Question Re: Retirement Visa Non-immigrant O-a

[elektrified]

While perusing another thread in this forum, a follow-up post by lopburi3 caught my attention. lop was talking about a retirement visa issued from the USA where he stated "The end result of OA or extension of stay are not exactly the same - with OA you do not have to have money in Thailand and can stay up to almost two years on a multi entry type visa and do not need re-entry permits during the first year."

This really got my interest and I took a look at the website of the Royal Thai Consulate in Los Angeles since I will be in L.A. for 30 days starting at the end of this month. First, the website says (Re: Retirement Visa Non-Immigrant O-A) "single-entry ONLY, no multiple-entry." Do some Thai Consulates in the USA offer multiple-entry and others don't? Which one(s) do/does? Could I apply in another state while I am in California? Will my passport come back in time for me to return to Thailand in 30 days? Second, and most importantly, under the requirement of providing bank statements showing the 800,000 Baht (or equivalent) , could I use my bank statement from my account in Europe? It does not say anything about having to be a bank account in the USA. I am a citizen of the USA but do not have funds there.

Thanks lop or anyone for your advice on this.

[lopburi3]

Multi entry has been the normal issue in the US for several years and is listed in Embassy Washington web site as below - so suspect this is another LA policy rather than a rule.

Visa Processing Fees:-

Visa processing fee for :

single entry = 65 USD.

multiple entries = 175 USD.

If application is submitted in person, visa processing fees are payable in cash or money order made payable to Royal Thai Embassy. If application is submitted by mail, please pay by money order only.

Validity of a visa:-

single entry : Validity of a visa is 3 months.

multiple entries : Validity of a visa is 1 year.

As for the money do not believe where it is located is that important but that could be a judgment call by person processing - am sure they normally only have US or Thai accounts to review.

I would not make application with only 30 days available - it is likely to only take a little longer than other visas from most reports but there is more paperwork involved that could result in notary questions or such which might take time to clear.

[gpdjohn]

The consulate in Houston gives mulitiple entry, where LA does not.

I went through Houston for my 0-A, multiple entry, and recieved it back within 3 days. You have to provide a FedEx envelope for return postage.

The consulate in Los Angeles seems to nit pick on allot of things...some may say they were happy with LA, I just got the run around from them.

Houston was much easier and much nicer to deal with. ( for me anyway )

[Maestro]

...I went through Houston for my 0-A, multiple entry, and recieved it back within 3 days...

Was that recently? I ask because I saw posts in the past few months saying that honorary consuls are no longer allowed to issue the non-OA visa.

--

Maestro

[elektrified]

Many thanks for that information gpdjohn. Sounds very promising. So, I would just send off the application, fee, my passport, and other supporting documents to Houston by FedEx along with a return FedEx envelope? Would they question why I was applying in Houston if I have a L.A. return address?

With respect to the evidence of the 800,000 Baht (or equivalent) what would I need to provide them with? A copy of my bank statement from my bank account in Europe will be O.K.? Or does the document have to be certified or notarized or something? I don't know if they can do this at the bank in Europe.

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated.

elektrified

[gpdjohn]

Maestro- That was in Dec 07.

Elektrified- They had no problems with me being in Phoenix at that time. I just sent everything ( medical, background from local PD i.e, criminal check, and all related requested documents) in a FedEx envelope and inclosed a return FedEx envelope to them. They actually called me on my cell phone and asked if I wanted a multiple entry, which I had only sent enough money for a single entry at the time, and informed me that I would have to send them another 90 bucks, I did, of course overnight FedEx again, and they returned my passport stamped multi-entry within 3 days.

They were great.

If ya want I can dig up thier address and phone numbers..let me know.

LA was a total pain in the ass. Of course with Thai Town in LA, I can imagine why.

Too many freaks to deal with.

I still do not understand the bank requirement...

I make well over 65 Bhat a month in my pension, but none in a bank account...question back for anyone who knows...do I HAVE TO HAVE 800,000 in an account or can I use my monthly income for my renewal??

