Udon Thani Immigration Office

[arjay]

Doo, If it helps:

As I understand it there isn't actually an O/A VISA. It is actually an O visa. If it is applied for on the basis of retirement, then it subsequently gets referred to as an O/A within Thailand.

So any guidelines or comments on this thread which refer to an O/A, are really referring to an O visa, which can only be obtained outside Thailand. If that doesn't sound like double dutch!!

And yes it (an O Visa) can only be applied for OUTSIDE Thailand, though once obtained, it can be extended WITHIN Thailand, if you have all the correct paperwork.

[BobHelm]

Bandung_dero is correct doo. lopburi3 is the most knowledgeable person I have ever read on visa matters.
He sometimes posts on here & so have an account on Udonmap - my advise would be to search for him on here & then PM (Personal Mail) him with your problem. The system should then alert him that he has a PM & I am sure he will reply to you.
From what I have read (with no personal experience) the Udon Office is very much in its start up phase & is certainly not prepared for anything complex (for that read virtually anything). I have rarely found Immigration Officials ANYWHERE helpful & they often just answer the question you ask - rather than point you in another direction which would solve your problem!!
You must be VERY careful of semantics with them & I think there is much truth in what Jack is saying above - that you are actually looking for a one year extension to your Non Imm O visa for the reason of retirement.
Lastly what the Embassy say in UK holds no water when confronting an Immigration Official at Nong Khai. You can try & follow the rules exactly & still fall foul when you get here - frustrating I know..

[jackspratt]

arjay, you are confusing the issue.

There certainly is such a thing as an O-A visa - I have 2 of them in my passport, both issued in Perth. The basis of the visa is "retirement".

The O-A is good for 12 months, without the need for 90 day border runs. Then, towards the end of 12 months, if I leave and re-enter Thailand before the original visa expires, I will be, and have previously been, given a further 12 months - again with no 90 day runs required. At the end of the second period of 12 months, I can apply for an extension (12 months) based on retirement, at which time I must show money in a Thai bank etc.

Alternatively, I can return to my home country, and get a further O-A, which will be good for a further 12 + 12 months.

You cannot get an O-A issued in Thailand.

[wazza]

1 thing that is set in concrete is the fact that every day , interpretations change and thats a common theme seen on UM over the many years.

1/ - I got a 1 years - EX ( Expert ) Visa a few years to teach at KK Hospital and Nursing Colleges,

Went to Lao to do some work for the Oz Embassy for 2 days , re-entered at NK and told my visa was illegal / didnt exist etc, Asked them to politely open up the immigration site and showed them , that it does appear.

Got allowed in, with loss of face etc

2/- I have a current O Visa issued out of Hull, UK and flew into BKK 2 months ago, to be told it was incorrect and had expired ! i had used it already within the expiry date and the stamps on the opposite page of the passport.

I got 28 days VOA

Went to work and rentered Thailand 3.5 weeks ago , expecting to get a 28 VOA as my visa had expired as per last entry and got asked to fill in my Visa number on the Entry Card ! WTF, looked at the stamp and got 90 days.

[doo]

Hi,
According to Thai law, and Thai immigration. A "O" type visa can only be obtained outside of LOS. A "O-A" visa can only be got in LOS. if you have a "O" visa. Which I have. This is what im. told me yesterday.
From Europe if you have a "O" visa, which is a requirement to getting a "O-A" visa, ie. extension to "O" visa.. After 60 days residing in LOS you can apply for a "O-A" visa. This is the law. A friend of mine did this a year ago at N.K.. through Mr Happy. He applied for a marriage visa but im. said a retirement visa would be easier to get. TiT, Which he did as he was getting over 800,000B per year. This visa lasts for five years, before having to jump through all the hoops again, he has to report to im. every 90 days to confirm address and after two years have to show all the details again, he is from Germany which has the same requirement as U.K. The cost was 1900B
I only went to im. to see what the rules were, and only got crap for answers. No help at all. Lady said did i want a extension now, I said no I am only enquiring what forms etc. i need. No help at all. Maybe I caught her on a bad day. Also you do not have to show money in a Thai bank, only proof of income from your embassy per year. or per month will do. The British Embassy in BKK give both, monthly and yearly income, as I got mine last week. Over 800,000B per. year for pensions, my bank balance is personal, not even the wife knows.
Wife phoned BKK this morning, no problem, Can get "O-A" visa, so it looks like a trip to BKK. good three day trip away from the kids.
These are the facts of what happened to me, not a friend of a friend or hearsay. Just trying to inform board members of my experances.
As for the police report, in. said no need as i have lived in LOS for over five years, verified by passport. But i did have police reports from my own country, and LOS. Belt and braces.

