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Can a Non O-A visa be converted to a Marriage visa in Thailand?

Visa Status ChangeNon O-A VisaMarriage VisaThai ImmigrationNon O VisaVisa Conversion Process
October 8, 2020
4 years ago
Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Does anybody know if we could change visa status from Non O-A to Marriage visa? My fiancé and I planned to get married once we got to Thailand and applied for marriage visa right after. He is applying for Non O-A visa just to get to Thailand. Thank you in advance for all advices.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A Non O-A visa cannot be converted to a Marriage visa in Thailand. It is advised that the fiancé should enter Thailand on a Non O visa instead, which is eligible for conversion upon obtaining a marriage certificate. A Non O-A visa does not qualify for conversion, requiring the individual to exit Thailand and apply for a Non O visa at a Thai embassy abroad.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
William ********
If you intend to get married then your fiancé should enter Thailand with a non immigrant type O visa. Once you have the marriage certificates you Can then convert the type O visa to a marriage visa. If your fiancé enters Thailand with a type O A visa then he will have to leave Thailand to get a type O visa Issued at a Thai embassy. Foreign travel is difficult at the current time and you will have to go into quarantine for two weeks on the return to Thailand. Immigration will not accept any other visa for conversion to a marriage visa. Please remember a Buddhist wedding is not acceptable for the marriage visa. Have to get married at the register office and have the two certificates. Best Wishes.
4 years ago
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William ********
Thankyou for the reply.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not at all and thank you so much for your advice 🙏
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@William *******
, you were right! I sent an email to the Thai embassy in London to ask about this issue which I should have done at the first place. Their answer was exactly like what you explained earlier. The O-A visa is issued from the Thai embassy abroad. You have to leave Thailand to get a Non-O visa in order to apply for marriage visa at the immigration after you are in the country.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
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Steve **********
4 years ago
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William ********
You need type O visa for conversion to marriage visa. The immigration will not accept type OA for conversion to marriage visa.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@William *******
Instead of OA extension, can he covert to marriage visa without leaving the country to start from the O visa?
4 years ago
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William ********
@Namfon ********
 Categorically , no. I live in Thailand and asked immigration if I can convert my OA visa to an O visa. To get an O visa for marriage you have to leave Thailand and go to another country. Make an appointment at the Thai embassy before you go.
4 years ago
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Andrew ********
@William *******
 I went from a 30 day no visa required to a multi ' O' Marriage visa without leaving Thailand.
4 years ago
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William ********
@Andrew *******
 How did you manage that?. Was it through an agency?
4 years ago
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Andrew ********
@William *******
 did it all myself in Bangkok at the big office at Lak Si. Take all the documents and wife take it stage by stage. Slightly drawn out but if I can do it anyone can, I'm useless at paperwork.
4 years ago
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William ********
@Andrew *******
 Thankyou, I will see what I can do.
4 years ago
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Andrew ********
@William *******
 yes. Multi entry and expires in January 21
4 years ago
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William ********
Did you have a non immigrant O visa when you entered Thailand
4 years ago
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Tod *********
@William *******
 that is not correct :(

You CANNOT switch from the year ENTRY STAMP of an O-A to an extension based on marriage. you have to get an extension based on retirement FIRST then you could switch the reason.

IF you are on a yearly extension of stay based on retirement from the immigration office from an O-A visa entry you CAN indeed switch the reason you are getting an extension to one from retirement to one based on marriage.
4 years ago
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William ********
@Tod ********
 WRONG. CHIANG RAI IMMIGRATION WILL NOT ALLOW CONVERSION OF AN OA TYPE VISA. IF I WANT TO HAVE AN O. VISA FOR MARRIAGE THEN I HAVE TO LEAVE THAILAND. TO APPLY FOR IT.
4 years ago
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Tod *********
@William *******
 you are confusing a VISA <- sticker from a thai consulate with an EXTENSION OF STAY <- stamp from the immigration office ;)
4 years ago
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Tod *********
@William *******
 how about you STOP typing in all caps you wingnut. I think you are confused..

