What are my options for obtaining a multiple entry retirement visa in Thailand as an American married to a Thai citizen?

Nov 25, 2019
5 years ago
Antonio ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am an American citizen married to a Thai citizen. I am living in Nong Khai on a non O marriage visa which only has a single entry which I got last month in Vientiane, Laos. I turn 50 next month. I want to get the retirement visa with multiple entries. I have health insurance here and the required funds to stay here. No problem.

Is there any country close to me in southeast Asia where I can get a multiple entry non O A retirement visa?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An American citizen residing in Nong Khai on a single-entry NON-O marriage visa wants to transition to a retirement visa with multiple entries. While O-A visas cannot be obtained outside one's home country, they can apply for a yearly extension of stay based either on retirement (if over 50 and meeting financial requirements) or marriage. It's recommended to visit the local immigration office for guidance, as they might allow converting the current visa to a yearly extension. A re-entry permit can also be purchased after securing the extension.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
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Dan ******
Why would you want an "O-A" visa, which requires insurance, when you already have an "O" visa, which does not. If you plan on staying here long-term, the insurance clock will be ticking.
Tod *********
they understand that. What they wanted was a multiple re-entry permit AFTER they get their yearly extension and they thought they needed to get an O-A visa to get it.

They now know they do NOT need to do that. They just get a regular yearly extension and then buy a multiple re-entry permit.
Mark ********
why don't you get a multi entry marriage visa at suvannaket...5000 baht
Tod *********
they also stated they have no problem meeting the proof of funds requirement to get a yearly extension based on being over 50 (retirement).
Tod *********
Not everyone wants to bounce out and back in every 90 days ;)
Tod *********
A re-entry permit looks like this (it is valid as long as your extension is valid for) This one is a multiple re-entry
Antonio ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
Thank you very much for your advice. So after I get my one year extension here at the immigration office in Nong Khai, do I apply for the reentry permit at the same time at this office in Nong Khai?
Tod *********
A yearly extension from the immigration office looks like this image. (this one is based on being over 50 - retirement)
Antonio ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
So if I keep my non O marriage visa which I have now, I can apply for a year extension at the immigration office here in Nong Khai and they will give me multiple entries? I have the funds and all docs. I am not worried about that. Just trying to get multiple entries.
Tod *********
one more time. You get a yearly extension, THEN after the extension is in your passport you you BUY a re-entry permit.

They are totally separate things inside the country.

Extensions of stays are sold with NO re-entry <-because you're already IN thailand. Once you get your extension and you want to leave and come back you BUY a re-entry permit

a single re-entry permit is 1000 baht <- meaning you can leave and come back ONCE during the year.

a multiple re-entry permit is 3800baht <- meaning you can leave and come back as much as you want during the year.
Tod *********
@Antonio ***********
you are confusing things.:/

First off you got a single entry Non-O visa because that's ALL they sell in Vientiane. You went to the wrong consulate to get a year-long, multi-entry Non-O based on marriage.

Now you have two choices; You either apply for a yearly extension of stay at your immigration office based on being over 50 (retirement) and by showing the required proof of funds, submitting the documents, etc OR you apply for a yearly extension based on marriage to a thai at the immigration office again by showing the required proof of funds and submitting the required documents, THEN once you get your extension you BUY a multiple re-entry permit which will let you travel in and out the entire year getting you stamped back in until your extension expires every time you enter the country.

OR

You go to the correct thai consulate (Savannakhet Lao or HCMC Vietnam) and get a year-long, multi-entry non-O visa based on marriage. That visa is unlimited entry for the year it's good for, will stamp you in for 90 days every entry and when that runs down you go to the border, stamp out of thailand, stamp in and out of another country and then back in to thailand to get a new 90 day stamp. You do that for the whole year the visa is good for,

Those are your choices.
Tod *********
As people said, you can ONLY get an O-A visa from a thai consulate in the country your passport comes from AND you will now be required to carry the mandatory health insurance 40K/400K policy to get one.

Honestly, unless you're wanting an O-A visa solely so you can keep your funds in your country. you are FAR better off just staying on either a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa (that you get from a thai consulate in Savannakhet or HCMC) OR staying on a yearly extension of stay based on marriage.

