exempt entry.

 

Guess that depends on how long you wanted to remain in Thailand. 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by DrJack54

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, Kilick said:

I didn't know or realize the re-entry stamp was required. Thanks for the update

It does happen for people who do not realize that for the 2nd year given on the O-A you need a reentry if your leaving during the second year.  

 

If your planning on staying most of the year you can now convert your current entry into a Non O visa and then extension of stay. Plenty of info on the forum on how to do it. Just make sure you get the 800k THB into the bank here soon if you have an account here. I used to use the O-A to go in and out on prior to covid but once covid locked us in for the most part starting in 2020 I just did an annual extension of stay, of course with the O-A you need health insurance which you seem to have obtained. With the O visa Health insurance is not a requirement, but like anything in life, health Insurance is needed for our health.

 

You can always look at the LTR visa if your retired and on a pension if you meet tge requirements.

  

Edited March 22, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Reentry permit was needed to keep the second year of the Visa alive if you left the country after the first year....

So it’s multiple entry only during the 1st year, not after that.

[Kilick]

13 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It does happen for people who do not realize that for the 2nd year given on the O-A you need a reentry if your leaving during the second year.  

 

If your planning on staying most of the year you can now convert your current entry into a Non O visa and then extension of stay. Plenty of info on the forum on how to do it. Just make sure you get the 800k THB into the bank here soon if you have an account here. I used to use the O-A to go in and out on prior to covid but once covid locked us in for the most part starting in 2020 I just did an annual extension of stay, of course with the O-A you need health insurance which you seem to have obtained. With the O visa Health insurance is not a requirement, but like anything in life, health Insurance is needed for our health.

 

You can always look at the LTR visa if your retired and on a pension if you meet tge requirements.

  

Any idea if I can leave for Cambodia at the end of 45 days and get another 45 days on return? That would satisfy my stay until I return home in june

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, Kilick said:

Any idea if I can leave for Cambodia at the end of 45 days and get another 45 days on return? That would satisfy my stay until I return home in june

No 30 days.

[ThailandRyan]

17 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

So it’s multiple entry only during the 1st year, not after that.

Yes, that's why you exit and reenter at the end of the first year to get a second tear and buy a reentry permit, I used to buy a multiple re-entry permit and then in October go back to the US and obtain a new one. It was a deal at just over 300 usd for 2 years. An annual extension is 1900 baht plus the 3800 baht me re-entry permit.  Basically it works out to around the same cost for 2 years, maybe about $20 more, but then if you travel like I used to do for business having the O-A was good.

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, Kilick said:

Any idea if I can leave for Cambodia at the end of 45 days and get another 45 days on return? That would satisfy my stay until I return home in june

I do not believe they will keep the 45 day exempt in play after March 31st. Yet who knows.

[Red Phoenix]

6 minutes ago, Kilick said:

Any idea if I can leave for Cambodia at the end of 45 days and get another 45 days on return? That would satisfy my stay until I return home in june

It's not clear yet whether the temporary 45 days Permit to stay instead of the regular 30 days for a Visa Exempt entry will be prolonged, as that temporary measure to entice tourists to stay longer in the country, was foreseen only till March 31. 

If 30 days is sufficient for you, you could either do a border-run on the last days of your current 45 days Permit to stay (note that you would lose some of the days from that 45 day Permit if you do it before expiry date). 

Or alternatively - and actually cheaper, easier and more convenient - is to visit a local Immigration Office and apply for a 30 day extension of stay (costs 1.900 THB). It will be provided on the spot and it will be added to the expiry date of your current 45 days Permit to Stay.  The Immigration Office might require when applying for that 30-day extension to show a TM-30 as proof of where you are staying in their province.  Simply ask your Hotel/Guesthouse to provide you with a copy of the TM-30 (by law they need to fill those whenever a foreigner is staying at their premises).  And if you are staying with friends, simply book a cheap Hotel-room the day before you apply, you don't even have to stay there (and can probably get a huge discount if you tell them you just need the TM-30 and will not make use of the room).

[Red Phoenix]

1 minute ago, Red Phoenix said:

It's not clear yet whether the temporary 45 days Permit to stay instead of the regular 30 days for a Visa Exempt entry will be prolonged, as that temporary measure to entice tourists to stay longer in the country, was foreseen only till March 31. 

