Hi, I have had a Non-O in the past but am looking at the O-A from London.

1. Insurance: from what I have read it seems complicated getting it from a non-Thai provider, has anyone done this successfully from a UK/Global co. and what is the approx cost? (I am 60 with no existing conditions, fit and healthy with no claim history).

2. Visa Termination: I see that I can leave Thailand and re-enter before the end of the first year, and in effect get another year of visa usage. If I want to leave Thailand in the following months, does the previous multiple entry status I had continue, if not can I get a re-entry permit, or does the visa finish if I leave the kingdom again?

3. Renewal Location: Where does the visa have to be renewed, Thailand or my home country, or either? If in Thailand, do I need to transfer Bt800k into a Thai bank?

4. Renewal Timing: Can the visa be renewed any time i.e. towards the end of the first year, or any time in the second year if I do an in/out before the visa expires in the first year?

Thanks!

28 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

If I want to leave Thailand in the following months, does the previous multiple entry status I had continue, if not can I get a re-entry permit, or does the visa finish if I leave the kingdom again?

You need reentry permit + another year of insurance.

28 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Renewal Location: Where does the visa have to be renewed, Thailand or my home country, or either? If in Thailand, do I need to transfer Bt800k into a Thai bank?

After the second year you outlined you either start again an obtain new New Non O-A or obtain an extension.

The extension would require funds in Thai bank account as per the extensions from a Non O

31 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Renewal Timing: Can the visa be renewed any time i.e. towards the end of the first year, or any time in the second year if I do an in/out before the visa expires in the first year?

The application for extension can be done up to 30 days prior to expiry (45 at some offices such as CW, CM etc)

You cannot do it "anytime"

Any particular reason for opting for Non O-A

Thank you Dr. Jack.

So I have to decide between extension with sending funds into a Thai bank, or going through the whole O-A process again; I was hoping there would be no funds transfer requirement :(

5 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Thank you Dr. Jack.

So I have to decide between extension with sending funds into a Thai bank, or going through the whole O-A process again; I was hoping there would be no funds transfer requirement :(

To be frank I don't see good reason for Non O-A.

Possibly good for guys that go back to home country at least every two years and start over with new Non O-A

The plus is no 800k in Thai Bank.

After many years, of using 800k in bank I have now moved to income method.

That requires no min balance in the bank. Just monthly transfers which in any event I need to live off.

65k/ month is low bench mark.

For folk only living in Thailand say 6-8 months per year then maybe Non O-A is a good fit

14 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

To be frank I don't see good reason for Non O-A.

Possibly good for guys that go back to home country at least every two years and start over with new Non O-A

The plus is no 800k in Thai Bank.

After many years, of using 800k in bank I have now moved to income method.

That requires no min balance in the bank. Just monthly transfers which in any event I need to live off.

65k/ month is low bench mark.

For folk only living in Thailand say 6-8 months per year then maybe Non O-A is a good fit

I am expecting to go to the UK for 2- 3 months each year. Looked at O-A as its about £400 cheaper when factoring the difference in interest rates between Thailand and UK, but O seems to be a lot less hassle.

Regarding monthly transfers, can these come from existing savings/capital or do they have to be from a pension? I don't have a pension but have the funds so income method would be good....

1 hour ago, Dazzler said:

Hi, I have had a Non-O in the past but am looking at the O-A from London.

1. Insurance: from what I have read it seems complicated getting it from a non-Thai provider, has anyone done this successfully from a UK/Global co. and what is the approx cost? (I am 60 with no existing conditions, fit and healthy with no claim history).

My understanding is when first applying for Type-OA from outside of Thailand, the foreign embassy will, if appropriate criteria met, grant a Type-OA visa.

1 hour ago, Dazzler said:

1. Visa Termination: I see that I can leave Thailand and re-enter before the end of the first year, and in effect get another year of visa usage. If I want to leave Thailand in the following months, does the previous multiple entry status I had continue, if not can I get a re-entry permit, or does the visa finish if I leave the kingdom again?

