"Best" location to use ? (O-A (Retirement) Los Angeles, Chicago, New York or Washington, DC ?

[chubby]

can anyone give any feedback, on the easiest/fastest consulate/embassy for USA person seeking an retirement O-A mailing it in ?

perhaps, there is no difference , but since I can mail it anywhere, maybe Wash.DC embassy would be the 1st , best choice ?

......aand about how many weeks, would you say from certified mailing a passport till it would be returned to me, on average or worse case scenario, as I'm looking to book an air ticket soon ......... thanks

(O-A (Retirement) visas can only be issued at Los Angeles, Chicago,

New York and Washington, DC

[ubonjoe]

They are all about the same. The embassy in DC and the consulate in NY do not ask for the documents to be notarized.

There have been reports of people mailing in applications to DC from all over the states but they now have a page on their website showing the areas of jurisdiction. See:. http://thaiembdc.org/visas/

Average time to get it would be a week to 10 days up to 2 weeks

[RickNew]

I got mine in Los Angeles two years ago and it could not of been a more pleasant experience. Very nice friendly people at Thai Embassy in LA. Dropped everything of in the morning and pick up visa next day. Had a lovely evening in LA.

The only real pain was getting everything notarized before I went. Virtually had to hire a notary to spend half a day visiting doctor, bank and sheriff's office.

[chubby]

i had not noticed that scroll down on the bottom of the webpage, looks like each consulate has 1 jurisdiction, hence, i don't have a choice, hmmm

i guess if LA is doing overnight in person, i should be safe to plan on two weeks for a mail in ............?

They are all about the same. The embassy in DC and the consulate in NY do not ask for the documents to be notarized.

There have been reports of people mailing in applications to DC from all over the states but they now have a page on their website showing the areas of jurisdiction. See:. http://thaiembdc.org/visas/

Average time to get it would be a week to 10 days up to 2 weeks

[Langsuan Man]

That breakdown on Consulate and Embassy responsibilities that are now on the Thai Embassy web page is new since in the past the Embassy would accept applications from everywhere but now appears to be enforcing a physical location requirement

Most will process the application and allied paperwork overnight and since they encourage you to submit a self addressed pre-paid Express Mail Overnight envelope the entire process should not take over a week and in many cases even less. I have mailed my applications both to New York and Washington and have never had to wait more than four days for the entire process. But I also send in my application taking into account Thai holidays and local US postal holidays, as well as the weekends

[jmd8800]

I did my Non Imm O-A retirement in LA in person last April. I lived about 8 miles from the consulate. Dropped the application off in the morning (pay attention to the hours they will accept applications listed on the website) and I was able to pick up the visa the following day.

As for notarization: the person at the consulate said yes they require notarization. As RickNew had a notary follow him to thes places, I was able to take the papers of the doctor, background check etc to a notary and she notarized them as 'true copies'. Simply put I gathered up all my required documents and separated the ones that needed to be notarized. I took these to a notary and she notarized that they were true copies. Ask any notary (in California anyway) and they will know what you mean by true copies. There are different forms to fill out with true copies.

[Issanman]

In Jan 2013, I got my O-A from the Thai Embassy in DC and it took exactly one week by mail from Florida. Nothing was notarized.

[Dynalmadman]

Got my O-A from DC last month. Nothing notarized, mailed on a Thursday, got back to me following Wednesday.

Michael

[Langsuan Man]

Only LA and Chicago enforce the notary requirement, Washington and New York do not

[JimGant]

Got my O-A from DC last month. Nothing notarized, mailed on a Thursday, got back to me following Wednesday.

Did you use the $19.99 flat rate Express mail, as they dictate? That's a lot more expensive than flat rate Priority mail ($5.75) -- for the same security and tracking. Only difference is speed. Obviously, the requirement for Express mail isn't an MFA dictate, as the LA Consulate stipulates either Express or Priority. Anyway, just curious, as presumably they want Express mail coming and going -- thus $40.

