Retirement Visa

[milkman]

Boys, I've been thinking of getting a Non OA Retirement Visa.

My wife says that all the guys who have the Non OA stay here pretty much year round.  But we travel.  And so she worries that we won't be around next year in Oct/Nov to renew, and that Immigration won't be happy with me when my Non OA visa expires and then later, I go and ask for another new one. 

To me, this is pure speculation.  Perhaps they won't think anything. Perhaps they don't care at all if I apply anew every year of my life.

Anybody know anything about this?

Thanks!

[BobHelm]

Are you asking about an OA visa or are you asking about a yearly Permission to Stay based on an O visa (based on Marriage or Retirement)?

They are 2 extremely different things & it is important that you know that distinction & what you are asking for otherwise you will, obviously, get incorrect information..

[milkman]

Bob, Sorry to say, I don't understand the difference.

[milkman]

Bob and others, Sorry to say, I don't understand the difference. But I can explain my situation:

Currently I have a Non Immigrant O Visa. I got it 9 October 2015, and the current entry visa I am on I got 26 August 2016 and it expires 23 November. My Thai wife (we're legally married 10 years) and I often go away for 6 months or more, usually leaving around October (this year early November)

Reading past posts by others, I see that this O Visa is extendable. But my wife is now telling me it may be easier to get an OA Retirement Visa. Then there's that issue that we may not be here next year- or any year- to extend on time.

Hey this stuff is confusing!!! Thanks for any help you can give.

Milkman

[BobHelm]

An OA visa is only obtainable from a Thai Embassy - effectively only in your 'home' or 'country of residence'.
It enables the holder to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the entry date. In some cases it is possible to obtain a multi-entry version which would allow you to leave Thailand just before it expires & return & so get an additional year stay.
In requires proof of 'money in the bank' in your home country (I am unsure of the exact amount), proper medical clearance & also 'home' police clearance.

An extension of stay can be obtained from Immigration Offices within Thailand. Generally speaking (there are ALWAYS exceptions in Thailand ) you need to have a current non 'o' Imm visa (obtained outside Thailand) &'money in a Thai Bank Account/Embassy proof of Income in order to obtain one. There are also other requirements but they are listed plainly in other threads on the Forum.
Once granted the holder does not need to exit Thailand, but does need to 'report' (again there are various ways listed already elsewhere) to the Authorities every 90 days.
If you wish to leave Thailand & keep your extension valid then you need to obtain an exit visa - these can be obtained when you originally apply for the extension.
If you do not apply for another extension before your old one expires (you can apply a little earlier though) then it will end.
You would then need to start from scratch again by applying for a new extension to stay based on a new non Imm 'o' visa..

[nmcd1649]

I applied for and was issued with a Non Immigrant Type O (Pensioner) Visa on September 12th this year t Thai Consul in Dublin. Cost 145 euro. Only requirements was a copy of bank statement showing 3 months pension income and two passport type photo's.

On checking the website earlier today it now states that from 1st October 2016 the requirements have now changed

Multiple Entry requirements are now Multiple Ticket bookings (when applying for a Multiple entry visa) (Proof of multiple ticket bookings required for the entries planned to be made in to Thailand if proof of only one entry can be provided only SINGLE entry Type O visa will be available.

Looks like a crackdown on Multiple entry Visas. Got mine just in time for up coming trip to Udon.....

[bamakmak]

If you already have a valid Non-Immigrant "O", there is really no reason to obtain the Non-Immigrant "OA". As long as you meet the retirement extension requirements, (age and either income or bank balance minimums), you can go to the Immigration office and receive your one year retirement extension now.

Next year, if you realize you will not be here within 30 days of your one year expiration (October 31st), go in early and request that Immigration reset your expiration date. In other words, if you are here in August but know that you will be travelling in October, go to Immigration and have them re-set your expiration date to August 31. There should be no problem resetting your expiration date if it is LESS than one year.

