What are the application requirements and process for renewing a Non-O-A visa in Thailand for US citizens?

Jun 4, 2017
7 years ago
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am a US citizen with a retirement metv 1 year visa. It ends October 2017. I will be in Bangkok in September and plan to apply for a new Visa. Is there a webpage detailing the application and supporting documents required? Or a phone number to call? Thank you in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A US citizen with a Non-O-A visa should consider the following for application renewal: 1) You likely hold an O-A Multi Entry Visa for individuals over 50, which can be extended by exiting and re-entering Thailand before the expiration date. 2) Required documentation includes proof of financial means (either a bank account with 800,000 baht or proof of monthly income exceeding 40,000 baht), a completed TM.7 application form, and copies of relevant passport pages and immigration stamps. 3) It's not possible to obtain this visa inside Thailand; applications should be made prior to arrival or via the Thai consulate. For specific documents required and current fees (around 1,900 baht for extension), checking the official Thai immigration website or contacting local immigration offices is recommended.
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.
Bill *******
Joe ***********
Jeff, you are using some incorrect terms in describing your visa status. And by reading the comments and your responses I do not believe some of what you are being told is sinking in. FIRST - you don't have a "metv" anything (the 'tv' means Tourist Visa). Second what you likely have is an O-A Multi Entry Visa for people over age 50 AND this O-A visa is actually a Two Year visa. At the end of the First Year near the Expiry date you Exit and Reenter Thailand. This will give you another year of stay but it is not Multi-Entry. Others have said as much in somewhat different ways... Some commenters have offered wrong information.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I do believe I understand
@Tod ********
instructions to enter the Kingdom before the 2 Oct enter-before date and subsequently apply for a multi- re-entry permit after 2 Oct. Thank you to all.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
thank you for the commentary. yes, I was incorrectly mixing terms metv and O-A visa multi entry for people over 50. Or which I have the latter.
Joe ***********
From the OP's comments and failure to properly answer questions I don't sense that he understood the information. I bet he will be applying for an extension of stay.
Tod *********
I think we did get him sorted out though ;) That year-long multi-entry Non-O-A visa is NOT a two year visa :/ It's only valid a year from the date of issue, BUT seeing as it gives a calendar year admitted until stamp if you bounce before the enter before date you can pull another "free" year out of it.
@Je**
,s enter before date is the 2nd of Oct 2017, so if he bounces out and in around then he'd get a new "admitted until" stamp dated until 2018. THEN he'd need a re-entry permit to keep that stamp "alive" if he's going to exit/re-enter the country.
Edward ******
You need Bank book with 800,000 baht in your account or 40,000 baht income/month pensions etc proof a letter from embassy that you can feed yourself haha haha. Visa Fee is 1900 baht that's it you will get visa if you are over 50 year
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
yes. I am paying attention to all the comments and remarks. thanks.
Edward ******
Thanks Tod the Daniels for update,I hope Jeff Jue XJS is reading so it's not
*****
baht it's 65,000 baht monthly income
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you for the detail.
Tod *********
It's NOT 40K baht a month (that's for an extension of stay based on marriage to a thai) it's 65K baht a month for an extension based on being over 50 (retirement).. You also don't get a visa :/ you get a yearly extension of stay ;)
Tod *********
@Jeff *********
, what is the "enter before" date stamped on the Non-O-A visa and will you be able to re-enter the country before that date? That's how you'd pull another year out of that visa.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I did not want to burden the group with all the details but you guys love it! maybe better info than a visit to the immigration office. Thank you to all!
Tod *********
@Jeff *********
Correct, (y) (y)
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Again, thank you for the detail.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
In summary. i) if I fly out and back into Thailand before 2 Oct. then the visa extends to about September 2018 without the multiple entry component. ii) I apply for a multi re-entry permit after 2 Oct.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you for the remark.
Gene ********
Jeff Jue Xjs - I was in your exact situation with my multi-entry O-A visa, and as my "enter before" date approached, based on Tod's advice, I did a day trip to exit / reenter to get stamped in for the additional year. I chose to fly to Kuala Lumpur in the morning and back to BKK that night just for the stamp. Cheap flight, no visa necessary to enter Malaysia, and it worked perfectly.
Tod *********
@Jeff *********
DON'T buy it until you get that second year out of the visa, (after Oct 2 2017 ;) )
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
wow. did not know about a multiple re-entry permit. thought I would have to go to immigration before every trip outside the Kingdom.
Tod *********
You wouldn't need to apply for a yearly extension of stay until Oct 2018 if you exit/re-enter before the "enter before" date ;)
Tod *********
What threw me off was you using "retirement" and metv <- multi-entry tourist visa :O in the original post. That's why I asked it it was a year-long, multi-entry Non-O-A visa ;)