Yes in effect, if you handle the exit/entry timing very very carefully, one can squeeze two years out of a Type-OA visa.

However the 'devil' in this is when one attempts to get a 1-year extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand (based on retirement), when on a Type-OA visa. At that point in time, the original foreign insurance, one used to get the initial type-OA visa, can NOT be used for a one-year extension (based on retirement). Instead, if going for a 1-year extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand, based on retirement, with an underlying Type-OA, one has to use the Thai branch of a health insurance company.

1 hour ago, Dazzler said:

1. Renewal Location: Where does the visa have to be renewed, Thailand or my home country, or either? If in Thailand, do I need to transfer Bt800k into a Thai bank?

The visa actually is not renewed. I know - I know - that sounds surprising.

Rather if one enters Thailand, and the last valid day of one's Type-OA visa, one is granted a one year permission to stay in Thailand. After that, if one is in Thailand (and only if in Thailand) one can go to a Thailand immigration (typically 30 to 45 days before the permission to stay in Thailand expires) and get an extension on the permission to stay in Thailand (despite the visa being expired). Its not an extension of the visa.

I know, that reads to be strange ... but that is the actual technical detail.

1 hour ago, Dazzler said:

1. Renewal Timing: Can the visa be renewed any time i.e. towards the end of the first year, or any time in the second year if I do an in/out before the visa expires in the first year?

The problem (as noted by others) is when on a Type-OA visa, about 30 to 45 days before your permission to stay in Thailand expires (on your no longer valid entry Type-OA visa) , when you go to Thai immigration in Thailand, they will insist you have Health Insurance from a Thai branch of a health insurance company. The foreign branch of a Health Insurance company (even thou initially successfully used to get your Type-OA) is not acceptable for a permission to stay extension.

This fact, resulted in many of us, deliberately leaving Thailand in a way to invalidate our Type-OA visas !!! and we re-entered Thailand Visa exempt (giving us 30 to 60 days permission to stay in Thailand) and then applied for a 90-day Type-O visa. After getting that 90-day Type-O visa, when there was 30 to 45 days left in our Type-O visa permission to stay in Thailand, we applied for a 1 year extension on the 'permission to stay' in Thailand on that underlying Type-O visa. For the Type-O there is NO health insurance requirement.

Which is why, most of us recommend a type-O and not a type-OA.

I think Dr.Jack54 summed this up better than I did.

Best of wishes in your approach. Be certain, as soon as you enter Thailand (on a Type-O or OA visa - what ever approach you use) to open a Thai bank account. Do NOT delay there. Open the Thai bank account ASAP, as you will need money in that bank account to qualify for an extension of your permission to stay in Thailand on the underlying visa.

9 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

My understanding is when first applying for Type-OA from outside of Thailand, the foreign embassy will, if appropriate criteria met, grant a Type-OA visa.

Yes in effect, if you handle the exit/entry timing very very carefully, one can squeeze two years out of a Type-OA visa.

However the 'devil' in this is when one attempts to get a 1-year extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand (based on retirement), when on a Type-OA visa. At that point in time, the original foreign insurance, one used to get the initial type-OA visa, can NOT be used for a one-year extension (based on retirement). Instead, if going for a 1-year extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand, based on retirement, with an underlying Type-OA, one has to use the Thai branch of a health insurance company.

The visa actually is not renewed. I know - I know - that sounds surprising.

Rather if one enters Thailand, and the last valid day of one's Type-OA visa, one is granted a one year permission to stay in Thailand. After that, if one is in Thailand (and only if in Thailand) one can go to a Thailand immigration (typically 30 to 45 days before the permission to stay in Thailand expires) and get an extension on the permission to stay in Thailand (despite the visa being expired). Its not an extension of the visa.

I know, that reads to be strange ... but that is the actual technical detail.

