E-visa and opening bank account

[Liquorice]

16 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

 

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/non-immigrant-visa-o-a?menu=5e1ff71bc4281a00c812e8e2

 

5. Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom

 

            5.1  Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry.

 

From the same website;

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/general-information?menu=5e1ff6d057b01e00a6391dc5

 

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay.  Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand.  In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years.  The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker. 

 

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. 

[The Great Tortoise]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The non O-A was not the best choice.

Since she has the non O-A she will require ongoing useless insurance for every extension.

 

This forum has zillion threads of folk exiting Thailand to "kill off" their non O-A. 

Then renter having obtained a non O based on retirement from outside of Thailand or by entering visa exempt or tourist visa and obtaining a non O at local immigration office.

That enables ongoing extensions without the need for health insurance. 

 

 

That's not really a problem. We have included health insurance as part of the essential costs of living outside of the UK. Even in the UK, with how the NHS now, health insurance would be a good idea, but that is to go off topic. Even if it were not a requirement for permit extensions, we would be taking it out anyway.

[The Great Tortoise]

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

From the same website;

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/general-information?menu=5e1ff6d057b01e00a6391dc5

 

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay.  Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand.  In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years.  The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker. 

 

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. 

 

I understand this difference. However, it does look like the period of stay dates from the date of first entry, so even if she were to go out and come back in again, her new entry stamp would still be dated to 12 months from her first entry, which was last week, according to 5.1. I don't read it as saying that she will get 12 months each time on each new entry.

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

 

I understand this difference. However, it does look like the period of stay dates from the date of first entry, so even if she were to go out and come back in again, her new entry stamp would still be dated to 12 months from her first entry, which was last week, according to 5.1. I don't read it as saying that she will get 12 months each time on each new entry.

Wrong ....

[The Great Tortoise]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Wrong ....*******

 

On the other hand, this site seems to confirm what you are saying:

 

https://www.thethailandlife.com/o-a-visa-guide

 

 

[The Great Tortoise]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Wrong ....*******

 

I'm not trying to argue with you here. I'm trying to figure out what the correct information is in a field that seems to be rife with contradictions and conflicting information and opinions.

[Liquorice]

2 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

That's not really a problem. We have included health insurance as part of the essential costs of living outside of the UK. Even in the UK, with how the NHS now, health insurance would be a good idea, but that is to go off topic. Even if it were not a requirement for permit extensions, we would be taking it out anyway.

You realise that when the time comes for your Mother to extend her period of stay from entry of a Non O-A visa, the 3M compulsory Insurance is also mandatory for the yearly extensions. The older you become, the higher the risk and the higher the premiums. She may even be refused Insurance by a certain age.

 

Extending your stay for a Non O visa does not require mandatory Insurance for the annual extensions.

Your are free to self Insure, or find a Health Insurance policy that better suits your needs at a more affordable rate than the Insurance forced upon you by the Thai tgia companies from a Non O-A .

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

I'm not trying to argue with you here

Here is one thread. There are numerous..

I posted explanation of how non O-A works in attached thread.

You need to do some reading 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1303949-apply-for-non-o-or-non-o-a-visa/

[Liquorice]

6 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

 

I'm not trying to argue with you here. I'm trying to figure out what the correct information is in a field that seems to be rife with contradictions and conflicting information and opinions.

No contradictions or conflicting information in this topic, we are all stating the same about the Non 0-A visa.

 

The Non O-A is valid to enter Thailand for 1 year.
It's multiple entry, so you can depart and re-enter as many times as you like within the validity of the visa.
On entry you are permitted a stay of 1 year (subject to Insurance expiry date).

[The Great Tortoise]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Here is one thread. There are numerous..

I posted explanation of how non O-A works in attached thread.

You need to do some reading 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1303949-apply-for-non-o-or-non-o-a-visa/

 

The problem is that reading forum posts and even articles like in the Thaiger, you get heaps of conflicting information, so we have been using the official Thai government site as the source of truth. (Echoes of Jacinda Ardern lol!)

 

Stepping aside from the O vs OA debate for a moment, and focussing on the 1 year vs 2 years allowable with the OA --

The key line on the government website is this:

 

Quote

5.1  Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry.

 

But this contradicts just about everything else that I am reading.

 

The Thai version of the government site says first entry too, so I am a bit pissed off if this is in fact incorrect.

 

[The Great Tortoise]

2 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

No contradictions or conflicting information in this topic, we are all stating the same about the Non 0-A visa.

 

The Non O-A is valid to enter Thailand for 1 year.
It's multiple entry, so you can depart and re-enter as many times as you like within the validity of the visa.
On entry you are permitted a stay of 1 year (subject to Insurance expiry date).

 

It seems that the plain meaning of the Thai government web site (5.1) is actually wrong then!

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

But this contradicts just about everything else that I am reading.

Is this a wind up.

When the non O-A is issued it has a period of validity.

Every enter to Thailand prior to visa expiry you will be given a 12 month permission of stay stamp.

Hence if you exit and reenter just prior to expiry you will be stamped for 12 months POS.

One rider is that you need to provide another 12 month health insurance.

 

What don't you understand! 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

 

It seems that the plain meaning of the Thai government web site (5.1) is actually wrong then!

No.

Your understanding is wrong

[The Great Tortoise]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

No.

Your understanding is wrong

 

So "First Entry" (on the Thai govt website) actually means "Most Recent Entry" or "Latest Entry" or even "Last Entry" lol, not "First time you use this visa" then. Interesting use of words.

 

Anyway, there have been some good tips here. I seem to have unwittingly riled some people up so I'll give this a rest and I'll report back as and when we get this bank account sorted out.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

I'll report back as and when we get this bank account sorted out.

As I mentioned earlier...you may have success with Kasikorn without bank requiring a certificate of residence. 

If banks insist upon COR that can be obtained at local immigration office.

 

[Liquorice]

26 minutes ago, The Great Tortoise said:

Stepping aside from the O vs OA debate for a moment, and focussing on the 1 year vs 2 years allowable with the OA --

The key line on the government website is this:

 

Quote

5.1  Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry.

 

But this contradicts just about everything else that I am reading.

 

The Thai version of the government site says first entry too, so I am a bit pissed off if this is in fact incorrect.

 

You're entirely missing the point and misinterpreting that information.

It's states 'from the date of first entry' because you can have a second, third, fourth, in fact unlimited entries during the 1 year validity of that visa.

 

Entering VE permits a stay of 30 days.

Entering TV permits a stay of 60 days.

Entering Non O permits a stay of 90 days.

Entering Non 0-A permits a stay of 365 days.

 

Similarly, the Non Imm O multi entry visa is also valid for 1 year.
Foreigner can stay for 15 months with that type of visa - why?

The first entry only permits a stay of 90 days.
Cross a border and re-enter and permitted a further stay of 90 days, and so on.

 

I don't think you've as yet grasped the fact that the validity of a visa and the validity of the period of stay are totally separate.

Each and every entry from a Non 0-A ME permits a period of stay of 365 days during the 1 year validity of the visa.
Just as the Non Imm 0 ME permits multiple 90 day entries during the 1 year validity of the visa, the Non 0-A permits multi entries of 365 days during the validity of the visa (subject to Health Insurance expiry date).

Edited May 17 by Liquorice