O-A Visa Questions

[johnnywishbone]

i am working on my retired visa. want to go to patong in april.

i will use the washington, dc office.

the medical form, the "valid for not more than 3 months",,,, not more than 3 months from my departure date?

also, anyone know the turn-a-round time?

my itinerary, just a copy of my plane ticket?

address, just the hotel i booked? same for in-country contact?

any advice would be appreciated.

thanks, johnny

[mahjongguy]

The medical form should be no older than three months at the time you submit your visa application.

[lopburi3]

When you plan to depart and where you plan to stay upon arrival. Contact I always put "self".

[johnnywishbone]

Thank you for the replies.

If i submit the package, can i expect the visa in my hand in less than a month?

If the thai embassy (washington, dc)

Has issues, will they phone me?

If i can't get the o-a, i want a 90 day.

What i'm trying to accomplish here is the freedom to come and go without worry about drop dead dates.

Anyway, thanks, johnny

[lopburi3]

It should be ready within the week as there is no longer a requirement for review in Bangkok as once was the case for this category - but you could do the same without medical or police check by getting a single entry non immigrant O visa from an honorary consulate by mail and using that for entry and then after 90 days extending for retirement and using re-entry permit for travel. But if you already have the paperwork the non immigrant O-A can serve you for almost two years without having to have financial proof in Thailand.

[phuketrichard]

why not just apply for a single or double entry tourist visa from the embassy an than once ur in Thailand change it over to a non imm o and than get your retirement extension, Just make sure ur money is in the bank 2 months

[lopburi3]

Extra expense for tourist visa - extra trip to immigration for conversion - financials in Thailand - extra financial paperwork fees. If he gets any visa it should at least be a non immigrant O visa that will allow extension of stay.

[Jingthing]

Washington D.C. embassy is very unlikely to issue an O visa for someone looking to retire in Thailand, but will insist on a O-A application instead.

[NancyL]

Yes, but the Honorary Consulates may grant an O visa for the purpose of investigating retirement. If that's what the OP wants, it's a simple matter to email all the HC's and work with the one that's most responsive. There's nothing that says someone HAS to go thru the Embassy to obtain a visa.

But, if an O-A is indeed what the OP wants, then, yes, the Embassy is the place to go, unless they direct you someplace else. (We got directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago for O-A application, because we lived near there)

[Baloo22]

I applied for and received my Non-Immigrant O-A visa (multiple-entry) in 2011. Sent the packet from western Washington State to the Thai Embassy in Washington, DC via Fedex. Included all the documents listed on their website and pre-paid Fedex envelope for the return. Got it back less than three weeks later with no problems and no additional questions asked. That included the Fedex shipping time there and back.

As BM lopburi3 stated, you can get almost two years out of one multiple-entry O-A visa. When you first arrive, you get a one-year stamp. Do a "border run" or trip outside Thailand and return a few days prior to the "Enter Before" date and then you get another one-year stamp. Remember that if you leave Thailand after the "Enter Before" date, and want to return on that visa, you will need to get a re-entry permit before leaving.

Edited January 2, 2013 by Baloo22

[Jingthing]

It's definitely good to consider the options and the pros and cons of going with an O-A vs. starting without an O-A. I reckon a lot of people who apply for O-As don't even know they aren't required to begin retirement in Thailand.

[TwentyBaht]

Yes, would also suggest doing the O-A application in the US.

With timely exit/reentry, a multi-entry O-A will allow you almost two years in the Kingdom before having to apply for extension of stay.

The medical document is a simple one page that can be done at a local clinic. And, the background check can be done at a sheriff/police office.

Financial information is a copy of statement from your bank. And, a simple letter from the bank that verifies you have the account.

If you are in the Washington D.C area, then you probably could also apply through the Royal Thai Consulate of New York. Consulates sometimes will respond more quickly to email.

Cheers.

[Langsuan Man]

Yes, would also suggest doing the O-A application in the US.

With timely exit/reentry, a multi-entry O-A will allow you almost two years in the Kingdom before having to apply for extension of stay.

