Are embassies currently issuing Non-O visas for retirement instead of O-A visas?

Visa Rules Thai Embassy Non-O Visa Retirement Visa O-A Visa Immigration Thailand COVID-19 Restrictions Expat Advice

Nov 2, 2020

4 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Are embassies issuing "O" visas for retirement at the moment? Not O-A

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TLDR : Answer Summary

Currently, embassies are not issuing Non-O visas for retirement due to COVID-19 restrictions. The focus is primarily on the Non-O-A visas for long-term stays, primarily for retirees.

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David **********

I don’t think any Thailand embassies are issuing the non-immigrant o visa During the pandemic. You’re going to be required to have insurance

4 years ago

Alberto *********

If you havea valid retirementvisaanda validre entry visa. But you are singleat theyou cant have COE certificatforcame.thailand. Ifvyou have sonor family you can came back.

4 years ago

Paul ************

Got o visa ,can we enter yet ?

4 years ago

Darren *******

@Paul ***********

if based on retirement then no. If based on marriage to a Thai or having a Thai child then yes.

4 years ago

Reply to

Darren *******

Polo *********

No! Not at the moment!

4 years ago

David *******

I’ve read through all the replies and I’m still not sure you’ve got an answer to your question - but there are a lot of very confused people in this group!

Anyway, TO ANSWER YOUR ACTUAL QUESTION, no RTEs are not issuing new Non O visas for Retirement now as it is not on the list of visas currently allowed to enter Thailand. Only Non O-A visas are being issued for retirement in RTEs at the moment.

FYI (and some others) the Non O-A visa is only issued in RTEs it is not available within Thailand.

The Non O visa for retirement is issued both in RTEs and within Thailand (often through an agent) BUT it is no longer available in some countries (eg USA, Australia) which tends to add to the confusion. It is usually available in the U.K. but not at the moment.

4 years ago

John *******

@David ******

yes mate , that's what I'm hoping ...tks

4 years ago

David *******

@John ******

in the U.K. they will give a CofE to someone with a valid Non O ‘retirement’ visa or extension IF they also have a Thai wife or child. Hopefully, it’s the same in Oz then you don’t need to change your visa.

4 years ago

John *******

@David ******

yep , just have to find out what visa it will be on ...

John *******

David *******

If you have a Thai wife you can return.

4 years ago

David *******

@John ******

It is available in many countries - including the U.K. It’s just not included in those allowed in under Covid restrictions so not being issued at the moment. It also used to be available in the USA, don’t know about Australia, but it’s not now.

It is available in more countries than it’s not available.

4 years ago

John *******

This visa was never available in australia ...you had to first get the "OA " then change to the "O " retirement extension in Thailand...The " O " was never to my knowledge available outside thailand ....what it shows and it's something any longterm expat knows is that thailand have really very little idea on how to best give visa options , to suit people ...

4 years ago

John *******

@David ******

lots of confusement yes ....my point is ....my visa is valid , it's not NEW , it was issued in thailand with a re- entry permit , my intention is to return before it expires with my thai wife , who is also in Australia

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@David ******

nope. No Thai company.

4 years ago

David *******

@Stan ******

The Non O for ‘retirement’ has not been available in the USA for some time now, unfortunately.

You ‘might’ find a Thai Company to provide insurance though likely expensive. Just out high deductibles to reduce premium.

I’m not sure of rules of this group so I’ll send a Message if that’s ok?

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@David ******

thanks David. O-A isn't available to me in usa because, at 78, no one will sell me health insurance for the first time. I've read Rte in usa has the authority to issue an "O" but they don't usually offer it

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

Paul *******

Are you applying in Thailand or outside. ? You wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand with it.. if fact I think you've chosen one of the only non immigrant 'O' visas which are not allowed to enter.

The only way this type of visa would be of any use. Is if you got in within Thailand. Which it is available.

4 years ago

Joe ***********

So far the STV Special Tourist Visa has only been issued to some Chinese. Countries with high risk covid rates are not authorized for the STV.

4 years ago

Gordon *********

@Joe **********

you can get stv in aus

4 years ago

Reply to

Gordon *********

Joe ***********

Right Now - A long stay Visa open to Western Farangs that has a realistic chance of being issued (along with the COE) is the Non Imm O-A Visa One Year.

Requirements: MMust be age 50 or over. Must be issued in one's home country at a Thai Consulate / Embassy.

Must have a 800,000 Baht EQUIVALENT in the home country bank for 3 months orior to App. Or proof of a 65K Baht Equivalent income per month x 12 month, plus have a medical cert. plus a Police Background Check Cert. and health insurance + now Covid Insurance. plus Quarantine. A real Snap Huh?

