Can I renew my O-A retirement visa in Thailand using US bank statements?

Nov 11, 2021
3 years ago
James *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Sorry if this has already been answered.

I am American. I have a one year O-A retirement visa. When I applied for my Visa from within the United States last year, I was able to meet the financial requirement by showing my US Bank balances to the Thai Embassy in the US. I believe this is something that started to be allowed a few years ago.

Now I am in Thailand and would like to renew my O-A retirement Visa from inside Thailand. Will they accept a statement of my US bank balances as they do at the Thai Embassy in the US? Or will they only accept money in a Thai bank as I have been reading?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
As an American holding a one-year O-A retirement visa, you initially provided US bank balances to meet financial requirements when applying from the US. However, when seeking to extend your stay in Thailand, you must show proof of funds in a Thai bank account, not US bank statements. This change is due to regulations requiring funds to be held in Thailand for extensions.
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Benjamin ******
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Thank you.
Tod *********
Okay, you have some of your wires crossed about how it works

When you BUY the O-A visa in your country you can show proof of funds in your country. (That works for anyone buying an O-A visa at a thai consulate in their country before they come here.

NOW when you go to get a yearly extension of stay inside thailand at the immigration office here (which as people said is NOT a renewal of anything) you cannot use proof of funds in your country and you would have to show proof of funds in a thai bank account in your name only AND you'd have to have the required insurance by one of the 18 approved thai carriers who issue O-A insurance too
James *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Dave Ritchie I can confirm that they will check your insurance policy and will not stamp you in beyond the date on your insurance. For example, my O-A visa is good until January, but my insurance expired in December (I miscalculated), so they only stamped me until Dec.
Benjamin ******
Dave Ritchie What was the last day of your insurance policy?
James *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
So looks like I wont be able to Extend my Visa. Plan B would be to exit and re-enter before the Visa Expiration date (Visa is multiple entry). Getting another year on my Stamp (I have insurance).

Would that work? If so, any suggestions of where I could go to exit and re-enter?
Tod *********
@James ******
totally WOULD work IF you can find a place nearby that will let you in without a long quarantine AND if you meet the entry requirements to get back into thailand
James *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
The entry requirements would be Vaccinated, Negative Covid Test, One night Quarantine and Insurance?
Tod *********
@James ******
, they will be what ever they are when you try to come back into the country

right now it's 50K baht in covid specific insurance, negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of your flight here, if you're vaccinated a booking at a Test-N-Go facility, and an approved Thai Pass.
Albert *********
@Tod ********
but he only gets a visa on arrival and not another year. Or max to the end of the previous visa.
Benjamin ******
@Albert ********
He entered on a Non-OA visa. This visa is multiple entry, and on each entry he is stamped in for one year. If he returns right before the Non-OA visa expires, and has the insurance up through the year, he will be stamped in for a year.
Tod *********
the proof of funds for getting a year extension on an O-A visa is 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for the extension, the funds need to stay in the account for 3 months after you get the extension granted and then the balance can't go below 400K baht the rest of the year
James *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. As for the Insurance. That's the same requirement that the Embassy required, so I have that covered. But Im not going to be able to meet the financial requirement as I dont have a Thai bank account.
Tod *********
@James ******
sadly that means you're not gonna get a year extension from that O-A visa/entry stamp then. Your option would be IF the O-A visa sticker from the consulate is still valid; fly out and back in to get another year entry stamp (if you had a year of insurance and of course met the entry requirements to get in) OR if your stamp is expiring in the near future you might be able to get the 60 day covid extension, but that just buys you two months.
Tod *********
This is where you get the O-A insurance from one of the 18 approved thai insurance carriers

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Robert *******
You can not re new your visa. You apply at a local immigration office for an Extension of Stay and for that you need money on a Thai bank account or a monthly income.
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