If 30 days is sufficient for you, you could either do a border-run on the last days of your current 45 days Permit to stay (note that you would lose some of the days from that 45 day Permit if you do it before expiry date). 

Or alternatively - and actually cheaper, easier and more convenient - is to visit a local Immigration Office and apply for a 30 day extension of stay (costs 1.900 THB). It will be provided on the spot and it will be added to the expiry date of your current 45 days Permit to Stay.  The Immigration Office might require when applying for that 30-day extension to show a TM-30 as proof of where you are staying in their province.  Simply ask your Hotel/Guesthouse to provide you with a copy of the TM-30 (by law they need to fill those whenever a foreigner is staying at their premises).  And if you are staying with friends, simply book a cheap Hotel-room the day before you apply, you don't even have to stay there (and can probably get a huge discount if you tell them you just need the TM-30 and will not make use of the room).

And note that if 30 days is not sufficient for your travel plans, that instead of a same day border-run, that you could simply stay in Cambodia or Laos for a short holiday and return to Thailand 30 days before your scheduled departure date back home. 

[Red Phoenix]

Also > As you already extended your Non Imm O-A compliant Health Insurance Policy, you might as well re-apply for a Non Imm O-A Visa at the Thai Embassy of your home-country once you are home again.  But it might be useful to contact the insurer and ask whether it would be possible to update and re-issue your policy on a date prior but close to your next departure to Thailand.

Otherwise if you use the current policy you subscribed to, the Non Imm O-A Visa will be capped to the expiry date of your current policy. 

[JimTripper]

37 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes, that's why you exit and reenter at the end of the first year to get a second tear and buy a reentry permit, I used to buy a multiple re-entry permit and then in October go back to the US and obtain a new one. It was a deal at just over 300 usd for 2 years. An annual extension is 1900 baht plus the 3800 baht me re-entry permit.  Basically it works out to around the same cost for 2 years, maybe about $20 more, but then if you travel like I used to do for business having the O-A was good.

Why did you get a new visa every two years?

 

Could you have gotten the re-entry permit and just did an extension of the original visa when you got back to Thailand?

 

It just turns into basically an O with needing to have health insurance, right? And you need the 800k in the bank??

Edited March 22, 2023 by JimTripper

[DrJack54]

58 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

So it’s multiple entry only during the 1st year, not after that.

It's multi entry during the stated validity of the visa.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Why did you get a new visa every two years?

 

Could you have gotten the re-entry permit and just did an extension of the original visa when you got back to Thailand?

An extension would have required funds in Thai bank.

Obtaining new non O-A every two years does not. 

Suits some. Especially those that travel back to home country every couple of years. 

[TheAppletons]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

An extension would have required funds in Thai bank.

Obtaining new non O-A every two years does not. 

Suits some. Especially those that travel back to home country every couple of years. 

And you never have to deal with Thai Immigration in Thailand.  

 

When I was doing the "every two years get a new O-A visa" tactic, I didn't even do 90 day reports.  (Still required, I know, but unless you get arrested there's no consequence to skipping them, as I can attest.)

[steve187]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

So it’s multiple entry only during the 1st year, not after that.

its a multi entry visa until the visa expires

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

And you never have to deal with Thai Immigration in Thailand.  

 

When I was doing the "every two years get a new O-A visa" tactic, I didn't even do 90 day reports.  (Still required, I know, but unless you get arrested there's no consequence to skipping them, as I can attest.)

Prior to insurance requirements non O-A was ripper visa and as stated earlier if you visit home country every couple of years was an attractive option.

Not so much now imo. 

[ThailandRyan]

47 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Why did you get a new visa every two years?

 

Could you have gotten the re-entry permit and just did an extension of the original visa when you got back to Thailand?

 

It just turns into basically an O with needing to have health insurance, right? And you need the 800k in the bank??

The O-A Visa is only good for a max of two years. After that you either get a new one from your home cou try or do an extension of stay here in cou try based on the O-A Visa.

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, TheAppletons said:

And you never have to deal with Thai Immigration in Thailand.  

