Turn Non-Immigration O-A into B after one year?

[juergengeiger59]

I am planning to apply for a Non-Immigration O-A (Retirement) visa soon. As I am matching all the requirements right now it´s the easiest way to stay in Thailand for one year. I am aware that I will not be allowed to work while staying in Thailand on an O-A visa. However, in case that after one year I would like to start a business or accept a job offer, is it still possible to apply for a Non-Immigration B visa after the year is over? Or is it like once O-A always O-A? Does anybody in this forum have experience with that? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[ubonjoe]

A non-oa visa from an embassy or official Thai consulate allows unlimited one year entries for a year and can be stretched to two years of total stay. In order to change to a non-b visa you would have to wait until the OA visa expires and then leave the country without a re-entry permit to obtain a tourist visa or visa exempt entry so that you could apply for a work permit and then go out again for a non-b visa.

If you were to apply for a one year extension of stay (it is not a OA visa) based upon retirement at a immigration office you could leave at any time during the extension without a re-entry permit and return with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry, apply for a work permit and then get the non-b visa.

[juergengeiger59]

Thanks a lot ubonjoe! That´s more or less what I hoped what it´s like. Just to make sure I understood it perfectly right. If I found a job opportunity let´s say after 6 months being there on an OA visa. I cannot just leave the country without a re-entry permit and come right back into the country with a tourist visa and apply for a work permit? I understood that when I leave Thailand at any time without a re-entry permit the OA visa will expire right away. Thus forcing me to apply for a new visa which could be any.

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, juergengeiger59 said:

Thanks a lot ubonjoe! That´s more or less what I hoped what it´s like. Just to make sure I understood it perfectly right. If I found a job opportunity let´s say after 6 months being there on an OA visa. I cannot just leave the country without a re-entry permit and come right back into the country with a tourist visa and apply for a work permit? I understood that when I leave Thailand at any time without a re-entry permit the OA visa will expire right away. Thus forcing me to apply for a new visa which could be any.

OA visas are only issued as multiple entry visas that allow a new one year entry every time you enter the country for a year from the date of issue. You don't need a re-entry permit until after the visa expires.

If a embassy or consulate was willing to cancel your valid OA visa and issue a single entry tourist visa you could then enter using the tourist visa.

[juergengeiger59]

Ok, perfectly clear now. Thanks again!