IF you have a yearly EXTENSION OF STAY from an an O-A visa <- meaning you extended at the immigration office for a year by showing proof of funds & proof of having the mandatory health insurance from one of the 14 thai companies that can issue OA insurance the NEXT time you apply for a yearly extension you CAN change the reason from retirement to marriage.
4 years ago
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William ********
@Tod ********
 I am in the process of renewing my OA visa. Immigration will not ,repeat will not allow any conversion. As I can’t leave Thailand to get a type O visa for marriage then I have to apply to renew my OA visa. Remember, the type OA visa is for retirement only. Special permission is required for anything else. The type O visa is more flexible including marriage application once you have the O visa.
4 years ago
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Tod *********
@William *******
 IF you are on original a year entry stamp from your O-A visa (meaning you have NEVER applied for an in country year long extension from it before) you are correct, you can't get an extension for any reason other than being over 50 (retirement) <- the reason that VISA was issued in the first place.

It's ONLY after you have one year extension of stay from that visa type that you could change the reason

SO

IF you're on a year entry stamp from an O-A, your immigration office is right you can't apply for an extension based on marriage
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@William *******
. Any country or your home country? For my understanding, you have to apply for Non O single entry visa from your home country or country of your residence.
4 years ago
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William ********
@Namfon ********
 Yes, Any country that has a Thai embassy. Please remember a Thai Buddhist wedding is not acceptable for visa requirements. You will have to go to a registry office to make the wedding official.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@William *******
. That's perfect! Thank you.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
That's very helpful. Thank you
@William *******
.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
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Tod *********
Nope, you can't BUT the good thing is; Once he enters the country on a Non-O-A visa he'll get stamped in for a WHOLE year. So that will give you time see if this covid-shit-show runs out or not..

There won't be a gun to his head to convert to an extension based on marriage for at least a year. AND if the borders open back up in the next year he could even bounce out and back to get a whole NEW year (giving him almost 2 years on a visa that lasts one).

I'd say converting to a marriage extension is pretty far down the list of things he needs to worry about comin' back into the country
4 years ago
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Sammy *******
David Aliprandi thats right, it's me who doesnt get it, as i, and thousands others enjoy the benefits of the non-o u said was secretly going to be discontinued -- are u off ur meds? hahshaha
4 years ago
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Sammy *******
David Aliprandi boy, u dont get, non o only given in the country if dome left without seeing the covid red flags no one to blame but themselves. the smart non-o's stayed right here.
4 years ago
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Sammy *******
David Aliprandi as u can only apply for a non-o from within thailand, it is very good for the thousands of expats who have the non-o and continue to annually extend it-- strange, i had friends just extended theirs last week-- darn it, i will have to tell them it no longer exists-- theyll be so disappointed.
4 years ago
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Sammy *******
David Aliprandi and who in the thai govt confided in you about their plans to end the non-O extensions?
4 years ago
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Tod *********
David Aliprandi the insurance is recorded in the data base from the effective date so if you get a new policy it shows up right away and is added to the current one.
4 years ago
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Bobby ********
Mogens Nygaard. When applying in your own country you can use a Thai bank account to show compliance with financial requirements. I did this the last time I was home. I showed the 65k/month going into my Thai bank account. Although strangely enough they still wanted the police report from my home country, even though I'd only been there three weeks out of the last year!
4 years ago
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Bobby ********
Mogens Nygaard. The financial criteria is the same for an O (50+) as for an OA (800k). You're confusing with the O (marriage) which is 400k. There has to be a reason why the Thais are making the O (50+) harder to get?
4 years ago
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Bobby ********
David Aliprandi. If the government want to stop OA visa holders getting two years, why wouldn't they simply make them single entry instead of multi? I think you'll find its the O (50+) that's going. Already many embassies no longer issue them, and many IOs in Thailand don't sell them. The Thais want retirees to have insurance. The OX already had it, now the OA. Retirees are catered for, there's no need for the O.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you,
@Tod ********
. I really appreciated that.
4 years ago
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Namfon *********
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