New Non-Imm O-A Visa

[Jimi007]

You don't have to leave. If you choose not to do a border run near the end of your one year multi-entry O-A visa, just go to your local immigration office and get a one year extension. That's what I did. It's not that hard once you're used to it...

Here is one area I get confused on. At least 3 different people above, including some global members state that you need to do an exit and reentry to get that one extra year extension to the retirement visa. Now you say not necessary, just apply for the 1 year extension. So which is it??....or does it depend on which immigration office you are dealing with??

And on that office location, is there an immigration office in Khon Kaen, the country's 3rd largest city, and an education center?? Or do I have to spend several days and money to travel to Bangkok

When the US consulate outreach comes here to Phuket, I go and get an earnings statement, now $50. It has to be dated the same year as you are applying for your extension. So, my extension expires June 28th, 2011. If the outreach comes any time after January 1st, 2011, I can get my earnings statement for my June extension. Then in June I go to the local immigration office with the statement, 1,900 Baht, my passport, a copy of my front page of my passport, a copy of my departure card, a copy of my 90 checkin, a copy of your current visa, a copy of your entry date stamp, I think and a photo. Now if using an earnings statement a copy of your ATM card is required at least at Phuket Immigration. Bring a current copy of your lease or rental agreement, just in case. Different offices have slightly different requirements... Check with your local immigration office well before you visa or extension expires to see if there are any new changes or requirements. Talk to a Thai Immigration officer, not the farang volunteers as they don't seem to know the correct information at times. Not everywhere has the US Consulate outreach program either, so if you need an earnings statement you may have to go to the US Embassy in Bangkok or the Consulate in Chang Mai. I'm sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong, but that's what I remember doing back in June...

So what is this 'consulate outreach' thing?...a traveling show?....does Khon Kaen have one?

What exactly is the earnings statement consist of? Naturally I would think it would include your Social Security statement if you are USA citizen? I don't imagine you need much more than this statement and a Thai bank acct verification to meet the minimum requirements of the Thai retirement visa. But what if you want to use your USA bank holdings and stock market investment balances to meet their 'cash requirements'. I could do this while applying for the first retirement visa in the states, but apparently that is not allowable upon the renewal stage?

The moderators are talking about getting almost two years out of your multi entry OA visa. I am talking about getting a visa extension at Thai Immigration. Two different things. As they said you can leave the country and re enter just before your original visa that you got in the US expires and you permission to stay for one year for your re entry date. If you are close to a border it's no problem. As they also said anytime in the first year of your OA visa from the US you leave Thailand and re enter you get a stamp that says one year from that date. It says date you entered Thailand and an admitted until date. Or if you are not close to a border and don't want to make a border run near the end of your admitted until date, you can get a visa extension, from immigration. It's just another choice as you were complaining about doing a border run.

I don't think Khon Kaen has an outreach that goes there. Yes, it's a road show by the US Consulate. For your earnings statement you just fill out a form saying how much your income is and swear it's true. Pay $50 they stamp and sign it. No you can't use your savings in the US as money held here, you would have to transfer money to a Thai account in your name. 800,000. Actually someone already posted the ways you can go about it just above my first post. It can be savings here and an income statement combined or savings or just income that equals 800,000 Baht.

Edited October 2, 2010 by Jimi007

[Lite Beer]

Khon Kaen Immigration is in the Police School. Just past the University entrance on the road to Udon.

If you go past SR warehouse you have gone too far. Do a U Turn.

[boatguy]

You don't have to leave. If you choose not to do a border run near the end of your one year multi-entry O-A visa, just go to your local immigration office and get a one year extension.

The moderators are talking about getting almost two years out of your multi entry OA visa. I am talking about getting a visa extension at Thai Immigration. Two different things. As they said you can leave the country and re enter just before your original visa that you got in the US expires and you permission to stay for one year for your re entry date.

I'm sorry, I'm still confused, If I can get a 1 year extension to my O-A visa by simply visiting the immigration office with proper documentation and requesting a one year extension, why should I have to consider other alternatives such as some border run?? I don't see that they are "two different things"?

[Lite Beer]

I'm sorry, I'm still confused, If I can get a 1 year extension to my O-A visa by simply visiting the immigration office with proper documentation and requesting a one year extension, why should I have to consider other alternatives such as some border run?? I don't see that they are "two different things"?

A quick hop over the border and return to get another 12 months. Leave your money in your own country.

OR.

Visit your Embassy and pay for a letter to verify your income. Or pay your Thai bank for a letter to verify your bank balance.

Fill out forms and pay Immigration for a 12 month extension.

