Non Immigrant O or OA Visa

[samster]

I am just about to apply for a new multi entry visa in the UK and, reading the Embassy website was a little confused.

I am early retired (57) and have a private pension but the O visa only seems to apply to those on a state pension. Does this mean I have to apply for an OA which has more onerous requirements (police and medical checks) or will they accept an application for the O?

[Nigglyb]

I got an O based on marriage. Are you married?

[arjay]

I am just about to apply for a new multi entry visa in the UK and, reading the Embassy website was a little confused.

I am early retired (57) and have a private pension but the O visa only seems to apply to those on a state pension. Does this mean I have to apply for an OA which has more onerous requirements (police and medical checks) or will they accept an application for the O?

Samster you can apply for an O visa based on any sort pension income. Just supply them with the supporting information requested. It is an O visa, not an O/A.

[BobHelm]

Unless they have changed their policy, I do not believe that you will be given an 'o' visa.
I believe that you are disqualified by the rules, which are stated as..

and pension earners over 60 - 65 years)

and further..

retirement (with State Pension)

They used to be very strict on this & I couldn't get an 'o' visa from them based on retirement until I reached 65 & started receiving the state pension - despite the fact that I was receiving 3 private pensions for 10 years before that.

The 'O/A' is a little more onerous, in that it requires the £18K income check, a medical certificate & the police clearance. That is not quite so bad as it was though as you can now apply for the police clearance online. The O/A also has the advantage that you do not need to physically leave the country every 90 days, just do a local Immigration report..

If you want to be 100% sure before you apply then contact the Embassy, they are a lot easier to deal with now than they were in the past..

Edit
The rules all changed about 5 years ago when the Embassy trimmed the wings of the British Consulates & stopped them issuing 'o' retirement visas. Before that it was just a matter of posting the application & the cash almost no matter what your circumstances were..

[tamada]

This is one of the more bizarre visa regulations. As far as Thai Immigration is concerned, if you are over 50, you can qualify for the benefits of a retirement visa and subsequent extensions in the country. However, the RTE in the UK applies the UK's definition of retirement which is 65 or older.

Since they rejigged the old Tourist TR visas with SETV and METV types, the intention of Thai Immigration appears to heavily restrict any sort of multi-entry visas including Non O's for marriage and retirement.

If the OP isn't married, the OA may be the only way to go but maybe contact the RTE directly to see if the O application will fly? Member arjay says it will but one needs to know if this is based on a recent application since the changes in the past 2-3 years have been frequent.

[BobHelm]

However I have recently read (on TV) that it is easy (at most Immigration Offices) to convert a Tourist Visa to a 'o' based on retirement, but must have the 800K in the bank.
As the 'o' is expiring you can then apply for the year 'permission to stay' based on retirement as the 800K in the bank will then be 'seasoned' for the necessary 2 months for the application.

That might be the easiest way for the OP to go - as long as the doesn't mind depositing 800K in a Thai bank.
Apply for a single entry Tourist Visa, deposit money in a Thai Bank, apply to convert the Tourist Visa into a non immigrant 'o' based on retirement. After a couple of months apply to Immigration for Permission to stay for a year.

The UK single entry Tourist Visa requires no supporting documents to obtain, the multiple entry has 'bells & whistles' attached..

[747man]

Samster, The EASIEST Way to go is get a SINGLE Entry TOURIST Visa in the U.K...
Enter Thailand on THAT,Get 60 Days,BEFORE That expires go to Savanakhet ( Laos ) Apply for a Multi Non-Imm " O " Visa,NO Funds in Thai Bank required....Only Stipulation is You MUST Be Married to a Thai National....
Only Documents You DO Need are...1, Original Marriage Certificate Plus A Copy, Wifes BLUE Housebook,& A Signed copy of you're Wifes Thai I.D Card,2 Your Passport with 2 Passport Photo's,Plus the 5,000 Baht Visa Fee,
Take ALL To Thai Consul in Savanakhet 1 Day BEFORE 11.00am & Pick up your Passport & Visa the NEXT Day After 2.00pm...EASY !!!!( But Make Certain Your WIFE Signs EVERYTHING )

[747man]

I am just about to apply for a new multi entry visa in the UK and, reading the Embassy website was a little confused.