4 years ago

Tod *********

@Stan ******

and whether that is your interest or not, right now you're only gonna be getting in on an O-A

The only O visa that I know of which people got and were able to enter the country were based on marriage or raising half thai kids

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Joe **********

my interest is O - not O-A

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

Joe ***********

To reiterate - the issuance of the non imm O visa 90 day by Thai Consulates / Embassies is (for any reason) has been paused under covid restrictions.

4 years ago

Stuart *********

@Joe **********

not true. If you have a Thai wife, young (

***

Thai) family or are a guardian of a student in an international school you can get a non O visa currently.

4 years ago

Reply to

Stuart *********

Joe ***********

Some Thai Immigration Offices (but by far not all) are authorized to issue a Non Imm O 90 day Visa in a package to be followed up within the 90 days by application for a One Year Extension of Stay based on Retirement (age 50 and over). They may also do this for Marriage also (but not as often. Examples of Immigration Offices that are authorized to do this are CW, CM and Krabi.

4 years ago

Joe ***********

@Stan ******

Nope you're wrong. Selected Immigration Offices have been doing this for several years.

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Joe **********

embassies - not immigration officess

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

Henrik ****

You will have to check the Embassy's website. Some embassies list both O and OA as options for retirement.

4 years ago

Henrik ****

@Emilio ********

, in theory, true and some embassies are telling people so. But do know any immigration office doing it in real life?

4 years ago

Emilio *********

@Henrik ***

Multiple-Entry non-O doesn’t require you to leave the country every 90 days you just need to get an extension every 3 months at your nearest immigration office in Thailand.

4 years ago

Henrik ****

If O is listed as an option for retirement, you will have to ask the embassy if multi-entry non-O is valid under Covid-19 or only single-entry is available? Multi-entry non-O requires you to leave the country every 90 days. Single-entry requires you to apply for a visa extension 30 days before the expiry. However, extending a non-O over non-OA gives you the advantage of less requirements.

4 years ago

Reply to

Henrik ****

Joe ***********

Some of you are confusing a Visa with an Extension of Stay - not the same thing

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Joe **********

everyone is confusing it 😂

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

John *******

I have an " O " retirement extension with a re-entry permit , renewed in Thailand a week before I left for Australia in March ...I have been told by a person on FB ( this site ) that I will NOT be allowed to re-enter thailand on this current valid visa ...Has anybody any information that supports that statement , or better still , has anybody tried to re-enter and been refused ???

4 years ago

Zzyzx *******

Not married, I believe this is a new visa, I believe they want to get away from calling it a retirement visa. It is now called LongStay. I believe it is a way for long term residents and retirees a way to get in if they are willing to quarantine get insurance and follow all the requirements. I believe they want to rename "Retirement Visa" so the Thai people embrace it more. Just my thoughts. I also believe and agree with the fact that they don't want a bunch of broke old people sapping the government with long term medical bills that indigent retirees from other countries could saddle them with

4 years ago

John *******

@Steve ******

so you were told when you applied for your COE etc that you needed to change visas ...did they have a reason for that ? it seems logical to me to let people in that have that visa , after all it's current and you paid for 12 months , not 7 or 10 months ...can I ask , are you married to a thai , because looking at the consular website in Canberra it says it's available Steve

4 years ago

Zzyzx *******

@John ******

I was denied entry with a Non-O retirement visa, now they have an OA-Longstay and all my paperwork is in and I'm just waiting for my COE and passport. I was told they are allowing people with this type of visa to enter. Fingers crossed

4 years ago

Reply to

Zzyzx *******

Tod *********

Thai Immigration gave me an "O" for Retirement a month ago in Country. Met the requirements, carefully, with no what do you need that for's. Each office can have slightly different "Requirements". I would sugest practicing the phrase Oh sorry I will be right back with that told with a smile.

4 years ago

Stefano ***********

@Joe **********

Yes I thought so. Many people call it a retirement visa. Just my experience.

4 years ago

Joe ***********

@Stefano **********

- More commonly the O-A has been referred to as Long Stay

4 years ago

Tod *********

@Stan ******

The answer provided truthful & relevent information. Your reply tells me you should be paying for your information. Get an agent. I am not your employee.

4 years ago

Stefano ***********

My understanding that OA Long Stay has always been referred to as a Retirement visa. Could be wrong.

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

the question was about embassies - not immigration

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

Gordon *********

in Australia you can get Visa OA for retirement long stay

Graham ********

Good luck!

