How to apply for the O-A Visa

[Robert333]

Hello,

O-A Visa application:

As a recent applicant I hope my comments which follow, will assist prospective applicants.

This applies to a UK citizen in the UK, applying for this visa.

My comments regarding the "Required Documents" section, are in italics.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

1. “Validity of passport at least 1 year”

This must be submitted when making the application. It will be returned to you when you collect your visa.

2. “Three (3) visa application forms and 3 passport size recent photographs”

Number of Photographs:

You will require a total of Four (4) passport size recent photographs, because you will need 3 for the Visa forms, and 1 for applying for the Police Certificate.

Type Of Visa Requested:

If you wish to apply for a Multiple visa (a visa which can be used for multiple entries into the Kingdom) ensure you place an “M” in the “Type of Visa Requested” box,

(that is within: Row: “Non Immigrant Visa, Column: “No. of Entry”).

“Purpose of current visit”:

For the O-A visa ,you can put: “Retirement”.

“Evidence substantiating purpose of visit:

For the O-A visa, you can leave this blank.

“Duration of proposed stay”:

For the O-A visa, you can put: “One year”.

3 “Non-Immigrant “O-A” (Long Stay) Form”

“Monthly Income”:

For the O-A visa, you can leave this blank.

“Reference person in Thailand”:

You can here put “Self”.

4. “Copy of bank statement having in possession of annually income equivalent to Thai currency at
least 800,000 Baht or monthly income 65,000 Baht. (approximately GBP 14,000.00/annum)”

I was informed by the consular section that as long as this document is signed by a solicitor, you will not additionally need to send this for legalisation to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (but I decided to additionally send it to the F&CO anyway).

When submitting your visa application to the Consular Section, you will need to have a copy of the notarized document to submit together with the original.

5. “In case attached copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned is necessary.”

If you have the bank statement (4 above), then you do not need this letter.

6. “Criminal Record from own country and country of permanent residence with validity of at least 3 months. Applicants residing in the United Kingdom will need to have a police clearance issued only from the Scotland Yard.”

This means that you must apply for a “Police Certificate”, the application form for which, can be downloaded from the “Association of Chief Police Officers”, at:

http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

On the application form ensure you include in the appropriate place, any previous name(s) that you have had. These previous names will then appear on the Police Certificate.

(Note:

The Visa Application form has a section on it, for: “Applicant’s Father Name”.)

Ensure you enclose the appropriate fee for what you want.

If you want the “Premium Service” for faster processing, you must enclose the fee for this, plus ensure you use the special address shown on the form for the “Premium Service”!

Warning:

Ensure that the form you use is entitled:

“Police Certificate Application Form”.

Although there are other procedures for confirming you have no convictions, ONLY the “Police Certificate” confirmation is acceptable for this visa!

The application form requires a counter-signatory (in similar manner as applying for a passport).

The counter-signatory must do two things:

They must sign the back of the photograph, and also complete a section on the form.

When submitting your visa application to the Consular Section ,you will need to have a copy of the legalised document to submit together with the original.

7. “Medical Record proving applicant has never been infected with contagious disease with validity at least 3 months (in accorda

1. “Criminal Record from own country and country of permanent residence with validity of at least 3 months. Applicants residing in the United Kingdom will need to have a police clearance issued only from the Scotland Yard.”

nce with Immigration Act B.E.2522)”

8. “In case wishing to be accompanied by spouse, the marriage certificate will be attached. But spouse will be granted Non-Immigrant “O” instead of “O-A”(Long Stay)”

VISA FEE:

9. For an O-A Visa for Multiple entries, the current fee is £125 which must be paid in cash.

(I would also recommend you take with a further amount in cash in case the fee changes.)

“Note: Documents as stated in 4 - 8 must be certified by Notary Public or from the competent authority concerned of the country of application.”

This means you must go to a solicitor who is a notary.

Notaries are solicitors who specialize in certifying the genuineness of a document.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office also do this, but they refer to this service as “legalisation”.

Warning:

According to the Consular section you do not need to send your bank statement to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office if you have already had it notarized, although I decided to send it to the F&CO anyway.

If you wish to send

10. “Criminal Record from own country and country of permanent residence with validity of at least 3 months. Applicants residing in the United Kingdom will need to have a police clearance issued only from the Scotland Yard.”

a bank statement to the F&CO, the F&CO will NOT legalise it unless it has FIRST been signed by a notary!