I am early retired (57) and have a private pension but the O visa only seems to apply to those on a state pension. Does this mean I have to apply for an OA which has more onerous requirements (police and medical checks) or will they accept an application for the O?

Samster you can apply for an O visa based on any sort pension income. Just supply them with the supporting information requested. It is an O visa, not an O/A.

VERY Difficult to get Multi Non-Imm " O " In The U.K Now, NOT Impossible,But Very Difficult !!!!

[tamada]

...Only Stipulation is You MUST Be Married to a Thai National...

And that may be a problem if the OP isn't married, has no intention of being married or is married to a non-Thai.

A visa-exempt entry can be converted to a 90-day non O visa to facilitate the funds seasoning and a subsequent conversion into the 1-year retirement extension.

If the OP doesn't want to cook 800k in a Thai bank, he may be able to get his embassy to supply a letter for Immigration if he can show the embassy proof of the equivalent of 800k in an overseas bank.

[747man]

And that may be a problem if the OP isn't married, has no intention of being married or is married to a non-Thai.....

Yeah I Make you right, There Tam...

[samster]

Thanks for the advice guys. I would rather continue to get the visa in the UK at this stage rather than locally so, the tourist option would be a last resort.

I just called the consulate in Hull who have always been extremely helpful previously.

They confirmed that an O visa would not be issued unless I was on a state pension and that the only route to go down was the OA.

Is anyone out there on an OA? If so, do you have to provide new police and medical checks every year? I should have asked the Consulate, but, didn't think at the time - I don't want to lose face by calling again

[tamada]

I may be wrong but I think that any submissions for a multi-anything at Hull or any other Thai Honorary Consulate in the UK gets passed to he Royal Thai Embassy in London for approval or otherwise.

From past but not recent experience, getting a police check in the UK is relatively easy but depending on how busy your local bill are, it may be time consuming. Maybe the request is all done on line now?

As for a medical, what do they request and is your local GP up for the task?

Regardless, I doubt the RTE will accept 'last years' police check or medical so if you plan on consecutive multi-O's, it may be a case of asking these same questions every year.

Good luck in getting the visa you want but they are making it harder.

[samster]

I may be wrong but I think that any submissions for a multi-anything at Hull or any other Thai Honorary Consulate in the UK gets passed to he Royal Thai Embassy in London for approval or otherwise.

From past but not recent experience, getting a police check in the UK is relatively easy but depending on how busy your local bill are, it may be time consuming. Maybe the request is all done on line now?

As for a medical, what do they request and is your local GP up for the task?

Regardless, I doubt the RTE will accept 'last years' police check or medical so if you plan on consecutive multi-O's, it may be a case of asking these same questions every year.

Good luck in getting the visa you want but they are making it harder.

You are correct about the Consulates. I rang them solely for advice as they have always been helpful in the past.

The Embassy website gives links to the relevant forms for the Police and Medical checks so, in that regard is user friendly. As you suggest, the Police check can be done online.

It states that they must have "3 months validity" so, it really depends on when they are issued and what the "valid" period is!!

[arjay]

Non Immigrant visas are (still) available to those intending to retire to Thailand, or for visiting family and suchlike. They are not solely for those married to Thais. I have used Non Imm O visas obtained from Thai embassy in London for extended visits over the last few years, without any problems (and without police checks or medical reports).

[BobHelm]

No RJ there is no longer an 'o' visa for visiting family & friends - as I used to get for nearly 10 years.
The OP cannot get the 'o' based on retirement for the two reasons I mentioned.
1. He is not over 60 years old.
2. He is not receiving a Government Pension.

As I said before, the rules changed about 5 years ago & went through a number of changes until they arrived at what it is today about 3 years ago.

samster the Thai Embassy point users to this site to obtain a police clearance.
https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx
so I suspect that a document not obtained via that site could be rejected.

