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You are here: Home / Visa Stuff / O-A Long-Stay Visa Guide: Benefits, Requirements, Reporting

O-A Long-Stay Visa Guide: Benefits, Requirements, Reporting

The O-A visa is issued to those over 50 years old and provides a long-stay option in Thailand. It's often referred to as a “retirement visa”.

This visa is applied for in your home country, at a local Thai embassy or consulate. The application can usually be done by mail and takes a minimum of 15 days to process.

In this post, I'll run through the benefits of the visa and the requirements you need to meet to be approved.

O-A-visa-thailand

Beautiful Koh Lanta. Image credit: Wojciech Portnicki

O-A Visa Benefits

The visa is active from the date of issue. You are granted a 1-year stay from the date of entry to Thailand.

This is a multiple entry visa. What that means is: you can leave Thailand and re-enter as and when you please, within the validity of the visa.

The great thing about the O-A visa is that the multiple entry aspect allows a further one year stay on any entry, so if you exit and re-enter just before the visa expires you get another one year's stay.

When your visa has expired and your permitted stay inside the country is coming to an end, you can extend the visa inside Thailand, at an immigration office. A little more about that later on.

O-A Visa Required Documents

There's a fair bit of documentation to get together. Here's what you will need to submit to your local Thai embassy or consulate.

  1. Your passport and a copy of your passport. Your passport must have validity of at least 18 months and have at least one empty page.
  2. The visa completed application form (in black or blue ink).
  3. A medical certificate (notarized) showing no prohibitive diseases in accordance with the Ministerial Regulation No.14(B.E. 2535).
  4. Three passport-size photographs (2″x2″). Photographs must have a lightly color background with a full-face view of the person with no hat or dark glasses. Photos must be no more than 6 months old.
  5. Bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht, or an income certificate (original not a copy) with a monthly income of not less than
    65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht. Submitting a bank statement requires a letter of guarantee from the bank (original not a copy).
  6. A letter of verification from the relevant authority in your country to show that you have no criminal record. Internet documents are not accepted.
  7. A copy of your airline tickets.
  8. The required health insurance (as discussed below)

O-A Health Insurance Requirement

The O-A visa has a mandatory health insurance requirement. The policy must cover a minimum 3 million Baht, or the equivalent if the policy is issued outside of Thailand.

The total must cover inpatient services.

The policy can be obtained from a Thai or foreign insurance company, and must state that you are medically insured for the period, with the aforementioned coverage.

If you use a foreign insurance company, you will need to provide the original policy and two copies. You will also need to get the insurance company to fill out and stamp a form, which can be seen here.

If you use a Thai company, you will only have to provide the two copies.

The easiest option is to take out your insurance with a reputable Thai company, although one with English-speaking customer service is highly preferable.

+ Compare Quotes Here On Mr Prakan

O-A for Your Spouse

If you have a spouse over the age of 50, she/he can apply for an O-A visa too.

If your spouse is younger than 50, he or she can apply for temporary stay under the Category ‘O’ visa. He or she will need to provide your marriage certificate as evidence.

90-Day Reporting

All long stay visas come with a 90-day reporting requirement, which involves producing a number of documents for immigration.

You can report in person, by mail and online. In person is easiest, but when working, the online system is convenient, particularly if you live far from an immigration office.

The reporting requires the following documents:

  • Passport
  • Notification form (TM47)
  • Copy of passport info page (with photo, name, passport number, etc.)
  • Copy of current visa
  • Copy of latest entry stamp
  • Copy of latest visa extension
  • Copy of departure card (TM6)
  • Copy of previous 90-day slip (if any)

Extending Your Stay Inside Thailand

As mentioned previously, you can extend your stay in Thailand beyond the validity of your visa. But don't wait for your visa to run out to do this. Instead, start the process 30 days beforehand.

This extension requires you to prove an income of 65k Baht per month income by way of a confirmation of income letter from your embassy, or 800k in a local Thai bank account 3 months prior to the application. The latter requires a confirmation letter from the bank and a copy of your bank passbook.

You will also need to fill out a TM7 (extension of stay form).

At this point it is worth noting that you can avoid applying for an O-A visa in your home country and instead obtain a long stay by doing this exact extension process in Thailand.

So instead of applying for an O-A Visa, you would apply for a Non Immigrant O Visa at your local Thai embassy or consulate instead.

The Non Immigrant O Visa gives you a 90-day stay on arrival. Before this expires inside Thailand (up to 30 days), you can do the one year extension at an immigration office.

So if you'd rather avoid applying for the O-A visa in your home country and having to provide the medical certificate, criminal record check, and the insurance requirement, you can take this alternative route.

I've written about this type of “retirement visa” extension here.

In Summary

The route a person takes to obtaining a long stay usually depends on the timeframe they are working with and how quickly they want to get to Thailand.

Applying for an O-A visa in your home country does have its benefits: You get stamped in for a year as soon as you enter, and you can exit and re-enter just before your visa expires and get stamped in for another year.

Some people would rather just have everything sorted before they leave and not have to think about doing an extension of stay in Thailand, whereas others may want to avoid that criminal record check (ahem).

I appreciate that if you're applying for a visa for the first time there may be some confusion and questions. So feel free to ask away in the comments section below.

———–

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Last Updated on March 7, 2022

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Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  1. Kenny says

    October 2, 2022 at 4:28 pm

    Do South Africans qualify for the O-A long stay visa application
    Reply

    Oct 02, 2022 at 4:28 pm

    • JamesE says

      October 3, 2022 at 6:37 am

      Yes. Check the SA embassy website.
      Reply

      Oct 03, 2022 at 6:37 am

  2. Paul haynes says

    September 28, 2022 at 10:57 pm

    Do you have to show onward flight when entering Thailand on tourist visa
    Reply

    Sep 28, 2022 at 10:57 pm

    • TheThailandLife says

      September 28, 2022 at 11:12 pm

      No onward flight required if you have a visa. Only required when entering without a visa on an exemption stamp.
      Reply

      Sep 28, 2022 at 11:12 pm

  3. Paul Haynes says

    September 26, 2022 at 6:50 pm

    Hi all arriving Thailand 16th November on tourist visa. Hoping either for agent to get my retirement 1 year visa , or as someone suggested do it myself but not sure of all of the many requirements l would have to do.
    Reply

    Sep 26, 2022 at 6:50 pm

  4. Lisa nugent says

    September 25, 2022 at 8:38 pm

    Hi Peter,
    We are currently pulling our hair out applying for an OA E visa. The supporting documents asked for:
    1. A medical certificate. Our GP has never heard of this and has just issued a letter stating that we have no infectious diseases. Is this, ok?
    2. The health insurance asks for at least three types of evidence...so confused! What do we actually need?
    Hoping you can help.
    Thanks
    Reply

    Sep 25, 2022 at 8:38 pm

    • JamesE says

      September 26, 2022 at 2:05 am

      1) No. There is a very specific list of diseases. "LEPROSY, TUBERCULOSIS, ELEPHANTIASIS, DRUG ADDICTION, THIRD STEP OF SYPHILIS".
      2) The insurance requirements mentioned on the embassy website are: Coverage amount, coverage period (must be as long as your permitted stay, and, in the case of a non-Thai issuer, a Foreign Insurance Certificate. As far as the certificate goes I've been able to enter with a policy declaration page that specifies the first two and explicitly states that the coverage is in force in Thailand.
      Reply

      Sep 26, 2022 at 2:05 am

      • Lisa says

        September 26, 2022 at 5:46 pm

        Thank you that’s very helpful
        Reply

        Sep 26, 2022 at 5:46 pm

      • Lisa says

        September 28, 2022 at 12:28 am

        Hi
        Thanks,
        Are there any companies you would recommend and how to contact them and also what would you expect to pay? We are applying for an OA visa.
        Thanks for your help
        Lisa
        Reply

        Sep 28, 2022 at 12:28 am

        • JamesE says

          September 28, 2022 at 1:43 am

          You could do a search for "visa assistance" but because the O-A must be applied for in your home country and not Thailand you might not have a lot of agents to pick from with any meaningful experience. The basic rule with anything to do with Thai officialdom is that you haven't given them enough paper even if it would duplicate something you've already sent up. If you have specific questions your best bet is to ask them here (as you did above) and to also go to the Thai Embassy website and look at the requirements for the O-A. They may (will?) be presented more clearly with links to specific forms (like the medical certificate and foreign insurance certificate) you will need.
          Reply

          Sep 28, 2022 at 1:43 am

    • Nick says

      September 26, 2022 at 10:32 am

      18 months ago, My Doctor refused to sign the declaration on the basis that they only fill in forms about diseases I do/have had!!
      However my Pharmacist who gives me flu jabs and any travel vaccinations I need was happy to sign me off as he was fairly sure I don't look like I have Elephantitis! All went through fine....I am not too sure they check up on what is sent to them as long as you send all the correct forms with official stamps and signatures!
      My pharmacist has plenty of letters after his name but is not a GP.
      I am now 18 months and 1 OA renewal down the line...6 trips and now living in Thailand permanately with no checks on my syphilis to date although sure my wife might mention it if it became an issue!

