New O-A Visa ?

[sub101uk]

Hi Guys

Its that time of year again when I my current Re - Entry Permit needs replacing on my Multiple O-A Visa , The passport that this Visa is in is due to expiry in March 2016 so as far as I know I will need to get a new O/A visa .

I do have a second passport so my question is Where can I get a replacement O-A Visa from , I did ask in the Hat Yai immigration office and they tell me it can only be done out of Thailand ? on my last 90 day check in I asked the same thing and I was told it can be done in Bangkok has things changed in the past 85 days ?

Now if it can be done in Bangkok what documents do I need to take with me , " Note I do not have a Thai Bank account " or When I am back in the UK early next year do I do the paper chase all over again with the London Thai Embassy .

• Applicant must be aged 50 years and over (on the day of submitting application)
• Applicant not prohibited from entering the Kingdom as provided by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979)
• Having no criminal record in Thailand and the country of the applicant’s nationality or residence
• Having the nationality of or residence in the country where applicant’s application is submitted
• Not having prohibitive diseases ( Leprosy, Tuberculosis, drug addiction, Elephantiasis, third phase of Syphilis) as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535
  

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

1. Validity of passport at least 1 year
2. Three (3) visa application forms and 3 passport size recent photographs
3. Non-Immigrant “O-A” (Long Stay) Form
4. Copy of bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately GBP 14,000.00/annum) or a deposti acocount plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.
5. In case attached copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned is necessary.
6. Criminal Record check from own country and country of permanent residence with validity of at least 3 months. Applicants residing in the United Kingdom will need to have a police clearance issued only from here.
7. Medical Record proving applicant has never been infected with contagious disease with validity at least 3 months (in accordance with Immigration Act B.E.2522)
8. In case wishing to be accompanied by spouse, the marriage certificate will be attached. But spouse will be granted Non-Immigrant “O” instead of “O-A”(Long Stay)

So to recap on requirements for London : Police Check cert , Bank Statements and Doctors Cert then take all certs to a local Public Notary officer or Solictor they then counter sign all documents . Then down to the Thai Embassy in London with your O-A application form with photos .

I bet nothing has changed from 2 years ago , As far as I know it was only The London Thai Embassy that deals with the issue of O-A visa and they only do a counter service you cannot do it via recorded mail or DHL .

So has there been any changes in the requirements for the O/A visa I wonder . The total cost of doing the London Paper chase was about £450 so would it be cheaper if I hired a local Thai company to do all the leg work and get the a new O-A .

This would be a well known Thai company that deals with visas as the last thing I want is to arrive in Bangkok and be told my visa is not valid . Oh yes I am 63 years old and before the change a few years back I would use a " O " class but the age for

" O " went up to 65 .

Many Thanks

[PoorSucker]

You can only get a new O-A visa at the Embassy of your country.

You can apply for 1 year extension of stay based on retirement at immigration within Thailand but that is not a visa.

[oncearugge]

O/A visas are not available other than from your country of origin/residence.

Have you considered applying for an extension of stay based on retirement?

[sub101uk]

Sorry but the passport that the visa is in expirys March 2016 so as far as I know I need to get a new O-A , I do carry 2 passports so its a case of finding out were I can get a replacement from or like you say doing the london paper chase all over again but in 2017 I can just pay for a new re - entry permit .

[oncearugge]

For how long have you had the O/A visa and re-entry permit ?

[sub101uk]

The O-A visa was issued in Feb 2014 and the re -entry permit was issued in Jan 2015 if the passport was not due to expiry I would try to renew but since it expirys in March 2016 its not possible as far as I know . But I do have a second passport all I know is I am not looking forward to the london paper chase .

[KhunBENQ]

I am quite confused by this thread.

What I assume:

The Non O-A visa was issued in Feb 2014.

So the Non O-A visa expired in Feb 2015.

You re-entered Thailand sometime before Feb 2015 and now live on a permission to stay (one year from last entry) which seems to expire soon?