[Jello]

Bob and others, Sorry to say, I don't understand the difference. But I can explain my situation:

Currently I have a Non Immigrant O Visa. I got it 9 October 2015, and the current entry visa I am on I got 26 August 2016 and it expires 23 November. My Thai wife (we're legally married 10 years) and I often go away for 6 months or more, usually leaving around October (this year early November)

Reading past posts by others, I see that this O Visa is extendable. But my wife is now telling me it may be easier to get an OA Retirement Visa. Then there's that issue that we may not be here next year- or any year- to extend on time.

Hey this stuff is confusing!!! Thanks for any help you can give.

Milkman

What exactly are you trying to accomplish by getting a non-OA?

From what you wrote, you stay in Thailand for six months on a non-O (multiple entry?) visa. Then you leave the country for six months and before you come back you get a new non-O from a Thai Embassy outside of the country. Correct?

A non-OA is valid for one year, but you only need to stay in Thailand six months. Same with applying for a one year extension to your current non-O.

Sounds to me like what your currently doing is fine for your needs.

If its confusing to you, take some time reading some of the Royal Thai Embassy webpages.
Here's the one in Canada to get you started: http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-t ... -stay-fees

If you already have a valid Non-Immigrant "O", there is really no reason to obtain the Non-Immigrant "OA". As long as you meet the retirement extension requirements, (age and either income or bank balance minimums), you can go to the Immigration office and receive your one year retirement extension now.

Next year, if you realize you will not be here within 30 days of your one year expiration (October 31st), go in early and request that Immigration reset your expiration date. In other words, if you are here in August but know that you will be travelling in October, go to Immigration and have them re-set your expiration date to August 31. There should be no problem resetting your expiration date if it is LESS than one year.

That sounds feasible, but do you know if the Udon Immigration office will actually do that?

[bamakmak]

bamakmak wrote:
If you already have a valid Non-Immigrant "O", there is really no reason to obtain the Non-Immigrant "OA". As long as you meet the retirement extension requirements, (age and either income or bank balance minimums), you can go to the Immigration office and receive your one year retirement extension now.

Next year, if you realize you will not be here within 30 days of your one year expiration (October 31st), go in early and request that Immigration reset your expiration date. In other words, if you are here in August but know that you will be travelling in October, go to Immigration and have them re-set your expiration date to August 31. There should be no problem resetting your expiration date if it is LESS than one year.


That sounds feasible, but do you know if the Udon Immigration office will actually do that?

I did it about three years ago. I pushed up my filing deadline by about two months. But I also realize that in Thailand, what a person did three years ago (or even last week), doesn't mean that the same rules apply today.

[rick]

If only staying 6 months and not travelling outside Thailand in that time (or only once or twice) probably best to stay on 3 month single entry 'O' visas - can get a second one from Laos if you stay overnight in Vientianne. Or consider the Multiple entry tourist visa - valid for 6 months and can come and go as often as you like (as long as you leave every 2 months). You can probably make that last nearly 8 months. Non 'O' multi-entry and Annual extensions are really for those who stay over 6 months.

[milkman]

Guys, I just got my Retirement Visa, no hassle or fuss at all. Just want to thank everyone here for taking the time to give me advice. I've never seen a forum where people are this helpful.

[Wisdom]

I believe that you can get a non immigrant 'o' visa from a trip to Vientiane, turning it in to the long term retirement stay visa. So if I got a two month tourist visa from the London Embassy rather than battling with the non smiling London Embassy for a non immigrant 'o' visa, is this possible and if so, has anyone actually done this procedure. I have the money for the bank and proof of UK pension as would be needed, and it would be so much easier for me if the visa was possible from a trip to Laos. Thanks.

[sometimewoodworker]

I believe that you can get a non immigrant 'o' visa from a trip to Vientiane, turning it in to the long term retirement stay visa. So if I got a two month tourist visa from the London Embassy rather than battling with the non smiling London Embassy for a non immigrant 'o' visa, is this possible and if so, has anyone actually done this procedure. I have the money for the bank and proof of UK pension as would be needed, and it would be so much easier for me if the visa was possible from a trip to Laos. Thanks.