- - - - - - - -

Getting documents “legalized” by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office:

The Medical Certificate and the Police Certificate need to be legalized by the F&CO.

(The Bank Statement must be notarized by a notary.)

You can commence this procedure by downloading and completing the F&CO application form and paying their fee, at:

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

I would recommend you use their system for paying Online, and then thereafter send in your documents to them.

(They do NOT accept personal cheques.

They do accept business cheques.)

Warning:

When paying the F&CO online, you MUST take a copy of some sort (I used a screen capture) of their Confirmation of Payment page showing their Payment Reference Number.

You are required to enclose a copy of this, with your documents and application form!

You CANNOT deliver the documents in person to the F&CO.

I would recommend sending your documents to them by “Special Delivery”

(NOT “by Recorded Delivery”),

or use a courier.

I would recommend you pay the F&CO their additional fee for Courier delivery.

Notarizing the Bank Statement:

I used De Pinna notaries, of 35 Piccadilly, London W1J 0LJ.

Tel: 020-7208 2900.

(Other notaries are available.)

Warning:

Although De Pinna also have an address at Canary Wharf, London E14, do NOT go there, as they do NOT accept documents for notarizing at their Canary Wharf address!

Estimate of the costs of obtaining the documents:

Note:

This is an estimate of the costs for obtaining the required documents, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the fee to be paid to the Thai Consular Section.

These costs will change with time.

Medical Certificate:

Doctor £25 (Each doctor has their own scale of charges).

Foreign &Commonwealth Office £30 (a per document fee).

Bank Statement:

De Pinna £90 for the bank statement (each notary will have their own scale of charges).

Police Certificate (ACPO):

£54 (comprising “Standard Service” £45 plus “Next Day Delivery” £9).

Note:

ACPO also have a “Premium Service” for quicker processing, for a higher fee.

Foreign &Commonwealth Office £30 (a per document fee).

Additional:

Foreign &Commonwealth Office Courier delivery fee £6.

Total: £181.

Summary of Procedure:

Act swiftly with notarizing / legalizing – Remember the documents to be submitted must have a validity of not more than 3 months (and also double-check this period as it could change).

Obtain your documents and get them legalized / notarized.

The Visa application requires the add

11. ress in Thailand at which you will initially be staying plus your flight numbers.

I therefore recommend you attend the Consular section as a session to check your documents, BEFORE you book your trip.

If the Consular Section say your documents are okay, book your trip taking into account that you must use the visa once issued, within 3 months (but you should first double-check this period as it may change).

Complete the two Visa forms.

Warning:

Be aware when the Consular Section is open, by doing:

12. Check for the Embassy Holidays, at:

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/36

AND

13. On the same webpage, check for their hours of opening (currently, 09.00 am to 12.00).

I hope this assists people.

Regards,

Robert333

[Robert333]

Hello,

Despite being logged in, I find that there is no edit function.

I just wish to point out that in my message, under the heading "Required Documents, all of the numbering there has become numbered "1", instead of 1, 2, 3, etc, (as it was correctly shown in my Word document).

Regards,

Robert333

[ubonjoe]

Hello,

Despite being logged in, I find that there is no edit function.

I just wish to point out that in my message, under the heading "Required Documents, all of the numbering there has become numbered "1", instead of 1, 2, 3, etc, (as it was correctly shown in my Word document).

Regards,

Robert333

I did an edit for you. Hope I got it right.

Doing a copy and paste of a word document does work properly because of the formatting. Best to do it as a text document.

[Robert333]

Hello,

Thanks for editing my post.

However, in order to avoid confusion, please could you remove the numbers "9" and onwards, up to the end. (That means just the numbers and not any of the text of course).

Thus there should only be numbering from 1 to 8 inclusive. (The current numbering 1 to 8 inclusive, is correct.)

Two further edits:

At the beginning:

Please add the following:

"Please note that the requirements could change at any time, so you need to check the website and attend the Consular Section to ensure you have up-to-date information."

Under "4. “Copy of bank statement ...":

Please add the following:

"Warning:

The bank statement MUST be from your CURRENT account.

No other bank account is acceptable, even if you have instant access to it !"

Regards,

Robert333

P.S.:

Why is there no edit function once I log out and then log back in, yet for my original message there never was an edit button at all?

Edited January 12, 2014 by Robert333

[Robert333]

^Hello,

^{I have posted a replacement thread under a similar title, at:}

^{http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/696193-how-to-apply-for-the-o-a-visa-replacement-thread/}

^Regards,

^Robert333