The problem (as noted by others) is when on a Type-OA visa, about 30 to 45 days before your permission to stay in Thailand expires (on your no longer valid entry Type-OA visa) , when you go to Thai immigration in Thailand, they will insist you have Health Insurance from a Thai branch of a health insurance company. The foreign branch of a Health Insurance company (even thou initially successfully used to get your Type-OA) is not acceptable for a permission to stay extension.

This fact, resulted in many of us, deliberately leaving Thailand in a way to invalidate our Type-OA visas !!! and we re-entered Thailand Visa exempt (giving us 30 to 60 days permission to stay in Thailand) and then applied for a 90-day Type-O visa. After getting that 90-day Type-O visa, when there was 30 to 45 days left in our Type-O visa permission to stay in Thailand, we applied for a 1 year extension on the 'permission to stay' in Thailand on that underlying Type-O visa. For the Type-O there is NO health insurance requirement.

Which is why, most of us recommend a type-O and not a type-OA.

I think Dr.Jack54 summed this up better than I did.

Best of wishes in your approach. Be certain, as soon as you enter Thailand (on a Type-O or OA visa - what ever approach you use) to open a Thai bank account. Do NOT delay there. Open the Thai bank account ASAP, as you will need money in that bank account to qualify for an extension of your permission to stay in Thailand on the underlying visa.

Thanks for the thorough explanation, O looks like the far better choice...

20 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Regarding monthly transfers, can these come from existing savings/capital or do they have to be from a pension? I don't have a pension but have the funds so income method would be good...

The word "pension" is often used.

It's actually income method and despite what some immigration offices require by way of proof of source of income many do not.

They want to see the monthly transfers.

I do not receive a pension, yet use income method for annual extensions.

Just show consistent international transfers each month.

13 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The word "pension" is often used.

It's actually income method and despite what some immigration offices require by way of proof of source of income many do not.

They want to see the monthly transfers.

I do not receive a pension, yet use income method for annual extensions.

Just show consistent international transfers each month.

Thanks DrJack, O visa by income method seems to be my best option.

when would the first transfer need to be made?

2 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Thanks DrJack, O visa by income method seems to be my best option.

when would the first transfer need to be made?

The thing is without embassy letter your first extension needs to be done using money in bank method.

800k in a Thai bank.

As soon as you start process for extension using money in bank method you would start the monthly transfers.

You run both methods at the same time.

For second extension you can show 12 international transfers if min 65k per month..

You can also show compliance with the money in bank method.

After that you can just use income method ongoing.

Here is thread of my most recent extension at CW using income method. Some unrelated issues in that thread however some parts useful.

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The thing is without embassy letter your first extension needs to be done using money in bank method.

800k in a Thai bank.

As soon as you start process for extension using money in bank method you would start the monthly transfers.

You run both methods at the same time.

For second extension you can show 12 international transfers if min 65k per month..

You can also show compliance with the money in bank method.

After that you can just use income method ongoing

OK, thanks.

On 2/27/2026 at 5:04 PM, Dazzler said:

Thank you Dr. Jack.

So I have to decide between extension with sending funds into a Thai bank, or going through the whole O-A process again; I was hoping there would be no funds transfer requirement :(

There is one other "gotcha" with this visa I can't see is mentioned above that I haven't been able to solve. The O-A requirement of the medical certificate.

My long term doctor refused to sign it without ALL tests ticked off and if any are inconclusive made a point of also not signing. Try getting a couple of those tests done in Sydney. Also, tried other doctors and travel medical centres but no luck.

In a post I made about this previously, people mentioned I could get it in Thailand online but apparently it needs to be done in your home country and notarised. I have seen online doctors in England can do it for you so maybe that's an option for you.

I'm applying for the 90 day non-O this month. Have given up the thought of the O-A and might be for the best anyway.

16 hours ago, BaanOz said:

In a post I made about this previously, people mentioned I could get it in Thailand online but apparently it needs to be done in your home country and notarised.

Who told you this?

On 3/3/2026 at 2:24 AM, BrandonJT said:

Who told you this?