There is nothing to renew or extend for you in the existing visa/re-entry. Thats finished!

You either apply for a new visa in London with a passport valid for at least 18 months (new passport).

(18 months is from another embassy website, but of course at least 12 months)

Or - as stated multiple times - you apply for an extension of stay based on retirement at your local immigration office.

If you have a pension/income worth more than 65000 Baht per month, then not much more is needed than a visit to the UK embassy in Bangkok to get a statement for immigration.

Other financial proof (combination of income and money in the bank) requires a Thai bank account which you don't have.

Get one.

All much easier than repeated Non O-A from UK.

BUT: your current passport expires in March, so you would at first occasion only get an extension until March.

Where I am clueless: what is this "second passport"? A "second" UK passport? You have two valid UK passports?

I have no idea how immigration will handle this.

[ubonjoe]

The O-A visa was issued in Feb 2014 and the re -entry permit was issued in Jan 2015 if the passport was not due to expiry I would try to renew but since it expirys in March 2016 its not possible as far as I know . But I do have a second passport all I know is I am not looking forward to the london paper chase .

If both your passports are from the UK you could have the one that is expiring cancelled at the embassy and get a letter from them stating that was done.

Then go to immigration to have your stamps transferred from the cancelled passport to the other one. Then get the extension in it.

[KhunBENQ]

ubonjoe pinpoints it again

From the poster it sounded like there are two valid passports which is quite unusual (but possible in very special situations).

[sub101uk]

Hi Joe

We have spoken many times in the past , Regarding O-A visas you might remember all the fun and games I had at sadao border crossing .Any way back to the story so far " forget the second British passport for a minute .

My current Re- Entry Permit expirys on the 18th of January the passport that this is in expirys in March 2016 ,

About 85 days ago when I was in the Hat Yai immigration office I did ask them what was the best way to get a " New O-A visa and they told me to go with my new British passport to the main immigration office in Bangkok since I would save me from doing the London Paper chase .

However I have a feeling from seeing the feed back from the rest of the guys here that the London Paper chase is the only way to get a new O-A in my second passport .

[oncearugge]

Hi Joe

We have spoken many times in the past , Regarding O-A visas you might remember all the fun and games I had at sadao border crossing .Any way back to the story so far " forget the second British passport for a minute .

My current Re- Entry Permit expirys on the 18th of January the passport that this is in expirys in March 2016 ,

About 85 days ago when I was in the Hat Yai immigration office I did ask them what was the best way to get a " New O-A visa and they told me to go with my new British passport to the main immigration office in Bangkok since I would save me from doing the London Paper chase .

However I have a feeling from seeing the feed back from the rest of the guys here that the London Paper chase is the only way to get a new O-A in my second passport .

Why do you seem to be fixated on having an O/A visa which will involve returning to the UK?

Read unbonjoes advice about bringing the second passport into play.(Post number 8)

An extension of stay based on retirement is simple,easy to apply for and provides a one year stay. Cost ? 1900 Bht............

The extension is renewable and a re-entry permit can be purchased if you wish to travel

[ubonjoe]

There is nothing that can be done at Bangkok immigration that Hat Yai cannot do in relation to your passports.

Perhaps the were trying to tell you leave the country after your re-entry permit expires to get a visa exempt entry and then convert it to a non immigrant visa at Bangkok. That is the only thing Bangkok can do that Hat Yai can't or won't do.

If you got a new passport before your re-entry permit and apply for a one year extension based upon retirement. But first they would do an annotation of your OA visa info and the last entry from it in your new (or different) passport.

[sub101uk]

Thanks for the feed back guys , Both passports that I hold are British but one was issued in Singapore and the other Hongkong , Due to my occupation its a requirement to hold 2 passports and a seamans book . So looks like I a trip to Bangkok and and a visit to the British Embassy .

As for my fixation with a " O-A " after spending over 2 months running all over the place getting all the paper work together I was not looking forward to doing it all over again .But I am all for paying the money if thats the best way to go .