( Get one question answered, ask one in return...hehe, barter system.. )

[gpdjohn]

Let me rephrase that..sorry

Well over 65,000Bt. a month.

Sorry.

[retiredusn]

Let me rephrase that..sorry

Well over 65,000Bt. a month.

Sorry.

All you need is a financial letter from the embassey (1020bt) no bank account needed. I have renewed/extended my permission to stay 5 times so far with no bank account without even a question being asked and this has been for both the wife(farang) and I............

[Maestro]

Retiredusn, you are talking about an application for extension of stay at an immigration office, everybody else about an application for a non-OA visa at a Thai consulate.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

Retiredusn, you are talking about an application for extension of stay at an immigration office, everybody else about an application for a non-OA visa at a Thai consulate.

--

Maestro

Actually believe retiredusn was making answer to below which appears to be an immigration extension.

do I HAVE TO HAVE 800,000 in an account or can I use my monthly income for my renewal??

[elektrified]

I did some googleing this morning to see if the Royal Thai Consulate in Houston has different rules/requirements than L.A.; especially with respect to the issue of the bank statement and if the bank account can be located in a country outside of the USA or Thailand. Surprisingly, I could not locate anything about this Consulate. It appears that they may not have a website. The L.A. Consulate asks for 1. Application (available as a download); 2. photos; 3. passport and photocopies; 4. Personal Data Form (available as a download); 5. bank statement; 6. police verification of no criminal record; and 7. medical certificate issued in the USA (available as a download).

Can I assume that Houston requires the same information? gpdjohn, do you recall if the requirements were the same?

Can I download and use the application form from the L.A. Consulate even though it has the name, address, phone number, etc. of the L.A. Office right on the form?

The L.A. website also says that the copies of the bank statement must be notarized. Can a European bank "notarize" a document in a way that would be acceptable in the USA or acceptable to the Thai Consulate in the USA?

Thanks again for everyone's help. If I could get this visa, it sure would make my life much easier.

[Lite Beer]

Is this any help?

http://www2.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-ImgLong.aspx

Probably the same info as you have already.

[elektrified]

Is this any help?

http://www2.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-ImgLong.aspx

Probably the same info as you have already.

Actually, yes that is very helpful. Thanks, Lite Beer. It does make one thing more clear to me, and that is "a letter of guarantee from the bank" is acceptable (as opposed to a notarized photocopy). A letter of guarantee is common with European Banks. I did search the Washington D.C. website but I think searched Consulate and not Embassy. Thanks again.

[JimGant]

I ask because I saw posts in the past few months saying that honorary consuls are no longer allowed to issue the non-OA visa.

This is true -- sometimes. Other times, not.

IAW Thai MFA Rule #1: "No two Consulates will march to the same drum beat. To facilitate this, conflicting guidance -- or no guidance -- will be issued."

Apparently, all honorary consulates in the UK can no longer issue Non Imm O-A visas. Instead, they can only be obtained at the Thai Embassy in London.

Honorary consulates in Australia still issue O-A visas.

A year or so ago, the honorary consulate in Denver put out notice that they would no longer issue O-A visas -- and that, furthermore, only residents of Colorado were eligible to apply for any type visa at this consulate.

I believe the honorary consulate in Florida has the same policy.

However, after hearing about Denver, I wrote the honorary consulate in Houston to ask about the O-A visa. Here is is a direct quote from their honorary vice consul, Julie Richardson, dated July 2007:

We are still issuing Retirement Visas. We have been given no instructions otherwise

Why the discrepancy with Denver? Dunno. I guess MFA Rule #1.

Hawaii's honorary consulate has the same drummer as Houston, at least based on a recent post here on this forum. I imagine many of the other US honoraries do too -- but I don't know for sure. But to find out, they're easy to contact. The link below has contact info:

Honorary Consulates, US

Houston is great to deal with. They don't (or at least 'didn't) require notarization for O-A documents; they'll send you guidance and fill-in documents as email attachments; they have no geographic restrictions on applicants (at least within the US); and they have a fast turnaround time with mail applications (in my experience).