Also, I saw a new wrinkle on their site for police checks:

A letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification have to valid for not more than three months and must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only. Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable )

Presumably you can still have your county sheriff do the check, as "state" here probably means "government" entity, not the State you live in. Just asking for something official vs. an online criminal record check -- whatever that is.... But, who knows -- maybe your local sheriff is no longer good enough.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

For the folks above who were submitting to the L.A. Consulate, what agency were you getting your criminal history clearance done by???

[JimGant]

And I see this unhelpful advice related to O-A visas is still boilerplate on the DC site:

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom:
Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

This dates back several years to when the single entry Non Imm O-A visa was the norm. Today, only multiple entry Non Imm O-A visas are issued:

"Validity of a visa: multiple entries, 1 yearPeriod of stay"

Thus, the dated advice can be confusing, since today's O-A visa is valid for one-year from date of issue -- and not just valid for one single entry, and one single one-year permission of stay stamp (as in the old days). No wonder this forum has so many queries about, "Is the O-A visa really good for stays approximating two years?"

Mai pen rai.

[nowretired]

And I see this unhelpful advice related to O-A visas is still boilerplate on the DC site:

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom:

Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

This dates back several years to when the single entry Non Imm O-A visa was the norm. Today, only multiple entry Non Imm O-A visas are issued:

"Validity of a visa: multiple entries, 1 yearPeriod of stay"

Thus, the dated advice can be confusing, since today's O-A visa is valid for one-year from date of issue -- and not just valid for one single entry, and one single one-year permission of stay stamp (as in the old days). No wonder this forum has so many queries about, "Is the O-A visa really good for stays approximating two years?"

Mai pen rai.

Would you say the American Embassy's Bangkok website was up to date ?

Here is a hopelessly outdated extract from that site .....

"Thai immigration officials will place an immigration stamp in the passport permitting a 30-day stay in Thailand if arriving by air or a 15-day stay if arriving by land. This time limit may subsequently be extended for an additional 7 days by paying a 1,900 baht fee to the Thai Immigration Bureau office".

Be careful where criticism is directed

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/thai-visas-for-americans.html

Edited August 2, 2015 by nowretired

[chubby]

fwiw,

Wash DC

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-o/

says:

"Submitting application by mail Application must include self-addressed return envelope only by these following mail service

USPS (US Postal Service) Express Mail: use only flat rate mailing envelope with $19.99 postage stamp (Metered stamps will not be accepted)"

......doesn't seem to mention what the incoming type of Mail method is , or should be, that I can see ?

however , the LA consulate says:

"When applying by mail please use a trackable service such as USPS Express Mail or USPS Priority Mail with free tracking. We make every effort to prevent the loss of your mail when sending from our office. However, the consulate cannot be responsible for lost or misdelivered mail."

....wish to seems to indicate both ways could be Priority version

Got my O-A from DC last month. Nothing notarized, mailed on a Thursday, got back to me following Wednesday.

Did you use the $19.99 flat rate Express mail, as they dictate? That's a lot more expensive than flat rate Priority mail ($5.75) -- for the same security and tracking. Only difference is speed. Obviously, the requirement for Express mail isn't an MFA dictate, as the LA Consulate stipulates either Express or Priority. Anyway, just curious, as presumably they want Express mail coming and going -- thus $40.

Also, I saw a new wrinkle on their site for police checks:

A letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification have to valid for not more than three months and must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only. Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable )

Presumably you can still have your county sheriff do the check, as "state" here probably means "government" entity, not the State you live in. Just asking for something official vs. an online criminal record check -- whatever that is.... But, who knows -- maybe your local sheriff is no longer good enough.

[jmd8800]

And I see this unhelpful advice related to O-A visas is still boilerplate on the DC site:

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom:

Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

This dates back several years to when the single entry Non Imm O-A visa was the norm. Today, only multiple entry Non Imm O-A visas are issued:

"Validity of a visa: multiple entries, 1 yearPeriod of stay"

Thus, the dated advice can be confusing, since today's O-A visa is valid for one-year from date of issue -- and not just valid for one single entry, and one single one-year permission of stay stamp (as in the old days). No wonder this forum has so many queries about, "Is the O-A visa really good for stays approximating two years?"

Mai pen rai.

