Non Immigrant O-A visa

[Taras]

I am about to apply for a Non Immigrant O-A visa in London.

Need advice on how long it is valid for once it has been issued by the Thai Embassy  ? and does it actually start from when I am stamped in at Bangkok ? 

Thanks

[davidge]

It will have an ‘Enter Before’ date shown which will be 12 months after it is issued NOT 12 months after you first use it.

I assume it’s a multiple-entry, so you’ll get 12 months permission to stay in Thailand each time you use it. If you enter just before it’s expiry, you can effectively make it last almost 2 years.

eg get the Visa on April 1 2019 then you can use it to enter Thailand up to 31 March 2020.

If you first use it on, say, May 1 2019 then you can stay in Thailand without leaving until April 30 2020 - when you can get an Extension of Stay.

If you come and go and enter on 31 March 2020 then you can stay until 30 March 2021.

If your plan is to stay in Thailand permanently, best option would be to do a border run just before the Enter Before date then you don’t need to get an Extension of Stay for almost 2 years.

[Taras]

David - many thanks again for this advice - yes it is multiple -entry and it is  my intention to retire to Thailand permanently. The Non O-A is the initial type of visa I will use which will give me just short of a 2 year stay followed either by returning to the UK for a short holiday just before the 2 years is up and repeating the process or using the 65000 baht a month method - will most likeley be the 65000 a month unless of course that changes  - who knows ! 

[shadowmaster1971]

4 hours ago, Taras said:

David - many thanks again for this advice - yes it is multiple -entry and it is  my intention to retire to Thailand permanently. The Non O-A is the initial type of visa I will use which will give me just short of a 2 year stay followed either by returning to the UK for a short holiday just before the 2 years is up and repeating the process or using the 65000 baht a month method - will most likeley be the 65000 a month unless of course that changes  - who knows ! 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

this explains it.

 

[ChiFlyer]

Davidge is usually correct about visa stuff, but I see a small discrepancy with my experience.

I had an O-A Non-Imm visa. It was issued in the US. I had to enter Thailand within 90 days of the visa being issued. When I entered I was given a 12 month permission to stay from the date of entry. I could leave and re-enter as often as I liked. Each time I was granted a new permission to stay of one year from the date on entry.

When the visa expired, my most recent permission to stay was still in effect.  I had obtained a separate TM.8 multiple re-entry permit. Even though my visa is expired, I can come and go until my most recent permission to stay expires in October 2019. About a month before that date, I will submit a TM.7 Extension of stay to have my permission to stay extended one year. That must be done in Thailand.

Davidge was quite helpful in getting me to understand these processes. It all still seems a bit convoluted to me. 

[Ludhamlad]

16 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

Davidge is usually correct about visa stuff, but I see a small discrepancy with my experience.

I had an O-A Non-Imm visa. It was issued in the US. I had to enter Thailand within 90 days of the visa being issued. When I entered I was given a 12 month permission to stay from the date of entry. I could leave and re-enter as often as I liked. Each time I was granted a new permission to stay of one year from the date on entry.

Yes he is correct as the UK issued O/A has a 12 month window in which it can be used.  If it's 3 in the States then yours is different.

[ChiFlyer]

1 hour ago, Ludhamlad said:

Yes he is correct as the UK issued O/A has a 12 month window in which it can be used.  If it's 3 in the States then yours is different.

Not entirely sure, if we are on the same page. What I am saying is that the US issued one had to be used for the first time within 90 days of being issued. It can be used during the entire 12 month window from when it is issued.

I am probably nitpicking a little here, but thought it was worth a minute to make sure it is clear.

[davidge]

An old one (obviously not mine). I wasn’t aware it had to be used within 3 months of issue, though this is the case with a Tourist Visa so would be consistent. TBH, though, I can’t imagine why someone would get one any earlier anyway so probably wouldn’t have come up - which is why I wouldn’t be aware 

[ChiFlyer]

44 minutes ago, davidge said:

...

I wasn’t aware it had to be used within 3 months of issue, though this is the case with a Tourist Visa so would be consistent. TBH, though, I can’t imagine why someone would get one any earlier anyway so probably wouldn’t have come up - which is why I wouldn’t be aware 

Well, I almost did it.

There is a bunch of stuff to assemble and if you have never dealt with a US based Thai Consulate before, one is not too sure what to expect. You need things like local Police Reports, Dr statements that you do not have elephantiasis, bank statement etc. So I hit the bricks and almost filed too early. There was at the time definitely a must use for the first within 90 days requirement for an O-A that was issued in the US. They explicitly warned me several times.

I am a little silly, but I have not lost it to that degree just yet.

 

[Scuba+]

You can use a medical certificate issued in Thailand, 150 baht well spent