Julie Richardson is their vice consul -- and their go-to person. Her email is:

[email protected]

Or her assistant is Michelle Aquilera, 713-229-0636 Ext. 1101.

As has been written many times on this forum, honorary consulates are the way to go. Too bad that some of them have been given rotten guidance of late.

Oh, money in the bank can be replaced with proof of monthly income equivalent of 65k/baht. This is a fairly recent change, putting MFA's long stay requirements in sync with Immigration's. (Well, almost -- hopefully the medical and police requirements will soon go away.)

[redwood13]

Let me rephrase that..sorry

Well over 65,000Bt. a month.

Sorry.

All you need is a financial letter from the embassey (1020bt) no bank account needed. I have renewed/extended my permission to stay 5 times so far with no bank account without even a question being asked and this has been for both the wife(farang) and I............

Not all Immigration offices have the same rules.

For an initial extension of stay for the purpose of retirement and subsequent extensions, Pattaya Immigration has had a mandatory requirement of proof of a Thai bank account and a letter from that bank showing current amount of funds on deposit, which must exactly match the bank book.

-redwood

[gpdjohn]

I did some googleing this morning to see if the Royal Thai Consulate in Houston has different rules/requirements than L.A.; especially with respect to the issue of the bank statement and if the bank account can be located in a country outside of the USA or Thailand. Surprisingly, I could not locate anything about this Consulate. It appears that they may not have a website. The L.A. Consulate asks for 1. Application (available as a download); 2. photos; 3. passport and photocopies; 4. Personal Data Form (available as a download); 5. bank statement; 6. police verification of no criminal record; and 7. medical certificate issued in the USA (available as a download).

Can I assume that Houston requires the same information? gpdjohn, do you recall if the requirements were the same?

Can I download and use the application form from the L.A. Consulate even though it has the name, address, phone number, etc. of the L.A. Office right on the form?

The L.A. website also says that the copies of the bank statement must be notarized. Can a European bank "notarize" a document in a way that would be acceptable in the USA or acceptable to the Thai Consulate in the USA?

Thanks again for everyone's help. If I could get this visa, it sure would make my life much easier.

See JimGant's response...he is spot on.

Houston requires same as LA.

Just no hassle and very quick turnaround. ( it's out of a law office, very efficent )

[elektrified]

Houston is beginning to look very promising. Many thanks to JimGant for his informative post.

Could someone please enlighten me as to how to go about getting this document entitled "police verification of no criminal record"? Do I just walk into a police station in Los Angeles and ask for it? Is there any specific procedure? Does a misdemeanor when I was hot-headed about 20 years ago and where I pleaded no-contest and paid a fine make me a "criminal"?

Thanks again.

[redwood13]

Houston is beginning to look very promising. Many thanks to JimGant for his informative post.

Could someone please enlighten me as to how to go about getting this document entitled "police verification of no criminal record"? Do I just walk into a police station in Los Angeles and ask for it? Is there any specific procedure? Does a misdemeanor when I was hot-headed about 20 years ago and where I pleaded no-contest and paid a fine make me a "criminal"?

Thanks again.

Apply at the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction of your address per your driver's license. It's a routine request for them as many job applications require it. Misdemeanor shouldn't be a problem.

-redwood

[elektrified]

In reading the list of required documents once again, I noticed that the medical certificate, police verification, and bank statement along with letter of guarantee must be notarized.

My question is: How can I get the first two documents notarized? Am I supposed to hire a notary public to come along with me to a medical clinic and wait there with me for hours while they check my blood for syphillis and then witness the doctor siging the form? Likewise, do I have to hire a notary public to accompany me to a police station to witness the police sign the form?

Lastly, is the letter of guarantee from the bank in Europe sufficient? I'm sure it will have the official seal from the bank on it. How could I get that notarized in Europe?

Thanks in advance.

[redwood13]

In reading the list of required documents once again, I noticed that the medical certificate, police verification, and bank statement along with letter of guarantee must be notarized.

