Visa confusion, Non-O, O-A, Retd?

[paulsr]

Greetings:

I've been reading forum messages for quite a while, and altho there is is lot of useful information, I'm totally confused about the various visa options for someone who wants to retire and live in Thailand. Is everyone confused, or could someone kindly give me a clear answer?...

I am a 69 year-old Canadian who has spent the last 25 years in Malaysia. I have read that I can apply for some kind of visa in Malaysia, but what kind would that be?

I have also read messages that seem to indicate I can do it in Thailand, by converting the 30-day entry chop, into a 90-day tourist visa, and then to a one year visa of some kind.

I meet the financial rule of having THB800,000 in a Thai bank account. And, altho my pensions don't meet the THB65,000 a month rule, I have other off-shore savings which provide income.

From what I've read, I think applying for a one year visa in Thailand is easier. For instance, the need to get proof of not having a criminal record can take two months in Malaysia.

Many thanks in advance for any and all advice...

--paul

[thepool]

The easiest way to achieve your aim would be to start by obtaining a single entry Non "O" visa. This will provide an initial 90 day stay. During the last 30 days application should be made to a local immigration office for an extension of stay. You will need a letter from the bank confirming that the 800,000 has been held for 2 months.

No need to show income and a criminal record check is not required.

[paulsr]

Excellent news. Thank you.

Would I get the 90 day Non "O" visa in Malaysia or a Thai Immigration Office?

[paulsr]

Oh, and does this "extension of stay" have a name? Is it one of the O, O-A, etc? And, can that extension then be extended every year?

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

A OA visa is special visa that can only be applied for in your home country or country of residence. If you have legal residency in Malaysia you could apply for it there. The OA visa allows a one year entry and you can show the money in the bank where you apply.

You could apply for a single entry non-o visa at the embassy or one of the consulates in Malaysia for being 50 or over, The visa would give you a 90 day entry that you could extend at immigration for one year based upon retirement. You would need the 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days in your name only.

You could do a conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration based upon qualifying for an extension based upon retirement during the first 15 days of a 30 day exempt entry. You would not need the money to be in Bank but not for 60 days to apply. Then after 60 days you could apply for the extension.

[thepool]

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Oh, and does this "extension of stay" have a name? Is it one of the O, O-A, etc? And, can that extension then be extended every year?

Thanks.

Forget about "O" and "O/A" !

You need, as said, a single Entry "O" visa to start the process. ( Obtained outside Thailand)

The visa will secure a 90 day permission to stay period which can be extended one year at a time for the purpose of retirement.

[paulsr]

Okay. Many thanks for the answers. I almost have it figured, but a few more questions if I may...

If I do everything in Thailand, and eventually end-up with a one year visa, is that the same type of visa I would get if I applied right now at the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur?

If not, are there any significant differences, like, only one type can be renewed?

Can I get the 90-day to one year conversion at any Immigration Office in Thailand? My nearest will be Nakhon Si Tammarat. Would I maybe have to go to Phuket?

If I start with a 90-day visa, is that single entry? i.e., it would be cancelled if I leave. If so, is there a multiple-entry 90 visa?

--paul

[Jingthing]

No, the conversion is NOT offered at all immigration offices in Thailand. Also, you have no choice as to which is your immigration office ... it is strictly based on your place of RESIDENCE in Thailand. For those applicants who want to do a conversion but their local offices doesn't offer it, they can go to Bangkok to do the conversion, and then back to their local for the second step, the extension application. In that case, I would suggest instead getting a single entry O in Malaysia.

If you choose to start with an O from Malaysia, yes, apply for a single entry O and use it as a base to then apply for your annual retirement extension. With a current visa or extension stay you need a REENTRY PERMIT (extra application) to keep that stay alive when exiting and reentering Thailand. If you travel a lot, you'll want a multiple reentry permit when you get your annual extension.

So your question now would be, does Nakhon Si Tammarat offer conversions? Does anyone know?

[thepool]

You will not , ever , get a one year "visa " in Thailand only an extension of stay which is renewable.

Read ubonjoe's comment (post number 5 ) again

edit

typo

[lopburi3]

The 90 day non immigrant visa is for one entry only - any travel would require a re-entry permit prior to leaving Thailand just as travel after obtaining an extension of stay will. Cost is 1,000 baht from immigration or perhaps 1,200 at airport with copies/photos included. When you have one year extension of stay for retirement most people will plan to obtain a multi re-entry permit for 3,800 baht to allow unlimited entry during current permitted to stay period.

