Oa Retirement Visa Second Year Renewal

[lopburi3]

I suspect because the Consulate was located in Chiang Mai was the reason (and a bad moon day). As normal outreach programs of US Embassy are about twice a year or less believe normally letters are accepted six months or during year issued (after previous extension). But it is a non-defined requirement so it seems some take exception.

[OJAS]

For income letters it would be best to use the 30 day rule. This is the time period most commonly used here. For example residence certificates issued by immigration are only valid for 30 days.

I obtained my latest annual extension of stay OK at Maptaput on the basis of a 6-week-old (British) Embassy letter. The week after next I'll be attempting to obtain my next extension on the basis of a 2-month-old Embassy letter. The rule of thumb I use for the maximum age of Embassy letters is 90 days (coincidental with the the length of an O visa and the frequency of address reporting).

Edited July 8, 2012 by OJAS

[Jingthing]

I have a kind of-sort of related question to ask, so instead of starting a new thread about it, here goes.

Supposing I want to try the "small income" letter so I can use the retirement combo method and avoid money seasoning. I do have small dividend annual income, about 1000 dollars per year. I assume DIVIDEND income is OK to use as income, but how do you know how much income to claim on an income stream that changes a lot year to year?

For example my 2011 dividend income I know what that is, let's say 1000 dollars.

If I want to make retirement extension application in 2012 I don't know yet what the ACTUAL annual income will be for this current year.

As an American I can state any figure to the US embassy BUT I would want to be able to back up my claim if asked to at immigration.

So how to determine what amount to put down in such a situation?

Edited July 8, 2012 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

I suspect immigration would accept previous years documents/tax records as proof of current income as that is about as current as you can get for some items. Have not seen any report of problems with any reasonable proof.

[Geratul]

1. O-A visas are NEVER available in Thailand. They are only obtained in your home country. For your purposes, FORGET about O-A visas. Your original terminology was wrong. You weren't renewing O-A visa. You were applying for annual extensions based on retirement.

2. You need to START over. To start over you need an O visa. (As opposed to an O-A visa which you do not need). How to get the O visa? Options:

a. - Fly in and out of Thailand, get a 30 day stamp. Then get an O visa in CM as part of the two step process with the second step being application for annual retirement extension. This will be a 90 day visa. As you will only need to season your money for TWO MONTHS because you are starting over, simply get the extension during the last 30 days of your 90 day stay. For the first part, the O visa, go in right away after entering on your 30 day stamp. I would have your proof of banked money ready to show at that time, though the application can't happen until it is seasoned.

b. Go to Laos or Malaysia and apply for a single entry O based on being over 50 and just say you will apply for the retirement extension in Thailand. Then with 30 days left on your 90 day stay, apply for your annual extension based on retirement

c. You could also get a tourist visa in a neighboring country, and do the two step process mentioned in option A. Not sure why you would do that though if you can get a single entry O instead

Good luck.

My intention was not to react, but what you said under quote 1 is absolutely not true that O-A visa's are not available in Thailand. Why I got it then? You can either obtain for a O-A visa in your own country or when you already live/stay in Thailand. The restriction to get it is that you can live in Thailand and get the O-visa when your earlier visa is also a non-immigrant visa (either a ED or .

Your quote under point 2 also not correct. When you have a Tourist Visa they need to change the visa class from Tourist to O-A visa. This work by immigration will cost you only extra fee.

I enclose the whole story for you (from TILA Legal in BKK):

Thailand Retirement Visa Option A. (If you currently live outside Thailand):

Step 1: We live send all of the necessary documents as well as an invitation letter from our company to your home address. You will then bring the documents to the Thai embassy nearest to your home and apply for a 90 days Non-Immigrant Visa. This step will generally take about 2 business days.

Step 2: Once you enter Thailand with a non-immigrant visa, you may then go to the Immigration office and upgrade to a Thai retirement visa. One of our lawyers will accompany you during this trip to ensure that the entire process runs smoothly. At the Immigration Office, you will immediately receive your retirement visa in Thailand.

Our Professional fees for Thailand retirement visa option A are as follows:

Documents to obtain a non-immigrant visa

Thailand retirement visa application and processing

DHL fee

Transportation

Sub-total

Vat 7%

Government fee

Grand total

7,500THB

7,500THB

1,000THB

600THB

16,600THB

1,162THB

1,900THB

19,662THB (USD 635)

Thailand Retirement Visa Option B. (If you currently live in Thailand):

Step 1: You must first have a tourist visa.

Step 2: A member of our staff will accompany you to the immigration office to upgrade your tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa. This also extends your visa for another 3 months, and only takes about 30 minutes.

Step 3: After 2 months, you will have to go to the immigration office again to apply for a one-year Thai retirement visa. One of our staff members will accompany you, and immediately afterwards, you will receive your retirement visa in Thailand. This process also takes 30 minutes.

Our professional fees for Thailand retirement visa option B are as follows:

Changing class of visa from tourist visa to non-immigrant

One-year Thailand retirement visa application and processing

Transportation

Sub-total

Vat 7%

Government fees

Grand total

7,500THB

7,500THB

600THB

15,600THB

1,092THB

3,900THB

20,592THB (USD665)

[Jingthing]

Repeat: O-A visas are never available IN Thailand.

Change of visa status from a 30 day stamp or tourist visa to an O visa (NOT O-A) IS available in Thailand as part of a two step process, with the second step being annual extension based on retirement. In this common scenario, the O visa is never an O-A visa, and the retirement extension is no kind of visa, it is a EXTENSION. You can also enter Thailand on an O visa obtained outside Thailand, doesn't need to be your home country (rather than an O-A) and just do the retirement extension, avoiding the change of visa status to O visa in Thailand.