My question is: How can I get the first two documents notarized? Am I supposed to hire a notary public to come along with me to a medical clinic and wait there with me for hours while they check my blood for syphillis and then witness the doctor siging the form? Likewise, do I have to hire a notary public to accompany me to a police station to witness the police sign the form?

Lastly, is the letter of guarantee from the bank in Europe sufficient? I'm sure it will have the official seal from the bank on it. How could I get that notarized in Europe?

Thanks in advance.

There's been a report here in the past of an applicant for an O-A visa gathering the required documents together and going to his notary of choice and simply placing his signature on each of the documents. The notarization verifies that the signature is that of the applicant whose name is on the document.

The requirement is for a notary seal on each document. It doesn't specify what exactly is being attested to by the notary.

In the past the Honorary Consulate in Portland has not required notarization of documents for an O-A visa.

I'm doubtful that the Los Angeles Consulate will accept a non-USA bank account. They tend to use strict interpretation of the rules, as they interpret them. I'd email or telephone Houston, Portland and LA and find out how they would view your submission of said document.

-redwood

[elektrified]

Hi everyone,

I was successful in obtaining a multiple-entry Non-Immigrant O-A visa from the Royal Thai Consulate in Houston, Texas while I was in Los Angeles last month. Thanks for everyone's input and the recommendation regarding the Houston Consulate. They could not have been more friendly, helpful, and especially accomodating with respect to the supporting documents. Furthermore, I submitted my application by FedEx on a Thursday and had the visa by the following Tuesday!

I have tried to perform a search in this forum for some information about this visa and I don't know why, but I get an error every time. I have two questions:

1) How do I end up with two years on this visa? It says "this visa must be utilized before July 13, 2009." I did read that I could get a 90 day extension for a total of 15 months but I don't understand how I can get up to 24 months; and

2) I thought I read somewhere that I either have to register with the police or report to Immigration every 90 days. Is this true? If so, what documents do I need to submit? I did not receive any instructions along with the visa so any advice would be much appreciated.

It's good to be back!

Thanks in advance for any advice,

elektrified

[Lite Beer]

You have to report your adress to Immigration every 90 days. Using this form.

I am not an expert on this. As far as I know if you exit Thailand and come back again on July 12th 2009 you will stamped in for another 12 months.

[lopburi3]

I was successful in obtaining a multiple-entry Non-Immigrant O-A visa

Are you sure it is a O-A visa? I suspect you have an O visa which allows only 90 day stays and does not require address reporting. You enter the day before expiration to receive another 90 day stay.

[JimGant]

I did read that I could get a 90 day extension for a total of 15 months but I don't understand how I can get up to 24 months

The '90 day extension for a total of 15 months' applies to a Non Imm O visa. It's not an extension but just another 90-day permitted to stay, which if obtained right before visa expiration date, the practical effect is a visa that gives you 15 months in Thailand.

For your Non Imm O-A visa, the principal is the same -- except each time you enter Thailand while your visa is valid you get a 365-day permitted to stay (vice 90). So, as Lite Beer says, enter right before expiration date and get another 365-day stay in Thailand. Thus, your O-A visa can give you 24 months of stay in Thailand -- if you re-enter right before visa expiration date. (But after your visa expires -- and you want your latest permitted to stay date to remain valid -- you'll need to get a re-entry permit from Immigration if you plan to travel.)

Did Houston waive the notarization requirement? If so, what did they require instead to show validity?

Oh, are you still Stateside? If so, make sure to check that you get a 365-day stamp when you arrive here. There have been several reports that Immigration reads only as far as the "O" and not as far as the "A," resulting in an erroneous 90-day stamp.

[elektrified]

I was successful in obtaining a multiple-entry Non-Immigrant O-A visa

Are you sure it is a O-A visa? I suspect you have an O visa which allows only 90 day stays and does not require address reporting. You enter the day before expiration to receive another 90 day stay.

lop, I'm looking at my visa now. "Non Immigrant Visa - Category O-A - Good for Multiple Journeys to Thailand - This visa must be utilized before July 13, 2009".

I applied based on your good advice. Thanks again.

