Nonimmigrant O-A Visa expires Dec 10, 2016

[Wake Up]

Hello

I am moving to Bangkok in February 2016 from USA.

I have a Nonimmigrant O-A Visa from Washington DC with an expiration date of December 10, 2016. I plan on getting retirement extensions of stay and live in Thailand for years to come. I understand the 90 day reporting requirements but I do not understand when is the best time to get the first extension of stay. Someone told me I could maximize my O-A visa and wait 2 years to get my first extension of stay but they could not explain how that is possible. Can someone explain to me the best course of action to get my first extension of stay and do I need to apply for it 30 days before December 10, 2016? Thank you.

I enjoy all the positive comments and suggestions people make on these forums. It has helped me prepare for my move and is much appreciated.

[Jingthing]

OK.

So you arrive in Thailand with this new O-A visa in February.

So do that and live in Thailand, and EVERY TIME you leave and return to Thailand BEFORE December 10, 2016 you get an additional ONE YEAR stay.

So you see how you can make this work for you?

By leaving Thailand and returning a little bit BEFORE December 10, 2016, for example returning December 1, 2016, you will gain an additional ONE YEAR permission to stay. In that example until about December 1, 2017.

Now, after your ORIGINAL O-A has expired (December 10, 2016) if you want to leave Thailand with your current permission to stay, you must apply for a REENTRY PERMIT to save that current permission to stay.

For example if you follow that example before say you want to leave Thailand in March 2017 for a month. At that point, you'll need a REENTRY PERMIT in your passport so that when you arrive back your permission to stay until December 2017 is saved.

Following this plan, the first time you would actually need to start applying for annual permissions to stay in Thailand would be 30 days before the expiration of your permission to stay obtained that way, in the case of the example 30 days before December 1, 2017.

Address reporting requirements always in effect for 90 day stays in Thailand.

[TheAppletons]

When you arrive in February 2016, you'll be stamped into the country for one year - until February 2017. As JT mentions, any time you travel out of Thailand before 10 December 2016, you'll be stamped back into the country for a year upon your return. So by making a trip out of the country (and re-entering) just prior to 10 December 2016, you'll be stamped into the country until December 2017 (if you return prior to 10 December 2016.)

Your initial visa is multiple entry. Prior to 10 December 2016, you won't need a re-entry permit to leave/re-enter Thailand. After 10 December 2016, you'll need a re-entry permit if you leave Thailand.

So, if you time it right, you won't need to apply at an Immigration Office for your first extension of stay until December 2017.

[Eclipse]

Wot they said.

Do a border run just before the Visa expires and get another 12 months.

[ubonjoe]

Apparently you have the misconception that you cannot remain in the country after your visa expires. The visas expiration date is just the last day you use the visa for entry.

You can get almost 2 years of total stay from the date you visa was issued. You got your visa to early and are loosing a couple of months of total stay because of it.

You will not need to do an extension of stay (not visa) until until \December of 2017 if you use your visa the way others have told you.

[Wake Up]

Thank you all very much. I get it now. Hope to see you in Bangkok or some other part of Thailand in 2016.

[Jingthing]

Yet another Thai visa advice success story. Cool. Best wishes for a pleasant retirement in Thailand.

[SpokaneAl]

Just to make sure that I am on the same page, when you talk about your visa expiration date, you are actually talking about the enter before date right? So everytime you leave the country you will get an additional year up until that enter before date. If you leave the country after that enter before date you must purchase a reentry permit.

[Wake Up]

Yes my O-A visa states enter by December 9. 2016 and it states that the visa expires December 10, 2016.

I did get my visa about 2 months earlier than my flight to BKK. The Washington DC Thai website said it would take a minimum of 15 business days to get my Visa. I sent my Visa application to them and they got my paperwork on December 9. I was given the Visa on December 10 or after one business day. Either they were not busy or I was lucky as I thought I would get my Visa in January, 2016.

[TheAppletons]

Yes my O-A visa states enter by December 9. 2016 and it states that the visa expires December 10, 2016.

I did get my visa about 2 months earlier than my flight to BKK. The Washington DC Thai website said it would take a minimum of 15 business days to get my Visa. I sent my Visa application to them and they got my paperwork on December 9. I was given the Visa on December 10 or after one business day. Either they were not busy or I was lucky as I thought I would get my Visa in January, 2016.

For everything previously written in this thread about leaving/entering Thailand to obtain that "second year" on this visa, you'll need to re-enter by 9 December 2016, not 10 December 2016. It's the "enter by date" that counts.

[Langsuan Man]

Yes my O-A visa states enter by December 9. 2016 and it states that the visa expires December 10, 2016.

I did get my visa about 2 months earlier than my flight to BKK. The Washington DC Thai website said it would take a minimum of 15 business days to get my Visa. I sent my Visa application to them and they got my paperwork on December 9. I was given the Visa on December 10 or after one business day. Either they were not busy or I was lucky as I thought I would get my Visa in January, 2016.

They always say it will take longer than it really does, that is just to CYA in case you hit a Thai or American holiday, which could delay it

The general rule, one day for the mail in, one day to check the paperwork, one day to get the Consular Officer to sign it, and one day for it to be returned and in most cases I have gotten it in 4 days from start to finish, both in Washington and New York. The only time it took longer was by one day due to Columbus Day where the NY Consulate was open, but the mail was not delivered due to the holiday

[SpokaneAl]

Yes my O-A visa states enter by December 9. 2016 and it states that the visa expires December 10, 2016.

I did get my visa about 2 months earlier than my flight to BKK. The Washington DC Thai website said it would take a minimum of 15 business days to get my Visa. I sent my Visa application to them and they got my paperwork on December 9. I was given the Visa on December 10 or after one business day. Either they were not busy or I was lucky as I thought I would get my Visa in January, 2016.

They always say it will take longer than it really does, that is just to CYA in case you hit a Thai or American holiday, which could delay it

The general rule, one day for the mail in, one day to check the paperwork, one day to get the Consular Officer to sign it, and one day for it to be returned and in most cases I have gotten it in 4 days from start to finish, both in Washington and New York. The only time it took longer was by one day due to Columbus Day where the NY Consulate was open, but the mail was not delivered due to the holiday

Each year I get mine through the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles and I plan for 1.5 weeks and each time have gotten it back a bit quicker than that.