Can I switch from a Non-Immigrant OA visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa in Thailand without leaving the country?

Patrick Sweeney. I don't know the exact reason, but I know many who have tried. Same goes for STV. Agents won't touch it. I guess there are some things which are "out of bounds"

Patrick Sweeney. Ok, so it's now too late to meet the financial requirement, so you're coming to the end of your stay. The covid extension will probably not be available in December, so I guess you've no choice but to leave and re-enter on a new visa, whatever that may be. Other than getting an ED visa I can't see any other option

@Bobby *******

2 months or one year via ED through two agencies that i know of.

Emma Tydeman-Ashton. There's no dodgy ED or volunteer visas being issued at this time. All the immigration heads have been moved around, so all bogus visas are on hold until the dust settles. I get the impression the OP needs something quickly

Patrick Sweeney. If fully vaxxed you could probably do Singapore, but can I ask you why you would want to do that?

Patrick Sweeney ... Hi. Does getting another year still apply currently if one leaves thailand & them re-enter?

I'm on an OA Visa, which started July 2018 & currently on my 1st OA Visa extension.

@Bobby *******

You can't even change from an expired O/A without leaving, no? The retirement extension is still "based on O/A" and you're trapped with this... :-(

Stephan Studtmann. If it's expired, I assume you're on an OA extension of stay?

@Bobby *******

Visa run last year mid march, extension by entry, then this year extended (retirement) at Immigration. They told me I can't change to anything else here (Non-O marriage or retirement) without leaving first. It's always "based on O/A" with all the money and insurance requirements.

Of course... an "Agency" could fix my problem, but that's not the way I want to go... ;-)

Stephan Studtmann. So you're on an OA extension of stay? An agent cannot change it, you have to leave the country, but there's no real benefit.

@Bobby *******

Some agents can solve everything...😉 But as mentioned... I don't want to try it out...

My last valid Visa was an O/A, expired in March 2020. Border run, one more year "permission of stay". Now I'm on a retirement extension since March this year.

And just because of this expired O/A I have to buy this "we don't pay for anything" insurance from the specific Thai companies list, the same extension based on Non-O don't need to do that... why ever...

Nobody can or want to explain the reason for that. Also I can't change from this extension to the marriage extension. Same here... why ever...

That's weird... one could think that a valid extension is a valid extension, what's the point with this "based on" and different rules?

So it looks like that I have to do what they want... leave, come back with exempt or TR, apply for the Non-O and then apply for the next one year extension; retirement or marriage is to decide later.

Stephan Studtmann..First up, I can tell you categorically there is no agent in Thailand can change the OA to O (retirement), whether you like to think so or not, it's a fact. If you're on the OA extension you CAN change to O (married to a Thai). In due course the O (retirement) will also get an insurance requirement. It's coming. I buy a "useless" insurance for 7700 baht for twelve months, which I figure is cheap compared to flying to another country, and paying 4000 Baht for one night at a hotel whilst waiting for test results. But coming from a financial background, I base this on financial advantage only. Having lived in Thailand for many years, I long ago stopped looking for logic in immigration policies and procedures

@Bobby *******

... Hi Bobby, may I ask where you got your insurance for 7,700 b?

If you could share the contact, that would be great thanks

Meno Lek. Contact Arawan Namak

@Bobby *******

It looks like since last week, anyone entering the country, including someone on a non- retirement extension, will need general medical as well as Covid insurance covering US $50,000. It has to be for the time you are stamped in. For a non-O you’re next visa extension due date. I’ve seen prices of 100,000 to 200,000 baht per year. Travel and return close to your extension date, it’s cheaper.