Non-Immig O-A

[363885]

I just obtained my retirement (non-Immig O-A) visa. I heard someone on the board say that if you time it correctly and leave the country regularly, you won't need to extend for 2 years. Anyone knows how that works?

[beechguy]

Is it a one year multi-entry "O-A" Visa?

[Lite Beer]

If it is a Single Entry you will only get 12 months out of it.

If it is a Multi Entry do a border run just before it expires and get another 12 months on entry.

[363885]

Thanks. It is an O-A multiple entry. Does it mean if I do a border run just before the 1 year expiration, then I could stay 1 more year before doing an extension, meaning the extension would happen just before the end of Year 2?

[wayned]

The day before the visa expires, leave ane re-enter and you will get permission to stay for one more year.

[lopburi3]

Any new entry on a multi entry non immigrant O-A visa gets a new one year from date of entry during the validity of the visa.

[JusMe]

Be careful about the dates.

Your visa is valid for one year from date of issue, not from the date you arrive in Thailand.

Therefore, with the multiple entry, you make sure you leave before the visa expires, not one year after your arrival in Thailand.

Your permission to remain is valid for one year from date of entry, but if that happens to be six months into your visa period, you'd only manage eighteen months.

Confusing enough for ya? Just be sure you leave and re-enter Thailand shortly before one year after visa issue date (i.e. before it expires) and you will be granted another year's permission to stay. However, note that in that second year, any departure from Thailand means your visa is no longer valid and you will have invalidated your year's permission to remain by leaving.

[Lite Beer]

However, note that in that second year, any departure from Thailand means your visa is no longer valid and you will have invalidated your year's permission to remain by leaving.

Unless you get a Re Entry Permit before you leave.

[tijnebijn]

Wonder how to obtain the O-A , what is needed for documents and where to obtain .

Because I might need to go this route or any route for my mother to extend her stay here , currently safe with

an extension of retirement . Things in Europe are getting worse exchange value wise and of austerity cutting

her social security 50% based on cheaper living standards , which can be a knocker if exchange rates will drop significantly further,

and not enough time to increase savings , not sure if immigration will extend if her income drops 50% but guess still able to compensate with some hundreds.K , so long it tops 800k is it okay ? Does it matter if it didn't get transfered from abroad ?

A lot of questions , but things are changing quickly and need some answers , anyway her drop will be only for 15months in proabably 6 months from now , after that her income will switch anyway to social security old age , the Dutch government still doesn't cut on that ...

thanks ,

[Mario2008]

An O-A visa can only be applied for in your home country.

An extension of stay requires 800,000 in the bank, or 65,000 a month income or a combination of money in the bank and yearly income totaling 800,000. It does not have to come from within Thailand, as long as the money in the bank is in a bank acocunt in Thailand.

[tijnebijn]

• Thanks Mario , wonder if its possible say 3 months before extension to top account for whats short on income , read somewhere once
  
• that for the combination method no time frame is needed , and can the money be taken out and before next extension again topped in the same repeated way?
  

• For the OA only in home country , what income etc you have to show to obtain ?
  
• 
  
• thanks again , its clearing me up .
  

[Lite Beer]

For the O_A Visa the income requirements are the same. A Police and Medical Report are also needed.

[tijnebijn]

Ok thanks Lite -beer , if thats the same it will not matter .

Anyway I just had a look at the pinned very much improved section of getting visas in the neighborhood,

I'm not up to date lately because had a couple of extensions and didn't had to travel around such .

Wondered if my mother who is a grandmother of Thai grand children is able to obtain any visa as non imm in

the neighborhood , just in case , its a different situation most have children or wife at this age but my mother

is just simple a grandmother , is it possible , if not guess try to sit it out till then .

thanks .

[Mario2008]

It is the visa itself that is different, not an extension of stay.

A grantmother doesn't qualify for anything. But as your parent, she can get an extension of stay as your dependent (if she is living with you). provided she is over 50 years old and you yourself are on an extension of stay from immigration. But she cannot be your dependent if you are in Thailand as a family memebr of a Thai national, that is one of the execeptions. But if you stay in thailand based on employement it is possible.

[363885]

For the O_A Visa the income requirements are the same. A Police and Medical Report are also needed.

Everyone, thanks for all of your input.

My application was submitted at the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles. It was a great experience, friendly, efficient, and fast.

The tricky part in the application was that 3 of the items (Police report, Bank statement along with a letter from the bank, and Medical certificate) require notarization. The Police report was simple, as I did it in Coppell police station in Texas where I used to work. They issued the Police report along with a notary automatically.

The bank statement along with a bank letter was tricky. The instruction in the Thai Consulate website did not say whether it was the bank statement or the bank letter that needed to be notarized. If it was the bank letter, then the person at my bank who signed the letter would have needed to have his/her signature notarized. I made the assumption that it was the bank statement that need to be notarized, so I just printed out the statement online from my bank, signed it in front of the public notary, and got the notary stamp.

The medical certificate was the same. I don't know of any doctor who would do the examination and then run out on behalf of the patient to get his signature notarized. I just happened to be traveling to Shanghai and went into the U.S. Consulate to ask, since the U.S. Consulate also provides notary service. They suggested that I fill out a standard signature form that the consulate provides, write on the bland section of the form that I certify the health certificate was accurate, then sign the form myself, and then the Consulate notarized my signature (and not the doctors signature). I just attached this notarized form to the doctors Certificate and submitted it at the Thai Consulate.

It turned out everything was OK for the Thai Consulate, and I got my visa the next morning.

[JusMe]

For the O_A Visa the income requirements are the same. A Police and Medical Report are also needed.

The tricky part in the application was that 3 of the items (Police report, Bank statement along with a letter from the bank, and Medical certificate) require notarization.

I managed in Canada without official notarization.

We have a system of a Commissioner of Oaths, not quite a full notary.

A couple of people working at my bank have the authorization to sign as a Commissioner, so I sat there with them, signed everything myself (Thais do appreciate signed copies of everything) and had the bank Commissioner simply sign as a witness to my signature.

Vancouver Thai Consulate-General accepted everything without query.

[Langsuan Man]

At last count the following Consulates require the notarization of documents for an O-A Visa:

Los Angeles

Chicago

The following do not require the documents to be notarized:

New York, (Consulate)

Washington, Embassy

Feel free to add to this list