Facts are facts. There is really no controversy about this: O-A visas are never available IN Thailand.

Anyone who thinks they have an O-A visa obtained in Thailand simply has no such visa. An O-A visa is a very specific thing with very specific features and requirements and it only available from your home country (or potentially in a permanent resident situation in another country).

Impossible Challenge: Let's see someone upload an undoctored photo of an O-A visa obtained in Thailand! No, I am not talking about the retirement stamp associated with retirement annual extensions. A visa saying O-A, origin Thailand.

More background on the same subject:

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/nonImmOA.pdf

Edited September 29, 2012 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Not sure why that quote was included but as stated above the non immigrant O-A is not available in Thailand and never has been. Normal extension of stay for retirement is available in Thailand and very easy to obtain and does not require the services of any third party. Costs are as follows:

2,000 baht conversion/issue to non immigrant visa entry from tourist visa or visa exempt entry (if required - most people just enter with such a visa and no special paperwork or invitation letter is required to obtain - you just ask and submit normal visa application/payment at a Consulate and 60 days after entry extend stay as below).

1,900 baht for TM.7 form extension of stay for one year.

[allen123]

Not sure why that quote was included but as stated above the non immigrant O-A is not available in Thailand and never has been. Normal extension of stay for retirement is available in Thailand and very easy to obtain and does not require the services of any third party. Costs are as follows:

2,000 baht conversion/issue to non immigrant visa entry from tourist visa or visa exempt entry (if required - most people just enter with such a visa and no special paperwork or invitation letter is required to obtain - you just ask and submit normal visa application/payment at a Consulate and 60 days after entry extend stay as below).

1,900 baht for TM.7 form extension of stay for one year.

hi everyone..am new here and i would appriciate your help in answering my question:

if i get my non immigrant OA (retirement visa) here in oz... what next when i get to thailand..do i have to visit the immigration and do more paper work (bank acc.,embassy letter.etc..) or do that before the expiary date of my 1 year stay retirement visa. and what is required by thai bank to open an account and which one easy to deal with? i know too many Q...sory and thank you all for any info

[lopburi3]

The O-A allows one year permitted to stay on entry. The multi entry version can be used for up to one year from date of issue and each entry would be for a new one year stay.

Any stay longer than 90 days requires you report address to immigration using TM.47 form.

Any travel on an extension of stay requires a re-entry permit to return and continue that extension. Multi entry O-A gets new one year stay so re-entry would only be required for return after the visa expires (one year from date issued by Consulate).

During last 30 days of any such extension or a non immigrant O visa entry you can extend for one year using TM.7 at immigration for 1,900 baht fee. You then need the financial documents in Thailand. Most people use Bangkok Bank, Kasakorn Bank, or SCB for accounts - if one branch does not want to open you go to another.

[allen123]

The O-A allows one year permitted to stay on entry. The multi entry version can be used for up to one year from date of issue and each entry would be for a new one year stay.

Any stay longer than 90 days requires you report address to immigration using TM.47 form.

Any travel on an extension of stay requires a re-entry permit to return and continue that extension. Multi entry O-A gets new one year stay so re-entry would only be required for return after the visa expires (one year from date issued by Consulate).

During last 30 days of any such extension or a non immigrant O visa entry you can extend for one year using TM.7 at immigration for 1,900 baht fee. You then need the financial documents in Thailand. Most people use Bangkok Bank, Kasakorn Bank, or SCB for accounts - if one branch does not want to open you go to another.

thank you very much for the information..I'm planing to stay 1 year without leaving anywhere.meanwhile i'll be transfering money from oz into my bank account in thailand to season before extension and then extend for one year and apply for re-entry before i go back to oz for few weeks..can i apply for extension and re-entry at the same time?

thank you for your help

[Maestro]

You can do it with one trip to the immigration office but it is two different application forms and you queue for and get the extension first, then the re-entry permit in a separate queue.

[allen123]

You can do it with one trip to the immigration office but it is two different application forms and you queue for and get the extension first, then the re-entry permit in a separate queue.

thank you for taking the time help..also do you know if i can travel to thailand on a one way ticket when i get my OA visa.

thank you for any info

[Mario2008]

Yes, with a visa no ticket out of Thailand is required.

[lopburi3]

An extension of stay at immigration inside Thailand is not an "OA" visa. So no you can not travel on an extension of stay without a re-entry permit. That becomes your visa for return and to continue your extension of stay and with that you do not need a return ticket (although not all airline personal will know that so you might have to kick up to next level at times).

Previous post was talking about extension within Thailand (but future) so guess you are talking about first trip with the OA from Oz so no problem one way travel. And if you get a multi entry you can travel and return for new one year stays until visa expiration date (getting almost two years use out of it). But once visa expires you would have to obtain re-entry permit for that last stay. Multi entry is well worth the extra expense if available.

[BlackJack]

Lopburi 3

I have received a (12 month retirement) visa for the past 6 years

usually i get a letter from the OZ Embassy and its accepted

this year i have over 1 million in a sub of Bangkok Bank - Buangluan fund - i can get the money out the next day if i want -so its not locked up and i can live on it but dont need it

Is it possible to use this as proof of money?

Also my SCB account shows over 1 million baht going through it this year

the main reason for changing the way i do things is i need to go to BKK and 10 mins in the Embassy and then drive back - total waste of time and money.

you can PM me if you want

thanks

[lopburi3]

You seem to have extensions of stay for retirement rather than visas but fund accounts are not normally accepted as there value can vary - passbook savings or fixed deposit normally are the only accepted accounts. Money through an account has no meaning for immigration extensions of stay.

[BlackJack]

thanks

yes this fund varies

it made 56% to date

i am just sick of this extension nonsense every year

and 90 days even though i own my condo!!!