Can I obtain a non-immigrant O-A visa before entering Thailand?

@Greg ********

good to know. Thank you!!

@Tim *******

You’re welcome. The only problem I had was getting my criminal background check. They said get it from your local police department, so I went to my city police and got the form and the evisa website rejected it and said it had to be from a state or federal agency. So I googled criminal background in Michigan and a website came up that is run by the Michigan State Police and you pay $10 and get your criminal background. It only took a few minutes. Can’t remember if I had to print it out and then scan it so I could attach it as a pdf on the evisa website or if I was able to download it as a pdf file. Anyway, just know they want a state or federal agency to issue the criminal check.

@Greg ********

thank you!

@Tim *******

Her name is Nim and her number is 66-86-430-2288. You might have to dial 011 before that number to get out of the U.S.

@Tim *******

Okay I will get it from my wife. She will give you price options and coverage options and let you choose the insurance plan that you like.

@Greg ********

yes, please do. I would very much appreciate that.

@Tim *******

The insurance lady we dealt with did all that and sent it as a pdf file in email for us. I can give you her contact info if you want. She knows exactly what you need for your visa. She came recommended by a Thai friend of my wife.

@Vin ********

I don’t think you understand. The Non O-A visa can only be applied for at your permanent residence and the one year Non O-A is a visa that’s valid for one year. Every time you get stamped in within the validity of the one year visa you get one year stay. So if you enter short time before it expires you still get stamped in for one year if you update your health insurance. This is how you can get two years of a one year visa.

The first year you have a multiple entries visa. The second year you only have a stamp or permission to stay and you’ll need to buy re-entry permits if you want to leave and re-enter.

After two years the Non O-A visa is history. It cannot be renewed but you can apply for a new one at the embassy of your permanent residence.

If you anyway want to continue your stay in Thailand after two years, you can apply for a one year extension of stay at the immigration in Thailand. This is not a visa, but a permission to continuous stay for one year.

The requirements are almost the same as for the Non O-A visa, you’ll need to maintain a health insurance but you also need to deposit 800K baht in a Thai bank account two months prior to the application.

This you can repeat every year and for the extension of stay you’ll need to buy single or multiple re-entry permits to maintain your stamp or permission to stay.

If this goes against everything then everything is wrong or you have some wires crossed regarding what a visa and an extension of stay really is.

@Vin ********

Ok, you can stay for up to two years in Thailand on a Non O-A visa as long as you update your health insurance for the second year. The one year visa has multiple entries. If you want to leave and maintain your second year stamp, you’ll need to buy re-entry permits.

The extension of stay in Thailand for a Non O and Non O-A is almost equal, but unlike the regular Non O, you maintain the mandatory health insurance requirement also for your future extensions of stay.

For the Non O you apply for extension of stay within 90 days. For the Non O-A you can stay for two year first.

You use your bank in US when you apply. If you want to apply for extension of stay in Thailand you’ll need to open a bank account and bank the required 800K baht two months before the application.

@Vin ********