O, O-A, retirement extension options

[sunluvr]

I'm a Canadian, and now every year I'm going to spend about 6-7 months in Thailand based in Phuket, and the rest of the year back in Canada.. I've been doing this for shorter periods for several years and have used different visa options in the past, including one retirement extension, double-entry tourist visa with extensions, etc.. I plan to do some traveling out of Thailand during my stay, maybe a few times per year so am considering whether to get an O-A here in Canada, or apply for the retirement extension once I get to Thailand.. I qualify for the retirement extension with an adequate pension. I've read another similar situation in another posting earlier this year and it answered some of my questions but not all.. I like the idea of getting a mutliple entry O-A here before I come there, just not sure how long I could make that last.. I'm assuming that the visa would be good for entry/re-entry up to 1 year after the issuing date, which is likely to be in about 2 weeks - lets say October 21, and my entry date will be November 5.. if my final departure date from Thailand is going to be about May 3, am I correct in assuming that I would have to apply for the 1-year extension prior to that departure, and along with a multiple use re-entry permit, I would be all set for returning again in November of 2015?

To get the O-A here, it's a bit more complicated from what I remember - here are the current document requirements:

2. Documents Required

• The validity of your passport must not less than 18 months. (Damaged, invalid or altered passports will not be accepted).
• Three copies of a Visa Application Form with 3 photos (2"X2") passport size and Additional Visa Application Form for Visa O-A. All application forms must be filled out completely with applicant's signature
• A copy of a bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to no less than $ 25,000 or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly income of no less than $ 2,100 or a deposit account plus a monthly income of no less than $25,000 a year and must be accompanied with a letter of guarantee from the bank stating the monthly income from a source such as a pension or other sources and the letter from the bank must be certified by a Notary Public.
• Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from the country of his/her nationality or residence (the verification shall be valid for no more than 3 months). The criminal record must be certified by a Notary Public.
• A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535) (the certificate shall be valid for no more than 3 months). Medical Certificate Form. The medical certificate must be certified by a Notary Public.
• You must also include a photocopy of the booked confirmation flights such as a travel itinerary or airline ticket when applying for the Visa "O-A".

I recall last time I got the retirement extension, from Thailand I went to KL and got a non-immigrant O, then returned to Thailand, went to CDN embassy in BKK to get my pension statement blessed/confirmed, but I don't think I needed the medical certificate or police. Having to get those here in Canada is not a big deal, I have already obtained the police clearance, just have to get the others and take them to a notary public to get them certified. If I go the O-A in Canada route, I figure it will cost me 5200 bht for the visa, then next April another 1900 bht for the 1-year xtension plus 3800 bht for multiple re-entry permit, UNLESS I could possibly make it back to Thailand next year, before the visa end date, which I assume would be October 21, 2015.

Am I missing any other logical options or making wrong assumptions somewhere?

[larsjohnsson]

If the issuing date is october 21. Then you can come back october 20--2015 and you will get another year stay on that visa.

If you like to have the extension of stay. Then just get a non O single visa. And do the extension after 2 months in Thailand

[ubonjoe]

If you get your OA visa on or about the 21st you would get a one rear entry until it expires in one year.

If were to leave and re-enter the country just before you leave in May you would get another one year entry. Then you could get a multiple re-entry permit that would allow you to enter the country for the year you would get from that entry.

If you do it this way you would not need to worry about getting an extension until May of 2016.

[OJAS]

But if you would prefer to go down the single-entry non-O route instead, it would probably be better for you to obtain this visa from the Ottawa Embassy or 1 of the Canadian consulates (see list at http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/obtaining-visa-canada) before coming over, rather than make a special trip to KL for this purpose after your arrival.

If you arrived in Thailand on such a visa on 21-Oct-2014, your passport would then, by my reckoning, be stamped until 18-Jan-2015. You could then apply for your initial extension of stay at Phuket Immigration any time from 20-Dec-2014 - which would be granted until 18-Jan-2016 regardless as long as you satisfied their requirements, of course.

The advantage of applying for your annual extension in January each year would be that this would fall slap-bang in the middle of your annual 6/7-month trip to LOS. You might well have other things on your mind in preparing for your return trip to Canada in May.

On the other hand, the disadvantage of applying in January is that you might then find yourself at the back of a very long queue consisting mainly of tourists seeking extensions to their visas, then being the high season for tourism in LOS. The queue would probably be much shorter in May which is low season.

Horses for courses and all that in your case, I think.

[Mario2008]

In Canada the embassy and general consulates only issue O-A visas based upon retirement. For a non-O one would need to apply at one of the honorary consulates.

[sunluvr]

@ ubonjoe, thanks for that idea, I like the sounds of that one.. when I eventually apply for the extension, say in April 2016, am I going to need a new pension statement certified by the embassy in BKK, and medical and police clearance certificate again?

thanks to others for your comments..

[ubonjoe]

@ ubonjoe, thanks for that idea, I like the sounds of that one.. when I eventually apply for the extension, say in April 2016, am I going to need a new pension statement certified by the embassy in BKK, and medical and police clearance certificate again?

thanks to others for your comments..

You will need to do a new statutory declaration at the embassy.

Police and medical certificates are not needed to do an extension of stay.

[sunluvr]

update...

OK, I obtained a multi-entry non-imm O-A visa, entered the country on Nov 5, and it is stamped as good until Nov 4 2015... my planned departure date back to Canada is May 3, 2015 but I plan to do a little traveling here before then.. can I simply use my visa to re-enter Thailand as many times as I want without need of a re-entry permit during that time? and each time I re-enter Thailand, does the 'stamped as good until' date move ahead to 1 year from my latest entry date?

am I correct that I must be in Thailand and apply for the 1 year retirement extension sometime before my visa's 'Enter Before date' of October 21, 2015?

[Mario2008]

you have a multiple O-A. That means that any tie you enter Thailand before 21 Oct 2015 you get a new 1 year permisison to stay without the need for a re-entry permit.

Once you leave to re-enter after 21 Oct 2015 you will need to get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand.

You need to get an extension of stay once your permission to stay you get when entering the country runs out. You can do that 45 to 30 days early.

If you would leave and re-enter Thailand on 21 Oct 2015 you would not need an extension till 21 Oct. 2016.

[ubonjoe]

update...

OK, I obtained a multi-entry non-imm O-A visa, entered the country on Nov 5, and it is stamped as good until Nov 4 2015... my planned departure date back to Canada is May 3, 2015 but I plan to do a little traveling here before then.. can I simply use my visa to re-enter Thailand as many times as I want without need of a re-entry permit during that time? and each time I re-enter Thailand, does the 'stamped as good until' date move ahead to 1 year from my latest entry date?

am I correct that I must be in Thailand and apply for the 1 year retirement extension sometime before my visa's 'Enter Before date' of October 21, 2015?

Up to the enter before date on your visa you will get a one year entry.

After the enter before date you will need to get re-entry permit to keep the last one year entry valid. When that last one year entry ends is when you will need to get an extension of stay.

[sunluvr]

Mods, thanks very much, understand it all now..