[bumper]

Hi,
Went to immag. at Udon Airport this morning to try and get a "retirement visa" First bloke passed me to a second bloke and the second bloke passed me on to a third bloke. I stated to all three i wanted to get a "O-A" visa for retirement. I had letter from British Embassey in BKK. and all relevent forms etc. even a letter stating I had bought and paid for the house in 2005. All three said no such thing. I said you can not convert you "O" visa into a "O-A" visa in LOS. My mate did this 10 months ago at NK office. I felt like saying something to them but thought better of it.
Off I go to NK office, only one customer in, so seen the lady at the left hand side. She said no such thing as a retirement or "O-A" visa, All she had to say was you have to get a "O" visa outside of LOS. Explained to her politely that i already had a "O" visa, been in LOS 60 days and wish to change it to a "O-A" visa. All she could say was that my visa expires on the 18 Nov, HELP, I said I knew this and this is why I'm applying for a "O-A" visa. After about 10 minutes of getting nowhere I decided to leave the office before I said something i should not have said.
Is it only me having this trouble, I was polite all the time. I think it might be best to go down to BKK to sort it out. Does anyone have there address. I have been told that they have moved to a new address.
Cheers Doug.

First thing to keep in mind this was done seven years ago. I was required to go to Vientene and convert to what I thought would be a 90 day O visa, turned out to be a B visa. Don't ask me why, I don't know. I took everyhting that was reqiuired for the annual visa, they looked at some, some they didn't.

90 days later Nong Khai converted it to an annual visa.

If that is still available it's not a big deal, you only have to overnight in Vientene one night.

There one section in the Thai Visa rules that changes everything the "Officers discreation". Go with the flow get through it next time it will easier.

[jackspratt]

Good luck doo.

If you get what you are looking for in Bangkok, please report back (using the exact and correct terminology eg "extension"), because you will have achieved a breakthrough with Immigration I doubt anyone else on this forum has managed.

[Zidane]

On the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website it says that a Non Immigrant O-A visa can be obtained either from the Thai Consulate in your own country OR at Immigration at Bangkok based at Suan Plu (now relocated to Chaeng Wattana,I believe).
So it looks as though the Regional Offices like Udon,Nong Khai or Khon Kaen cannot issue this type of visa.It can only be done in Bangkok.
I have to admit that I had never heard of an O-A being issued in Thailand.
So it looks as though doo may well be able to "doo the business" in Bangkok after all.

[Tafia]

According to Thai law, and Thai immigration. A "O" type visa can only be obtained outside of LOS. A "O-A" visa can only be got in LOS.

Sorry you are wrong an OA can only be obtained OUTSIDE of LOS...read the posts and check out Thaivisa.com there is a vast amount of information regarding visas.
I came to LOS with an OA issued in London, a border run just before the visa expired gave me the second year without applying for extensions, it certainly isn't valued for 5 years!!..... a good source as I think Bob mentioned is Lopburi3 very knowledgable with regard to Visas.
Do your homework its worth the time to get it right.

[doo]

Hi,
Tafia you are incorrect I applied to Hull Thai Con. last year for a "O-A" visa and was told you can only get a "O" visa in U.K. and the "O-A" visa is only issued in Thailand, the London Thai embassy said the same. Are they all incorrect. Check yourself on there web sites. They will send you the forms and you can fill them in but can only apply for a "O-A" visa in LOS, you must reside in LOS for 60 days on a "O" visa before you can apply for a "O-A" visa.. Look up these and you will see I am correct. A friend of mine who is German got a "O-A" visa about a year ago from NK im. office. The Thai im. office in NK WILL issue a "O-A" visa. Wife phoned up and got it sorted out, please feel free to check this out with NK im. They told wife that they had misunderstood me and thought I had only wanted a temp. extension to my "O" visa which I got from Hull Con. and to come up and see them and they will sort it out. Which I will do next week. With the Thai wife of course. She was busy last time and could not go to NK im. with me. Also asked Thai im. if I could obtain a "O-A" visa outside of LOS and they said NO it must be obtained after spending 60 days in LOS on a "O" visa, which can only be got outside of LOS.and they recommend getting a multi one as it could take over 90 days. This was just there advice.
The offer still stands for a trip to NK and a free meal, i'm hungry. If i was you i'd check first with NK im.
These are the facts.

[BobHelm]

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/newvers ... ement.html

Procedure on the Issuance of Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay)

On 11th September 2001 the Cabinet has approved the revision of the regulation on granting the authorities concerned to facilitate the issuance of visa to foreigners aged 50 or above wishing to take retreat in the Kingdom at least for the period of one (1) year. However, you need to apply in person at Royal Thai Embassy in London only. We do not accept any application by post.

[parrot]

10 to 1, Lopburi/Doo

[jackspratt]

Jacksprat you Cannot get a "O-A" visa outside of LOS.

I have 2 of these "cannot get" O-A visas in my passport, both issued in Perth. I know of other Australians who also have O-As issued in Oz.

