Can I Change My OA Visa to an O Visa Without Leaving Thailand?

Question

I am well aware of the excellently documented steps on this FB page to change from an OA to an O visa - which includes that it is essential to leave the country without a reentry permit, to break the OA "chain". However, leaving in October to do this could easily get me locked out of the country or into forced quarantine upon return.

However, I was told that on another forum there have been reports that changing from an OA to an O based on retirement can now be done without leaving the country. Please advise if anyone knows if this might be possible. My interest is avoiding buying the insurance required for the OA, which I otherwise do not need. But I will not leave Thailand until I can return quickly, without a quarantine - so I am willing to buy the insurance and get an OA extension if that is my only practical option.

Me: USA passport, over 50, original OA expired Oct 2019, currently have permit to stay stamp until Oct 27, 2020, do not have reentry permit, bank deposit will be aged for either extension. Thank you.

Ask Thailand · Answer

The user inquires about the possibility of changing from an OA visa to a Non-O visa based on retirement without leaving Thailand, while seeking to avoid the requirements of mandatory insurance. A commenter clarifies that such a change is not possible from within the country without having a different visa type and suggests that getting the required insurance may be unavoidable. Others support this by recommending the cheapest insurance option as a practical solution.

Tod ********* · Answer

and now that the O/P has figured out there is no way to go from an O-A entry stamp to a 90 day Non-O visa inside the country AND that if they're going to apply for a yearly extension when this current stamp runs out they need to get insured by one of the 13 approved thai insurance companies I'd say we're done. Here's the list

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Peter ********** · Answer

Shame admin removed my comment which I thought was relevant??

Bobby ******** · Answer

Even if you were able to leave and come back quickly you'd need the mandatory Covid insurance anyway. Do what [mention redacted] has suggested, get the cheapest available to tick the box. At 154 baht a week, just write it off as a "visa cost"

Tod ********* · Answer

Despite what you read, you cannot go from a year long, entry stamp from an O-A visa to a 90 day Non-O visa inside the country.

In order to get an in country 90 day Non-O visa from an immigration office you have to be on a 30 day visa exempt entry, a 60 day tourist visa entry, or a 30 day or 60 day extension from one of those. You can't go from a Non-Imm visa entry to another Non-Imm visa type inside the country.

IF you can't get out and back before your current entry stamp expires you're gonna hafta get the mandatory thai insurance from one of the 13 approved thai insurance companies that offer policies for O-A visa holders

Can I Change My OA Visa to an O Visa Without Leaving Thailand?

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