What is your motivation to get an O-A over staying on the O visa/extension you have now?
Antonio ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
How many extensions can I get on my non O that I have now?
Kai ******
Why do you want an O-A get any O that is better,
Steven *********
Why would anyone want to switch to a Non O-A visa considering the recent insurance requirements when you could simply get a Non-O with no insurance requirement?
Kai ******
I have a non O and has my second 1 year exstention
Robert *******
The Non O only gives you 90 days of stay and after that to get the Extension of Stay you need to meet the financial requirements from Immigration OR switch to the Non Immigrant O-A Visa which gives you 1 year of stay and they money can stay in your home country.
George ******************
Years ago I got a Non O 90 day Visa from Savannakhet, I asked for one based on marriage, but they didn't write that on the Visa. When I got an extension at the Mukdahan Immigration Office they based it on retirement, even though I asked for it to be based in marriage, I have since had 12 extensions based on retirement.
Tod *********
Yep, my example Non-O visas based on marriage from Vientiane and Savannakhet do not have any writing on them stating the reason you got the visa SO the immigration office has no idea if you got it based on marriage or being over 50.

The thai consulates in other countries DO write the reason you got the visa, so you couldn't use one based on marriage to get the FIRST yearly extension from it based on anything else.

Thanx
@Geo***
(y)
Tod *********
okay, I looked at some example Non-O visas from Lao and they don't seem to write the reason you get the visa for on the visa itself, OR at least my examples didn't show any notation.

So as long as there's no writing on your existing Non-O visa saying why you got it, you could most likely use it to get a yearly extension of stay from the immigration office (by meeting the proof of funds and turning in the required documentation).

As long as there's no writing on the existing Non-O visa that the O/P has you MIGHT be correct
@Ar**
, (y)
Antonio ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
My non O visa does state in Thai I am married. When I applied for it, I requested a multiple entry because I want to be able to travel but they only gave me a single entry.

I plan on going to Los Angeles to visit my family next month just for a week. My visa is good for 90 days. Would I need to get a reentry permit? Or do you think its easier for me to just get the retirement visa non O A at the Thai consulate in LA?
Arve ****************
Tod Daniels i wrote that earlier, that a non-o visa based on marrige or retierment is basicly the same visa ( but somehow the post was deleted, and he asked again)

I got mine in Bangkok ( 2012 ), whitch stated i was married.

But had to get a new one in Vitenna ( 2013, did not get my shit togheter for the extention in time)

that one didn't show anything about reson for the visa ( only Non-O )

But anyway, those i know who have changed reson for extention, has not done that the first time.

Some has got divorced, and then got a new extention based on beeing over 50.

And some has been married, and changed because of they don't need that much funds to stay.

So god knows.

Have a great day.
Arve ****************
As i wrote to you before.

When you go to get an extention you can get that based on retierment.

No need to change visa.

You can buy a multi re-entry stamp at Immigration.
Tod *********
Now on the other hand IF he was already on a yearly extension based on marriage he could change the reason for the extension to one based on retirement without any issues.

BUT I think I'm right about you having to get the first extension of a visa for the same reason you used to get the visa in the first place.

I know in bangkok it's that way 100%, but the only way the O/P would know for sure would be to go to the Nong Khai immigration office and ask them.
Tod *********
And unless I'm mistaken you can only get an extension on a NEW visa for the reason you got the visa from the thai consulate. <- meaning because he got it based on marriage, (and it probably says so on the visa) he can't use it to get the FIRST extension based on anything but marriage.
Tod *********
okay, you CANNOT get an O-A visa anywhere but from the thai consulate in your country.

Why not go to the Nong Khai Immigration office SHOW them the visa (which may or may not have thai writing on it stating you got it based on marriage) and see if they will let you get a yearly extension based on being over 50 from that visa.

Keep in mind you'd need 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for the yearly extension based on retirement, BUT you would only need 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name for the yearly extension based on marriage.

OR

You could go to the thai consulate in Savannakhet Lao and get a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage without showing any proof of funds. BUT on that visa you would have to exit/re-enter every 90 days
Steve **********
Nope.
James ********
I am confused...but that's OK. You had asked this question a few hours ago...I replied...now you have deleted it and are asking it once again....but you added the O-A in your question.

As it is early Monday morning in Thailand, I stated that you could ask your local Thai Immigration office if you could convert your current visa to a retirement based on being Married to a Thai...if so...ask for the requirements to do so.

You can get a Non O ...but cannot get an O-A visa. The O-A visa can ONLY be obtained in your home country.

And that either Robert Lagas or Tod Daniels will also reply.

Good Luck😉
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