[lopburi3]

The comment about lax requirements for documentation made be wonder, as am sure you had to provide both a medical and police report plus a bank account. Right?

In that case you should obtain a one year permitted to stay on each entry while the visa is valid (until July 12, 2009) but for any travel after that date you will require re-entry permit to keep the current permitted to stay date alive. If you return from a trip on July 12, 2009 you will be stamped until July 11, 2010. So your first extension of stay from Immigration would be late June or early July 2010.

If you stay longer than 90 days on any entry you will have to make 90 day address reports. You do this by filling out a TM.47 and giving to the nearest Immigration office.

[elektrified]

I did read that I could get a 90 day extension for a total of 15 months but I don't understand how I can get up to 24 months

The '90 day extension for a total of 15 months' applies to a Non Imm O visa. It's not an extension but just another 90-day permitted to stay, which if obtained right before visa expiration date, the practical effect is a visa that gives you 15 months in Thailand.

For your Non Imm O-A visa, the principal is the same -- except each time you enter Thailand while your visa is valid you get a 365-day permitted to stay (vice 90). So, as Lite Beer says, enter right before expiration date and get another 365-day stay in Thailand. Thus, your O-A visa can give you 24 months of stay in Thailand -- if you re-enter right before visa expiration date. (But after your visa expires -- and you want your latest permitted to stay date to remain valid -- you'll need to get a re-entry permit from Immigration if you plan to travel.)

Did Houston waive the notarization requirement? If so, what did they require instead to show validity?

Oh, are you still Stateside? If so, make sure to check that you get a 365-day stamp when you arrive here. There have been several reports that Immigration reads only as far as the "O" and not as far as the "A," resulting in an erroneous 90-day stamp.

JimGant, thanks for clearing that up for me. Thanks also for your advice and the contact info for Julie at the Consulate. Yes, Houston did waive the notarization. Before I left Thailand I wrote Julie and asked her if I could get the Medical Certificate at Chiang Mai University Hospital since I had to go there that day. She agreed but told me to be sure it was in English and officially stamped by the Doctor and the University. As far as the criminal background check, California issues them only through the Attorney General's Office and they specifically state that notarization is not possible. I told Julie and she said no problem. She then told me to provide my bank statement along with a letter of guarantee and not a notarized copy. So everything worked out in my favor!

I returned to Thailand last week and yes I looked over the shoulder of the guy at Immigration to make sure that he got my stamp correct which he did.

This visa will sure make living in Thailand much, much easier. Thanks again for everyone's help.

[elektrified]

The comment about lax requirements for documentation made be wonder, as am sure you had to provide both a medical and police report plus a bank account. Right?

In that case you should obtain a one year permitted to stay on each entry while the visa is valid (until July 12, 2009) but for any travel after that date you will require re-entry permit to keep the current permitted to stay date alive. If you return from a trip on July 12, 2009 you will be stamped until July 11, 2010. So your first extension of stay from Immigration would be late June or early July 2010.

If you stay longer than 90 days on any entry you will have to make 90 day address reports. You do this by filling out a TM.47 and giving to the nearest Immigration office.

lop, correct. I had to provide the medical and police reports as well as copy of my bank statement and a letter of guarantee by the bank.

O.K. thanks for clearing everything up for me. I'll remember to do the 90-day address reports. Lite Beer provided the form. Much, much appreciated. Thanks as always.

[JimGant]

Another endorsement for the honorary consulates -- and especially Houston.

[Pib]

The honorary consulate in Hawaii provides great service but their service may be limited to residents of or visitors to Hawaii; I don't think you can mail documents to them unless you are a resident of Hawaii and requires an actual visit to the honorary consulate. They do issue a O-A Retirement Multiple Entry visa. Same day service if all your docs are in order. Regarding the question about notarized documents, they appear to follow the Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. guidance which according to their D.C. web site on Long Stay Visas notarization is no longer mentioned. According to the web site, the fee for a O-A Retirement visa is $175. May be a good reason to take a vacation to Hawaii.

http://www2.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-ImgLong.aspx