[sometimewoodworker]

Is anyone out there on an OA? If so, do you have to provide new police and medical checks every year? I should have asked the Consulate, but, didn't think at the time - I don't want to lose face by calling again

While I am not on an OA I can tell you for sure that the medical and police check will be needed each time you get the OA.
However it is not every year but about every 2 years that you need a new OA visa.

The OA visa is valid for 1 year and multiple entry and each time you enter you get a 1 year permission to stay stamp. So you make your last exit and entry just before the visa expires and get a 1 year permission to stay stamp, then if you want to leave and return during that year you also get a re-entry permit. So almost 2 years on that visa

[arjay]

Hi Bob, I've just checked my passport. It was in fact Dec 2015 when I last got a Non Imm O visa from the London Embassy (to visit friends & family). This last winter I didn't need longer than 60 days so opted for a tourist visa.

Noted the OP may not be old enough to obtain a retirement visa. Though are you saying the age for a retirement visa has been increased from 50 to 60? It was previously 50 when I had one. Also, the pension income didn't need to be state pension, it could be personal occupational pension income, which indeed mine was.

[samster]

Hi Bob, I've just checked my passport. It was in fact Dec 2015 when I last got a Non Imm O visa from the London Embassy (to visit friends & family). This last winter I didn't need longer than 60 days so opted for a tourist visa.

Noted the OP may not be old enough to obtain a retirement visa. Though are you saying the age for a retirement visa has been increased from 50 to 60? It was previously 50 when I had one. Also, the pension income didn't need to be state pension, it could be personal occupational pension income, which indeed mine was.

What I understood from the Hull consulate was that the age is academic. Unless you are in receipt of a State Pension, you are ineligible for an O visa based on Retirement and, that the only way to go was an OA

[Nigglyb]

Straight from the Thai Embassy London website

Non-Immigrant Type O

For dependent child (age below 20 years): A copy of birth certificate, a copy each of employment letter, passport and visa of the parent who is going to work in Thailand, and a copy of registration of the company or organisation where the parent will work
For accompanying spouse : A copy of marriage certificate, a copy each of employment letter, passport and visa of the leading spouse, and a copy of registration of the company or organisation where the spouse will work
For accompanying a Thai spouse : A copy of marriage certificate, a copy of Thai passport/a copy of Thai ID of spouse, and (3 months bank statement showing monthly income of more than £1,400 annually.)
For accompanying a Thai child : A copy of Thai birth certificate, a copy of the Thai child's passport/Thai ID, a copy of marriage certificate to a Thai spouse or divorce paper/child custody paper (in case of divorce), and (3 months bank statement showing monthly income of more than £1,400 annually.)
For working at an NGO/volunteer work : An official recommendation letter or employment letter from NGO or organisation which undertakes volunteer work in Thailand, registration document of NGO or volunteer organisation
For pensioner : A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner or a copy of 1 month bank statement showing your income from pension.

It doesn’t say anything about State Pension other than what to submit if you’re drawing it. You say you’re in receipt of a Private Pension so you can provide a statement showing income. To be honest, they probably won’t care where your income comes from as long as you can show it on a statement

[BobHelm]

You are, however missing previous notes about applying for a non imm 'o' based on retirement from the Thai London Embassy web site though Nigglyb.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/se ... Visas.html

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/se ... visas.html

I have got one of these visas for the last 13 years. Originally no hassle from Hull for just over 8 years. Hull were then stopped from issuing anything but Tourist visas. I then had no choice but to go to the Embassy. Originally you had to prove pension income (from anywhere) of over £12,500 per annum, which I did. However they then (after a couple of monetary changes) went to the current rule about Government Pension. When they introduced this first they were absolutely insistent on it. The may have backed away from that now, but I have never heard anyone say that they have received 1 other than by showing a Government pension.
That is certainly what I have done without difficulty for the last 2 years & will do so again in July this year..

So, yes, RJ the age has effectively been moved to 65.
There are some Government employees who can get a Government pension at 60 - firemen, armed services etc...