Good Everything or Sumo is starting to sound good

[hey you]

i to have an o-a visa but i just had a look in my passport and found it is an o visa. i can only assume that haveing read o-a visa so many times that i came to think i had one.i have just reread the thai immigration regs. (dated dec 2008) for getting an extension on your o visa after you have been here for 90 days. so that you do not have to dd the visa run. the regs do not read that your o- visa is now an o-a visa . i can only assume that this extension that has been granted makes your o- visa an o-a visa. if you look at bobhelm last post you will see that reg. was past in september 2001

[Tafia]

Hi,
Tafia you are incorrect I applied to Hull Thai Con. last year for a "O-A" visa and was told you can only get a "O" visa in U.K. and the "O-A" visa is only issued in Thailand, the London Thai embassy said the same. Are they all incorrect. Check yourself on there web sites. They will send you the forms and you can fill them in but can only apply for a "O-A" visa in LOS, you must reside in LOS for 60 days on a "O" visa before you can apply for a "O-A" visa.. Look up these and you will see I am correct. A friend of mine who is German got a "O-A" visa about a year ago from NK im. office. The Thai im. office in NK WILL issue a "O-A" visa. Wife phoned up and got it sorted out, please feel free to check this out with NK im. They told wife that they had misunderstood me and thought I had only wanted a temp. extension to my "O" visa which I got from Hull Con. and to come up and see them and they will sort it out. Which I will do next week. With the Thai wife of course. She was busy last time and could not go to NK im. with me. Also asked Thai im. if I could obtain a "O-A" visa outside of LOS and they said NO it must be obtained after spending 60 days in LOS on a "O" visa, which can only be got outside of LOS.and they recommend getting a multi one as it could take over 90 days. This was just there advice.
The offer still stands for a trip to NK and a free meal, i'm hungry. If i was you i'd check first with NK im.
These are the facts.

Sorry Doo it is you that is incorrect.
As stated in an earlier post I got mine in London only last year. A multi entry with a border run towards the end of the visa will give you two years before applying for an extension. I have it in my passport and will be happy to show you.
You are right in as much as you can only get an Non O visa at Hull (and you can apply by post), an OA will only be issued in London (if in the UK) , There is a lot more paperwork involved with a Non OA. - Police Report ,Medical Certificate as well as financial and or Pension Statements. This paperwork will then have to be Notarized by a Solicitor.
A multi Entry Non OA costs £100 and can only be applied for in person.
If you believe otherwise then I wish you luck, check what Visa you get issued I will be very surprised if it is a Non OA issued in Thailand.

[Tafia]

arjay, you are confusing the issue.

There certainly is such a thing as an O-A visa - I have 2 of them in my passport, both issued in Perth. The basis of the visa is "retirement".

The O-A is good for 12 months, without the need for 90 day border runs. Then, towards the end of 12 months, if I leave and re-enter Thailand before the original visa expires, I will be, and have previously been, given a further 12 months - again with no 90 day runs required. At the end of the second period of 12 months, I can apply for an extension (12 months) based on retirement, at which time I must show money in a Thai bank etc.

Alternatively, I can return to my home country, and get a further O-A, which will be good for a further 12 + 12 months.

You cannot get an O-A issued in Thailand.

Jackspratt is Correct...This is a Non OA issued on the basis of retirement and the basis of my responses to the posts.

[Tafia]

i to have an o-a visa but i just had a look in my passport and found it is an o visa. i can only assume that haveing read o-a visa so many times that i came to think i had one.i have just reread the thai immigration regs. (dated dec 2008) for getting an extension on your o visa after you have been here for 90 days. so that you do not have to dd the visa run. the regs do not read that your o- visa is now an o-a visa . i can only assume that this extension that has been granted makes your o- visa an o-a visa. if you look at bobhelm last post you will see that reg. was past in september 2001

I believe you are correct in so much as a Non O issued at Hull will allow you a 12 mth Visa tho you will only get stamped in for up to 90days and border runs will be required. After the first 60 or 90 (not sure) you can apply to have the visa changed for a Non O at Imm for retirement (this is not an OA) but will save you the 90day border runs, the only thing required then is the 90 day reporting.
Thereon the annual extensions kick in.

[LoveDaBlues]

Straight from the Royal Thai (Washington, DC) Website (in red):

Non-Immigrant Visa

- Other activities: (Category “O”) as follows: To stay with the family, perform duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

- To stay after retirement for a person who over 50 years old or older: (Category “O-A”)
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If you have reached 50 years of age you can apply for the 'retirement' visa "O-A" in your home country. Then, when you fly to Thailand you're all set. No leaving the country, etc...... just report every 90 days.

If you are in Thailand on the "O" visa IT IS NOT A RETIREMENT VISA. It can, however, be used just like the "O-A" visa if one has turned 50 and wishes to do so. If you meet all the 'retirement criteria' or 'marriage criteria' you can take your "O" visa and apply for a one-year extension. If the one-year extension is granted, THIS DOES NOT CHANGE YOUR "O'' VISA INTO AN "O-A" VISA. Thai Immigration has simply let you stay another year on your "O" visa; based on 'retirement' or 'marriage' criteria.

My friend who now lives in Bangkok was 55 years old when he received his "O-A" visa in the USA. He applies for the extension each year and his visa remains "O-A".

I first came to Thailand at age 49 on the "O" visa. Once I turned 50 I applied for a one-year extension based on 'retirement criteria'. The extension was granted and my visa is still type "O". I've done the same routine for 4 years.

To the best of my knowledge; the "O-A" is only issued outside of Thailand.

[LoveDaBlues]

doo I suspect you will not be enjoying a trouble free stay in Thailand.

[jackspratt]

That free feed is looking better and better