Just had a look and a number of embassy sites plus the official e-visa site.
Although, ignore "notarised" as that was on embassy sites and afaik no longer used and not mentioned on the e-visa site.

"it needs to be done in your home country", I read directly from the e-visa site about OA non-immigrant visa:

Required Documents
5. A medical certificate issued in the country where the application is submitted... etc etc.

On 2/27/2026 at 2:40 PM, Dazzler said:

OK, thanks.

The thing is without embassy letter your first extension needs to be done using money in bank method.

800k in a Thai bank.

As soon as you start process for extension using money in bank method you would start the monthly transfers.

You run both methods at the same time.

For second extension you can show 12 international transfers if min 65k per month..

You can also show compliance with the money in bank method.

After that you can just use income method ongoing.

Here is thread of my most recent extension at CW using income method. Some unrelated issues in that thread however some parts useful.

On 2/27/2026 at 2:32 PM, DrJack54 said:

The thing is without embassy letter your first extension needs to be done using money in bank method.

800k in a Thai bank.

As soon as you start process for extension using money in bank method you would start the monthly transfers.

You run both methods at the same time.

For second extension you can show 12 international transfers if min 65k per month..

You can also show compliance with the money in bank method.

After that you can just use income method ongoing.

Here is thread of my most recent extension at CW using income method. Some unrelated issues in that thread however some parts useful.

So Dr. Jack, could I put Bt800k in a Thai bank and at the same time start making Bt65k monthly transfers, and then:

- 2 months after approval, send 400k to UK dropping the Thai balance to 400k.

- 2 months before needing to extend, transfer another 400k back to the Thai bank from UK, so I have 800k balance again.

- After getting the extension, transfer 800k out of the Thai bank and carry on with the transfers thereafter until the next extension?

Thanks!

20 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

- 2 months after approval, send 400k to UK dropping the Thai balance to 400k.

For your first extension season 800k for 2 months prior to application and maintain for THREE months after approval.

Not below 400k after 3 months..

Back up to 800k 2 months prior to second extension.

At time of first extension application commence monthly transfers of 65k+

For second extension you will show compliance with both money in bank and also with 12 transfers you will show compliance with income method.

After that just monthly transfers required.

25 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

For your first extension season 800k for 2 months prior to application and maintain for THREE months after approval.

Not below 400k after 3 months..

Back up to 800k 2 months prior to second extension.

At time of first extension application commence monthly transfers of 65k+

For second extension you will show compliance with both money in bank and also with 12 transfers you will show compliance with income method.

After that just monthly transfers required.

Ah ok, maintain for three months after approval - thanks again.

I hope this is the appropriate thread to ask my question. I have been here for 17 years on an OA Visa. I'm married and have done my extensions susing marriage and 400,000 in the bank for several years with no problems. I'm 78 years old and not longer travel out of the country. I have an opportunity at the moment to convert to an O Visa which would save the 30 day wait time when applying for my yearly Visa. Should I make the switch?

18 minutes ago, streetlite said:

I'm married and have done my extensions susing marriage and 400,000 in the bank for several years with no problems

Don't understand your question.

Seems that you are already obtaining extensions based on marriage to a Thai national.

That has exactly same requirements as extensions from a Non O based on marriage.

Importantly neither requure insurance.

The only reason to kill off the Non O-A and obtain a Non O (retirement) would be if you wish to change from based on marriage to based on retirement.

9 hours ago, streetlite said:

I hope this is the appropriate thread to ask my question. I have been here for 17 years on an OA Visa. I'm married and have done my extensions susing marriage and 400,000 in the bank for several years with no problems. I'm 78 years old and not longer travel out of the country. I have an opportunity at the moment to convert to an O Visa which would save the 30 day wait time when applying for my yearly Visa. Should I make the switch?

You are using the wrong terminology. A lot of it.

You cannot convert from an extension based on marriage to a non-O visa. That doesn't even make sense. A visa is for entering Thailand.

