Change visa type?

[Swoop]

I originally came on an O A visa with multiple entries. I got the visa while in the states from the Thai embassy in Washington. I did the visa run thing to extend it to 23 months, and then got an extension based on income. I am also married to a Thai and considered changing to a marriage visa but decided not to. My question is this:

I am returning to the states for a short time next month, when I return, my current extension will have about 6 weeks remaining. I thought that since I will be in the US, I might just apply for a new O A visa. The cost last time was $200 with the multiple entry, but I don't think I will do that, just get a single entry and get a single re-entry permit when it is time to "extend" it to 23 months again. Does anyone have thoughts about whether that is a good way to go about it? I don't need a work permit and there are no kids involved. I am reasonably stupid about the paperwork, and used a visa service last time which cost almost as much as the original visa and was only good for 12 months instead of the trick 23. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments.

[elviajero]

• Even if you could get a single entry 'O-A' you couldn't get 23 months out of it. You only have one entry so you cant do the exit/entry at the end of the first year to get the second years stay.

You should either get the multiple entry 'O-A' and repeat as before, or get a single entry non 'O' based on marriage and get a 1 year extension of stay based on being married.

[ubonjoe]

OA visas are only issued as multiple entry visas. With a single entry if it was possible you would only get one entry from it. There would be no total stay of 23 months only 12 months from the date of entry.

IMO you should get another one year extension based upon retirement or marriage since you are using the income option for your financial proof. If using money in the bank option.

Unless you travel a lot you could get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) instead of the multiple re-entry permit if you want to travel.

[Suradit69]

I thought that since I will be in the US, I might just apply for a new O A visa. The cost last time was $200 with the multiple entry, but I don't think I will do that, just get a single entry and get a single re-entry permit when it is time to "extend" it to 23 months again.

A single entry non-imm would be an O, not an O-A. When you returned to Thailand you'd have 90 days and towards the end of that stay, you'd be back to getting an extension based on retirement or marriage.

A re-entry permit does not add any time to your permission to stay or extension of stay. It just let's you keep what you have. If you're in the country on an extension of stay, for example, the re-entry permit would expire on the same date as the extension. If you're in the country on a valid, unexpired multi-entry visa, there's no need for a re-entry permit.

It seems the easiest thing to do is get a new extension of stay at immigrations before your current one expires. If you want to go to the US you should get a re-entry permit so that when you return your current extension will still be valid. When you get the new extension, if you want to travel out and in the country, you'll need a new re-entry permit ... either single or multiple depending on your travel plans. Each time you get a new permission or new extension you need a new re-entry permit if you want to travel because the re-entry permit you had before would expire with the old permission or extension.