The medical document is a simple one page that can be done at a local clinic. And, the background check can be done at a sheriff/police office.

Financial information is a copy of statement from your bank. And, a simple letter from the bank that verifies you have the account.

If you are in the Washington D.C area, then you probably could also apply through the Royal Thai Consulate of New York. Consulates sometimes will respond more quickly to email.

Cheers.

If you apply to the New York Consulate with a Washington DC area address they will most likely return it and tell you to apply at the Embassy in Washingto, D.C.

Source: http://www.thaiconsulnewyork.com/english/index.php

[Jingthing]

If seeking a single entry O with the reason "exploring retirement in Thailand" I suggest EMAILING a potentially friendly consulate first and asking if the application will be welcomed and also guidelines on applying for it at their specific consulate. For example: ATLANTA.

[moe666]

In the end O-A visa only requires two more pieces of paper work than the extension of stay. A doctors visit and a vist to the local poliice department for most people not that hard to do and eliminates dealing with immigration for 2 years except for 90 day reports

Edited January 2, 2013 by moe666

[ubonjoe]

For some the medical report could be a very expensive document to obtain.

Also in some locations it can be quite time consuming to get the police report.

[Langsuan Man]

For some the medical report could be a very expensive document to obtain.

Also in some locations it can be quite time consuming to get the police report.

Maybe if you don't have a family doctor (primary care physician) and I have never had a problem with the police report since it is just a local criminal records check that most Sheriffs Office will do it for free. Just not having to deal with your Embassy and bank here in Thailand makes it worth getting it in your home country

Edited January 2, 2013 by Langsuan Man

[mmail2you]

I am looking at requesting a retirement Visa on re entry back into Thailand but do not have an O or O-A Visa can I get these in Thailand ? I am an Australian. I know it easier to get a retirement Visa if you have an O or O-A Visa but I won't have time to get this in Aus so I was hoping on going thru thew process once I arrive back in Thailand.

[Mario2008]

Yes, you can convert if you meet the requirements.

But traveling to Thailand without a visa might be difficult, as the airline cna refuse you if you don't hold a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. They might insist you buy a ticket out of Thailand on the spot, for example with a price fighter like AirAsia.

[mmail2you]

Austrlians get a Visa on arrival for 30 days but I also may use my APEC card which gives me a 3 months Visa on entry but I need to check if I can do the same on this type of Visa

[Jingthing]

A 30 day stamp is not a visa. The problem is getting BOARDED in Australia without a visa, NOT arriving in Thailand without a visa.

[lopburi3]

Not sure of that entry but suspect it must be non immigrant for business and the conversion/issue is for tourist or visa exempt entry but they might allow direct extension without conversion. In the worst case it would only require you exit to obtain a new visa or visa exempt entry so not a major issue. However how you can be here on business if you are retired may be asked.

[NancyL]

In the end O-A visa only requires two more pieces of paper work than the extension of stay. A doctors visit and a vist to the local poliice department for most people not that hard to do and eliminates dealing with immigration for 2 years except for 90 day reports

I think Ubonjoe did his concise posting #16 to forestall me re-telling the tale of woe Hubby and I had in getting medical reports and police record check in the U.S. He summarized it very nicely. That doesn't mean someone shouldn't try, but after hitting the third or fourth brick wall (at a busy time when we were trying to unwind our business and sell off our assets) it would have been nice to know we could have simply entered the Kingdom visa exempt and then applied for O visas in Chiang Mai. So much stress for no reason.

Edited January 2, 2013 by NancyL

[TwentyBaht]

The following link will give the state jurisdiction for the four Thai consular entities across the US.

http://www.thaiconsulatechicago.org/jurisdiction.php

Hover the mouse over the state of interest, and the popup underneath will give the appropriate contact.

[Langsuan Man]

In the end O-A visa only requires two more pieces of paper work than the extension of stay. A doctors visit and a vist to the local poliice department for most people not that hard to do and eliminates dealing with immigration for 2 years except for 90 day reports

I think Ubonjoe did his concise posting #16 to forestall me re-telling the tale of woe Hubby and I had in getting medical reports and police record check in the U.S. He summarized it very nicely. That doesn't mean someone shouldn't try, but after hitting the third or fourth brick wall (at a busy time when we were trying to unwind our business and sell off our assets) it would have been nice to know we could have simply entered the Kingdom visa exempt and then applied for O visas in Chiang Mai. So much stress for no reason.