[boatguy]

I'm sorry, I'm still confused, If I can get a 1 year extension to my O-A visa by simply visiting the immigration office with proper documentation and requesting a one year extension, why should I have to consider other alternatives such as some border run?? I don't see that they are "two different things"?

A quick hop over the border and return to get another 12 months. Leave your money in your own country.

OR.

Visit your Embassy and pay for a letter to verify your income. Or pay your Thai bank for a letter to verify your bank balance.

Fill out forms and pay Immigration for a 12 month extension.

Okay thanks, now I see the light. Sorry for being so dense at times.

[lopburi3]

To help make it clearer, I hope, but just remember it only applies if you have a multi entry non immigrant O-A visa.

a. Obtain a new one year entry from your original visa to make almost two year on one payment/proof of income.

b. Obtain a new one year extension of stay from immigration with local proof of income and payment of fee.

For most people (a) is the logical choice as all that is required is a quick trip (and many plan that in advance) and you have an extra period of time without the need for additional funds in Thailand if using bank deposit.

[Tracechain]

Now if you had got a "Single Entry" O-A visa and planned to exit and re-enter Thailand before your Permitted to Stay Until Date that you got when you first entered Thailand on the Single Entry O-A Visa then you would need to get a Single or Multiple "Exit/Re-entry Permit" to keep your Visa valid; otherwise, if you leave Thailand without the re-entry permit it voids your O-A Visa. But you are on a Multiple Entry O-A Visa so you don't need to get a Exit/Re-entry permit to keep the visa valid.

I just don't understand why a RETIREMENT VISA has to be so complicated by a person's desire to come and go (travel to other places in the world)..a benefit that many retirees finally have some time to do ???

It makes one feel that they are a prisoner of the country they are retiring to...unless of course they want to pay even more fees to travel on top of the retirement visa fee that has to be renewed every two years.

Makes one question, why get a retirement visa??

It's not really complicated...maybe it sounds complicated on the surface but if you are over 50 and retiring to Thailand it's the visa of choice. No border runs every 90 days, but like other long stay visa/extensions of stay you must report your address by mail or in person every 90 days (+/- 7 days) unless you leave the country which basically counts as an address reporting. And if you do a border run the day before your retirement "visa" expires, you get another whole year effectively making the visa good for 2 years. And 1 year extensions of stay just before the visa permitted to stay date is reached are easy to get. You basically just need to show you have income of 65,000 a month OR 800,000 in a bank account in Thailand OR a combination of money in the bank and yearly income totaling 800,000...you can do this with a letter from the Thai bank OR and income affidavit from your home country embassy in Thailand. Fill out one very easy form, attach a passport sized picture of yourself, a copy of your passport, the income proof mentioned above, and pay a 1,900 Baht application fee. Go apply at Thai immigration where you live in Thailand and in less than an hour you should have a retirement extension of stay good for one year. Your original retirement "visa" is now void/expired, but in it's place you have a retirement "extension of stay." And in case you need to leave the country during the extension of stay, you will need to get a single or multiple re-entry permit to keep the extension of stay valid. The re-entry permits are very easy to get...just need to fill out a easy one page applications form, attached a picture of yourself, and pay an application fee of 1000 Baht for a single entry re-entry permit or 3800 baht for a multiple re-entry permit...takes about 30 minutes to get the permit. . Usually I just get a single re-entry on the same day I get my retirement extension of stay in case I need to leave the country ASAP on an emergency or just do a scheduled trip back to the home country later on. I renewed my extension of stay and got a single re-entry permit last month and it took less than an hour at Bangkok Immigration. Easy, easy stuff paperwork-wise.

Thank you very much for this post. Very easy to understand and I didn't even need any pictures!

[bikersiam]

hi to get your first o-a from new zealand for example and have a thai wife . how much money do you need to show at embassy . thai bank book included thjanks

[lopburi3]

An O-A visa is only issued for retirement and always requires 800k in bank or 65k per month income; but not in Thailand but in home country. Is this what you are asking about or are you asking about "Thai wife" extension of stay from an "O" visa entry while in Thailand? Which is 400k in bank or 40k income.

[lounger]

Extra information on the Retirement extension.

All the previous posts apply but

the bank letter, certifying your balance in a Thai bank to be 400,000 married or 800,000 single and saying the cash has been in the bank for three months ( two on first ap), may take several days to produce.

The photocopies of passport should show the original visa and every extension since that date, in addition to the date of last arrival and entry form.

People inaccurately refer to 'retirement visas'. They are not visas they are 'extensions for retirement purposes' granted before the expiry of an extension or a visa and are only provided to those over 50 who can prove income or capital. The choice of extension for retirement therefore is only an option for the over 50's. The rest do border runs.

[lopburi3]

Retirement extension of stay requires 800k if using bank deposit regardless of being single or married.