      Ask around eventually you will find someone happy to sign the form...I think I found an online Dr at the time but tried my Pharmacist first so never needed to get online Doc involved but sure they were prepared to do so for a fee.
      Reply

      Sep 26, 2022 at 10:32 am

      • Lisa says

        September 26, 2022 at 5:49 pm

        Thanks Nik
        Im also sure that myself and my husband don’t have elephantiasis! 😂
        Thanks for the advise.. it was very helpful. Let hope we survive the stress and actually get to Thailand before I combust !
        Reply

        Sep 26, 2022 at 5:49 pm

  5. Lars Georg says

    September 5, 2022 at 1:55 am

    Hi - hope you can help. I apply for a Thai O-A visa on thaievisa.1. Do I need a return ticket or is a one-way ticket ok?2. Applicant must upload his/her passport pages which contain all travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip - I didn't have any international travels in the past 12 months. Should I just upload the blank pages from my passport?
    Reply

    Sep 05, 2022 at 1:55 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      September 5, 2022 at 4:16 pm

      1. No return ticket required.2. I read that as upload the pages that have travel details. I would upload the photo / details pages.
      Reply

      Sep 05, 2022 at 4:16 pm

  6. Paul Haynes says

    August 23, 2022 at 4:20 am

    Do l have to show proof of flight when applying for O/A multi entry visa in UK .
    Reply

    Aug 23, 2022 at 4:20 am

    • Dorian says

      August 23, 2022 at 3:49 pm

      Flight. insurance. bank statements. police check. diseases form.
      Reply

      Aug 23, 2022 at 3:49 pm

  7. Paul Haynes says

    August 20, 2022 at 6:10 am

    Hi l am confused as to when my 1 year will start from . I am applying on the evisa site for OA multi entry in the UK . What exactly will it say on visa on date.Let’s say l get my visa and it says 1st December but l don’t leave till 30th December,does my 12 month start from when enter Thailand or from 1st December. Also do l have to book my flight and give details when applying. Lastly l intend to spend 6 months in Thailand before returning England,then returning after 3 months . Do l still have to get the 12 month medical cover if so will it be valid after l leave,and valid on return. Regards Paul Haynes
    Reply

    Aug 20, 2022 at 6:10 am

    • G says

      August 20, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      Hi Paul, Looking at my last OA it looks like the visa will start on the date it is issued and the limit of your stay will be to the day your insurance expires. I am no expert and not currently sure what the rules are regarding compulsory insurance. I have some serious health conditions so picked up a cheap Thai policy accepted by immigration (which I didn't use) along with my English policy (which I did use). More anecdotal information on request. G
      Reply

      Aug 20, 2022 at 5:13 pm

    • JamesE says

      August 20, 2022 at 10:47 pm

      Your visa will be valid from the date of issue but your 1-year permission to stay begins on the day you arrive in Thailand. Have a look through the comments as you'll find ways to have your 1-year visa work out to be a 2-year visa. If you're leaving and returning don't forget to get a reentry permit (or a multi-entry visa when you apply). Your health insurance must be valid for your permitted stay in Thailand. So, if you arrive on January 1 with the plan to leave for a bit on June 30, you will still be stamped in until December 31 and your insurance will have to cover the entire one-year period, regardless of your intention. One of the reasons why the O(Retirement) visa is a better option than the O-A is that it only has a 90-day insurance requirement.
      Reply

      Aug 20, 2022 at 10:47 pm

      • Paul Haynes says

        August 21, 2022 at 3:25 am

        Hi So if l enter Thailand on new OA multi entry visa for example 1st November,return UK 1st April, then return 1st October therefore with 1 month left of my original 12 month medical , will that not suffice will l have to have new 12 month insurance. One more thing do l have to book flight to get visa . Regards Paul Haynes
        Reply

        Aug 21, 2022 at 3:25 am

        • JamesE says

          August 21, 2022 at 10:55 pm

          Correct. Although G said that you could be stamped in for the remaining period of your insurance. When you're on an O-A the insurance can be very limiting.
          Reply

          Aug 21, 2022 at 10:55 pm

      • Paul Haynes says

        August 21, 2022 at 3:34 am

        Hi James With the OA multi entry visa if you arrive Thailand stay 6 months ,return UK for 4 months ,then return with just over 1 month left and get stamped in for a further year, providing you then get re entry permit and new insurance can you keep repeating this procedure thus never in effect applying for new visa in UK . Hope that is not confusing. Paul
        Reply

        Aug 21, 2022 at 3:34 am

        • JamesE says

          August 21, 2022 at 9:57 pm

          No. Your O-A will expire during your stay and once you leave it becomes invalid. This is one of the benefits of the O (Retirement) option. With a re-entry permit you can keep coming and going as needed and your original visa exists in some kind of limbo state. Max is the wizard on this, maybe he'll weigh in with the actual mechanics of the system.
          Reply

          Aug 21, 2022 at 9:57 pm

          • Paul Haynes says

            August 22, 2022 at 12:11 am

            Sorry James still confused won’t my OA multi entry keep being re stamped for new 12 months as long as l leave then return with a re entry permit within the 12 months.
            Reply

            Aug 22, 2022 at 12:11 am

            • JamesE says

              August 22, 2022 at 3:20 am

              TTL's correct. (I spaced that it's already multi-entry). You have to keep in mind two things: First - Your visa is valid from its issue date (the date it's approved by the embassy) and, Second - your permitted length of stay (one year with the O-A) which begins when your passport is stamped on arrival. So, within the one-year period of visa validity you may enter the country as many times as you want and each time you will be given a one-year permission to stay. Once your visa expires (one year from its issue date) you can't reenter the country under that visa regardless of whether you've been stamped in longer earlier. So to your question: "won’t my OA multi entry keep being re stamped for new 12 months as long as l leave then return with a re entry permit within the 12 months?" Your visa doesn't get stamped when you enter, its valid dates are etched in stone, your passport does. If you leave before your visa expires, your passport is stamped as having left and your one-year permission to stay is cancelled. Assuming you return before your visa expires you can enter and get your passport stamped again for another year's permission to stay. It can get confusing.
              Reply

              Aug 22, 2022 at 3:20 am

              • Paul Haynes says

                August 22, 2022 at 4:22 am

                I must be stupid so does does 1 year start from date l arrive Thailand through immigration example 1st November. Not date on visa issued in England example 1st October. So theoretically l could return England May return Thailand example 15 October and get another year from 15 October
                Reply

                Aug 22, 2022 at 4:22 am

                • JamesE says

                  August 23, 2022 at 3:05 am

                  Okay. Your 1-year permission to stay starts when you are stamped in by immigration. That has nothing to do with your visa's valid dates. Look at this example: If your visa was issued on 1-October, 2022 it is valid until 30-September 2023 - your visa is valid for one year. That is the period of time you are allowed ENTRY into Thailand. So, if you ENTER into Thailand on 1-November, 2022 then you will be permitted to STAY until 31-October, 2023 - your permission to stay is valid for one year even though your visa will have expired a month before you have to leave the country. In your scenario, leaving in May, 2023 and returning 15-October, 2023 your visa will have expired on 30-September, 2023 so you would only be stamped in for 30 days under a visa exemption. The dates on your visa is the period when you are permitted to ENTER while the dates stamped on your passport is the period you're allowed to STAY. The short version is visa dates = permission to enter, passport stamp dates = permission to stay. They're not the same thing.
                  Reply

                  Aug 23, 2022 at 3:05 am

                  • Paul Haynes says

                    August 23, 2022 at 7:36 pm

                    Thank you James so l can apply for visa in UK now even though not planning to leave till mid November. Dorian has told me l need to book flight before applying can anyone else confirm that the reason being l am getting conflicting answers elsewhere , and cannot get through to embassy.
                    Reply

                    Aug 23, 2022 at 7:36 pm

                    • JamesE says

                      August 24, 2022 at 10:28 pm

                      You can but I'd wait until mid/late-October to apply. This goes back to the visa permission to enter/passport permission to stay difference. If you apply now you're effectively cutting over two months from your visa's one-year validity as your visa will expire in late August/early September, 2023 depending on when it is issued. This really puts a crimp on the 2-year stay trick. Yes, you do need to have your flight booked prior to applying for the visa. It's in the visa requirements on the Thai Embassy's website (USA, anyway. Not sure about the UK.). It's almost impossible to get through to any embassy or consulate.

                      Aug 24, 2022 at 10:28 pm

                • Dorian says

                  August 23, 2022 at 3:21 am

                  My first OA visa worked like this. Came in on February 2021 with one year insurance so stamped in for one year from that arrival date. Left in August 2021 no re entry permit needed. Came back February 2022 just before end date of visa and bought another years insurance so stamped in for the free 2nd year. If i leave again then i need a re entry permit. My 2 years of OA will expire February 2023 so will have to decide wheather to renew or go home and start the process all over again.
                  Reply

                  Aug 23, 2022 at 3:21 am

        • Dorian Williams says

          August 22, 2022 at 12:28 am

          I think the OA finishes after you get 2 years out of it and if you dont want to renew with money in a Thai bank you need to apply again back in your own country.
          Reply

          Aug 22, 2022 at 12:28 am

          • TheThailandLife says

            August 22, 2022 at 3:04 am

            Correct. The visa allows unlimited entries for one year from the day it is issued. It is possible to get a total stay of almost 2 years by entering Thailand just before the visa expires. At the point of expiration a re-entry permit isn't applicable because a re-entry permit only applies to a valid visa. You won't need a re-entry permit to leave and return while the visa is valid because it is multiple entry.You only need proof of insurance to enter the country in that first year.
            Reply

            Aug 22, 2022 at 3:04 am

          • dr ken chao says

            August 23, 2022 at 12:47 am

            it is better to get OA instead
            Reply

            Aug 23, 2022 at 12:47 am

  8. Thomas mckay says

    April 9, 2022 at 2:41 pm

    Hi thanks for an interesting post , I’m a bit confused about the spouse part , we are from the uk and will both be over 50 when we come over , I will apply for a o a 12 month multiple entry visa in the uk but according to embassy website my wife would only get an o visa , does that mean she would have to leave at some point , does she have to apply for her own o a visa and would a joint account showing the required funds of 800,000 baht be sufficient for both applications
    Reply

    Apr 09, 2022 at 2:41 pm

  9. Dorian Williams says

    April 1, 2022 at 8:47 am

    Hi. Im on my second year of my OA retirement and would like to change before expiry to the O visa ,but can i do that while in Thailand and whats the process. Thanks Dorian.
    Reply

    Apr 01, 2022 at 8:47 am

  10. Tony Lawson says

    March 22, 2022 at 5:35 am

    Hi, From what Im seeing on Visa application forms (O visa , Tourist Visa) you have to have a Return ticket. Im trying to get to Thailand with the view of Retiring there. I just went to Travel Agency here in Australia and they said I must have an onward flight.
    I just want to travel over there and apply for retirement visa there. I was going to apply for a 90 day tourist visa here and extend it to a O visa in Chiang Mai.
    I don't want to arrive there and refuse entry cos I don't have onward flight
    Reply

    Mar 22, 2022 at 5:35 am

    • Richard says

      April 3, 2022 at 12:59 pm

      Tony...I'm not 100% sure but as far I know, you have to apply for the Retirement Visa in your home country.....I don't think you can do it in Thailand or a third country.
      Reply

      Apr 03, 2022 at 12:59 pm

      • Paul Haynes says

        August 20, 2022 at 6:14 am

        You can apply for o visa in Thailand. OA visa must be from home country not Thailand
        Reply

        Aug 20, 2022 at 6:14 am

  11. Mark Cotgrove says

    March 17, 2022 at 12:07 am

    Hi there, incredibly useful and clear advice, thanks!