Vientiane Laos is the best destination. The easiest option for that is to have the money in a Thai bank. They will issue a single entry Non-O.

There are many reports of success, very few of being refused, none with the correct documents presented.

Savannakhet is problematic for this visa.

[WizzWanger67]

I believe that you can get a non immigrant 'o' visa from a trip to Vientiane, turning it in to the long term retirement stay visa. So if I got a two month tourist visa from the London Embassy rather than battling with the non smiling London Embassy for a non immigrant 'o' visa, is this possible and if so, has anyone actually done this procedure. I have the money for the bank and proof of UK pension as would be needed, and it would be so much easier for me if the visa was possible from a trip to Laos. Thanks.

Vientiane Laos is the best destination. The easiest option for that is to have the money in a Thai bank. They will issue a single entry Non-O.

There are many reports of success, very few of being refused, none with the correct documents presented.

Savannakhet is problematic for this visa.

i know a few people who have done it vientiane with no problems,just be weary with the touts outside the embassy they will try to nonsense you its hard to get and theyve stopped doing it,walk straight past them and go inside and do it yourself

[lassebasse]

Is it not that when you get the Non-O one year retirement visa in Vientianne you will be required to leave Thailand every 90 days? On the other hand if you get a proper Non O-A in London you do not have to do that.

[sometimewoodworker]

Is it not that when you get the Non-O one year retirement visa in Vientianne you will be required to leave Thailand every 90 days? On the other hand if you get a proper Non O-A in London you do not have to do that.

There is a Non-O single entry, a Non-O multi entry, and a Non-OA multi entry
You will probably only get a Non-O single entry in Vientianne

a Non-O gets a 90 day entry (easy to get very few documents) cheapest
a Non-O multi entry ( becoming progressively more difficult to get everywhere) more expensive
a Non-OA gets a 365 day entry (difficult to impossible get outside your country of residence, requires lots more stuff including a police clearance. Not even so easy in your country of residence) most expensive

All can have the permission to stay extended by 1 year

Advice travel anyway (cheapest visa exempt) to Thailand, go to Laos get a Single entry Non-O then extend the permission to stay in Thailand.

[BobHelm]

That is correct lassebasse.
With a multi-entry non Imm 'o' visa you need to physically exit Thailand every 90 days.
With an OA visa you only need to exit Thailand every year.

However, I do not believe (but could be wrong ) that Vientiane will issue anything except a single entry non Imm o visa.

That can then be used to obtain a permission to stay in Thailand at any Immigration Office (given financial conditions). With the Permission to stay you do not need to exit Thailand at all. You do need to report your address every 90 days & renew the Permission to stay every year though..

[sometimewoodworker]

That is correct lassebasse.
With a multi-entry non Imm 'o' visa you need to physically exit Thailand every 90 days.
With an OA visa you only need to exit Thailand every year.

However, I do not believe (but could be wrong ) that Vientiane will issue anything except a single entry non Imm o visa.

That can then be used to obtain a permission to stay in Thailand at any Immigration Office (given financial conditions). With the Permission to stay you do not need to exit Thailand at all. You do need to report your address every 90 days & renew the Permission to stay every year though..

Slight semantic correction (apart from a very few special circumstances) you do not get a permission to stay at an Immigration Office that is given at the border by the IO.

You get your existing permission to stay extended at the Immigration Office.

[747man]

However, I do not believe (but could be wrong ) that Vientiane will issue anything except a single entry non Imm o visa.Bob You are 100% Correct There...

[Wisdom]

I am a bit confused. If only a single entry non immigrant o visa, is the visa that allows you to have long stay in Thailand without border runs but instead visits three monthly to Thai immigration office. But in Vientiane they do not issue this visa? Then that means you can only get the single non immigrant single o visa from your home country. Am I correct there?