O-A 1 year visa extension

[Maenamray]

Last year I received a multiple entry long term stay O-A visa in UK dated 6th November 2014. I had not realised that I needed to do anything with this when I arrived in Thailand, and had thought that this was synonymous with a retirement visa. I went back to UK in April, and came back on 30th October ready to extend my visa. On entry I was given permission to stay until 28th October 2016. Yesterday I went to extend my visa, but Immigration told me that they could not do this until 45 days before my permission to stay expires. I have already booked a trip to Myanmar at Christmas, and also to go back to UK at the end of February, and I am now worried that when I re-enter Thailand, I will have problems as I will have the permission to stay but the visa will have expired. What I really want to do is to obtain a retirement visa, so that this can be extended on an annual basis. Could you advise me what I should do please?

[elviajero]

No problem.

Each time you leave you can buy a re-entry permit at immigration or the airport for 1,000 baht. When you re-enter the IO will use the re-entry permit and give you permission to stay until Oct 2016.

You don't need to worry about an extension of stay application until Oct 2016 as you already have permission to stay until then.

If you are planning on going abroad 4 or more times before Oct 2016 a multi entry re-entry permit for 3,800 baht is better value, and would cover any number of re-entries.

[oncearugge]

You need to buy a re-entry permit from immigration. 1000 Bht single entry, 3800 multi entry.

There is no "retirement visa" but you can apply for an "extension of stay based on retirement" (It is Not a Visa)

You will need to have 800,000 Bht in a Thai Bank or an income of 65k Bht/month certified by the British Embassy.

[KhunBENQ]

Good that you have done the trip in October

Otherwise I would have advised to rush to the next border immediately (your visa expires tomorrow I guess).

[Maenamray]

Many thanks both. This is a real weight off my mind, as I thought that I had really messed it all up. Will sleep a lot better tonight!!