    Do you know whether marriage cert is a requirement for a couple to be able to get a dependent O-A visa or whether civil partnership is adequate?

    I'll buy you a beer when we arrive 👍🏻
    Reply

    Mar 17, 2022 at 12:07 am

  12. Alex Sparrow says

    March 7, 2022 at 12:52 am

    Great information, thanks for sharing it. I am planning on heading to Thailand for 6 months or more in December. If the OA visa has to be applied for prior to entering Thailand, how do you open a bank account to deposit the 800K please?
    Many Thanks,
    Alex
    Reply

    Mar 07, 2022 at 12:52 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      March 7, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      The OA requirements are met in your home country, so you would use your bank accounts at home as proof.
      Reply

      Mar 07, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      • Alex Sparrow says

        March 7, 2022 at 5:00 pm

        Oh okay, that's good. Thanks for your reply
        Reply

        Mar 07, 2022 at 5:00 pm

    • Paul Haynes says

      August 20, 2022 at 6:18 am

      You don’t have to have money in Thailand bank account when applying for OA visa in your home country just have to provide proof of funds in your home bank
      Reply

      Aug 20, 2022 at 6:18 am

  13. dr ken chao says

    March 4, 2022 at 12:05 am

    THE HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENT IS NOW 3 MILLION BAHT FOR OA VISA, THERE IS NEWS/RUMOUR THAT BANK DEPOSIT REQUIREMENT COULD BE RAISED TO 1.2 MILLION
    Reply

    Mar 04, 2022 at 12:05 am

  14. Ken F says

    February 15, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    I am now in Thailand (Phuket) on a Non immigrant O visa but due to some rather nightmarish circumstances, which I will not get into here, I am now two days past my 90 days. Can I still extend it or change it to a Non-OA even though I have overstayed by two days, or am I SOL? I talked to a place today that offers visa services and they said they could take care of everything but the price was pretty steep at 22,000 baht. Also, since I still do not have a Thai bank account they say they can get me a Non-O-A without needing to bring over the 800,000 but that sounds a bit shady to me. Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.
    Reply

    Feb 15, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    • TheThailandLife says

      February 15, 2022 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Ken, the 0-A is obtained from your home country not from inside Thailand. You could have done a retirement extension but you need a Thai bank account with the 800k in the bank 60 days before applying. If you go to immigration and explain they will most likely let you pay a fine and extend for 30 days, possible less because you have overstayed. It depends which officer you get. Agent sounds shady. I assume it would be an extension based on retirement, not an O-A - but who knows what tricks they can pull?!
      Reply

      Feb 15, 2022 at 5:45 pm

      • Ken F says

        February 16, 2022 at 12:42 am

        So with only a possible 30 days it sounds like my only option other tyhan the shady agent is going to be going to a nearby country and coming back in at some point in the future (hopefully not too long because I dont want to pay for an apartment in Phuket that I will not be able to use) but that may not be possible due to covid. And I cannot go all the way back to California, not only due to the expense involved but also because in my current condition (health problem) it will be very hard for me to travel about 30 hours both ways.
        Reply

        Feb 16, 2022 at 12:42 am

        • JamesE says

          February 16, 2022 at 1:14 am

          Yeah, stay away from the shady-agents. It's not worth the lifetime ban you'd get hit with (at a minimum). I suggested Singapore as their VTL entry allows no quarantine entry. If you decided to come back into Thailand on a visa waiver with T&G I think you'd be able to bounce down and back in less than a week. The key bit is going to be getting immigration on your side and walking in and reporting your overstay will help that happen.

          If it were me (and TTL is probably going to delete *this* suggestion :) ) I'd get all my return flights and T&G hotel sorted out before leaving Thailand. If I got any extension at all I'd even get my new Thailand Pass (making sure to use my VPN's Singapore server...) in hand. That way you could literally just get stamped into Singapore, walk over to the check-in counter and catch the next flight back to Phuket. (Although, it might be fun to spend a few days on the island, too.)
          Reply

          Feb 16, 2022 at 1:14 am

          • Ken F says

            February 18, 2022 at 5:41 pm

            Well, I had a very interesting and unnerving day at the Phuket immigration office today. I first went to the room that is supposed to do extensions but they sent me upstairs to a different room after telling me I could get a 7 day extension there. After waiting in line upstairs I was then sent back down to the first place where I was told once again that I had to go back to the room I just came from. And of course after waiting inline again there they told me to go back to the first room again. At this point I decided that it was pointless going back and forth all day and that it would be better to either just book a ticket and pay my fine at the airport, or go ahead and take my chances with the visa services guy to do everything for me. There was one good thing that came from the experience though. Apparently they now have a few westerners working at immigration and one of them was able to talk to me when I was about to leave and give me some advice. First he agreed that it might be better to just book a flight and pay the overstay fees at the airport – although he also said that doing so could hang me up for several extra hours at the airport. His suggested country to go to was Cambodia as, according to him, they just reopened to regular travel on the 1st of the month. He first suggested just the visa on arrival thing and then changing my visa once back in Thailand. Then when I mentioned that I guess I could not get another 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa from Cambodia he had me wait while he went to talk to the head honcho in the office and when he cam back he told me that she said that I could now do that as well. I guess things are changing so often that even the immigration employees are not up on things half the time. Anyway, when I asked him about the visa services guy he said it could be perfectly legitimate but if I don’t want to take any chances its best just to exit the country and do what we had discussed.
            Reply

            Feb 18, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    • JamesE says

      February 16, 2022 at 12:33 am

      Ouch. The circumstances must have been nightmarish, indeed. I think TTL's got the start of a plan. Go pay the fine and see if you can get the extension. If you get it use the 30 days to get your bank account started. If not, go to Singapore on one of their VTL flights (assuming you're vaxxed... I'd use Scoot as you'd save a bit). The Singapore part will be needed regardless of the outcome of the extension just a bit later if you get the 30 days. Once in Singapore, set up your return flight details and apply for a new Thailand Pass. You could try and get another O - Retirement or come back in on a Tourist Visa or visa exempt and convert that to a Non-O (Retirement) and extend that for a year. Either way you are SOL but how you play it depends on what happens at immigration. The good news is that being just a few days in overstay won't get you in real trouble so you shouldn't have to worry about a ban. Good luck!
      Reply

      Feb 16, 2022 at 12:33 am

      • Ken F says

        February 16, 2022 at 6:33 pm

        That’s interesting because the last time I checked, the Singapore travel restrictions seemed overly complicated. But if that is now the best or only option I will have to look into it again. I have actually not been there in ages but I do know that’s its extremely expensive and even a few days in a hotel there would cost a small fortune. I might actually be living in Singapore now if I made ten times my current retirement income, but I am not rich so that will never be an option. Anyway, even if I get there, for it to do me any good I would have to either apply for another Non-Immigrant O visa (and get it) or an Non O-A from there and that still leaves me with the issue of having to have the 800,000 in a Thai bank account for two months prior. So, as you already stated, whatever I do I still need to set up that bank account and get the money over here ASAP.

        In any case, this move has just been one disaster after another, including sustaining serious and difficult to heal back injuries from a motorbike accident. As you may know there are these leaky water trucks all over Phuket that sometimes leave a narrow trail of water on the roads and because this steep uphill section of road was painted red, and because just the wet strip was in a shaded area, the water was impossible to see until it was too late and the rear wheel just slid out from underneath me. If I had come through 5 minutes earlier or later it would not have happened. And if I had been on my current brand new Honda Wave rather than that ill handling tail heavy motor scooter rental with a bald rear tire it also likely would not have happened. But it did happen and it put me out of commission for a very long time. In fact I’ve actually only been to the beach a few times in 3 months due to all the various issues I’ve had to deal with.
        Reply

        Feb 16, 2022 at 6:33 pm

        • JamesE says

          February 16, 2022 at 11:39 pm

          Ouch. I think I know the road section you're talking about. A couple of things about your plan. First, you can't get an O-A in Singapore. Those are only available in your home country (plus they require all that background check information, medical report, and the dreaded health insurance). Second, Singapore has established what they're calling Vaccinated Travel Lanes to/from certain countries (Thailand is on the list) that allow you to just clear right in. Flights are regionally inexpensive, especially on Scoot. I understand your cost concerns, that's why my suggestion would be to re-enter on a 30-day visa waiver and convert that to a Non-O (retirement) once back in TLOS. That should give you the time you need to get your finance requirements met. Good luck!
          Reply

          Feb 16, 2022 at 11:39 pm

          • Ken F says

            February 17, 2022 at 1:08 pm

            Thanks for all the helpful info. By the way, that section of road may not be the one you are thinking of. I'm talking about the road to Paradise Beach (and also to my hotel at the time). Right after the construction site you have to accelerate to get your speed back up on a steep hill. And even though there is a slight bend there to the left the wheel slip likely would have occurred under full power even with no bend in the road.
            Reply

            Feb 17, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    • James K says

      March 31, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      Good information, thanks. My O-A long stay visa was issued June 20, 2021 and I was stamped into Thailand on July 31, 2021 (with a 12 month stamp). If I fly out of Thailand and back in prior to June 20, 2022, I will get another 12 month stamp? In this case, would I still need to do the extension on my O-A visa by June 20, 2022 or would I push that out to the updated permitted stay date (June 2023) I will get by leaving and re-entering ?
      Reply

      Mar 31, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      • JamesE says

        April 1, 2022 at 11:26 pm

        So, yes - If you return to Thailand before your visa's expiration you'll be stamped in for a full year. BUT, the visa extension is a whole 'nother thing. Once your visa has expired, it's done, you no longer have permission to enter the country despite having permission to stay in the country. The decision as to whether to extend is dependent on your plans. If you just want the one-year additional then you'll be good. However, if you want to be able to travel and return under that visa, then you have to extend it before it expires. Once expired an O-A has to be re-issued and that can only take place in your home country.
        Reply

        Apr 01, 2022 at 11:26 pm

        • James K says

          April 3, 2022 at 8:12 am

          Very helpful, thanks so much for the clear explanation.
          Reply

          Apr 03, 2022 at 8:12 am

  15. ken chao says

    January 13, 2022 at 3:18 pm

    i am not too sure if the first year OA visa include the benefit of multiple entry. Why? it is because not aware of this benefit, i did apply and pay for the multiple entry permit in my first year of OA visa before expiry, so i wonder why i was not told by the immigration that it is NOT necessary at all. isn't it amazing?
    Reply

    Jan 13, 2022 at 3:18 pm

  16. Nick Y says

    January 8, 2022 at 8:38 pm

    Hi. Many thanks for all the great work you do on the Thai posts!

