Can I extend my Non Immigrant O-A Visa by leaving Thailand just before expiration?

Non Immigrant O-A Visa Visa Extension Travel Rules Thailand Immigration Visa Expiry and Reentry

September 22, 2022

2 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Non Immigrant O-A Visa, arrived 7/19/22 from home country USA. Medical exam, medical certificate, FBI check, the whole gamut. 

Ive heard that just prior to my expiration (7/18/23) I can leave the country for at least 48 hours, and return 2-3 days prior to my expiration, and get newly stamped for full year again. 

Would like some clarification on this please. Thanks in advance.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The Non Immigrant O-A Visa allows for an extension by exiting and re-entering Thailand before the visa expires, rather than before the arrival stamp in the passport. To obtain a new one-year entry stamp, it is crucial to leave the country before the visa itself expires, and re-enter with valid health insurance.

Tod *********

Your wires are crossed just a bit

I believe you are confusing two completely different things. The arrival stamp you got when you entered (which is good until the 18th of July 2023) and the validity of the VISA (the pdf you got emailed to you).

You would have to leave/re-enter the country on or before the VISA expires (not your small entry stamp in your passport) in order to get another year entry stamp

AND

you'd have to have another year of health insurance as well when you do it

Also there is no requirement you stay out of thailand any specific length of time. You could go to a land border, stamp out of thailand, stamp in and out of another country and stamp right back in to thailand to get the new entry stamp.

That's how you would get the "free" second year of stay on a visa valid for one year

2 years ago

Dean ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

thank you!.

2 years ago

Dean ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

that gives me concern for not having the paper document for year 2. Will this foul me up for year 3?

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Dean **********

you aren't gonna get stamped back in without showing that PDF print out. That IS your visa. The only thing you have in your passport is an entry stamp from showing the print out.

GO back into your emails, find and print that PDF

or

go back into the evisa system and I think you can re-print the approval <- although I'm not sure about that

2 years ago

Mike ******

@Tod ********

You are 100% correct. I jus came back in from Singapore and the IO looked at the PDF of my OA Visa and she also looked over my health insurance documents very carefully. Also, my plan is to fly to either KUL or SIN spend the night and get stamped in for another year with an new health insurance policy later this year.

2 years ago

Tod *********

did you only get stamped in until your current insurance policy expires when you returned this time

Mike ******

Yes.

Dean ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

yep, I have several copies. Thanks for clearing things up

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Dean **********

that'll work then,

There are two dates on it, a date of issue and an"enter before", "valid until" or "must enter by" date. What's that date on PDF?

2 years ago

Dean ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

04 July 2023 visa must be used by.

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Dean **********

then just before or on that date you need to stamp out of the country then back in (with a new year of insurance) and you'll get stamped in for a whole new year or as long as your insurance is valid for 🙂

2 years ago

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Tod *********

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Can I renew my O-A visa by exiting and re-entering Thailand before it expires?

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