 

When I was doing the "every two years get a new O-A visa" tactic, I didn't even do 90 day reports.  (Still required, I know, but unless you get arrested there's no consequence to skipping them, as I can attest.)

That may be worth the flight back every two years.

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

That may be worth the flight back every two years.

Yet you have to provide many additional pieces of info to the consulates now. One of them is a police clearance as well as proof of Health Insurance. No police clearance needed here for your extension, well not yet.

 

https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-o-a-long-stay-retirement-up-to-1-year

 

Required documents :

1.  Actual Passport or Travel Document.
    (must not expire within 6 months and contain at least ONE completely empty visa page).

2.  Passport-size photographs (2″x2″)   
     – Photographs must have a light color background.
     – Full-face view of the person without wearing a hat or dark glasses and covering up shoulders.
     – Photos must be taken within 6 months.

3.  Flight confirmation / reservation, showing going from US to Thailand.
     (The name of the applicant must indicated clearly.)

4.   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 (an original copy) with a monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht; or 
      – a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht. 
      – In the case of submitting a bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank
        (an original copy) is required. 

5.  Medical certificate (must be notarized) showing no prohibitive diseases
     as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No.14 (B.E. 2535)
     certificate shall be valid for not more than three months. 
     

6. Criminal record
     – Letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record
     – verification have to valid for not more than three months and
     – must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only.

 

7.  Insurance – Applicant must have a health insurance for the duration of stay, with coverage for covid-19 disease with the total sum insured of THB 3,000,000 (100,000 USD) per policy year.

• Health insurance policy document issued by a Thai or foreign insurance company, stating that the applicant is
  medically insured for the period and with coverage as mentioned above:
  (a)  Foreign insurance company, the applicant must submit the original insurance policy document with 2 copies;
  (b)  Thai insurance company, the applicant must submit 2 copies of the insurance policy document or, if available,
       the original insurance policy document with 2 copies.

   

• A list of Thai insurance companies participating in the scheme can be found here: http://longstay.tgia.org
• Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and Health Insurance of Thailand,
  which must be completed, signed and stamped by the insurance company.

  The form can be downloaded here: Foreign Insurance Certificate Form

Edited March 22, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Prior to insurance requirements non O-A was ripper visa and as stated earlier if you visit home country every couple of years was an attractive option.

Not so much now imo. 

Is health insurance checked when you enter just before the visa expires for another year? If not, it could just lapse after the first year required for the visa.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Is health insurance checked when you enter just before the visa expires for another year? If not, it could just lapse after the first year required for the visa.

It should be checked and the validity stamp on entry would only be up till date of valid insurance. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by DrJack54

[JimTripper]

22 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It should be checked and the validity stamp on entry would only be up till date of valid insurance. 

Are the TM 30’s & 90 day reports checked at the border also? Or asking for fines if I did not report all year?

 

How to show insurance if the annual policy has not renewed yet? I would need to cross before the annual policy expired and prior to getting a coverage certificate for another year.

Edited March 22, 2023 by JimTripper

[couchpotato]

1 minute ago, JimTripper said:

Are the TM 30’s & 90 day reports checked at the border also? Or asking for fines if I did not report all year?

No..

[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

How to show insurance if the annual policy has not renewed yet?

You would need to chat with your insurance carrier to find out when new policy can be purchased. 

 

Hopefully someone that has done this previously towards end of validity of the non O-A can post first hand experience. 

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, Kilick said:

I didn't know or realize the re-entry stamp was required. Thanks for the update

It is a recurring theme. Thailand's visa policy is atypical, and people simply do not understand the distinctions between the "visa" and the "permission to stay".

 

For the future ...

 

Once your visa (what an embassy/consulate outside Thailand provided) has expired, examine your options as though the visa never existed.

 

On entry into Thailand, Immigration places an entry stamp in your passport that represents your permission to enter and stay in Thailand for a specified period of time. Your permission to stay has an expiry date that is separate from the expiry date of any visa you previously possessed. You can stay in Thailand until the expiry of your permission to stay or, under appropriate conditions, apply for your permission to stay to be extended.

 

Regardless of the expiry date of your permission to stay, if you leave Thailand, your permission to stay ends, and will no longer be valid for your return to Thailand. To protect your current permission to stay, you can purchase a re-entry permit before leaving.