90 day report at immigration plus O-A long stay visa

[watgate]

Seeing as how my previous 4 trips to Thailand were on double or triple entry tourist visas, I never needed to go to immigration for a 30 day extension which I understand costs 1900 baht. In the future I will be wanting to stay longer then the 4- 5 months I have been staying and will most likely apply for a non-immigrant visa O-A long stay. I understand you have to report to immigration every 90 days. Is their any fees or expenses associated with the 90 day report to immigration? Also, is it better to apply for the O-A long stay visa in the U.S or wait and do it in Thailand? What are the pros and cons of appying for the O-A long stay visa in the U.S versus waiting and applying in Thailand for this visa? Thank you for any info or advice

[glegolo]

You can not purchase a whatever VISA inside Thailand.. VISA is something you buy outside Thailand....So as being an american you must buy that special kind of VISA in your own homecountry not elsewhere...

With our previous "triple entry tourist visas", sure you were not forced to go to "Immigration" in Thailand, but you were of course "forced" to jump out of Thailand every 90 day..

Glegolo

[AyG]

90 day reporting is free, and can be done by post at many (most?) immigration offices.

If the non-Imm O-A visa is on the basis of retirement, you might find it easier to get a non-O in Vientiane. I understand (but haven't got personal experience) that all you need there is your passport as proof of age. That will give you 3 months in Thailand, during which time you can extend your stay annually based upon having 800,000 Baht in a bank account here for the previous 3 months.

[NancyL]

Can't we do a sticky post about the different routes to obtain what is commonly called a "retirement visa"? The pros and cons of obtaining a O-A in one's home country vs. coming in on 30 day visa exempt status then obtaining a 90-day O visa in Thailand (yes, glegolo you can "purchase" or rather convert visa-exempt entry to a 90-day O visa) and then extending that O-visa for 12 months due to retirement.

Please?

We've tread this ground so much that the forums pros must have carpal tunnel.

Or maybe there is a sticky someplace and we just forget to refer people to it.

[ubonjoe]

You can only apply for a OA visa at a embassy or official consulate in your home country or a country where you legal residence.

You can apply for an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement at immigration here.

There are no fees for making a report for staying more than 90 days in the country.

The OA visa application requires medical certificate and police background check to qualify for it and meeting the financial requirements. If using money in the bank the funds can be in the country where you apply. It is possible to get two years of stay from an OA visa without the need to get a new visa. If you are married and your spouse cannot qualify for the OA visa it is not advisable to obtain a OA visa because your spouse would only be able to get a multiple entry non-o visa which would require leaving the country every 90 days. Requirements for a OA visa here: http://www.thaiembdc.us/dcdp/Non_Immigrant_Long_Stay

An extension of stay does not require a medical or police certificate to obtain. To obtain the it you must have 800K baht in a Thai bank in your name only.or 65K baht income proven by a letter from the embassy or a combination of the 2 totaling 800K baht. If married you spouse can obtain an extension of stay as your dependent.

[ubonjoe]

Can't we do a sticky post about the different routes to obtain what is commonly called a "retirement visa"? The pros and cons of obtaining a O-A in one's home country vs. coming in on 30 day visa exempt status then obtaining a 90-day O visa in Thailand (yes, glegolo you can "purchase" or rather convert visa-exempt entry to a 90-day O visa) and then extending that O-visa for 12 months due to retirement.

Please?

We've tread this ground so much that the forums pros must have carpal tunnel.

Or maybe there is a sticky someplace and we just forget to refer people to it.

A pinned topic is normally a waste of space on the forum because they are not checked for info.. A search does just a well.

[watgate]

If I get a non-O visa while in Thailand, can I then convert it to a non-immigrant O-A visa to avoid having to go through the bothersome requirements to get a medical and police report? If you can't convert a non-O visa to a non O-A visa, then can you extend your stay for a year based on having the required funds in a bato worry about..nk and being over age 50. I am single so need for a spouse to worry about.

[ubonjoe]

If I get a non-O visa while in Thailand, can I then convert it to a non-immigrant O-A visa to avoid having to go through the bothersome requirements to get a medical and police report? If you can't convert a non-O visa to a non O-A visa, then can you extend your stay for a year based on having the required funds in a bato worry about..nk and being over age 50. I am single so need for a spouse to worry about.

You don't convert to a OA visa here. A OA visa can only be applied for an embassy or consulate.

You apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration by just showing the financial proof and nothing more than your passport and some copies of it.

You will need 800k baht in the bank for 60 days (90 days for next extension) or proof of income of 65k baht or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

[scoutman360]

90 day reporting is free, and can be done by post at many (most?) immigration offices.

If the non-Imm O-A visa is on the basis of retirement, you might find it easier to get a non-O in Vientiane. I understand (but haven't got personal experience) that all you need there is your passport as proof of age. That will give you 3 months in Thailand, during which time you can extend your stay annually based upon having 800,000 Baht in a bank account here for the previous 3 months.

If this is true, then why bother with the O-A VISA? The O-A seems far more difficult. Are there any advantages?

On a non-O VISA (for retirement), must you leave the country every 90 days?

[ubonjoe]

90 day reporting is free, and can be done by post at many (most?) immigration offices.

If the non-Imm O-A visa is on the basis of retirement, you might find it easier to get a non-O in Vientiane. I understand (but haven't got personal experience) that all you need there is your passport as proof of age. That will give you 3 months in Thailand, during which time you can extend your stay annually based upon having 800,000 Baht in a bank account here for the previous 3 months.

If this is true, then why bother with the O-A VISA? The O-A seems far more difficult. Are there any advantages?

On a non-O VISA (for retirement), must you leave the country every 90 days?

A OA visa gives multiple one year entries for a year from the date it was issued. It is possible to get almost 2 years of stay from it without getting a new visa or an extension of stay.

To most people the big advantage is that they do not need to move their money to Thailand if they cannot meet the 65K baht income requirement.