    I have one question on your O-A visa page re applying for the visa at a local (in my case London) Embassy.

    Point 5) states:
    Bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht, or an income certificate (original not a copy) with a monthly income of not less than
    65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht. Submitting a bank statement requires a letter of guarantee from the bank (original not a copy).

    Q. Can the 800,000 Baht be an equivalent sum in a UK account ?

    Also, once I have the visa ( which I understand gets renewed for 12 months on each re-entry) are there no further checks on funds ?

    Thanks
    Reply

    Jan 08, 2022 at 8:38 pm

    • JamesE says

      January 9, 2022 at 1:34 am

      For your initial application, yes, the funds can be in a home-country bank. When you're in Thailand and look to extend your visa at the end of your first year the funds will need to be in a Thai account. I'm not sure if there's a funds check on an O-A issued based on a foreign account when you do your 90-day report. Hopefully, Max can weigh in on that. When you go to extend your O-A the ฿800K funds have to have been in a Thai bank for two months prior to the extension and for three months after the extension and never drop below ฿400K. That will be checked.

      You have to wrap your head around the difference between your visa's valid dates - 12 months - from the date it was issued and your permission to stay - 12 months from your date of entry. Your permission to stay - also 12 months - from your date of entry. It is perfectly possible, and legal, to be in the country on an expired visa if you entered before the expiration but your visa only gets extended if you visit immigration before it expires.

      But you really don't want an O-A (unless your plan is to only stay a year or two). Look through the comments about the O (Retirement) visa. You can get one in the UK based on UK funds, you come to Thailand, you move your money, then you get a 1-year extension on your permission to stay. It does away with the excess health coverage cost and all the criminal background and health checks.
      Reply

      Jan 09, 2022 at 1:34 am

  17. Ken F says

    November 13, 2021 at 8:06 am

    Okay guys, you are not going to believe this but my visa was just approved with a mere 15 minutes to spare (assuming they close at 5pm). This after they told me 3-days ago, in no uncertain terms, that the system would be down until the 18th, and basically implying that I was SOL. I’m honestly starting to believe that they do this on purpose and that they get some kind of sadistic thrill out of making people sweat it out until the last possible moment. Either way, at least I have it now- even if getting it did take ten years off of my life.
    Reply

    Nov 13, 2021 at 8:06 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      November 15, 2021 at 5:26 am

      Oh wow. Thank God. Glad you got it!
      Reply

      Nov 15, 2021 at 5:26 am

      • Ken F says

        November 17, 2021 at 8:21 am

        Yes. That was a huge sigh of relief. In any case I’m in BKK now waiting for test results. And despite all the hassles getting the paperwork together the actual trip itself was a breeze. First of all I got though security at LAX in about 5 minutes (last time it took an hour). And since both my flights were only at about 20% of capacity it made boarding and deplaning a breeze. In fact, had I known this ahead of time I might not have sprang for the premium economy seat. I could have just laid across all five middle seats in economy. Anyway tomorrow its off to Phuket.
        Reply

        Nov 17, 2021 at 8:21 am

        • TheThailandLife says

          November 17, 2021 at 5:04 pm

          Good to hear you arrived safely and it was a breeze getting through, especially after the pre-flight stress!
          Reply

          Nov 17, 2021 at 5:04 pm

          • Ken F says

            November 21, 2021 at 12:37 pm

            Thanks Peter. By the way, I wonder if you could answer a question for me that is unrelated to visas. Since I ended up coming here in November instead of October as originally planned the place I wanted to rent, as well as my two back ups have already been rented. And because I am so picky I have not come across any other online listings that I find even remotely suitable. The hotel suite I’m in is actually exactly my style however and is in the perfect location so I am trying to negotiate a deal on a long-term stay with them and then start apartment hunting again after the high season has ended. The problem with that however is that I don’t see how I can get a residency certificate if I am staying in a hotel and I need that certificate to buy a motorbike or car. Normally I would not mind renting a bike for a while, despite the added expense, but unfortunately nobody rents anything like a Honda Wave anymore. They only have either automatic scooters, which I hate, or large cc motorcycles, which are overly expensive to rent. There are a lot of windy roads here and the scooters simply do not handle as well as a proper motorcycle (yes the Honda Wave is a motorcycle and not a scooter) nor can you downshift to a lower gear in order to engine brake on steep hills. Its also much harder to stand up on the pegs (platform in this case) to use your legs as shock absorbers when going over big bumps in the road. The bottom line is I hate those things so I was wondering what my options are. Even if I buy a used motorbike I will still not be able to register it without the certificate or residency. Any suggestions? Also I would appreciate any suggestion on apartment hunting. The last time I lived here I drove around looking for rental signs but back then I also had a Thai girlfriend who could actually read the signs and contact the rental owners. I do not have that now and there is nothing available online that I like.
            Reply

            Nov 21, 2021 at 12:37 pm

  18. Ken F says

    November 12, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    Can anyone out there PLEASE tell me who I can contact to get answers to some questions since the Thai consulate seems to refuse to do so. If I put off my departure now I will loose $350 on hotel bookings and probably several hundred more for changing my flight yet nobody will tell me how far out I should make the new travel arrangements to avoid the same thing happening all over again. I was going to just go ahead and travel on schedule and get a visa on arrival in order to not loose all that money but then I realized that there is no guarantee that it will be any easier to get into any bordering countries in order to change my visa status. So basically I’m between a rock and a hard place as the Thai consulate will not give me any information on how much longer it might take to complete my existing visa application or whether or not I will have to start the process all over again after changing my flight and hotel details. They will not even acknowledge the questions. I tried both phoning and e-mailing a Thai legal firm but cannot get through to anyone either way. If I am going to change my flight reservations I need to do it within the next 24 hours. And since I am retired I cannot really afford to loose all this money, not to mention the money I will have to spend on hotels here in the states after having to move out of my apartment at the end of the month ( the property is being sold) if I still have no visa by then.
    Reply

    Nov 12, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    • TheThailandLife says

      November 12, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      At this point you might just have to enter on a 30-day exemption stamp as a tourist. Once there, contact a visa agent and they can probably sort out what you need without having to leave the country.
      Reply

      Nov 12, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      • Ken F says

        November 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

        Yes, that was my plan as of yesterday. But today I was thinking that due to covid it is not so easy now to simply make a quick run to neighboring countries in order to change ones visa status after starting the paperwork in Thailand. It could be a very long and involved process simply to enter those countries and might even take longer than my 30 days. Still, luckily I was finally able to reach another Thai legal firm earlier and I am awaiting their advice now. If they say it will not be a problem then I will go ahead and take my flight. Either way, I am so thoroughly fed up with the whole nightmarish process at this point that I don't mind in the least paying someone else to take care of everything for me this time around. Anyway thank you for the reply.
        Reply

        Nov 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

        • TheThailandLife says

          November 12, 2021 at 7:16 pm

          Immigration has been offering in-country visa extensions while borders with neighboring countries are closed, so you can always take advantage of that extension if you can't cross a border. Also, don't forget that you can extend your stay by 30 days at immigration for 1,900 Baht. That will give you 60 days. Don't worry too much. Just get there; you'll be able to sort it out with the help of a visa agent.
          Reply

          Nov 12, 2021 at 7:16 pm

          • Ken F says

            November 12, 2021 at 7:35 pm

            That’s good to know. I was worried because I just read somewhere else that the visa on arrival could only be extended for 7 days now rather than 30. But if it’s 30 days that would give me plenty of time. Also I just had an online chat with a visa agent in Phuket who assured me that it can all be done in country, although he said its more expensive – hopefully its all above board. Anyway thanks again for the reply.
            Reply

            Nov 12, 2021 at 7:35 pm

            • TheThailandLife says

              November 12, 2021 at 7:41 pm

              The official line is: It is also possible to extend a 30-day entry stamp/visa on arrival at an immigration office for another 30 days, though in some cases you may only receive an extension of 7 days. This is at the discrepancy of the immigration official. I'm quite sure you'd get 30.
              Reply

              Nov 12, 2021 at 7:41 pm

              • Ken F says

                November 12, 2021 at 7:46 pm

                Good to know. Now all I have to do is book a flight out of Thailand since I only have a one-way ticket and they would likely not let me in for visa on arrival with a one-way ticket.
                Reply

                Nov 12, 2021 at 7:46 pm

                • JamesE says

                  November 12, 2021 at 8:40 pm

                  Ken, Since you're in the US you can book and pay for a ticket - receiving a receipt and itinerary - and then cancel for a full refund within 24 hours. You'd have paperwork showing your return flight and ain't nobody going to check with the airline.
                  Reply

                  Nov 12, 2021 at 8:40 pm

  19. Ken F says

    November 11, 2021 at 10:01 am

    The consulate finally got back to me but rather than answering any of my question concerning my situation they simply sent me a generic canned message stating that the visa application system is temporarily down for maintenance at that it will not be back up until November 18th. I assume that if I go ahead and enter Thailand on a tourist visa that this would void my current application but as they did not answer this or any of my other questions I don’t really know for sure. Either way, I still think that the tourist visa is the only way to go at this point. After all, if I changed my flight and my hotel reservations in order to wait for the visa I would then have to reapply for the Thailand pass all over again with my new details. And I might even have to start the whole visa application over again as well if I am not allowed to add new air travel and hotel booking details to the existing application. It’s just not worth putting things off just to start the whole nightmarish process over again. I think I’m just going to go to a Thai immigration lawyer when I get there and they can sort out the whole mess. I assume that I will have to spend some time in a neighboring country to get it done but ironically that may actually be a lot less hassle then trying to get it done online from right here in my own home.
    Reply

    Nov 11, 2021 at 10:01 am

  20. Ken F says

    November 11, 2021 at 1:37 am

    Well things are not looking very good for me at all at this point as there are now less than three full business days left before my flight and I still have not received either my Thailand Pass or my Thai visa. By the way, I am one of those people who hates to put things off until the last minute so in the past I have always had all my travel arrangements completed anywhere from 3-weeks to 3-months ahead of time. But wouldn’t you know it, the one time I am not able to do that I end up having ten years taken off my life from all the resultant stress.