When I received my Non-Immigrant O-A I asked about this being good for two years. I was told that if I entered say the day before my last entry date I would get a full year of stay (minus 1 day). He said however, after your entry date expires you are on single entry and if you leave after that date, without purchasing a re-entry stamp, your O-A visa is now invalid.

I have always wondered why anyone would exit just before the expire date to get a second year. Wouldn't it be better to renew the visa to begin with?

[jmd8800]

Got my O-A from DC last month. Nothing notarized, mailed on a Thursday, got back to me following Wednesday.

Did you use the $19.99 flat rate Express mail, as they dictate? That's a lot more expensive than flat rate Priority mail ($5.75) -- for the same security and tracking. Only difference is speed. Obviously, the requirement for Express mail isn't an MFA dictate, as the LA Consulate stipulates either Express or Priority. Anyway, just curious, as presumably they want Express mail coming and going -- thus $40.

Also, I saw a new wrinkle on their site for police checks:

A letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification have to valid for not more than three months and must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only. Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable )

Presumably you can still have your county sheriff do the check, as "state" here probably means "government" entity, not the State you live in. Just asking for something official vs. an online criminal record check -- whatever that is.... But, who knows -- maybe your local sheriff is no longer good enough.

I was a resident of CA so this was easy for me. Find a Live Scan place and make an appointment. The lady was also a notary so she notarized all of the paperwork required by the Thai Consulate as true copies. Background check and notary service total was $60. YMMV

The is the system I used for background checks is called "Live Scan" Search in your home state and you may find a similar program.

https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/visaimmigration

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

When I received my Non-Immigrant O-A I asked about this being good for two years. I was told that if I entered say the day before my last entry date I would get a full year of stay (minus 1 day). He said however, after your entry date expires you are on single entry and if you leave after that date, without purchasing a re-entry stamp, your O-A visa is now invalid.

I have always wondered why anyone would exit just before the expire date to get a second year. Wouldn't it be better to renew the visa to begin with?

Assuming you have a multi-entry O-A visa, for the first year, you don't need any re-entry permit, because the visa itself covers those re-entries during its validity period.

Then, if you depart and return to Thailand just before the visa itself expires, you'll be given another one-year permission to stay stamp (not visa, just permission to stay) from the date you re-enter. Once the visa is expired and you're then on permission to stay, that's when you need re-entry permits for any additional trips outside Thailand.

As for your final comment, why would anyone especially want to travel back to their home country, go thru all the paperwork hoops and expense including police and medical clearances, and pay the not insignificant visa application fee when...

Instead, you can just obtain another full year of permission to stay (after the initial one year on the visa) just by doing an inexpensive Thailand border run, and, if you plan any additional travel outside Thailand during that second year, buying a single or multiple entry reentry permit to keep alive that permission to stay (fees 1000 and 3800 baht, respectively). That's cheap and easy compared to the alternative of obtaining an entirely new visa.

BTW, I always purchase re-entry permits from Thai Immigration because you never know when you might suddenly need to travel outside Thailand for some family emergency or a vacation or whatever. So, I prefer to keep an unused permit available in my pocket (meaning passport). But, if someone doesn't want to do that, they're also available at Swampy Airport to purchase from Immigration there on the day of one's departing flight.

And, ultimately, if you never actually were going to leave Thailand at all during that second year period on permission to stay, then, you wouldn't need a re-entry permit at all. The one-year permission to stay stamp you'd receive on arriving into Thailand just before your visa expired would carry you thru the second year just fine -- again, assuming you had no outside Thailand travel during that year.

Edited August 3, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[jmd8800]

@TallGuyJohninBKK One can renew the retirement visa while inside of Thailand. So there is no need to exit the country. There is a separate desk at Chiang Mai Immigration for retirement renewals.

The question I have is: If I go through the first year (I have non-immigrant o-a) and then get an extension to stay then what do I do for the 3rd year? Another extension? Exit and reapply?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

@TallGuyJohninBKK One can renew the retirement visa while inside of Thailand. So there is no need to exit the country. There is a separate desk at Chiang Mai Immigration for retirement renewals.

The question I have is: If I go through the first year (I have non-immigrant o-a) and then get an extension to stay then what do I do for the 3rd year? Another extension? Exit and reapply?

