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Can I change my Non-Immigrant OA visa to a Non-Immigrant O family visa in Chiang Mai?

Non-Immigrant OA Visa Non-Immigrant O Visa Visa Change Procedures Visa Extension Family Visa in Thailand Immigration Chiang Mai Expat Visa Questions Thai Visa Regulations

August 18, 2022

2 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

is it possible to change my non immigrant OA visa (i am at the second year stamp at the moment) at the immigration in chiang mai into a non immigrant O family visa (i am married and have a kid)? i have heard thats possible, have anyone done it?

thanks for advisement.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

Yes, it is possible to change from a Non-Immigrant OA visa to a Non-Immigrant O family visa, but it cannot be done directly at your first application. You will need to apply for a one-year extension based on the reason for your current visa (OA, likely retirement) and fulfill the specific requirements outlined by the Chiang Mai immigration office. Once you have this extension, you can later change it to a reason based on your marital status or your child’s nationality. Make sure you check the detailed visa requirements from the Thai immigration website or consult local immigration officials for personalized guidance.

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.

Marco *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

okay, thanks

and

for the detailed explanation. i understand tourist visa-exempt first, and extension here at immigration chiang mai later is one way. i have to go out of the country anyway. - what, if i make the non immigrant o visa based on family (thats how they call it in berlin at the embassy), multiple entry!, with the thai embassy in berlin germany online (berlin is my home adress. they make it only online anymore, they sent a email to print out the visa), and then return to thailand from uproad (from berlin or laos) with that visa. then i have a one year visa non o family, right? and apply for extension after one year, right? - only one problem: what about the 90 days maximum to allowed to stay? i dont want to go out and in every 90days (thats still written at the berlin embassy description for non o family, and got confirmed by the hotline in berlin 🙁 ). how to get a different way, just like 90days reporting, which i have now? thank yours for help a lot!

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Ellie *******

, As already mentioned. you can stay only up to 90 days per entry with a Non-O visa, regardless of single or multiple entry. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you HAVE TO apply for a 1-year extension for whatever reason. IF your priority is staying in Thailand longer than 90 days at one time, getting a multiple entry visa doesn't make sense to me.

BTW, you are supposed to be in the country when you apply for a visa at the Thai embassy/consulate even if it's online. You take your own risk to apply for a visa using eVisa system when you are not in the country where you are saying that is your current location.

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Wannikea *********

a 1 year is multi entry, you have to leave Thailand every 90 days. Just get a single entry good for 90 days and fulfill the requirements for a yearly extension once you're inside Thailand, then buy a single or multiple re-entry stamp.

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Marco *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Wannikea ********

okay, that’s a clear advisement. But why is it so absurd complicated - with a family in thailand visa!

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Wannikea *********

the process is simple, get the single non O inside or outside of Thailand, enter Thailand and stay 90 days, or qualify for a yearly extension after entering and apply for that extension, once you have the extension inked in you then buy a re-entry permit if desired to keep your extension alive if you exit the country and return before the extension expires. The Thai visa isn't half as complicated as the Thai wife. ;)

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Ellie *******

, Visa itself is simple. On any Non-immigrant type visa (without X or A), you are allowed to stay up to 90 days. That's it. Single entry or multiple entries mean as the words say, you can enter only one time or unlimited times. But every entry, same, 90days.

What makes them complicated is the people who mix visas and extensions, or single and multiple entries.

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Ellie *******

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James ********

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James ********

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Ellie *******

You enter Thailand on a visa-exempt scheme or tourist visa, then you can apply for an in-country Non-O visa at your local immigration office. Then you go to the immigration office during you still have time of more than 15 WORKING days in Chiang Mai, apply for Non-O based on whatever you can meet the requirements.

Once your application is approved and your initial visa is inked into your passport, you wait for about 2 months and apply for a 1-year extension for the same reason.

Here is the general requirements for a Non-O based on being a spouse to a Thai. But you need to get ChaingMai office-specific requirements.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

*******

/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

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Ellie *******

Here is general information for 1-year extension based on marriage

For this one, too, you need to get office-specific requirements.

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Ellie *******

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Ellie *******

Yes and no.

It is possible to change, but not at the first application. You are still on entry from NOn-OA, you can apply for a 1-year extension at the end of your current permitted-until-stay but only with the same reason as your entry stamp. You need to apply 1-year extension based on retirement with meeting the requirements including the insurance for the first time. Once you are on a 1-year extension (based on retirement/being over 50 in your case), you can apply for a 1-year extension for different reasons such as spouse to a Thai, or raising a half Thai child, etc.

Here is general information for retirement extension.

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John **********

if he's on his second year of OA could he not just bounce out (without a re-entry permit), come back in on visa exempt and apply for a Non-O in country as being married to a Thai?

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Marco *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@John *********

oh really? i have re entry permit also...

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Ellie *******

, yes, As I replied to your previous comment

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John **********

the re-entry permit keeps your OA alive so you might have to wait until that expires (or at least time your trip so you are outside Thailand when it expires)

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John **********

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Marco *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

wow, thanks, that sounds complicated. - and i think, i can not apply for 1 year extension from the OA visa, because it requires 800 000 baht in a thai bank account, right?

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Ellie *******

, depends on your nationality. IF your embassy in Thailand issues an affidavit of your income, you can use that as proof of funds. If not, right, you need to have funds in your Thai bank account.

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Marco *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

thanks ellie, i am german freelancer, no income proof from the embassy, and not 800 000 baht at the moment in a thai bank account. second last 1-year oa stamp running out in beginning of october. i have to get new visa. non o family with 400 000 baht in a thai bank would be okay. i have heard there is a direct way to transfer the visa to non o family with the immigration...

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Ellie *******

, yes, but you need to enter Thailand on tourist status - tourist visa or visa-exempt entry, then you can do the in-country visa application process. But not from Non-OA entry

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Ellie *******

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