You CAN apply for your next extension based on a different reason. So your next extension you can apply based on RETIREMENT, not marriage. This has nothing to do with a visa. You haven't had a visa for over a decade and you won't be getting one now. You're just applying for an extension based on a different reason.

The OA thing shouldn't even matter it was so long ago, and if you applied for your original visa based on marriage it was not a non-OA, it was a non-O. Non-OA is only for retirement, and only available in your home country.

Also there are some immigration offices that still do an "under consideration" period for those applying for an extension based on retirement. Have you checked your plans with your immigration office?

9 hours ago, streetlite said:

I hope this is the appropriate thread to ask my question. I have been here for 17 years on an OA Visa. I'm married and have done my extensions susing marriage and 400,000 in the bank for several years with no problems. I'm 78 years old and not longer travel out of the country. I have an opportunity at the moment to convert to an O Visa which would save the 30 day wait time when applying for my yearly Visa. Should I make the switch?

Along the lines of what DrJack54 noted, the only reasons (in your case) that I can see for switching to type-OA to type-O is

• some immigration offices handle a type-O (based on retirement) quicker than a type-OA (based on marriage).

• if your marriage is shaky, or if your spouse health is shaky, that could be a reason to switch to a visa (retirement) extension now (so to avoid having to change from marriage to retirement visa/extension when under a lot of stress if thing go bad re; the marriage ending). However if on a type-OA retirement there is nominally a need to obtain health insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company (unless the local immigration office gives one a 'grand father clause exemption for insurance - but they may no longer be possible). Hence the type-O is preferred by many as it has no health insurance requirement for the single expat who has no Thai wife.

I left Thailand (when on a Type-OA (extension) for reason of marriage) to invalidate the type-OA visa, and I returned visa exempt and obtained a type-O (retirement) because at that time, in Phuket, retirement extensions on a Type-O had massively less paperwork (and were quicker at the immigration office) than type-OA (marriage extension) to get.

But note the 'retirement' extension/visa requires more proof of funds than a 'marrige' extension/visa.

.

4 hours ago, oldcpu said:

• some immigration offices handle a type-O (based on retirement) quicker than a type-OA (based on marriage).

I left Thailand (when on a Type-OA (extension) for reason of marriage) to invalidate the type-OA visa, and I returned visa exempt and obtained a type-O (retirement) because at that time, in Phuket, retirement extensions on a Type-O had massively less paperwork (and were quicker at the immigration office) than type-OA (marriage extension) to get.

There is no such thing as a non-OA based on marriage. Non-OA is exclusively a retirement visa type.

5 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

There is no such thing as a non-OA based on marriage. Non-OA is exclusively a retirement visa type.

Yes true for the initial permission to stay. BUT it is more nuanced than that for subsequent extensions of one's permission to stay in Thailand.

One can after a certain period of time, get an extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand, if on a non-immigrant visa type-OA, for reason of marriage.

I did that. So have many many others.

In my case, after my '2-years' that I managed to get with my Type-OA (retirement) were up, for my first extension on my Type-OA, I went for a one year extension of my permission to stay, for reason of retirement (and I paid for almost worthless (double) insurance (massively high deductable) from the Thai branch of a health insurance company). I was not allowed by Phuket immigration, for that very first 1-year extension of my permission to stay, to go for an extension based on marriage.

But a year after that, for my 2nd one-year extension, of my permission to stay (on the underlying type-OA visa) I was allowed to go for a 1-year extension based on marriage -with no health insurance requirement.

Basically, given the OPs situation, we are , I believe, nominally talking about the 1-year extensions on one's permission to stay.

Your point thou is valid, for anyone initially contemplating to get a new type-OA visa.

3 hours ago, oldcpu said:

One can after a certain period of time, get an extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand, if on a non-immigrant visa type-OA, for reason of marriage.

That's correct.

Folk need to be aware that if one obtains a Non O-A or even a Non O based on retirement then the first extension must be based on retirement.

After that subsequent extensions can be based on eg Marriage.

The married guys with a Non O-A might do that to avoid health insurance.