    Anyway, whatever happens I would just like to urge people to start the application process for their long-term visas an absolute bare minimum of 6-weeks ahead of time, and probably a minimum of 3 weeks ahead of time for the Thailand Pass. This is necessary primarily due to the fact that there are absolutely no even remotely useful instruction for either and it can sometimes take a very long time to get all of your questions answered adequately by the Thai consulate. And believe me, even if you have an IQ north of 130 you are going to have a lot of question about filling out the often nonsensical visa application form correctly. And this is because it is often not clear at all what they are even asking you, nor is it made clear what constitutes valid documentation for various things or even what form those documents should take. For example, I have been told after the fact by both Peter and James that the Thai visa application examiners will not look at more than the first page of any insurance document you send them. But seeing as how they obviously have to routinely look over multiple pages of financial documents (3-months of back statements) who on earth would possible suspect that they might not check multiple pages of your insurance documents? Nobody would, of course. Speaking of which, this has also turned out to be a big problem with the new Thailand Pass. The Thailand pass only allows you to upload a single document for each category and now many people are being denied because either their hotel booking confirmations or insurance confirmations did not have all the relevant information contained in a single page. And since it is not recommended that you put multiple pages in a single document your only real option in such cases would be to either find different hotels and insurance providers which put all the relevant info onto a single page, or to contact the existing companies and tell them to modify their existing forms and then re-send them to you. But again, HOW ON EARTH could anyone possible suspect that this would be necessary ahead of time?

    The bottom line is, you just have to allow yourself WAY more time than you think would be reasonably necessary to get these tasks completed successfully. And always have a big bottle of aspirin on hand.
    Reply

    Nov 11, 2021 at 1:37 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      November 11, 2021 at 2:22 am

      I read about the delay in the QR codes being delivered for the Thailand Pass app. Apparently this has been solved so fingers crossed yours is delivered shortly. Have you phoned your local Thai embassy to enquire about your visa. You may have to go down there and get it done.
      Reply

      Nov 11, 2021 at 2:22 am

      • Ken F says

        November 11, 2021 at 4:05 am

        I gave up on trying to call the various Thai consulates or embassies early on in this process as they have never answered the phone and do not even give you the option of leaving a message. I have however e-mail them extensively over the past month and I e-mailed them yet again today about what my options might be should the pass not come through in time. Anyway, although I did not hear back from them directly, my acceptance e-mail and code finally came through about an hour after that. This is a HUGE relief because now even if the visa does not come through I can at least still use my plane ticket and all those non-refundable hotel reservations by coming in on a tourist visa. Of course, since I only have a one-way ticket I would then have to get some proof of onward travel but I can handle that. And under those circumstances I would have the leave the country soon anyway to re-apply for my long-term visa. But then again, I suppose there is always a possibility that my visa could be approved within the next two days.
        Reply

        Nov 11, 2021 at 4:05 am

      • Nick Ward says

        November 17, 2021 at 2:14 am

        Applied for my thailand pass at 7pm yesterday...it arrived at 3pm today.
        Hopefully this means they are getting their act together now and everything will run smoother.
        Good luck to anyone still waiting.
        Reply

        Nov 17, 2021 at 2:14 am

        • TheThailandLife says

          November 17, 2021 at 5:53 am

          That's refreshing to hear!
          Reply

          Nov 17, 2021 at 5:53 am

    • Bill says

      January 26, 2022 at 10:40 am

      From what I have read, the Thai bank account with the necessary funds must be in place for 2 months before you can start the O-A Visa process. So if you're there for 12 weeks/3 months, the soonest you could start would be at the 8 week mark. That means you have 1 month to sweat out the Visa process and hopefully you receive it before the 90 days are up.
      Reply

      Jan 26, 2022 at 10:40 am

  21. Ken F says

    November 2, 2021 at 11:51 am

    Well, boys and girls, the fun continues. As everyone knows I have applied for a Non-O visa with the intent of changing to a Non-O-A once in the country. Anyway about 4-hours ago I was contacted stating that they needed more documentation and they included a link to the form they needed but no information as to who is supposed to fill it out (it looks like it needs to be filled out and signed by the insurance provider). This was a bit surprising considering that they already have all 30 some odd pages of my insurance policy written in both Thai and English. Then I got an even bigger surprise when I noticed that this form says that it is “for Alien to apply for Non-Immigrant Visa Type O-A (period I year). Since I only applied for a 90-day Non-O visa I naturally only bought a 90-day insurance policy to start out. And since I was not asked for the medical report or police report or proof or 800,000 baht I know that I did not accidentally apply for a Non-O-A. But now that they want this form I’m wondering if I will also now need to turn around and change my policy to include one year of coverage. In any case, since neither the visa people or my insurance provider have gotten back to me I am attempting to fill out the form myself and send it to them, even though I don’t know who is supposed to sign it in 3 different places. Unfortunately its just nearly impossible to get any timely answers to your questions even though time is extremely critical at this stage of the game.

    You know, I have come to the realization over these past few weeks that the Thai visa process is about as much fun as getting repeatedly punched in the face with a pair of brass knuckles. Actually it’s more like trying to walk through quicksand. The more you struggle to go forward the faster you sink.
    Reply

    Nov 02, 2021 at 11:51 am

    • JamesE says

      November 2, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      First - They don't want the words to your insurance policy they want the certificate: one page. If you have a policy you should also have a certificate. The blank certificate they sent you is for a foreign company to certify to them (Thai embassy/consulate) that your coverage is valid in Thailand and covers the required minimums and COVID. Who provided your insurance? You can't fill it out on your own. They'll just kick it back to you.

      Second - You can't get an O-A once in Thailand. You'll be able to extend your O by a year by reason of retirement once you meet the requirements but it won't be an O-A. The blank certificate you've been given is a holdover from when the O-A was the only visa with an insurance requirement. Don't seat that part.

      Look through your paperwork for a certificate. It will be a single sheet signed and (probably) sealed. You shouldn't need more than that.
      Reply

      Nov 02, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      • Ken F says

        November 3, 2021 at 6:33 am

        Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately however the first page of my policy is actually called a “schedule” and there is nothing in the rest of the 38-page document called a “certificate”. I only sent them the first few pages of my insurance policy at first, as these seemed to be the relevant ones, but then after they requested this other document I sent them all the rest of the pages. As for that document it sounds like you are correct about what its for but that doesn’t really matter. After all if they are mistakenly holding up my visa for a document that I should not need and which I cannot possibly supply it doesn’t really matter what it is supposed to be for. My visa will still be held up either way until I can reach someone to make them aware of the error. The real problem here is that its just virtually impossible to get in touch with anyone to clarify things when these kinds issues arise. And this is why I have always done visas in person in the past even though I prefer doing just about everything else online.

        By the way, thanks for the clarification on the Non-O visa. Although since the Non O can be extended for the same length of time as the Non-O-A it really doesn’t matter I suppose – six of one, a half dozen of the other. And if I do find down the road that there is some advantage to the O-A I would imaging that it could be applied for from a bordering country, just as we used to have to go to a nearby country to switch from a tourist visa to a working visa when living in Japan.
        Reply

        Nov 03, 2021 at 6:33 am

        • Ken F says

          November 3, 2021 at 7:27 am

          Update: I was just trudging through all those insurance documents again and I found the right page. Although it does not say certificate on the top of the page, it does say in the very small text below that “this insurance certificate is issues for” and my name. The funny thing is this is on the second page of the original 5 pages I sent them. Perhaps they just did not scroll down and so assumed that I had only sent the one page (the wrong page). But again, the real problem here is that its impossible to get this information while you are filling out the original application. And if a subsequent issue arises its nearly impossible to reach someone in order to fix the problem. But then again this is exactly why I have been documenting all my troubles on here. I’m just hoping that the information will help some other unfortunate soul to avoid making the same mistakes that I made.
          Reply

          Nov 03, 2021 at 7:27 am

          • TheThailandLife says

            November 3, 2021 at 5:35 pm

            The certificate needs to explicitly state the COVID-19 requirement. This is all they are looking for. The staff won't bother flicking through pages of a policy; they have just been told to accept a one-page certificate. Good luck!
            Reply

            Nov 03, 2021 at 5:35 pm

            • Ken F says

              November 4, 2021 at 12:55 am

              Well, despite having figured this out I’m afraid I have more bad news. They finally replied to one of the many e-mails I sent them over the past two days and despite the fact that I sent them the certificate page by itself they are still asking me for that other form which they say must be sent to the insurance company and signed and stamped by them. The problem is I already e-mailed that form to the insurance company two days ago and never heard back from them. If I cannot get them to do this for me or if I cannot convince the visa people that I should not need this from when I already have the certificate then it looks like I will just have to come in on a tourist visa and sort out the rest later. I have to be out of my apartment by the end of the month so I can not really postpone the trip at this point.
              Reply

              Nov 04, 2021 at 12:55 am

  22. Joe says

    November 1, 2021 at 5:13 pm

    I extended my 60 day tourist visa to 90 days. it expires November 29. i have 800,000 in my thai bank for 3 months. can i then apply for a retirement visa while in thailand and if so do i now need medical insurance?
    Reply

    Nov 01, 2021 at 5:13 pm

  23. Ken F says

    November 1, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    If anyone is interested, I just came across the first major glitch in the new Thailand Pass online sign up form. If you had the one shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine, as I did, then you are screwed as it will not let you continue to the next page without filling in the info for your second shot, not even if you selected J&J in the first shot window. Hopefully it will not take them long to discover the issue and remedy it.
    Reply

    Nov 01, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    • Ken F says

      November 3, 2021 at 3:50 am

      Good news! As of today the Thailand Pass website has been updated to work for J&J vaccine recipients. Be aware however that before you start you will need to covert all those PDF documents you used for your visa application into jpg files because the Thailand pass application does not accept PDF files. This is unfortunate because with a jpg I do not see a way to put multiple pages into one file and I think you can only upload a single file as it appears that uploading a second file simply replaces the first one. If this is the case then they will only have one page of my insurance forms and my application may be denied and there may not be enough time to re-apply. Of course since nobody from either Thai consulate has gotten back to me with information I need about the extra documentation they require for my visa, and since they do not answer their phones or even allow you to leave a message, it may be a moot point as my visa application will likely be denied as well.
      Reply

