How can I change from an OA retirement visa to an O retirement visa in Thailand, and what are the requirements?

Sep 22, 2024
2 months ago
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
[Adele Wong]([members only]) asked in another topic

how about if I want to change from OA retirement to O retirement? I will have to leave the country and come back after the visa expires right?

Apply O retirement during my visa exempt period.

I already have THB800,000k in the bank.

Since we’ve been staying here for 2 years do I still need to show funds transferred from a foreign account?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Adele Wong inquired about changing her OA retirement visa to an O retirement visa in Thailand. She asked if she needed to leave the country and re-enter after her visa expires to apply for the O retirement visa while being in the visa-exempt period. A commenter noted that while Bangkok and one other office generally require proof of fund origins, they might waive this requirement if transitioning directly from an OA to an O visa. The process outlined involves leaving the country at the expiration of the current visa, entering visa-exempt, gathering required documents, applying for the 90-day Non-O visa, and then later applying for a one-year extension. Another commenter requested the requirements for the Non-O visa.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Adele ******
Do you also have the requirements for the 90 days Non-O visa?
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Adele *****
you need to go to the immigration office and get the hand out for that and the year extension because they are office specific and each one does it a little different
Adele ******
@Tod ********
ok! I will go check it out. As long as we can extend from O to O retirement.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Only bangkok and one other office require you to show proof of funds origin and even they will waive that IF they see you are just getting off an OA and then on to an O visa

You leave when your current stamp is expiring,

come in visa exempt,

get the documents together,

apply for the 90 day Non-O visa for 2000baht,

wait for the under review period,

go back get that inked in to your passport

and

then 2 months later you apply for a year extension for 1900baht
Andy ********
@Tod ********
I don't know if the other office you refer to is Phetchaburi but after 8 years on the O-A I had to show funds had been transferred from abroad. Wasn't a big hassle as I mark my monthly as a foreign transfer with Wise. 😊
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Given what
@Andy *******
said about their office
@Adele *****
you will definitely want to check with your immigration office BEFORE you bounce out and back to get off that OA, if you need to show the funds as having international origin for when you come back to apply for the in country O visa from them.
Adele ******
@Tod ********
yes ok. I will give it a try.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andy *******
and you were doing banked money method? Switching from an OA you'd had to an O ?
Andy ********
@Tod ********
yes I was doing the banked money on a marriage extension.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andy *******
there is no requirement that proof of funds for Non-O based on marriage or year extension based on marriage or retirement come from abroad. That was a made up thing they told you
Andy ********
@Tod ********
no requirement for the extension but there was for the original visa.
Andy ********
I did a border bounce, came back on a 30 day visa exempt (1st July). Then I applied for the Non O based on marriage. I needed to show the 400k came from outside of Thailand.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andy *******
that is crazy because no office I knew of actually had that policy. 😕 Sorry to have heard that, you'd have been better off going to Vientiane or Savannakhet Lao and getting a single entry 90 day Non-O based on marriage from one of those thai consulates without the need to show ANY proof of funds, then came in and just done the year extension at your office (because there's no proof of funds origin on extensions)

Again sorry they did that to you
Adele ******
@Tod ********
👍🏻 then 2 months later when I apply for retirement O extension, the bank statement I have to show a year’s bank statement? Every month with $800k?
James ********
James ********
Read B - PROOF OF FUNDS in this graphic. Follow the instructions on how to maintain required bank account balances during the entire Year.
Adele ******
@James *******
Thank you! Yes we’ve got that.
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