Gordon *********

would be there now if it wasn't for this covid

4 years ago

Graham ********

@Gordon ********

thanks for the "heads up". I'm looking at retiring to Chiang Mai in the first half of 2021. I'm planning to go for 12 months and then seek an extension annually.

4 years ago

Gordon *********

@Graham *******

Australian home affairs it took 2 attempts basically gave them a story on how I wanted to retire in Thailand and would stay out of country for more than 6 months

4 years ago

Graham ********

@Gordon ********

Where and how did you get your exemption to leave?

4 years ago

Gordon *********

@Graham *******

Australia as far as I know is on the list of countries that can enter thailand and yes I have an exemption to leave

4 years ago

Graham ********

@Gordon ********

- on the assumption that the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra ARE issuing O-A visas, can you get out of Australia and into Thailand at the moment. It may be okay to get the visa but can you leave the country and will Thai immigration accept you into the country?

Cheers!

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Gordon ********

the question is about "O" ... Not about O-A

4 years ago

Gordon *********

4 years ago

Gordon *********

@Stan ******

there is so much conflicting information I have just applied for one

4 years ago

Stan *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Gordon ********

not O-A.... O

4 years ago

Reply to

Stan *******

Eva *********

I have always been led to believe that Non ‘O’ can only be issued by Immigration in Thailand and Non ‘O/A’ in Thai Embassies overseas

4 years ago

John *******

@Eva ********

correct ....oa first out of country , then convert to type o in thailand ..difference being with o , no border runs , but different monetary requirements

4 years ago

Alf ***********

Embassys in SOME countries will not issue non-immigrant O visas based on being over 50 years old.

But most embassys do

(Pre Covid-19 of course)

4 years ago

Steve *******

@Eva ********

What? You can get a Non Imm O visa at any Thai Embassy or Consulate, what you have is an extention of stay based on being over 50, ie retirement, that's only available in Thailand.

4 years ago

Alain **********

@Joe **********

exactly. I have a Non Imm O extension for at least 10 years expiring 03Nov2020 and stuck in Belgium because of a medical intervention I’d rather have done here than in TH. seems I can only return to TH on an O-A with health insurance and Covid19 insurance, at my age short two months of 75 very expensive at cost of 80k B up....

I might have to wait some more months before I can return.

4 years ago

Joe ***********

Current Covid restrictions have caused the issuance of the Non Imm O Visa 90 days by Consulates / Embassies to be paused. But prior to Covid the Non Imm O was issued routinely for 90 days at Thai Consulates and Embassies. In recent years the Non Imm O 90 day Visa has been frequently issued for Marriage to be converted to a one year Extension of Stay at Thai Immigration. Same with those age 50 and over being issued a Non Imm O 90 day Visa at a Consulate / Embassy for purpose of applying for a one year Extension of Stay based on Retirement.

Joe ***********

Not True

Bim *******

it sounds like that maybe the case. I was told Penang will issue me one or I could leave come back in on tourist visa and they can issue inside the country. I can't work these rules out. They make no sense.

4 years ago

Eva *********

@B**

.... we are 16 years in Thailand Bim and never been able to get Non O outside of the country only Non O-A this is very strange, maybe different embassies have different rules, who knows with Thailand ?😀😀

4 years ago

Bim *******

@Eva ********

well that's so strange. I can get in Penang which was my original plan. Immigration are still refusing to allow me to get one inside the country. I am stuck in limbo.

4 years ago

Eva *********

@Bim ******

, I give up 😀 but they will NOT issue Non O in Australia, never have, only Non O-A

4 years ago

Bim *******

@Eva ********

you can't at the moment because of the current situation but previously you could. Here is my story. I have lived in Thailand 7 years mainly on Thailand Elite to take me to retirement age. I was told I need to leave the country and get a Non O from a consulate in a bordering country and come back in to get extensions of stay. Unfortunately they closed the borders and I fell into Amnesty. They will only issue a Non O inside the country if I was on a tourist visa. At the moment no embassy is issuing Non O your right. But under normal circumstances they do.

4 years ago

Eva *********

@B**

sorry, but I am right... we have been on Non O Retirement for many years and you CANNOT get it outside of Thailand . If you say you can I would seriously like to know as we are stranded in Australia and our Non O expires in January

4 years ago

Bim *******

@Eva ********

not true. They will issue Non O inside Thailand in certain circumstances but like myself inside Thailand wanting a Non O I have been told I need to go to a consulate outside the country to get one.

4 years ago

Reply to

Bim *******

Ray *****

Not at the moment

4 years ago

Reply to

Ray *****

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