      Nov 03, 2021 at 3:50 am

      • TheThailandLife says

        November 3, 2021 at 5:36 pm

        Thank you for the update Ken. Glad they got that sorted quickly!
        Reply

        Nov 03, 2021 at 5:36 pm

  24. Ken F says

    October 30, 2021 at 4:37 am

    I just wanted to say a few more words about completing the e-visa application so that others doing it for the first time wont waste as much of their time on it as I did. Specifically I want to talk about item 10 on the supporting documents page which asks the applicant to “upload his/her passport pages which contain all travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip”. In my case this meant uploading all19 blank visa pages from my brand new passport. I first took photos of them on my smart phone thinking that this would be the quickest way to do it before realizing that you can only upload a single file for any given line item request, and that it mush be under 3MB. There are ways to combine many photos into a single photo of course but I decided instead that I would just scan all the pages into a single PDF file. Unfortunately however the file size came out to 6MB. So then, not wanting to use compression, I changed the DPI setting from the default down to 150 DPI and scanned all those pages over again. This time it was 3.05MB, which was still too big, so I had to scan them all yet again, this time first reducing the page size from 8”x12” down to 5”x7”. This whole thing made me feel like I was back in the late 90’s when we always had to constantly worry about file size when uploading a file to the web or attaching it to an e-mail. But none of us have had to worry about such things for such a very long time now that I was just really caught off guard by this. In any case, these kinds of hang-ups can just be very frustrating, particularly when you are getting down to the final days in which you can submit your application and still be assured that it will be processed in time.
    Reply

    Oct 30, 2021 at 4:37 am

  25. Ken F says

    October 27, 2021 at 3:22 am

    I’m really starting to get desperate here so I hope someone on here can help. I have been trying to contact Thai embassies and consulates for a week now and the only reply I have received so far simply had links to pages that did not answer my questions. The question are as follows:

    1. When my flight arrives in Bangkok on November 15th will I be able to immediately take my domestic flight to Phuket due to the new rules being in effect then, or will I still need to exit the Airport in Bangkok first and take my test there and wait 24 hours there rather than in Phuket?

    2. If I am coming in on a Non Immigrant-O visa do I need to have a round trip ticket?


    3. Apparently I need a local Thai address for both the e-visa application and for the health insurance application but I obviously do not have a local address so what address should I use on this applications? My original plan was to stay at a hotel in Phuket for a week while I looked for a permanent place to stay but it is hard to even make hotel reservation when I don’t know how the new rules will apply to an application being made in October. For instance even though I will likely only need to stay one night in an ASQ hotel in November (either in BKK or Phuket, or both) do I need to have a reservation for a week at an ASQ simply because my application is being filed in October? And either way, will an address at a hotel for a week be sufficient for a 90-day visa application? And I will probably have this same issue with the COE

    I really need to get my visa application filled immediately because if it does not come through in time for some reason I will have to enter on a tourist visa on arrival (which should be allowed by November) and then exit again to a neighboring country to once again apply for my Non-O visa.
    Reply

    Oct 27, 2021 at 3:22 am

    • JamesE says

      October 27, 2021 at 5:35 pm

      1) No (probably), The sealed route travel scheme as used for Samui was never implemented for Phuket. Of course, that could change at any instant but as of now only direct international flights are allowed. Plan in advance for one night in BKK.

      2) No. The only requirement for RT booking I’ve seen is for a TV or VE entry.

      3) Use the hotel address. That’s what I did for all entry documents even though I’m only staying in Phuket a week. I had no problems doing that and didn’t get questioned further.

      Visa Exemption arrivals are allowed right now, so no problem there either.
      Reply

      Oct 27, 2021 at 5:35 pm

      • Ken F says

        October 27, 2021 at 6:50 pm

        Thanks for the reply. Anyway I already knew that as of the current month flights to Phuket cannot transit through BKK. My problem is that I am in a state of limbo because I have no way of knowing with any degree of certainty what the case will be next month when I actually arrive. In any case, I already made the decision today that I should just proceed as if Bangkok were my intended final destination and then just find out once I get there about the options for getting to Phuket. And if they let me transit under the new rules then fine. And if not I will have a reservation set up in an overpriced Bangkok ASQ hotel. Of course the problem with that is that the hotel want proof of insurance to make the reservation but to fill out the insurance form I have to list an address in Thailand which I will not know for sure until I get the hotel reservation – a real catch22 situation. I also have to list my Thai address on the e-visa application I am doing at this very moment but I cannot obtain a long term place until I am in country and I cannot even make more reservations other than the one night ASQ hotel until I know what the situation will be when I arrive. So I guess I just have to put the address of that one night ASQ hotel once I get it and hope that is good enough and that this does not hold up my visa.
        Reply

        Oct 27, 2021 at 6:50 pm

      • Ken F says

        October 27, 2021 at 7:09 pm

        By the way, if anyone has done the e-visa application I’m have trouble with item 4 and 6 on the last page. Item 4 ask for proof of residency in the country in which the application is being submitted (my country I assume) but it does not say what would constitute such proof. Is a Social Security card enough? And if not, what? Item 5 and six both ask for “financial evidence” and while 5 explains that its for either proof of a pension or proof of 3 moths of back statements showing at least 10,000GPH (what the heck is “GPH”?) item 6 says nothing. There is no explanation whatsoever as to what financial evidence they are talking about and how it differs from the evidence for item 5. There are no instructions at all that explain this and I have been trying for a week to reach anyone at a Thai consulate with no luck.
        Reply

        Oct 27, 2021 at 7:09 pm

        • Ken F says

          October 28, 2021 at 8:47 am

          Wow! They actually got back to me very quickly this time. The reply was:

          “No.4 US ID card or driver license as no. 11.
          No.5 and 6 Bank statement”

          So apparently number 11 and number 6 are completely redundant. It also looks like a drivers license is sufficient for proof of residence, which is great. Here in the USA proof of address for anything official usually means having to have a recent piece of mail with your name and address on it. And since I went paperless ten years ago this is always a problem.

          Anyway, now the only thing I’m waiting on is a confirmation of the hotel booking I made the other day and then I can finally submit this thing and start working on the COE or Thailand Pass.
          Reply

          Oct 28, 2021 at 8:47 am

        • JamesE says

          October 28, 2021 at 9:12 am

          Welcome to the fun world of interpretive visa application! Proof of Residence: Anything that indicates you should be applying at the Embassy/Consulate you are applying at. I just used my passport (again), others have used driver’s license or utility/phone bills. “GPH” = “GBP”. Use the other choice for #6 than you did for #5. So, bank statements showing income and investment account showing US$15,000 or so.
          Reply

          Oct 28, 2021 at 9:12 am

          • Ken F says

            October 28, 2021 at 11:17 pm

            Yes, “interpretive” is probably the best way to describe it. And this is exactly why in the past I have always just driven to the consulate of whatever country that I was about to visit. It’s just nice always having someone right there on hand to explain all those ambiguous or just downright nonsensical question on the forms. I mean its not like these application are exactly intuitive. After all, when they already have a photo of my passport - which should serve as proof of residency – who would think that they would require further poof of residency, not once, but twice more on the same application. And they don’t care if it’s the same document of proof, they just want it in three different places apparently. The redundancy is just astounding.

            By the way, thanks for catching my typo – although it was actually correct in the copy of the questions I sent to the consulate, which was supposed to be posted immediately above my last post (the one with the answers to those questions) but which instead somehow ended up below. I often do not proofread my posts before submitting them despite knowing how prone I am to making typos. Anyway, as for my initial confusion concerning GBP it was because I had just completely forgotten that this was the currency code for currency in the UK, but it came back to me shortly after submitting the post. You would think that they would just use Thai Baht to avoid confusion since people from so many different countries are going to be applying for visas. But I guess they just decided to use the Pound for all visa applicants from English speaking countries. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Thailand just gets a lot more visitors from the UK than it does from the USA – or at least this used to be the case.

            As for putting my trading account statements on 6 and my checking and savings account statements on 5, that is actually exactly how I was initially planning on doing it. Although now I’m thinking that I might just put all the statements for all these things on both 5 and 6 just to be on the safe side.
            Reply

            Oct 28, 2021 at 11:17 pm

      • Ken F says

        October 28, 2021 at 4:03 am

        I have decided to put up a copy of an e-mail I just sent to the Thai consulate and if they should answer my questions I will post those answers here so that hopefully others will not have to wrestle with these same issues when applying for a visa:

        Thank you again for your reply but now I am having trouble with the e-visa application and there are simply no useful instructions on the website. Specifically I am having trouble with items 4 and 11 on the support documentation page. Item 4 ask for “proof of residence in the country in which the application is being submitted” but it does not say what would constitute such proof. What kind of documents do I need to prove such a thing? Also how does this differ from item 11, which asks for “proof of current residency”? Both are asking for proof of residency but neither one explains what kind of documents are acceptable to prove said residency or even what is meant by “residency”. In the USA the term “US resident” usually refers to a resident alien and not to a US citizen like myself. So, I can only assume that item 4 is asking for proof of my citizenship while item 11 is actually asking for proof of address. Still, I have no way of knowing this for sure. And even if this is the case I do not know what documents are acceptable to the Thai government to prove these things as no examples are given in the online instructions.

