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Answered4 years ago

What are my options for extending my O-A visa in Thailand before it expires?

O-A Visa Visa Extension Health Insurance Border Bounce TM7 Form Financial Requirements

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

asked Jan 1, 2023

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I apologise for bugging you guys again, but I am having trouble comprehending some of the advice I am getting from different forums.

I am on an O-A longstay ( retirement) visa out of Australia and am stamped in until the end of March 2023 (coincides with my health insurance policy).

I wish to apply to extend for another year.

These are the different advice options I have received:-

1) Renew my health insurance and do a border bounce prior to the visa validity date of 27 February 2023 (not the stamped in date). This option was suggested on the basis that I wouldn't need to meet the financial requirements of banked monies in a Thai bank account because I would have exited Thailand and then come back in on the same day.

2) Apply to extend my stay via a TM7 form. This is where I am totally confused. I have been told that by applying via a TM7 I would not only require renewed health insurance BUT  banked monies as well. I just don't understand the requirement for both.

I am hoping I can extend my stay for another 365 days via renewed health insurance and proof of funds only (no banked monies in a Thai bank). That is how I obtained my visa initially.

Could you please clarify the situation for me.

TIA

Graham

Answer summary

The user, currently on an O-A longstay (retirement) visa, is seeking clarification on their options for extending their visa. They received conflicting advice: one option suggests renewing health insurance and doing a border bounce to avoid financial requirements, while another advises applying via a TM7 form, which may require both health insurance and proof of banked funds. Commenters clarify that a border bounce just before the visa's expiration date can provide a new one-year entry stamp without needing Thai bank funds, while applying for an extension might require proof of funds. Overall, they advocate for the border bounce as the simpler solution.

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Tod *********

Tod *********

alas it would appear this has turned into a 'catch all' post about OA visas. IT is not 🙁

It was a post about someone who HAS an OA visa and wanted to know the difference between entering just before the visa expires to get a new year entry stamp OR applying at the immigration office to get a yearly extension of stay.

Thanx one and all for your comments. IF you have questions about getting an OA visa go to the thai consulate in your country and read the requirements and/or make your own post

We are done (y)

4

Mike ******

Mike ******

I am on a OA and just got back from a few days in Singapore. I showed my health Insurance policy and got stamped in for another year. Keep in mind the max time one gets stamp;ed in for is 364 days. For instance if your new insurance policy expires on Jan 7 2024 and you come back in on Dec 30 2022 then you stamp will indicateDec 29 2023. Either way it is one of the benefits of getting an OA and not maintaining a lot of money in a Thai Bank as well. Happy New Year to all.

3

Stephen *********

Stephen *********

for how long do you need to have the money in the home bank account before application? How long does it have to be there for?

0

Tod *********

Tod *********

@Stephen ********

you need to make a post and ask your own question you're pulling this one off track as your questions are not related to someone who already HAS an OA visa 😕

0

John **********

John **********

Paul Travelling if you have the OX visa you can do the same thing during the validity of the visa. Indeed that's the only way you can do it for 3 or 4 years in a row without returning to your home country and getting a new OA visa

0

Tod *********

Tod *********

Paul Travelling nope the most you can get is just about 2 years out of an OA visa valid for a year. After that you either go back to your country and get a NEW OA visa or you meet the requirements in country and get a year extension from the OA entry stamp you have

1

John **********

John **********

Paul Travelling you can only do this while the visa is valid. If the visa expires you can't enter on it again, unless you have a re-entry permit which will have a matching expiry date to that you were stamped in for on your final entry on the valid OA visa.

0

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

thanks Mike - a reassuring post to say the least!

0

Bobby ********

Bobby ********

I realise the OP in this instance is Australian, but a word of advice to anyone from France reading this, you can only obtain ONE OA visa using home funds. Any subsequent applications in your home country, require 800,000 baht in a THAI bank account

1

Stephen *********

Stephen *********

How long do the funds need to be there?

0

Bobby ********

Bobby ********

@Stephen ********

Check with the French Thai Embassy website. I don't know the details. I just know a French guy who informed me of this.

1

Tod *********

Tod *********

@Stephen ********

and you're french and applying at the thai consulate in FRANCE?

0

Tod *********

Tod *********

@Stephen ********

then you need to look at the thai website of the consulate you're applying for the OA visa to read the requirements for that visa at that consulate. And remember you can only apply for an OA visa from the thai consulate in your country (or one you hold permanent legal residence in) 🙂

1

Stephen *********

Stephen *********

nope. Just a general question.

0

David ************

David ************

Good advice is stick with what you read here. No need for the other forums except to confuse you.

3

Tod *********

Tod *********

Most people on OA visas (who use the to the maximum potential) will bounce out and back on or close to the expiration date of the visa sticker itself with new yearly insurance to get that "free" second year entry stamp.

Then if during that year they need to travel they can buy a re-entry permit at the immigration office or the airport before they fly out to keep that stamp 'alive' so you get stamped back in until that date when you return

9

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

thanks Tod - yes, I am aware of the re-entry permit requirement.

1

Brandon ************

Brandon ************

If you want a brand new year of OA visa without banking money in Thailand, you need to go back home and apply for a new OA visa same as you did before.

But there's no reason to do this when you can just border bounce and get a new year stamp based on your current OA visa. You can go home and apply for a new visa next year when the stamp you get in February runs out in 2024.

2

Stephen *********

Stephen *********

@Brandon ***********

Do the funds in home bank account need to be there for a certain time prior to OA application or just there on the day for proof?

0

Brandon ************

Brandon ************

@Stephen ********

I think that will depend on each embassy and their rules. They can make their own guidelines

1

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

@Brandon ***********

thanks Brandon - is the extension to stay off the initial O-A visa only allowed for the second year?

0

Brandon ************

Brandon ************

@Graham *******

the extension of stay based on OA will always require the 800,000 which you said you don't want to do, so you'll need to get a new visa from home if you want to use your money based there as proof.

1

Tod *********

Tod *********

𝟭) 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟳 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 (𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲). 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆.

This is a viable option and it makes no difference if you exit and come back the same day or not as long as you stamp IN to thailand on or by the date the VISA (sticker) expires and have a new year of insurance you'll get stamped in for a new year (or as long as the insurance is valid up to a year)

There is not "proof of funds" required for this,

5

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

thanks Tod - this seems to be the best option for me. Although I already have a Thai bank account I use it for living expenses only. I would prefer to leave my investment savings in my Australian bank account (instructions from my grandchildren)

1

Tod *********

Tod *********

@Graham *******

then I see a bounce out and back close to the time your visa sticker expires in your near future 😛 make sure you print out the insurance paper that shows you're covered for the 100K USD policy as required and when you stamp back in show it along with your passport and you should get in for a new year. MOST agencies will let you get a new year policy about 6 weeks before the old one runs out (so your timing should work)

2

Graham ********

Graham ********

OP

yes - I emailed my provider just recently and was told to wait until the New Year.

1

Tod *********

Tod *********

This is NOT applying for an extension at all. All you're doing is USING the visa the way it is designed. That OA visa is multi-entry and good for a year from the date it was issued, each entry on it is also good for a year entry (or as long as your health insurance is valid for up to a year).

All you're doing is exiting/re-entering the country on the visa before it expires, showing a new year insurance policy and getting stamped in on a new entry stamp for a year (or as long as your health insurance is valid for up to a year).

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