Non-O vs Non-O-A

[4evermaat]

I wanted to know the difference between the non immigrant 'O' visa and Non-immigrant 'O-A' category visa. The [paperwork] requirements and entitlements.

I bumped into an expat who insisted he got 1 year permission to stay on each entry with his O-A and could theoretically get 2 years by doing a border run. He just has to show his face every 90 days at local immigration office.

Edit: i thought at first he meant that he came in for 90 days and then extended at immigration. But he insisted he got 1 year permission stamp right from the entry.

Edited December 15, 2014 by 4evermaat

[Diplomatico]

You described what is probably a Non-immigrant O-A visa. If so, then what your acquaintance told you was correct....it's a multiple entry visa good for one year from the date of issue and each time you re-enter the country you receive an additional one year permission to stay up until the "enter before date" of the visa. So one could leave the country the day before expiration and receive a one year permission to stay thus, in effect, making it good for two years (though the second year requires a re-entry permit.) Holders of these visas are subject to 90 day reporting requirements when applicable.

Requirements:

Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) Extension

This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working.

Holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year. Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited.

1. Eligibility

1.1 Applicant must be aged 50 years and over (on the day of submitting application).

1.2 Applicant not prohibited from entering the Kingdom as provided by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).

1.3 Having no criminal record in Thailand and the country of the applicant’s nationality or residence.

1.4 Having the nationality of or residence in the country where applicant’s application is submitted.

1.5 Not having prohibitive diseases ( Leprosy, Tuberculosis, drug addiction, Elephantiasis, third phase of Syphilis) as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535.

2. Required Documents

- Passport with validity of not less than 18 months.

- 3 copies of completed visa application forms.

- 3 passport-sized photos (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past six months.

- A personal data form.

-A copy of bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht.

- In the case of submitting a bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy) is required.

- A letter of verification issued from the country of his or her nationality or residence stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification shall be valid for not more than three months and should be notarised by notary organs or the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission).

- 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) (certificate shall be valid for not more than three months and should be notarised by notary organs or the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission).

- In the case where the accompanying spouse is not eligible to apply for the Category ‘O-A’ (Long Stay) visa, he or she will be considered for temporary stay under Category ‘O’ visa. A marriage certificate must be provided as evidence and should be notarised by notary organs or by the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission.

[4evermaat]

In practice, who issues these visas? I think he got one out of canada, not sure if it was an honorary consulate or what.

[ubonjoe]

A OA visa can only be issued at an embassy or official consulate in your home country or country of legal residence. (1.4 in posted info).

[KhunBENQ]

In practice, who issues these visas? I think he got one out of canada, not sure if it was an honorary consulate or what.

Me

I wasted part of the validity from Oct 2010 to Mar 2011 for private reasons.

So not really two years.

Entered 13 March 2011, admitted until 12 Mar 2012.

Border run on 9 Oct 2011 before visa validity ended, got one year until 8 Oct 2012.

I know people who do regular visits to their home country and use this 2 year frame in sequence.

Never bothered with extension (except 90 day report of course) / money in the Thai bank etc. pp.

Edited December 15, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[OJAS]

Horses for courses as regards "OA" v "O" visas I think. More paperwork involved in obtaining the former. On the other hand "O" visas (of the multi-entry variety, of course) do require border runs every 90 days during their lifetime. Might not be too problematical if you live fairly close to the border. But, if not, you may have to risk life and limb every 90 days by travelling for several hours to the nearest border post and back again in 1 of the many manically-driven minivans which are frequently seen to be plying the highways and byways of LOS.

[ubonjoe]

Horses for courses as regards "OA" v "O" visas I think. More paperwork involved in obtaining the former. On the other hand "O" visas (of the multi-entry variety, of course) do require border runs every 90 days during their lifetime. Might not be too problematical if you live fairly close to the border. But, if not, you may have to risk life and limb every 90 days by travelling for several hours to the nearest border post and back again in 1 of the many manically-driven minivans which are frequently seen to be plying the highways and byways of LOS.

The non-o does not have to be a multiple entry visa. A single entry is enough if you apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry it allows.

[Issangeorge]

I had an Oa I got from the Rayal Thai Consulate in Toronto Canada. I then decided to teach school, so got a 90 day O Visa and then extended it for a year, I have now been on the same Visa for 7 years. During that time I have had 5 work permits from 3 different labor offices. So you can work on an Non Immigrant O Visa, with a year extension, but not on an Oa. That's the biggest difference.

[NancyL]

I had an Oa I got from the Rayal Thai Consulate in Toronto Canada. I then decided to teach school, so got a 90 day O Visa and then extended it for a year, I have now been on the same Visa for 7 years. During that time I have had 5 work permits from 3 different labor offices. So you can work on an Non Immigrant O Visa, with a year extension, but not on an Oa. That's the biggest difference.