No, you cannot renew (or obtain a new) O-A visa inside Thailand at Thai Immigration. O-A visas are only issued at Thai Consulates/Embassies.

You can transition from an O-A visa (potentially covering up to two years) or some other status to an Extension of Stay based on retirement at Thai Immigration inside Thailand. Retirement extensions are valid only for one year, don't require medical or police clearances, and only have a 1900 baht fee, unlike the O-A visas.

But the O-A and retirement extensions do have comparable monthly income and/or bank deposit financial requirements. And both are related to people on retirement status, so people often get VISAS confused with EXTENSIONS OF STAY. They are not the same.

Once you've used up the full two years status of your original O-A, you have various choices, including:

1. return to your home country and apply for another O-A visa at your local Thai Embassy/Consulate, just as you did with the first one, and gain up to another two years.

or

2. stay inside Thailand and transition to an Extension of Stay based on retirement at Thai Immigration, which then would need to be annually renewed thereafter.

[jmd8800]

@TallGuyJohninBKK One can renew the retirement visa while inside of Thailand. So there is no need to exit the country. There is a separate desk at Chiang Mai Immigration for retirement renewals.

The question I have is: If I go through the first year (I have non-immigrant o-a) and then get an extension to stay then what do I do for the 3rd year? Another extension? Exit and reapply?

No, you cannot renew (or obtain a new) O-A visa inside Thailand at Thai Immigration. O-A visas are only issued at Thai Consulates/Embassies.

You can transition from an O-A visa (potentially covering up to two years) or some other status to an Extension of Stay based on retirement at Thai Immigration inside Thailand. Retirement extensions are valid only for one year, don't require medical or police clearances, and only have a 1900 baht fee, unlike the O-A visas.

But the O-A and retirement extensions do have comparable monthly income and/or bank deposit financial requirements. And both are related to people on retirement status, so people often get VISAS confused with EXTENSIONS OF STAY. They are not the same.

Once you've used up the full two years status of your original O-A, you have various choices, including:

1. return to your home country and apply for another O-A visa at your local Thai Embassy/Consulate, just as you did with the first one, and gain up to another two years.

or

2. stay inside Thailand and transition to an Extension of Stay based on retirement at Thai Immigration, which then would need to be annually renewed thereafter.

So the "Retirement Renewal" is a bit misleading then. I'm getting used to the terminology. I do know there are differences in visa and extension of stay. So, if I choose to stay in country after one year (or exit and return before the 'enter before date' ) this will become an extension of stay?

Thanks for the info.

[ubonjoe]

If you did an entry at any time during the OA visas one year validity you would get a new one year permit to stay. You would not be able to do an extension of that permit to stay until the last 30 days of that permit to stay.

For an example if you first entered on 1 January you would get a permit to stay until the 31st of December. If you left and did an entry on June 1st of that first year you would get a permit to stay of May 31st first of the next year. You would not be able to apply for an extension until May of the next year.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So, if I choose to stay in country after one year (or exit and return before the 'enter before date' ) this will become an extension of stay?

I don't believe it's exactly the way you're describing it, or thinking about it, above.

Once you make the last eligible entry on your original O-A visa and get a final added one year "permission to stay" stamp in your passport, that's not the same as a regular Extension of Stay based on retirement.

The final extra year stamp you get under the O-A visa has no additional application process, nor any additional financial requirements. It's just the final one-year permission to stay stamp granted under your original O-A visa.

Separate from that, the Extension of Stay based on retirement is something you have to specifically apply for at Thai Immigration, pay the application fee, meet the age 50 or above age requirement, and meet the financial requirement in terms of monthly income, Thai bank deposits, or a combination of the two. If approved, it's good for a year and can be renewed annually at Immigration.

But it's not like your O-A visa suddenly or automatically converts to an Extension of Stay based on Retirement. It doesn't.

[chubby]

do multiple re-entry permits, mean "unlimited" re-entrys?

I wonder if JMD, is clear about O-A visa origination/expiry date, from his questions.... though, if he is in CM, then he'd be aiming for an "extension" anyway or a "conversion" from some other visa...

