Hi all, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post here 😅

I just got my OA visa approved and scheduled to enter Thailand via BKK later this month.

Mind if I ask a few questions?

At the airport, do I need to print out or show the officer anything other than my passport?

My visa is valid from 1 Aug 2026 to 31 Jul 2027, my insurance until 18 Aug 2027, and I will enter Thailand on 19 Aug 2026. Does that mean my permission to stay will be until 18 Aug 2027?

To get the "free second year" on the O-A, all I need to do is exit and enter Thailand on or just before 31 Jul 2027?

Do I need to proactively show the officer the new insurance for another year (digital or paper?), or will it be in their system already?

800k THB in a Thai bank account is not needed right?

I intend to convert my driving license and maybe get a scooter license as well. Do I need a residence certificate or will a TM30 suffice?

What about opening a bank account?

Is a 90 days report required?

That's all for now.

Thanks all.

Excited but apprehensive to start a new life in Thailand!

How about we get you IN to the country first and you don't get ahead of yourself worrying about the "free" second year ?

PRINT out the PDF they sent you when your visa was approved (that PDF file IS your visa)
PRINT out your proof of the year mandatory health insurance

Hand those two things to the officer when you stamp in AND when they had your passport back CHECK that you got stamped in on Non-OA, for a year (or as long as your health insurance is valid for up to a year) BEFORE you walk away from the counter at passport control

Also don't forget to file a TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) which you can do from 3 days before your arrival right on down to when you're standing in the arrival hall (there are free kiosks there to do it)

Not that I didn't want to answer your questions but you're getting the cart before the horse a bit.. Take it step by step, you got a while to figure out what to do next year

𝗧𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿" 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢-𝗔, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝟯𝟭 𝗝𝘂𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳?
As long as you get a new year mandatory health insurance (which you PRINT OUT) and exit/re-enter on/before your OA visa will expire you will get stamped in for a whole new year (or as long as your insurance is valid for up to a year)

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿?), 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆?
Yes, PRINT the new year insurance coverage paper the carrier sends you when you renew, NO it will NOT be in their system

𝟴𝟬𝟬𝗸 𝗧𝗛𝗕 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?
Correct to get that "free" second year you don't show proof of funds.. You're only activating a new entry on a year-long, multi-entry visa and getting a new year entry stamp.

Additional;

To get the "free second year" on the O-A, all I need to do is exit and enter Thailand on or just before 31 Jul 2027?

• Yes.

Do I need to proactively show the officer the new insurance for another year (digital or paper?), or will it be in their system already?

• Print it, they won't have any idea if you have it or not.

800k THB in a Thai bank account is not needed right?

• Correct

I intend to convert my driving license and maybe get a scooter license as well. Do I need a residence certificate or will a TM30 suffice?

• You will need a letter of residence (so called residence certificate).

What about opening a bank account?

• Should be OK with O-A

Is a 90 days report required

• Yes.

2 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Is a 90 days report required

• Yes.

Wouldn't that mean I can't do anything during the first 90 days?

Unfortunately I am going overseas from Thailand in late Sep for a short holiday. This would mean my 90 days is reset, and I would have to wait even longer?

Thanks.

1 minute ago, ngozumpa said:

Wouldn't that mean I can't do anything during the first 90 days?

Unfortunately I am going overseas from Thailand in late Sep for a short holiday. This would mean my 90 days is reset, and I would have to wait even longer?

Thanks.

Can't do anything? Like what? In the past Bangkok immigration wouldn't issue a letter of residence if you had not done a 90 day report. That is no longer the case. I can't think of anything else which can't be done without a 90 day report.

2 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Can't do anything? Like what? In the past Bangkok immigration wouldn't issue a letter of residence if you had not done a 90 day report. That is no longer the case. I can't think of anything else which can't be done without a 90 day report.

Oh I meant do I need a 90-days report to open bank account, convert/get vehicle license etc 😅

So currently I can get a residence certificate even without a 90-days?

Sorry for the confusion.

7 minutes ago, ngozumpa said:

Oh I meant do I need a 90-days report to open bank account, convert/get vehicle license etc 😅

No, no office requires you to have a 90 day report done to get a certificate of residence

7 minutes ago, ngozumpa said:

I can get a residence certificate even without a 90-days?

Bangkok dropped the "must have a 90 day report receipt a good while ago when you apply for a certificate of residence (and they were the only office that did it I believe) Most offices require a TM30 receipt, lease, and that's about it