[paulsr]

You will not , ever , get a one year "visa " in Thailand only an extension of stay which is renewable.

Read ubonjoe's comment (post number 5 ) again

edit

typo

Then let me rephrase the question...

Is there any difference between a one year visa issued outside Thailand, and a one-year extension of stay issued in Thailand?

Thanks.

[Lite Beer]

Yes.

A multi entry non o visa means you leave the country every 90 days.

A one year extension means you report to immigration every 90 days and is a lot cheaper

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NancyL]

Yes, with a one-year visa O-A issued outside Thailand, you don't have to have funds on deposit in a Thai bank. With a one-year extension issued in Thailand the funds have to be in a Thai bank, or you need to demonstrate an income of 65,000 baht/month (but it doesn't have to be brought into Thailand) This is perhaps the major reason people get O-A visas -- they don't want to bring money into Thailand. Since you've done so already, paulsr, I really don't see any advantage in your getting an O-A visa.

Maybe some else does though.

[Jingthing]

If you get an O-A visa in Canada, you won't need to leave the country every 90 days either ...

With any option, you'll EVENTUALLY be entering the annual retirement extension system in Thailand if you're actually retiring here long term.

[thepool]

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If you get an O-A visa in Canada, you won't need to leave the country every 90 days either ...

With any option, you'll EVENTUALLY be entering the annual retirement extension system in Thailand if you're actually retiring here long term.

Not "exclusive" to Canada.

An O/A visa provides a one year permission to stay no matter where issued.

[ubonjoe]

Okay. Many thanks for the answers. I almost have it figured, but a few more questions if I may...

If I do everything in Thailand, and eventually end-up with a one year visa, is that the same type of visa I would get if I applied right now at the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur?

If not, are there any significant differences, like, only one type can be renewed?

Can I get the 90-day to one year conversion at any Immigration Office in Thailand? My nearest will be Nakhon Si Tammarat. Would I maybe have to go to Phuket?

If I start with a 90-day visa, is that single entry? i.e., it would be cancelled if I leave. If so, is there a multiple-entry 90 visa?

--paul

You can get a single entry non-o visa in KL and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days entry you will get you can apply for the one year extension of stay. It is not a conversion.

Once you get the extension you can get a single or multiple re-entry permit if you want to travel.

You can do this at any immigration office.

The conversion is going from a 30 day entry to a non immigrant visa entry and can only done at certain immigration offices.

[Jingthing]

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If you get an O-A visa in Canada, you won't need to leave the country every 90 days either ...

With any option, you'll EVENTUALLY be entering the annual retirement extension system in Thailand if you're actually retiring here long term.

Not "exclusive" to Canada.

An O/A visa provides a one year permission to stay no matter where issued.

The OP is from Canada. I was speaking to the OP.

Perhaps he can also apply for an O-A in Malaysia if he wants an O-A as he has resided there for 25 years. Sometimes that's possible, you have to ask.

[lopburi3]

He will not be leaving every 90 days on a single entry/extension either. You can extend forever from either so there is no negative for you to use single entry or conversion and then extensions from immigration within Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

If you get an O-A visa in Canada, you won't need to leave the country every 90 days either ...

With any option, you'll EVENTUALLY be entering the annual retirement extension system in Thailand if you're actually retiring here long term.

If he has permanent residency in Malaysia he could also apply in Malaysia.

[Jingthing]

If you get an O-A visa in Canada, you won't need to leave the country every 90 days either ...

With any option, you'll EVENTUALLY be entering the annual retirement extension system in Thailand if you're actually retiring here long term.

If he has permanent residency in Malaysia he could also apply in Malaysia.

Yes of course but policies vary on that, he'd have to ask if they will really accept an O-A application there from a non-Malaysian (unless you know specifically that they do there).

[PoorSucker]

You can apply for the non-O entry in KL, Penang and Kota Bahru.

[Jingthing]

If I were the OP, I would just apply for a single entry O in Malaysia and forget about the conversion in Thailand. Then once in Thailand with 30 days left on the 90 days, apply for the annual extension based on retirement. That's basic. Why complicate?

[paulsr]

Thanks again. I'm getting close to finding the right way to do this...

Yes, I intend to stay long term.
I don't like the idea of 90-day visa runs.
I should therefore apply in Malaysia for something called an OA visa.
I can show proof of THB800,000 in a Thai account.
I know there are other things I need, like proof of no criminal record, plus a medical cert.

Is there anything else, especially from the financial side? Proof of overseas funds, or anything like that?

(I believe I can apply in Malaysia since I can prove residence. The rules seem to say "Country of Citizenship or Residence." I sure as hell don't want to go all the way to Canada.)