When I received my Non-Immigrant O-A I asked about this being good for two years. I was told that if I entered say the day before my last entry date I would get a full year of stay (minus 1 day). He said however, after your entry date expires you are on single entry and if you leave after that date, without purchasing a re-entry stamp, your O-A visa is now invalid.

I have always wondered why anyone would exit just before the expire date to get a second year. Wouldn't it be better to renew the visa to begin with?

Assuming you have a multi-entry O-A visa, for the first year, you don't need any re-entry permit, because the visa itself covers those re-entries during its validity period.

Then, if you depart and return to Thailand just before the visa itself expires, you'll be given another one-year permission to stay stamp (not visa, just permission to stay) from the date you re-enter. Once the visa is expired and you're then on permission to stay, that's when you need re-entry permits for any additional trips outside Thailand.

As for your final comment, why would anyone especially want to travel back to their home country, go thru all the paperwork hoops and expense including police and medical clearances, and pay the not insignificant visa application fee when...

Instead, you can just obtain another full year of permission to stay (after the initial one year on the visa) just by doing an inexpensive Thailand border run, and, if you plan any additional travel outside Thailand during that second year, buying a single or multiple entry reentry permit to keep alive that permission to stay (fees 1000 and 3800 baht, respectively). That's cheap and easy compared to the alternative of obtaining an entirely new visa.

BTW, I always purchase re-entry permits from Thai Immigration because you never know when you might suddenly need to travel outside Thailand for some family emergency or a vacation or whatever. So, I prefer to keep an unused permit available in my pocket (meaning passport). But, if someone doesn't want to do that, they're also available at Swampy Airport to purchase from Immigration there on the day of one's departing flight.

And, ultimately, if you never actually were going to leave Thailand at all during that second year period on permission to stay, then, you wouldn't need a re-entry permit at all. The one-year permission to stay stamp you'd receive on arriving into Thailand just before your visa expired would carry you thru the second year just fine -- again, assuming you had no outside Thailand travel during that year.

[chubby]

hmm, by the way : what does "a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented" probably mean anyhow ? or what language /vocabulary do I ask my bank for one of these "letters" ?

one might think, somewhere on the LA page, they'd mention "..........and get everything notarized" ; I'm assuming I just bring the background, bank balance statement, and medical certificate to ANY notary, that ANY notary can do a "true copy" vouch-ing .....?

----------

(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)
*6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence. The verification must not be more than three months old. Please note we will not accept the receipt for Request for Live Scan Service unless it includes the actual report/results.

----------

Edited August 3, 2015 by chubby

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

do multiple re-entry permits, mean "unlimited" re-entrys?

Yes, the multiple-entry re-entry permit entitles the holder to come and go from Thailand an unlimited number of times during the validity period of the permit, which will be the same as the remaining time on the person's current permission to stay until date.

Edited August 4, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TheAppletons]

hmm, by the way : what does "a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented" probably mean anyhow ? or what language /vocabulary do I ask my bank for one of these "letters" ?

one might think, somewhere on the LA page, they'd mention "..........and get everything notarized" ; I'm assuming I just bring the background, bank balance statement, and medical certificate to ANY notary, that ANY notary can do a "true copy" vouch-ing .....?

----------

(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)

*6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence. The verification must not be more than three months old. Please note we will not accept the receipt for Request for Live Scan Service unless it includes the actual report/results.

----------

When I did mine - through the LA consulate - I used the notary at the Postal Annex in my neighborhood. Inexpensive.

[jmd8800]

Here are the steps I took to apply in person for a Non-Imm O-A in LA. I live 8 miles from the consulate so it was quite easy. I would have no idea about the other places.

First I read this website page: http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

Since I thought the background check would take the most time I started there. I contacted a person who does Live Scan background checks. (This may be California only I do not know). When I went to see her I noticed she is also a notary so I showed her the Thai Consulate requirements that I had prineted out about notary and she said just do a 'true copy'.

See here: http://www.asnnotary.org/?form=certifiedattestedphotocopies

I went to my bank and asked them to provide a letter of my account. Again, I showed them the web page printout I had made with the line from the web site:

(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)

There was a fee for this and the letter was sent to me a few days later. I made 4 copies.

