What are my options for extending a Non Immigrant O-A visa in Thailand?

Jul 10, 2021
3 years ago
Wayne ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm currently in Thailand on a Non Immigrant O-A visa and I'm looking to extend my visa, what are my options?

I've contacted Integrity Legal and Ben says we have "many options to skin this cat", and says we proceed when I deposit $165 into IL`s account.

Before/if I decide to proceed with IL, what are my visa options?

I'm married to a Thai so I know that a marriage visa is an option. However, the immigration official in Phetchabun told me the monthly income of 65000 baht isn't available right now so I would need 400000 baht in a Thai bank. I don't have 4000000 baht right now.

I know a retirement visa is an option; but if I don't have 400000 baht; I don't have 800000 baht.

Can I just extend the current visa?

TIA!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is currently in Thailand on a Non Immigrant O-A visa and is exploring options for visa extension. They are married to a Thai but face challenges meeting the financial requirements for the marriage visa and retirement visa. Comments suggest obtaining a temporary 60-day extension while gathering necessary funds or considering visa agents for assistance.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
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Tod *********
You have these choices

- get a 60 day covid extension <- which will buy you 2 months to get your shit together and find the funds for a year extension

- get a 60 day visit thai family extension <- which will also buy you 2 months to get your shit together and find the funds for a year extension

You won't be switching to ANY visa, you already entered on a visa (the O-A sticker) you would be applying for a year extension (either one based on being over 50 OR based on being married by meeting the financial requirements)

OR

You use something on the inter-web called "google" and contact one of the many many visa agents/agecies (NOT integrity legal) who can help you get a year extension on that O-A entry stamp by banking the money for you
Tod *********
and just to recap these are the financial/insurance requirements that you would need to meet for the extensions you have available to you

retirement - 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for the retirement extension & you have the mandatory 40K/400K baht out/in-patient health insurance from one of the 15 thai carriers approved to issue O-A insurance

OR

marriage - 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for the marriage extension

You meet those requirements you get the extension, you don't meet them, you don't get the extension :/
Steve *******
Not without the money!
Kool *******
In order to extend your current OA retirement visa inside Thailand legally you must have bt800,000 in the bank for at least two months before you apply, then three months after, and never let the balance drop below bt400,000. You have not had bt65,000 coming into Thailand every month from overseas for at least the last 12 months so you can not use that option. Besides the insurance requirement, that is the only way you can extend that visa inside Thailand legally. There are some grey areas, as there is no requirement where the bt800,000 comes from, so some agents essentially loan you the money, for a fee. Loansharking is legal in Thailand as long as the interest rate is within the law. This is basically what these agencies that do it are, loansharks. That is your only other option. The thing about this option though is that not all of them do it legally. Some just have their own stamp, and you don't find out it is fake until you do your first 90 day report, and get arrested and deported for having a fake immigration stamp.
David ******************
Jesus
Benjamin ******
>However, the immigration official in Phetchabun told me the monthly income of
*****
baht isn't available right now so I would need
*****
0 baht in a Thai bank

What is Petchabun talking about? The only reason why the income option would not be accepted is if your country issues the income letters. From your Facebook profile, you are American, and America is not issuing those letters.

Do you have 12 months of 40K THB deposited in your Thai bank account (does not need to be international) for an extension of stay based on marriage, or 65K THB marked international?
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