You're good to go until at least Oct 2018 if you bounce out and back in.

Please understand you're NOT getting an extension :/

That visa allows unlimited entries & exits to thailand with every entry getting you stamped in for a calendar year.

It's just you'd need a re-entry permit AFTER the 2nd of October because as I said, the multi-entry part of that visa expires on that date. Your admitted until stamp will be until 2018, BUT if you exit without a re-entry permit, it cancels. If you travel a lot, after you get your admitted until stamp until Oct 2018 get a multiple re-entry permit for 3800baht and that will guarantee you're stamped in until the admitted until date every time you come back.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
My assumption is that with an extension, I will need to apply for a re-entry permit every time I depart and return to Bangkok.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi Tod. Thanks. Got it.
Tod *********
@Je**
, Okay, then when you come back in August you'll be stamped in until August 2018. To maximize the amount of time you'd get out of that visa, you'd need to exit/re-enter the country by 2 Oct 2017. That would get you an admitted until stamp dated until Oct 2018. BUT remember if you're going to exit/re-enter AFTER the 2nd of Oct 2017 you'd need a re-entry permit to keep that admitted until stamp alive.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Enter before 2 Oct 2017
Tod *********
@Je**
, And the enter before date stamped on the Non-OA visa is what date?
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I fly back to the US in July and scheduled to return to Bangkok late August.
Martin *******
You cannot get a VISA in Thailand !
Tod *********
That is only partly correct
@Mar***
, :/

you can indeed get "visas" issued at the thai immigration office, you just can't get a Non-Immigrant Type O-A one issued inside the country. Those you get from the thai consulate in your country before you wash up here.

Here's a pic of a few different types of visas issued at the thai immigration offices.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
That may be the correct answer. thank you.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I travel in and out of Thailand 12 times a year and assumed a new 1 year visa is more appropriate than an extension. Thank you.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
thank you to all.
Tod *********
As was pointed out, you can actually get almost 2 full years on a Non-O-A visa IF you enter just before the "enter before" date stamped on the visa itself, because every time you enter thailand on that visa you're stamped in for a completely new calendar year.

You would however need to buy a re-entry permit to keep that admitted until stamp alive because the multiple-entry portion of that visa expires on the "enter before" date.

If you already pulled 2 years out of that visa, you'd be applying for a yearly extension of stay based on being over 50 and there is NO criminal record check or medical certificate required to do that at the immigration office inside thailand.
Jeff *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you for the quick replies. I obtained the 1 year metv O-A in the US. i) I will be in the US in August and wonder if I can bring financial proof with me in-lieu of a consulate document in Thailand. ii) I wonder about a health record and criminal record like those required when applying in the US.
Tod *********
Not that it matters all that much but do you have a yearly extension of stay (that you got at the thai immigration office inside the country for 1900baht and a multiple re-entry permit that you got for 3800baht)?

OR

Do you hold a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A visa that you got at a thai consulate before you came here?

You'd need proof of meeting the financials (either 800K baht banked in a thai bank account for the requisite time, a notary letter from the US consulate stating you make over 65K baht per month in income OR a combination of the two that equals 800K baht for the year)

The TM.7 application for extension form

copies of the data page of your passsort, your current extension, your last entry stamp into thailand, and your TM.6 departure card. You might possibly need your lease agreement too (take it but don't turn it in unless they ask).

It's a pretty straightforward process..
Paul **************
I think you are talking about a Non imm. O-A visa, if so you can border hop just before the visa expires and add another 12 months to it.
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