The ability to work with "non-O" vs not being able to work on a "Non-O-A" is not "the biggest difference" -- just one of the many differences.

A Non-O can be obtained for, and the permission to stay extended for many reasons -- working, volunteering, marriage, retirement. But an O-A is only granted for retirement and thus the permission to stay is extended only for retirement.

For retirees one major difference between the two is in money management strategy. If someone is using the income method to justify the financial requirements, then (to my thinking) it really doesn't make much sense to jump thru the hoops to get an O-A before coming to Thailand. Just get a single-entry O visa at an honorary Thai consulate before arrival, get an income letter from your Embassy once here and then get your first 12 month retirement extension 60 days after arrival.

But, if someone doesn't have a regular monthly income of at least 65,000 baht and can't or would rather delay bringing funds into Thailand, then it makes sense to obtain an O-A visa and eek out the full two years life to delay funds transfer into Thailand as long as possible before you have to open an 800,000 baht bank account. This could be especially valuable for a young retiree who is living off savings for a year or two before the pension kicks in. The O-A visa could "bridge" that time until the pension and its regular monthly income stream starts. Once the pension starts, you just go to the Embassy, get an Income letter and then you can extend your permission to stay just like someone who started out with an O visa.

[SheungWan]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

[ubonjoe]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

That is only true if you are in the UK. There are places where you can get them at the age of 50 or over.

[4evermaat]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

That is only true if you are in the UK. There are places where you can get them at the age of 50 or over.

you said non-o. Did you mean non-o-a?

I appreciate all the responses.

[OJAS]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

That is only true if you are in the UK. There are places where you can get them at the age of 50 or over.

you said non-o. Did you mean non-o-a?

I appreciate all the responses.

I am 99.99% sure he meant non-O. At any rate I definitely got a multi-entry non-OA back in the UK even though I was well under 65 at the time! And you need to be in receipt of the UK State Pension, which is only payable from the age of 65, in order to be eligible for a non-O.

[crazygreg44]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

That is only true if you are in the UK. There are places where you can get them at the age of 50 or over.

a german ( and probably everybody else) who is prematuredly retired (for health reasons or other) under the age of 50, can get a Non O visa if he prooves that he/she is receiving a pension which but must be over 65,000 per month. That means, anyone prematuredly retired at the age of, for example, 42, can get a Non Imm O based on retirement.

True or not ?

The Non Imm O requirements say only that you have to be retired, and need to proove it, they say nothing about how old you have to be.

Edited December 16, 2014 by crazygreg44

[OJAS]

The biggest difference now as far as I am concerned is that the non-O is not available as multi-entry for those under the age of 65.

That is only true if you are in the UK. There are places where you can get them at the age of 50 or over.

a german ( and probably everybody else) who is prematuredly retired (for health reasons or other) under the age of 50, can get a Non O visa if he prooves that he/she is receiving a pension which but must be over 65,000 per month. That means, anyone prematuredly retired at the age of, for example, 42, can get a Non Imm O based on retirement

No, if you are prematurely retired and aged under 50, you can definitely NOT get a non-O for retirement, even if you can meet the financial requirements.

Edited December 16, 2014 by OJAS

[crazygreg44]

I edited my post . . so as to say that it only counts if you are retired and receiving pension or not. That said in Germany, but also the Australian Thai embassy website says that you can get a Non Imm O if you are officially retired and receiving state pension. Nothing is said about any age limit.

There's a german in another forum who claims he has been in Thailand on a Non Imm O since he came here at the age of 42. Prematurely retired ( the germans do release stressed teachers for example from their duties and grant them pension at the ripe age of 40 up)

needs clarification. I am waiting on Ubon Joe for the final hammer down

Edited December 16, 2014 by crazygreg44

[ubonjoe]

I edited my post . . so as to say that it only counts if you are retired and receiving pension or not. That said in Germany, but also the Australian Thai embassy website says that you can get a Non Imm O if you are officially retired and receiving state pension. Nothing is said about any age limit.

There's a german in another forum who claims he has been in Thailand on a Non Imm O since he came here at the age of 42. Prematurely retired ( the germans do release stressed teachers for example from their duties and grant them pension at the ripe age of 40 up)

needs clarification. I am waiting on Ubon Joe for the final hammer down

On most embassy or consulate websites you will not even find retirement listed for the O visa. They only show the OA visa which clearly says 50 or over. The official age for retirement is 50 or over.

I cannot find the non-o for retirement mentioned on the Canberra embassy website only the OA visa. http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/visa.html

The MFA website say this.

"other activities (Category "O") as follows:

to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process."

You can be sure at any embassy or official consulate that will issue a non-o for retirement you will need to be 50 or over.

There was a report of a person getting a multiple entry non-o at an honorary consulate in Germany who was under 50 and getting payments for a disability.