If memory serves your tale of woe was primarily due to the fact that you and Hubby applied at the Thai Chicago Consulate, one of the only two consulates in the US that require notarization of the medical and police report (the other being Los Angeles)

[ubonjoe]

The following link will give the state jurisdiction for the four Thai consular entities across the US.

http://www.thaiconsu...urisdiction.php

Hover the mouse over the state of interest, and the popup underneath will give the appropriate contact.

For an OA visa that link would apply but for other visas the best option is one of the honorary consulates listed here.

http://thaiembdc.us/wordpress1/

Honorary consulates give faster service and are easier to deal with.

[NancyL]

In the end O-A visa only requires two more pieces of paper work than the extension of stay. A doctors visit and a vist to the local poliice department for most people not that hard to do and eliminates dealing with immigration for 2 years except for 90 day reports

I think Ubonjoe did his concise posting #16 to forestall me re-telling the tale of woe Hubby and I had in getting medical reports and police record check in the U.S. He summarized it very nicely. That doesn't mean someone shouldn't try, but after hitting the third or fourth brick wall (at a busy time when we were trying to unwind our business and sell off our assets) it would have been nice to know we could have simply entered the Kingdom visa exempt and then applied for O visas in Chiang Mai. So much stress for no reason.

If memory serves your tale of woe was primarily due to the fact that you and Hubby applied at the Thai Chicago Consulate, one of the only two consulates in the US that require notarization of the medical and police report (the other being Los Angeles)

The notarization was the least of our problems. That could be done at no charge at either our branch bank or lawyer's office. The local druggist could do it, too, but he charged $5 (gasp!) No, the problem was in having doctors insist on testing us for every condition listed on the medical form (cha-ching) and the local police department being clueless about how to get a "criminal check" for someone they weren't arresting. It was a very, very small office, yet the state told us we had to make the request thru our local police jurisdiction in order to get a state report.

[Baloo22]

Yes, but the Honorary Consulates may grant an O visa for the purpose of investigating retirement. If that's what the OP wants, it's a simple matter to email all the HC's and work with the one that's most responsive. There's nothing that says someone HAS to go thru the Embassy to obtain a visa.

But, if an O-A is indeed what the OP wants, then, yes, the Embassy is the place to go, unless they direct you someplace else. (We got directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago for O-A application, because we lived near there)

When you were "directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago", was that during a phone, email, or letter inquiry? Or did they redirect your application?

I was residing in Washington State and sent my applications directly to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. and they handled them. A double-entry tourist visa in 2010 and a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) in 2011. They did not direct me to any consulate or ask to have anything notarized either.

[Langsuan Man]

Yes, but the Honorary Consulates may grant an O visa for the purpose of investigating retirement. If that's what the OP wants, it's a simple matter to email all the HC's and work with the one that's most responsive. There's nothing that says someone HAS to go thru the Embassy to obtain a visa.

But, if an O-A is indeed what the OP wants, then, yes, the Embassy is the place to go, unless they direct you someplace else. (We got directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago for O-A application, because we lived near there)

When you were "directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago", was that during a phone, email, or letter inquiry? Or did they redirect your application?

I was residing in Washington State and sent my applications directly to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. and they handled them. A double-entry tourist visa in 2010 and a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) in 2011. They did not direct me to any consulate or ask to have anything notarized either.

That is correct. There is no requirement to use a Royal Thai Consulate. The geographical areas of responsibility of the consulates is a guide only and is primarily used for personal visits. An embassy always trumps a consulate since that is where the ambassador is located, and as such, is first in the pecking order

[lopburi3]

Actually regardless of the location it is the Consulate and Consular Officers that handle visa matters but all are under direction of the ranking diplomatic official. In some cases they are not even located in the same physical facility as the Embassy and Ambassador.