O-a Visa Fee's

[Langsuan Man]

I continue to run into problems with the timing of my O-A Non Immigrant Visa (Long Stay) application process

I only spend six months (Nov-May) in Thailand so the only practical Visa for me is a Multi Entry O-A, every other year, but this plan is becoming increasingly difficult to implement

I have been in contact with the Thai Consulate in New York and they state that they can only issue the Visa based upon my application date, not my travel date, so I must apply at the last minute and hope that nothing goes wrong during the process.

In order to get the second year of stay out of the Visa I must arrive in Thailand before the Visa expiration date to obtain the "extra" year. I missed it this time since my last Visa was issued on 25 September 08 and expired 24 September 09 since I could not return to Thailand before the 24th. I spend $175 for the Visa (multiple entry) I thought that it might be a better idea to just get the single entry version for $65 since I may not be able to arrive in LOS before the expiration date of this years Visa

Well that plan won't work since I have been told that the only O-A Visa that New York will issue me is the Multiple Entry version at $175, even though the MFA web site shows the cheaper version (of course the MFA site gives it in Baht)

What do the experts here think? Is New York Consulate wrong and I should just apply to the Embassy in Washington for a O-A, Long Stay, Single Entry or just suck up the $175 every year

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I continue to run into problems with the timing of my O-A Non Immigrant Visa (Long Stay) application process

I only spend six months (Nov-May) in Thailand so the only practical Visa for me is a Multi Entry O-A, every other year, but this plan is becoming increasingly difficult to implement

I have been in contact with the Thai Consulate in New York and they state that they can only issue the Visa based upon my application date, not my travel date, so I must apply at the last minute and hope that nothing goes wrong during the process.

In order to get the second year of stay out of the Visa I must arrive in Thailand before the Visa expiration date to obtain the "extra" year. I missed it this time since my last Visa was issued on 25 September 08 and expired 24 September 09 since I could not return to Thailand before the 24th. I spend $175 for the Visa (multiple entry) I thought that it might be a better idea to just get the single entry version for $65 since I may not be able to arrive in LOS before the expiration date of this years Visa

Well that plan won't work since I have been told that the only O-A Visa that New York will issue me is the Multiple Entry version at $175, even though the MFA web site shows the cheaper version (of course the MFA site gives it in Baht)

What do the experts here think? Is New York Consulate wrong and I should just apply to the Embassy in Washington for a O-A, Long Stay, Single Entry or just suck up the $175 every year

Apply at a different Consulate in the USA. The Embassy is unlikely to apply different rules than NY. It is really up to the head of each individual post or mission to set the rules.

[Mario2008]

You could go for the extenson option. Immigration in Thailand will extend your permission to stay for a year if you can show an income of 65,000 baht a month. (OR 800,000 in a bankaccount in Thailand or a combination of yearly income and money in the bank totaling 800,000)

Doesn't mean you need to stay in Thailand all year, as long as you are in Thailand when your extension is due. You could even just get a normal non-O based on retirement and extend on that for a year, every year. A lot less work as the O-A, as you won't need a police en health check.