        I also have a problem with item 5 and 6. Both ask for “financial evidence” and while 5 explains that it is for either proof of a pension, or 3-months of back bank statements showing a standing balance of at least 10,000GBP, item 6 says nothing. Item 6 also says “financial evidence” yet there is no explanation whatsoever as to what financial evidence they are talking about and how it differs from the evidence for item 5.
        Reply

        Oct 28, 2021 at 4:03 am

  26. Thida McClure says

    October 11, 2021 at 8:57 am

    Let say I am in Thailand with non immigrant O visa. Once all require documents are completed submitted, how long does it take to get an approval?
    Do they usually grant a visa on the day you submit or is there a waiting period?
    Reply

    Oct 11, 2021 at 8:57 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      October 11, 2021 at 5:17 pm

      Do you mean for the retirement extension?
      Reply

      Oct 11, 2021 at 5:17 pm

    • Laurence Mabileau says

      October 11, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      I got my non immigrants o visa in 3 weeks. I entered Thailand with an exemption visa but I used an agent to get it .
      Reply

      Oct 11, 2021 at 5:36 pm

  27. Julian says

    October 1, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Hi. The O-A visa application form has a place for a guarantor in Thailand. How do I get a Thai guarantor, or can I leave the area blank?
    Reply

    Oct 01, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    • TheThailandLife says

      October 5, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Just enter 'myself'. It's a generic form and under some circumstances a guarantor is required. If a guarantor is required they list it in the required documents.
      Reply

      Oct 05, 2021 at 5:16 pm

  28. joe says

    August 29, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    how long do I have to keep the 800,000 bank balance in a thai bank after acceptance of 90 day visa extension. and then if a get a retirement visa type o visa how long do I have to keep the 800,000 in a thai bank account. all this is done while I am in thailand
    Reply

    Aug 29, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    • JamesE says

      August 31, 2021 at 5:22 am

      Assuming you come in on an O (Retirement) or a TV and then convert to an O (Retirement) the money has to be in the bank for two months before you apply for extension and for three months after your extension starts. After that it can't go below 400K.
      Reply

      Aug 31, 2021 at 5:22 am

  29. Norman says

    August 25, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    This is a very useful information thank you for taking the time to explain in detail. I do have one couple of questions I am over 50 originally from the UK so understand my part, but my wife is Chinese and below 50 and we also have a 6 year old son. Do you know how my son would be treated, what type of visa would be needed for him to be able to go to school?
    We all currently live in Malaysia, would this course any further difficulties?
    Reply

    Aug 25, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    • Richard says

      August 27, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Hi Norman....I'm no expert on this but I had a similar situation when applying for a Retirement Visa back in 2014.....my wife who is also Chinese did not meet the age requirement. My experience was that as long as you meet all the requirements the rest of the family is granted the same status/visa as you.
      That was 7 years ago, Pre-Covid and everything else. I have no idea about your son though.
      Reply

      Aug 27, 2021 at 11:20 am

  30. Richard says

    August 11, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    I have a few things going on....I'm a US Citizen but I live in China. My Passport only has 15 months left on it as of August. I would be applying for my Thai Visa through the Kunming China Thai Embassy. I'm vaccinated with the Sinovac Chinese vaccine.
    I'd like to stay in Thailand as long as possible and am uncertain about what type of Visa I can or should apply for and how easy or hard any particular Visa is to renew or to convert to something longer.
    I meet all the requirements for the "Retirement Visa" except the expiration date of my passport.
    What would you recommend?
    Reply

    Aug 11, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    • JamesE says

      August 11, 2021 at 10:21 pm

      The 18-month requirement is for the long-stay visas. If the embassy/consulate offers it apply for an O (Retirement) which is 90-days and can be extended a year once you get into Thailand. Alternatively, you could get a 60-Day tourist visa (or a 30-day visa exempt entry, for that matter), convert it to a 90-day O (Retirement) in Thailand, and then extend that once you get you new passport.
      Reply

      Aug 11, 2021 at 10:21 pm

      • Richard says

        August 12, 2021 at 7:41 am

        Thanks James
        Reply

        Aug 12, 2021 at 7:41 am

  31. chris says

    July 11, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    Hi.
    I will be looking to go to Thailand hopefully in october on an o-visa non immigrant which i havent applied for yet...what i was wondering, what would be the best way regarding booking flights..can i book an open ended return date? I was thinking of booking a one-way ticket, but i read somewhere that you must have a return ticket and date and that is something that immigration will check..any info would be appreciated...Thanks
    Reply

    Jul 11, 2021 at 8:12 pm

  32. Nick says

    July 9, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    Hi
    Maybe a daft question but....I am currently in Thailand on a full 12 month Multi entry OA visa ..First visit and about to fly home for a month for work then coming back asap (1 month later i hope), ....I seem to recall somewhere long ago while going through all the paperwork for visa that I needed to get a "re-entry" letter from immigration before leaving thailand.

    I fully accept I may have gotten crossed wires..brain got fried doing applications!! But I cannot find any mention anywhere of needing this now...maybe I dreamt it!!!! Can anyone put my mind at rest...can I just fly out and in again (With COE, ASQ, Ins etc) without needing any ok from immigration?
    I just dont want to lose visa for want of not getting a piece of paper!!!

    Sorry if this seems obvious but was sooo hard to get here after 15 months...just want to triple check!!!!
    Thank you for your patience!
    Reply

    Jul 09, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    • JamesE says

      July 10, 2021 at 2:32 am

      If you're multi-entry you're good to go. (Other than having to sit through ASQ for another two weeks.)
      Reply

      Jul 10, 2021 at 2:32 am

  33. Dorian Wyn Williams says

    May 25, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    If you leave and re enter during your 1st OA visa do you need the covid insurance 1million and the 400,000/40,000 again or just the latter.Thanks.
    Reply

    May 25, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    • JamesE says

      May 25, 2021 at 10:17 pm

      You would need to document the COVID insurance to get your new COE. The health coverage is required for the duration of your stay under an O-A. So yes to both.
      Reply

      May 25, 2021 at 10:17 pm

  34. Laurence Mabileau says

    May 24, 2021 at 11:01 pm

    Hello I have applied for a visa O-A , 6 weeks ago and have no news from the Thailand embassy is it normal ? on the website it says 2 weeks processing ...
    book my plane ticket took health insurance and ASQ hotel .
    tried to called the Embassy and email but no one answered
    Reply

    May 24, 2021 at 11:01 pm

    • JamesE says

      May 25, 2021 at 12:19 am

      Not normal at all. Which embassy are you dealing with? Did you use the eVisa system?
      Reply

      May 25, 2021 at 12:19 am

      • Laurence Mabileau says

        May 25, 2021 at 9:58 pm

        I applied to Thailand embassy in Chicago
        Reply

        May 25, 2021 at 9:58 pm

        • JamesE says

          May 25, 2021 at 10:31 pm

          If you haven't, try contacting the RT Embassy in Washington (thaiembdc.org). Chicago is a consular office. I've had better luck getting info out of the embassy than the consulate in LA.
          Reply

          May 25, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      • Laurence Mabileau says

        May 25, 2021 at 10:18 pm

        Yes I used the Elisa website and paid as well!
        Reply

        May 25, 2021 at 10:18 pm

      • Laurence Mabileau says

        May 26, 2021 at 4:19 am

        Should I reapply?
        Reply

        May 26, 2021 at 4:19 am

        • JamesE says

          May 27, 2021 at 10:15 pm

          Without knowing why you never received the first visa I don't know that that is a good idea. At the risk of stating the obvious, have you done the following: 1) Checked the status in the eVisa system? 2) Gone through your junk email folder to see if you missed an email from the consulate? I'm assuming you haven't sent your hard-copy documents and passport to the consulate yet.
          Reply

          May 27, 2021 at 10:15 pm

          • Laurence Mabileau says

            May 29, 2021 at 2:23 am

            I have done all of your suggestions above sent 4 emails called them numerous times with messages and no one never answered me ! I sent an email to Washington DC embassy because I cannot reach them as well ! Thank you for all your support
            Reply

            May 29, 2021 at 2:23 am

          • Laurence Mabileau says

            May 29, 2021 at 3:17 am

            No haven’t send passeport and documents yet .
            Reply

            May 29, 2021 at 3:17 am

  35. Tom says

    May 24, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    Hi,
    I'm married to a Thai national and we have been living in Malaysia many years. We want to return to Thailand to live. I have read on some websites that applying for an O Visa (to get a Marriage Visa) for US citizens requires only a deposit of THB400,000 for at least two months and proof of no criminal record.

    Is this correct?

    I can apply for this here in Malaysia and then once inside Thailand apply for a Marriage Visa.

    Please let me know if I have this correct.

    Thanks,

    Tom
    Reply

    May 24, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    • JamesE says

      May 25, 2021 at 12:03 am

      You *may* be able to get a spousal visa directly and not have to worry about the ฿400K initially. This will depend on if the Thai Embassy in Malaysia is offering them or not, the Thai Embassy in the US is. Basically, you get the Spousal Non-O for a 90-day stay and then bring your money into TLOS at least 2 months before you apply for the 1-year extension. I'm not sure about the criminal record piece. It's not specifically mentioned in the US site (but it is shown for the O-A) so that's another question for the local embassy.
      Reply

      May 25, 2021 at 12:03 am

  36. Jerry says

    May 18, 2021 at 12:44 pm

    To confirm what I think you are tell me. I get the non-immigrant O visa that's valid 90 day at home. I have the banking and medical done already. I get an extension on that Non-O that is valid for 1 year, with the 90 day check in, money requirement (800k or 65k baht per month), and medial requirment. The extended Non-O functions the same once extended, as the Non-immigration OA that I would have gotten at home (US), with fewer initial requirements,.... Less paperwork. I just have a retirement Non-O. Annual extensions, 90 day check in, money requirement, medical, insurance. Sounds to me like once in the Land of Smiles, the Non-O and the Non-OA function the same. The goal is to get the annual extension, no visa runs with the least amount of paperwork. THANK YOU for all you do!!! GREAT BLOG. Very helpful!!!
    Reply

    May 18, 2021 at 12:44 pm

  37. Jerry says

    May 12, 2021 at 8:03 am

    I had all my documents ready to go literally the week they implemented the COVID test requirement in Feb 2020. Now I'm thinking I'll just get a Tourist Visa, or mult. entry Tourist Visa and do the Retirement OA Visa from Thailand.

    I've read if you do it in Thailand the medical document & criminal background check are not required. Is there any truth to that? I already did both, but are a year old. The medical form being notarized was the pain last time.

    I have everything else in order, Bank account in Thailand etc....

    Curious what you and your readers think, do it from home (US), or do it from Thailand.

