O – A Multiple Non Immigrant Visa

[Felt 35]

Friend of me have an O-A from France. He arrived here 1. November 2011 and the stamp says he can stay to 30. October 2012. He applied for the visa in France 12. September 2011 and “enter before” date is 11. September 2012. He visits immigration for the 90 day stamp.

He usually spend the spring, summer and fall in France every year and have previously only been here on tourist visas. He asked me if he could still use the visa if he goes to France in April and come back before 30. October and if he need a re-entry permit! I answered that then your visa is expired due to the “enter before date” and that I don’t know if he get another 3months on an O-A even if he come back before the “enter before” date and that I don’t think he need a re-entry on a multiple visa.

What is correct? Can someone help with a clear answer? I told him to ask at Immigration himself but his English and Thai is not exactly his strength.

Thanks.

[Mario2008]

The O-A visa is either single (one entry) or multiple (unlimited entries within one year of issuance).

If he has a multiple O-A visa, he can travel as many times to Thailand as he wants before 11 september 2012, without the need for a re-entry permit.. Each time he enters he is allowed to stay for up to one year.

If he want to leave and return after 11 september, he needs a re-entry permit. For any return to Thailand before sept. 11 he does not need a re-entry permit.

[digitalchromakey]

As Mario has posted, providing your friend has a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant 'O-A' Visa, then if he leaves, then returns to Thailand on any date before the 11th September 2012 he will get another one year stamp.

If your friend wants to then leave/re-enter Thailand after the 11th September 2012 he must get a re-entry permit which will preserve the 'Permitted to Stay Until' Date in his passport - currently 30 Oct 2012.

Best Plan is for your friend to leave Thailand before the 11th September 2012 without a re-entry permit, then enter some time as close to 11th September 2012 as is practical.

Only after then should your friend should get a re-entry permit (each time he wants to leave/re-enter Thailand) which will preserve the One Year Stamp date (say he entered on the 10th of September 2012, then the new 'Permitted to Stay Until' date istamped in his passport would be 9th September 2013.

[Felt 35]

Thanks for that! Message will be forwarded as soon as my friend is awake