I have asked this question before in an earlier a post a few months ago. And I would so appreciate it if someone that knows 100% and can spare me your time can answer in detail question by question as below. Last time everything turned into a debate about whether an OA visa was a retirement visa etc. Everything turned into a he says she says debate and I was even more confused.I have since been to Immigration in Koen Kahn and just want to make sure my understanding is 100% correct. The girl there at the info counter wasn't a lot of help and said she didn't speak English and opted to speak with my wife. My wife isn't always 100% getting clear information so this just confuses things even more. I am pretty sure she wouldn't be on the information counter if she didn't speak reasonable English in fact I think if I have dealings in future like this I will go alone. I find Thais always prefer to speak there own language if they can (of course)

I have an O/A multiple entry 1 year "retire visa" or whatever it is called. I need to report every three months.

I live some 3 hours away from Koen Kahn. My initial visit yesterday was because I wanted to see the city and I thought while I was there I would clarify everything in person. My first 3 months is up mid next month February 2015 (I think?) and that is when I need to first report

So...that aside.

1) I applied and received my visa September 2014 in Australia. I arrived in Thailand for the first time on my visa November 2014.

So does my 12 months start from when my visa was approved in Australia (September 2014) or when I first arrived (November 2014)? The information officer kept saying September when the Visa was approved... but didn't sound right to me from what I have read

on TV

2) Is my first 3 monthly reporting date 3 months after September 2014 or when I arrived in November 2014?

3) I thought yesterday I would get my yellow book from immigration. Our local Amphur head told me thats what I had to do and

he gave me a letter stating my address, relationship etc. Immigration told me yesterday that it is Immigration that give me a letter

(which they did and I paid 500THB for). They tell me I need to take this back to my Amphur head and HE will give me a yellow book

4) Why do I need a yellow book? Do I submit this with my 3 monthly reporting form?

This may be the most complicated part of my questions :-)

5) I believe as this is my first year on the O/A visa, I can actually extend it out to up to 2 years by leaving and returning to the

Kingdom within this first year. I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) after one year if I don't leave the country I need to reapply for my O/A visa and will need 800kTHB in the bank here. If the exchange rate is unfavourable or gets worse than it is now, I would very much like to extend my one year by exiting and entering for that reason alone.

6) Firstly is what I have stated about extending out to 2 years by exiting re entering correct? The lady at immigration, or more accurately my wife thought thats what she said 2nd hand. The lady at immigration said I would be mad not to extend the 2nd year by leaving / returning. I think she was talking about saving money by basically getting 2 years for the price of one.

7) How much is the O/A visa when you apply in Thailand? I paid about $200 in Australia.

8) If I am right about question 5. It may be that I need to leave the country in March for business. I will only be gone a few days and then back. I assume this means if I don't go / return I extend my visa to March 2016? DO I get another bite of the cherry? For eg: Do I still have the opportunity to go out / return say in September and extend my visa to September 2016?

9) She told me I am better travelling the 3 hours every three months rather than post the 3 monthly "report in" form. I asked her why she felt it wasn't a good idea to post. Open mouthed stare. Delay....then she told me maybe it would get lost in the post. Others on this forum have told me that posting is fine, Immigration even encourage it to reduce traffic in the office?

10) Say I arrived here 17th November. If I assume right I need to report on or about February 17? If you guys were going to report in person do you turn up on the day or is a day or two either side ok? If I do send by post do I send in a few days before, a week before etc?

Really appreciate if someone has the time they can give me some advice. If I have done something wrong, made grammatical or spelling errors, have been stupid or have offended anyone in my comments above...... please hold off flaming me or going off topic before I have a chance to receive a decent reply :-)

Edited January 23, 201511 yr by Kenny202

1. The Visa is good for one year starting the day it was issued. The permission to stay is good for one year from the day you entered Thailand. Immigration stamped that date in your passport.

2. It is 90 days (not three months) from the date you entered the country. The date you entered is Day 1.

3. / 4. A Yellow book is not a requirement. Use the Search button to see lots of info about YB's.

5. / 6. Every entry within the year the Visa is valid (Sept date), you get 12 more months. Re-enter just before the Visa expires and you will get a new 12 month permission to stay. After the Visa has expired, you'll need to get a re-entry permit if you plan on traveling out of the country. That won't give you extra time, but will keep your current permission to stay date valid.

7. You can only get an OA Visa in your home country. What you do here is get an extension at immigration for purposes of retirement. The extension will be for 1 year, and costs 1900 baht.

8. Yes

9. Use the PO option that the Immigration Office® will have to sign for, and that you can track.

10. The 90 day Address reporting can be done 15 days before the date or up to 7 days after the date. It is 90 days, not three months. The first day is the date you entered the country.

Good luck. The Khon Kaen Immigration Office is a good one to have to use.

1. You visas validity started on the date it was issued. On your visa the enter before date is the last day you can use you visa for entry and get another year of stay,

2.and 10. Your report will be due 90 days from the date you entered the country including that date. You can do your report 15 days before the report date or 7 days after including the report date in the count.

3 and 4. The Amphoe issues the yellow book. You will have to ask them what is required.

What you got from immigration was a certificate of residence. You can use it to get a drivers license or register a vehicle.

You don't really need a yellow book. You will not need it for anything at immigration.

5. to 7. Every time you enter the country before the enter before date on your visa you will get a one year permit to stay.

You can do an entry just before you enter before date and get another one year permit to stay that will give you almost 2 years of total stay.