    Thanks to all

    J
    Reply

    May 12, 2021 at 8:03 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      May 12, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      Yes, you can do the retirement extension inside Thailand. It won't be an OA you get, though. It will simply be an extension based on retirement. The best way is to get a Non Immigrant O visa from your local embassy. You can enter on that for a 90-day stay. Within that time you can set up the 800k Baht in a Thai bank account, ready for your extension. Please see details here: https://www.thethailandlife.com/the-thailand-retirement-visa-guide
      Reply

      May 12, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      • JamesE says

        May 12, 2021 at 10:47 pm

        The US Thai Embassy is issuing plain O (Retirement) 90-day visas now. You will still need health insurance covering your stay but there is no mention of any financial requirement, possibly on the assumption that you will use your 90 days to move in the ฿800K to apply for your extension. There's a side-by-side (sort of) comparison of the O(R), O-A, and O-X here: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/09/30/nonimmigrantoaox/
        Reply

        May 12, 2021 at 10:47 pm

  38. VisOp says

    April 16, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    Is an O-A visa available to all countries? Do you have to show a return ticket at the time of the visa application?
    Reply

    Apr 16, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    • JamesE says

      April 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm

      I've not seen any restrictions on the O-A as far as countries (unlike the O-X). You don't have to show a return flight as it's a long-stay visa and they figure you're probably going to be there for a while.
      Reply

      Apr 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm

      • VisOp says

        April 18, 2021 at 12:15 am

        Oh thank you so much for your answer :)
        Reply

        Apr 18, 2021 at 12:15 am

  39. John Tedesco says

    April 14, 2021 at 3:18 am

    I'll meet the monthly income requirement easily but my wife will not. Does that mean I'll have to deposit 800,000 THB in a Thai bank?
    Reply

    Apr 14, 2021 at 3:18 am

    • KenF says

      April 14, 2021 at 9:23 am

      I assume that your wife has at least some retirement income and if this is the case you would not need to deposit the whole 800,000. This is because - unless things have changed in the past few years - you can actually use a combination of both savings and income to meet the requirement. For example if she has an income of 33,000 baht per month then you would only need to deposit about 400,000 baht into the account.
      Reply

      Apr 14, 2021 at 9:23 am

      • John Tedesco says

        April 14, 2021 at 8:51 pm

        Thanks. My wife is Chinese and will be receiving a minimal retirement income. So, I'll have to go the deposit route for her. I just read they are planning to reduce visa requirements to attract more workers and retirees to Thailand to help boost the economy. Curious to see how it will affect the O-A visa.
        Reply

        Apr 14, 2021 at 8:51 pm

        • JamesE says

          April 15, 2021 at 11:07 pm

          John, Have you looked into the O (Retirement) option? That is now available through overseas embassies. It eliminates some of the drawbacks of the O-A (like ongoing health insurance, the criminal check, and medical certificate) and can be extended once you're in Thailand. Look at some of Max's comments, it seems like the best of both worlds.
          Reply

          Apr 15, 2021 at 11:07 pm

        • Ken F says

          April 19, 2021 at 10:29 am

          I understand that your wife’s retirement income is “minimal” but even minimal is better than nothing at all and I would think that any amount that you can shave off of that 800,000 would be a welcome relief. By the way, I’m not really sure what either her ethnicity or nationality has to do with her retirement funds. After all, China is not exactly a poor country these days.

          In any case, if I were about to retire to Thailand with a wife or girlfriend I would be just as concerned with the possible relationship pitfalls of the move as I would be with the financial issues. And to help avoid these pitfalls I would first want to make sure that she is genuinely just as keen on the idea as I am and that she is not going along just to make me happy (always a bad idea). My last girlfriend actually lived with me in Phuket for a year because that is where I wanted to be. She probably would have been much happier and much less moody however if I had chose to live in her hometown of Chiang Mai.

          Furthermore I would not consider a retirement destination that you had not both previously spent at least three consecutive months in. And with Thailand of course there are also a lot of temptations that can strain any relationship. Speaking of which, I have a good friend here in California who has been married to a Thai woman for about 30 years now. They first met here in California when they were in their early 20’s (same day I met her in fact) just two years after she came over from Thailand and they ended up married and had two kids together. Anyway, now that the kids are all grown he wants to take early retirement and move to Thailand. Unfortunately for him however his wife wears the pants in the family and she does not want to do it. She always gives him various excuses for her reluctance, such as not wanting to deal with the humid climate, but I think the real reason is that she does not trust him around all those cute young Thai girls. And I can’t really say that I blame her for having those thoughts. They say that a man is only as faithful as his options, and lets face it, there are a LOT of “options” in Thailand.
          Reply

          Apr 19, 2021 at 10:29 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      April 14, 2021 at 4:44 pm

      Is your wife over 50? If so, she can apply for an O-A visa separately. If she is under 50 she can get a Non Immigrant O visa (single entry) and then do an extension inside Thailand. The required documents are the same for your O-A-visa plus a copy of your marriage certificate. She would need a copy of a bank statement that shows 800,000 Baht (or equivalent), in addition to the amount shown on your application.
      Reply

      Apr 14, 2021 at 4:44 pm

  40. Dorian Wyn Williams says

    March 25, 2021 at 10:27 am

    Hi. If i exit and return within the 1st year of having the OA visa i can stay another year but will i have to show the money in a Thai bank for that extra year or not.Thanks.
    Reply

    Mar 25, 2021 at 10:27 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      March 25, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      For an O-A visa, the proof of income is shown in your home country to the local embassy or consulate. The visa is issued there and therefore valid. One benefit of the O-A visa is the reactivation of another year upon re-entry, without having to reapply or extend. So you don't have the "money in a Thai bank" requirement because this is taken care of in your home country. You do have to do 90-day reporting though.
      Reply

      Mar 25, 2021 at 7:16 pm

  41. Dorian says

    February 16, 2021 at 2:36 am

    My bank says they dont issue a guarantee letter for statement as its the original one. Any idea?
    Reply

    Feb 16, 2021 at 2:36 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      March 25, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Hmm, which bank is that? It's quite normal practice, as far as I know. Oh, updating my comment, as I realized you probably meant in your home country, as you are applying for an O-A there. Just call your local Thai embassy and see if they will accept that.
      Reply

      Mar 25, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      • TheThailandLife says

        March 25, 2021 at 7:14 pm

        I just checked and that should be fine. The London Thai embassy accepts a statement. In fact, they may have downgraded this requirement since I wrote this article.
        Reply

        Mar 25, 2021 at 7:14 pm

  42. Geoff Knight says

    February 2, 2021 at 12:31 am

    Thanks for this helpful summary. I wasn't aware that the London embassy was offering the O-A multi-entry visa. Previously I have used the 12 month O visa based on marriage to a Thai but they are not offering that any more. My question is about the income requirement. Am I correct in understanding that if I can show a monthly pension income in my UK bank account equivalent to more than 65k THB that will be acceptable? I am hoping so as it will avoid having to open a Thai bank account in my sole name and/or depositing 800,000 THB in a deposit account. Also, I presume it would not be acceptable to use a Stocks and Shares ISA account containing shares with a value way above £20k to satisfy the financial requirement.

    On the insurance requirement, being 80 years old I do not want to pay for an expensive annual policy if I am unlikely to spend more than 3 or 4 months in Thailand at a time. Would it be possible to use my UK policy with 4 month trip coverage to get the visa, recognising that when I get to Thailand they will only stamp me in for the length of the insurance cover rather than the full 12 months?
    Reply

    Feb 02, 2021 at 12:31 am

    • JamesE says

      February 2, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      Yes - kind of. The O-A can use home-country assets for your initial application. The income must be verified by an "income certificate" with no exact description as to what that is. If you go the bank balance route you will require a letter of guarantee from the bank. When I looked at an O-A a few years ago the Thai Embassy in the US told me my mutual fund accounts were acceptable as proof of assets. The insurance requirement is more nebulous. It can be *interpreted* as you do but - since the insurance is required to be in place at the time of application - they may want a policy that will cover the entire year of visa validity. This is one where you should get clarification from the Thai Embassy. Have you considered an Elite Visa? It might be a better way around the financial and insurance requirements.
      Reply

      Feb 02, 2021 at 3:22 pm

  43. paul couch says

    January 20, 2021 at 8:38 pm

    Hi great info..just for clarity if i keep 800 000bht in thai bank i will meet all financial income?
    Reply

    Jan 20, 2021 at 8:38 pm

  44. KenF says

    January 5, 2021 at 5:27 pm

    I am planning on moving back to Thailand to retire in October or November but I still have some questions about the A-O Visa. From what I understand the 800,000 Baht needs to be deposited in a Thai bank account but how is one supposed to do this if he is applying for this visa before even entering Thailand?
    Reply

    Jan 05, 2021 at 5:27 pm

  45. Geoffrey Ellis says

    December 21, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    Thanks for your reply. I am going to need quite a mixed bag of insurance it appears.
    1. To apply for OA visa (chuck away)
    2. To individually cover covid for the exact duration of my visa (Unnecessary / noses in troughs)
    3. The insurance cover I will (hopefully not) be using.
    Sadly neither Mr Prakan nor Cigna appear at first sight to be able to help. I'll have to do a bit more digging.
    As for the school project - E must try harder.
    Reply

    Dec 21, 2020 at 8:07 pm

  46. Brian says

    December 16, 2020 at 7:50 am

    Hello
    I just renewed my retirement visa at the Royal Thai Consulate in Vancouver Canada - sent by fedex in the morning with return paid FedEx envelope and it come back the next day! It is a fair amount of work - I had foreign health insurance with Medipac-- that was accepted without the foreign health insurance certificate ( I have ample coverage for covid 19 included under the policy maximum) - they seem to be flexible at this Consulate anyways -- the COE and Fit to fly stuff are an extra mile

    Keep up the good work with your posts etc

    Brian
    Reply

    Dec 16, 2020 at 7:50 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      December 16, 2020 at 4:28 pm

      Wow that is quick. At least that's half of the process sorted out. When are you planning to fly out?
      Reply

      Dec 16, 2020 at 4:28 pm

  47. Geoff Ellis says

    December 16, 2020 at 3:32 am

    Thanks for all the tips. Quite where to start with my current OA application in London. I have ready to post on line criminal check, bank statement £20k / 800,000B.
    When I went to get the medical form (TB, syphilis, leprosy &c) I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Three or four weeks medication to fix.
    Additionally it appears I need insurance to apply but I was hoping to go in February thus wasting three months. My plan therefore is to apply for junk annual insurance which I can find for as little as £36 & take out a proper policy just before I leave. I have all sorts of health conditions which I can't disclose to the junk insurers but it should get through the visa application process.
    They also appear to want two company directors to physically sign a form to prove I have insurance along with sworn affidavits for other parts of the application. The whole process seems like a school project.
    What are they expecting for proof of residence? Something tells me my gas bill won't do. I don't have a driving licence.
    If I do succeed do I have a year from issue to travel or only three months?
    Thanks for any help you can offer.
    Reply

    Dec 16, 2020 at 3:32 am

    • TheThailandLife says

      December 18, 2020 at 10:01 pm

      With the O-A you have a year from issue to travel, and a year's stay will be activated upon entry. Proof of residence can be utility bills, mortgage statement, or house deed. The insurance company has to fill out that form to confirm the insurance. Though if you buy insurance from one of the companies linked in the post you won't require that. It is indeed like a school project :)
      Reply

      Dec 18, 2020 at 10:01 pm

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