My doctor really had no clue as to how to fill out the med cert. But he took a stab at it. He has a history on me as well. I volunteered to take blood tests. I took a blood test for syphilis only. The rest were done on a visual basis. He asked in several different ways if I had problems with drugs or alcohol. I made 4 copies.

My retirement comes from two different sources and combined they are over the 800,00THB requirement. I dug out the award letters that I received from both places. Both of the pension awards state that this pension is for life. I made 4 copies.

I got 4 passport photos.

I made 4 copies of the application and my passport 'picture' page.

When my background check arrived I took that, the bank and pension statements and doctor cert to the notary. She divided them into stacks containing each separate document (i.e. all bank statements in one pile) and instructed me not to mix them up. She filled out her form for each pile and attached the form.

I think I've covered everything to get ready for submitting. I'm doing this from memory... and my memory sucks.

Off to the LA Consulate. Pay attention to the times allowed to drop off your application. I think drop off is 9am to 12 noon but check before you go. They will tell you when you can come back to pick it up. When I was there I was the only person applying for a visa. In and out in 20 minutes both times.

First desk will sort your papers and verify that everything is there and complete. Mine was complete so I waited 5 minutes while the paperwork went from one desk to another then I was called to the window. Given a receipt and told to come back the next morning between the hours .... haha ..i forgot now. But I think I had to be there before 10:30 am. Next day I picked it up. The man behind the glass (an American I think) that processed everything explained a few things to me and asked if I had questions. I asked a couple..he answered them and I was on my way.

This web page from the LA Consulate is quite clear: http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

[jmd8800]

hmm, by the way : what does "a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented" probably mean anyhow ? or what language /vocabulary do I ask my bank for one of these "letters" ?

one might think, somewhere on the LA page, they'd mention "..........and get everything notarized" ; I'm assuming I just bring the background, bank balance statement, and medical certificate to ANY notary, that ANY notary can do a "true copy" vouch-ing .....?

----------

(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)

*6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence. The verification must not be more than three months old. Please note we will not accept the receipt for Request for Live Scan Service unless it includes the actual report/results.

----------

This is mentioned on the website. It is highlighted in red. Scroll down to Required documents.

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

[jmd8800]

So, if I choose to stay in country after one year (or exit and return before the 'enter before date' ) this will become an extension of stay?

I don't believe it's exactly the way you're describing it, or thinking about it, above.

Once you make the last eligible entry on your original O-A visa and get a final added one year "permission to stay" stamp in your passport, that's not the same as a regular Extension of Stay based on retirement.

The final extra year stamp you get under the O-A visa has no additional application process, nor any additional financial requirements. It's just the final one-year permission to stay stamp granted under your original O-A visa.

Separate from that, the Extension of Stay based on retirement is something you have to specifically apply for at Thai Immigration, pay the application fee, meet the age 50 or above age requirement, and meet the financial requirement in terms of monthly income, Thai bank deposits, or a combination of the two. If approved, it's good for a year and can be renewed annually at Immigration.

But it's not like your O-A visa suddenly or automatically converts to an Extension of Stay based on Retirement. It doesn't.

Now I get a much clearer picture. Thanks. I also found an explanation at the bottom of the page on the LA Consulate website:

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

[chubby]

my bank with assets in an online, I'll call or email them and I'll ask for "a letter of my account" , which does not make sense,

and/or " a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented" , which is some kind of Tinglish, that does not really make sense

i'm guessing one is ?certifying they have a bank account, and did not forge the bank statements?

so, JMD, why did you doesn't seem like you would need to provide a a letter of my account. ; if you have pension money as your qualification to me ........

hmm, by the way : what does "a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented" probably mean anyhow ? or what language /vocabulary do I ask my bank for one of these "letters" ?

one might think, somewhere on the LA page, they'd mention "..........and get everything notarized" ; I'm assuming I just bring the background, bank balance statement, and medical certificate to ANY notary, that ANY notary can do a "true copy" vouch-ing .....?

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(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)
*6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence. The verification must not be more than three months old. Please note we will not accept the receipt for Request for Live Scan Service unless it includes the actual report/results.

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This is mentioned on the website. It is highlighted in red. Scroll down to Required documents.

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48