After the enter before date on your visa you will need a re-entry permit to keep your last one year entry valid if you want to travel,

Before that last entry ends you will need to apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement. That will be sometime in September of 2016 If you do an entry just before the enter before date on your visa. You will need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days on the date you apply or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

The extension costs 1900 baht.

8. When you make your trip in March you will get a new one year permit to stay when you enter the country. It will also reset your 90 day reporting date. It will be 90 days from when you enter the country.

9. It sounds like they don't want you to your reports by mail. You would need to mail the report so it gets to the immigration office 7 days before your reporting date or not earlier than 15 days. But you need to get their requirements it could be different than what immigration central says.

Thanks fellers. Awesome information. So hard to get clear information in Thailand, particularly from the source

when dealing with government departments. So if I do the re entry just before my Visa expires (enter before date),

means I don't have to show the 800k THB in the bank until the following year when I apply for extension of stay?

Effectively I don't need to worry about any of that stuff.....800k in bank, apply for extension of stay etc until the second year expires one year after I re enter the country near the expiration of my current visa enter before date.

By the bye, the application for the OA visa in Australia was a pain in the a$$. Medical tests for diseases they have no way of testing for in Australia (as they haven't been around for 50 years) etc. When I apply for extension of stay based on retirement can I do it at Koen Kahn or I have to front up at Bangkok? Someone told me a medical isn't required. Just proof of funds. Is it a big hassle applying for extension? I remember I had to have everything signed, witnessed, counter signed and all bound together legally and provide 4 copies.

"So if I do the re entry just before my Visa expires (enter before date), means I don't have to show the 800k THB in the bank until the following year when I apply for extension of stay?"

Correct, you don't.

"When I apply for extension of stay based on retirement can I do it at Koen Kahn or I have to front up at Bangkok?"

In fact, you will have no choice other to do it at the Kon Khaen office if you are still living within their catchment area.

"Someone told me a medical isn't required"

No it isn't for an extension of stay

" Is it a big hassle applying for extension?"

In my personal experience obtaining extensions of stay has proved rather more straightforward than my original OA visa.

Sorry you had a hazzle your last time out. That is too often the case here I am afraid.

But generally just scroll down to the answers from Ubonjoe, paz, Mario2008, Litebeer and a few others. They are amazing. Always right, and spot on. Always clearifying everything for us, and do it off their spare time.

This time you had a couple more good answers as well. Good to see.

Good luck!

Edited January 23, 201511 yr by thaibreaker

Thanks fellers. Awesome information. So hard to get clear information in Thailand, particularly from the source

when dealing with government departments. So if I do the re entry just before my Visa expires (enter before date),

means I don't have to show the 800k THB in the bank until the following year when I apply for extension of stay?

Effectively I don't need to worry about any of that stuff.....800k in bank, apply for extension of stay etc until the second year expires one year after I re enter the country near the expiration of my current visa enter before date.

By the bye, the application for the OA visa in Australia was a pain in the <deleted>. Medical tests for diseases they have no way of testing for in Australia (as they haven't been around for 50 years) etc. When I apply for extension of stay based on retirement can I do it at Koen Kahn or I have to front up at Bangkok? Someone told me a medical isn't required. Just proof of funds. Is it a big hassle applying for extension? I remember I had to have everything signed, witnessed, counter signed and all bound together legally and provide 4 copies.

As long as you do an entry in September of this year just before the enter before date on your visa you will not have to worry about the extension until September of 2016 other than putting the money in the bank 60 days before then.

The most important thing to remember after September is to get a re-entry permit at immigration if you want to travel to keep the your permit to stay valid.

When you do eventually apply for the 12 month extension at Khon Kaen you will find it a breeze.

In and out in no time.

One thing I think you forget. He mentionend that he got a Mutiple -Entry Visa ( I have an O/A multiple entry 1 year "retire visa" or whatever it is called. I need to report every three months.) I think that he have to leave the country every 3 months. Maybe I'm wrong but I have to do it with mt Multiple-Entry Non O Visa ( based on marriage)

1. You visas validity started on the date it was issued. On your visa the enter before date is the last day you can use you visa for entry and get another year of stay,

2.and 10. Your report will be due 90 days from the date you entered the country including that date. You can do your report 15 days before the report date or 7 days after including the report date in the count.

3 and 4. The Amphoe issues the yellow book. You will have to ask them what is required.

What you got from immigration was a certificate of residence. You can use it to get a drivers license or register a vehicle.

You don't really need a yellow book. You will not need it for anything at immigration.

5. to 7. Every time you enter the country before the enter before date on your visa you will get a one year permit to stay.

You can do an entry just before you enter before date and get another one year permit to stay that will give you almost 2 years of total stay.

After the enter before date on your visa you will need a re-entry permit to keep your last one year entry valid if you want to travel,

Before that last entry ends you will need to apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement. That will be sometime in September of 2016 If you do an entry just before the enter before date on your visa. You will need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days on the date you apply or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

The extension costs 1900 baht.

8. When you make your trip in March you will get a new one year permit to stay when you enter the country. It will also reset your 90 day reporting date. It will be 90 days from when you enter the country.

9. It sounds like they don't want you to your reports by mail. You would need to mail the report so it gets to the immigration office 7 days before your reporting date or not earlier than 15 days. But you need to get their requirements it could be different than what immigration central says.

Nope.

Each entry gives him 12 months stay.

Thanks for all the info guys. !00% clear now....mainly on the little things like the 90 days (not 3 months) and the re entry permit stuff.

The devils in the detail and if I didn't know to do those little things could cause some real problems