1 year non-immigrant O, multi entry visa

[ketherin]

Sorry to ask something which has probably been asked already but every time i read these visa questions i seem to get more and more confused !!

I,m from the UK and got a 1 year non-immigrant O,multi entry visa (retirement visa) from the Thai embassy in London November 2013.This is the first retirement visa I've ever got, previously just had tourist visas.

Entered Thailand 28th Dec 2013, passport was stamped allowing me 1 years stay til 29th Dec 2014.

Left Thailand 14th may 2014 for London, still here planning to leave 16th June.

My question is when I arrive as my visa is still in its first year,will immigration stamp me with one more full year so I could stay til 16th June 2015 if required, (I know I still have to do the 90 days reporting)

If this is the case am I correct in saying I don't have to renew my retirement visa in Thailand Dec 2014 one year after the original entry into Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

You will get a new on year entry that will allow you stay until June 2015 when you enter next month.

If you don't do an entry prior to November 2014 when your visa expires that will be the date you will need to do an extension of stay.June of 2015.

Ever entry you make up until the date your visa expires (enter before date on the visa sticker) will give you another one year entry. If you were to just leave and re-enter country just before that date you would not need to do the extension until one year after that date.

After your visa expires you will need to get a re-entry permit to keep your permit to stay date valid if you want to leave the country.

[ketherin]

Ubonjoe, Thank you for your reply.

Think I understand now, basically what your saying is my 1st visa started on entry Nov 2013, valid til Nov 2014.

But if I exit and enter a few times during this period I'll keep getting another 12 months,the last one could be exit end Oct 2014 enter before the original Nov 2014 date and get 1 year (Nov 2015).

Then i won't need to get a 1 year extension from immigration til Nov 2015....is this correct?

And again sorry to keep pestering you, and thanks for your time and help.

[ubonjoe]

You got it correct.

The important date is the enter before date on your visa sticker. If you do an entry before that date you will get a one year entry.

After the enter before date you will need to get a re-entry permit at immigration if you want to travel.

[ketherin]

Thank you for your help.

The thing which was really confusing me, especially reading these forums ?

Was that once I travel after the expiry of the original visa (Nov 2015) even though I have a visa stamped for maybe Nov 2016 I will require a re-entry permit from immigration.

[LivinLOS]

Dont forget also.. While on a 1 year permission to stay, dont forget that you must do 90 day reporting to immigration..

I only mention as I know 2 guys who were also issues non imm OA's and were never told any of this and were not understanding that it was a requirement think that was only for guys on extensions of stay.

[ubonjoe]

Thank you for your help.

The thing which was really confusing me, especially reading these forums ?

Was that once I travel after the expiry of the original visa (Nov 2015) even though I have a visa stamped for maybe Nov 2016 I will require a re-entry permit from immigration.

You need a re-entry permit because you will no longer have a valid visa you will only have a permit to stay date. If you enter the country without a visa you will only get a 30 day permit to stay. The re-entry permit allows you to enter the country and get the same permit to stay that you had when left.

[ketherin]

Thanks for all your help, finally i understand☺,

your comments made it perfectly clear, thanks again.

[smedly]

so is an OA good for two years if you leave and return just before it expires ?

and on another note

Interesting news from the London Embassy -

Thai ambassador to UK ordered home

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry has issued an order to its Thai Ambassador to the United Kingdom to return to Bangkok and report to the ministry as soon as possible, the National Council for Peace and Order's spokesman said on Friday.

Reason of the order is still not known. The spokesperson said that Pasan Teparak had not yet arrived in Bangkok.

Reports said that Pasant, a former consul general of Thai Consulate General in Dubai, was close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra who took refuge in Dubai. The envoy was formerly a member of the secretariat team on foreign affairs during the premiershpi of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s sister, before being appointed as the ambassador to London.