Can one renew their OA Retirement Visa within Thailand and what is the process?

@Tod ********

thank you, so.essentially i don't need re-entry permit the first year i.got OA visa , but curiously, if my memory is correct, i did apply and paid for re-entry permit within the first year and got approved (as i do.not understand fully the different rule applied to first year and subsequent year).Seems not on immigration website

@Ken *****

that the sold you a re-entry permit doesn't mean you NEEDED one. 😉

As long as you were returning BEFORE the visa sticker itself was expiring you would have gotten stamped in for another year on the re-entry permit part of the VISA itself.

@Tod ********

ok so the trick is to leave and return before the first year visa expires soon, get stamp for one year counting from return date, then repeat the same and get again another year…that way, never need to extend or renew visa (and pay) …thanks a lot!

@Ken *****

nope that'd be a fail 🙁

Here let's use THIS visa as an example

This visa was ISSUED on Feb 2 2022, and it is VALID UNTIL Feb 1, 2023.

The person can enter an unlimited amount of times during that time period and they will get stamped in each time for up to a year (depending on their insurance validity)

SO let's say the person enters March 1st 2022, under the terms of an OA entry (if they had valid health insurance they'd get stamped in until Feb 28th 2023

AND

IF the exited/re-entered the country on or before Feb 1, 2023 <- the date the visa STICKER expires they'd get another year entry stamp

So let's say they exited/re-entered on Jan 31st 2023 (one day before the visa expires) they'd get stamped in for a whole new year entry stamp until Jan 30th 2024 (because OA visas get you stamped in for a year).

NOW on that second 'free' year, IF they wanted to exit/re-enter they would have to BUY a re-entry permit (because the multientry part of the OA visa expired when the OA ran out

AND

when they did come back they wouldn't get another year, they'd get stamped in until the previous expiration of the earlier entry stamp (in the case of our example until Jan 30th 2024)

Hope that helps and wasn't too confusing.

You can't get more than just about 2 years out of a one year OA visa if you get the visa from the consulate just before you come and you play the dates right so you exit/re-enter just before the visa runs out to get that second year entry stamp

@Ken *****

nope. it works only when your original visa sticker is valid. Only up to 'second year' is the maximum.

@Paul ******

, You are going to go to Muang Thong Thani temporary office for your 90days report.

You will go to this building.



You will need TM30 receipt since it's your first one. You need to have it as a hard copy.

You will go to CW for your re-entry permit.

@Paul ******

so you DID get the 'free' second year out of the visa (which is now expired) AND you're staying here on the entry stamp you got which lets you be here until Nov 8th 2022.

As people pointed out your multiple entry expired when the visa sticker did SO if you're going to leave/come back and want to get stamped back in until Nov 8, 2022, you need to buy a re-entry permit at the immigration office or at the airport BEFORE you fly out.

Also as people pointed out you can't apply for a yearly extension until you have 30 days or LESS left on your current stamp so not until Oct 9 2022. That gives you a long time to get the funds in place etc so you can do it when it comes due

@Paul ******

your multiple entrys ended with the expiration of the actual visa, but as mentioned buy a single or multi reentry stamp is not an issue. I cant see why you would want to extend your permission to stay so early as you have until November to sort that out and most offices won't look at it till you have 30 days or less remaining.

@Paul ******

your need for multiple entry isnt an issue ...you just buy a single or multiple re entry permit as required either from an immigration office or at suvarnabhumi airport. Much more important is to maintain your yearly visa extensions ...otherwise back to square 1 getting a new visa with all the cost and hassle

@Paul ******

If you are in Thailand and have a valid OA visa then you can extend it for one year from the date of your permission to stay stamp in your passport. Visit your house immigration office for the requirements.

And follow anything Tod Daniels tells you.

@Tod ********

Yes but if he never left Thailand (likely during Covid) then the entry stamp and the visa expiration (also assuming insurance) should be the same date.

@Marty ********

point taken 🙂 lets see what he posts I asked the question below about it

@Tod ********

There is never enough information