And (hopefully) my last question is about the application form. Is there one specifically for an OA visa? I have a generic form that just says "Application for Visa" and a bunch of checkboxes to specify which type I want. I can check "Non-Immigrant Visa". Is that correct, or have I not found the right form?

--paul

[Jingthing]

For the O-A application the funds do not need to be in Thailand.

For the in Thailand extensions, they do if using a bank account method to qualify.

Why are you bothering with an O-A?

The application is more overhead and I'm not seeing what you gain with it.

An application for a single entry O should be easy (based on your intention to apply for retirement extension in Thailand), no medical or police form needed. Then if you've got the funds in Thailand, you're ready for the extension application in Thailand, also no medical or police form needed.

You realize you do not need to leave the country every 90 days with the method I described, right?

If you are sold on the O-A, then if I were you I would get a FIRM confirmation that they will process your application being a non-Malaysian. The application is a bother to prepare, why bother if you're not eligible?

[PoorSucker]

I know there are other things I need, like proof of no criminal record, plus a medical cert.

O-A visa require police check and medical cert.

O visa do not require it.

[paulsr]

You realize you do not need to leave the country every 90 days with the method I described, right?

No. I must have mis-read something. So with the one-year extension thingy I only need report to Immigration every 90 days???

Which means there really isn't any difference between an O/A and one year extensions?

[ubonjoe]

Thanks again. I'm getting close to finding the right way to do this...

Yes, I intend to stay long term.

I don't like the idea of 90-day visa runs.

I should therefore apply in Malaysia for something called an OA visa.

I can show proof of THB800,000 in a Thai account.

I know there are other things I need, like proof of no criminal record, plus a medical cert.

Is there anything else, especially from the financial side? Proof of overseas funds, or anything like that?

(I believe I can apply in Malaysia since I can prove residence. The rules seem to say "Country of Citizenship or Residence." I sure as hell don't want to go all the way to Canada.)

And (hopefully) my last question is about the application form. Is there one specifically for an OA visa? I have a generic form that just says "Application for Visa" and a bunch of checkboxes to specify which type I want. I can check "Non-Immigrant Visa". Is that correct, or have I not found the right form?

--paul

As I wrote in a previous reply. All you need to do is get a single entry non-o visa from the embassy in KL.. Then apply for a one year extension stay which you can do at any immigration office where you are living. You will not need to leave the country every 90 days.

[Jingthing]

You realize you do not need to leave the country every 90 days with the method I described, right?

No. I must have mis-read something. So with the one-year extension thingy I only need report to Immigration every 90 days???

Which means there really isn't any difference between an O/A and one year extensions?

There is a difference.

They are different things.

But that is correct with annual extensions (and also while an O-A is valid) you need to address report every 90 days, and do NOT need to leave the country every 90 days.

Again, I suggest:

1. Apply for single entry O visa in Malaysia

2. Apply for annual retirement extension in Thailand (repeat annually)

The type of visa where you need to leave every 90 days is an annual multiple entry O visa. (Not an O-A, not a single entry O which is only good for one 90 day entry). FORGET about this type of visa ... you're not going to get it anyway based on your situation.

Your options are:

One:

O-A from Canada and maybe Malaysia, then LATER (one or two years if used wisely) you start with retirement extensions like everyone else

Two:

Start with single O in Malaysia, then extension in Thailand

Three:

Enter Thailand with a tourist visa or 30 day stamp, then do a CONVERSION to O in Thailand at your local office (or Bangkok if no support) and then extension

I strongly suggest Option TWO.

Cheers.

[paulsr]

For the O-A application the funds do not need to be in Thailand.

For the in Thailand extensions, they do if using a bank account method to qualify.

Why are you bothering with an O-A?

The application is more overhead and I'm not seeing what you gain with it.

An application for a single entry O should be easy (based on your intention to apply for retirement extension in Thailand), no medical or police form needed. Then if you've got the funds in Thailand, you're ready for the extension application in Thailand, also no medical or police form needed.

You realize you do not need to leave the country every 90 days with the method I described, right?

If you are sold on the O-A, then if I were you I would get a FIRM confirmation that they will process your application being a non-Malaysian. The application is a bother to prepare, why bother if you're not eligible?

I missed the bit about not having to leave every 90 days. That being the case, applying for the extension in Thailand is much easier. As you say... why am I bothering with an O/A.

[paulsr]

Thanks everyone for the messages & help.

The whole process does seem to be a veritable alphabet soup of visa types, but I think I have it figured now.

--paul