What are the requirements and procedures for renewing an A-O visa in Thailand?

A-O Visa Non-O Visa Visa Renewal Bank Balance Requirements Insurance for Visa Thai Immigration Policies Expat Visa Procedures

Oct 8, 2023

a year ago

Dominique ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Once the 800k is in the account 2 months before A-O visa is there a minimum amount of days it needs to be untouched? How much must always remain in the account, 400k? And when should it be refilled up to 800k, 2 months before renewal? Also, can the A-O be renewed in Thailand or only in my home country from where I received the A-O visa? One of the mandatory documents is a full year insurance coverage, correct?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

To maintain an A-O visa, it's essential to keep 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account for at least 2 months before applying for an extension, during which the balance cannot fall below 400,000 THB. After receiving the extension, the funds must remain for an additional 3 months. Renewals can be done only from your home country where the visa was initially obtained, and a full year's insurance coverage is required as part of the application.

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Lyndon ************

If the non-imm o visa.

It depends which immigration office you will be using, with regard to specifics on the seasoning of the money. E.g. some require 2 months seasoning before the 90 day visa application, others require it seasoned for two months before 12 month extension to the 90 day.

a year ago

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

You get an OA visa from your home country. You show money in your home country to the Thai embassy in your home country while applying, as well as the other requirements and the 1 year of insurance.

It makes zero, absolutely no sense at all, to ever extend an OA visa in Thailand. If you want to do your extensions in Thailand you should do that with a non-O so you don't have an insurance requirement. If you extend the OA visa then you have the insurance requirement AND the money requirement.

Most people get the OA visa because they are not required to show money in Thailand, and then they exit and re-enter Thailand just before the 1 year OA visa expires and they get stamped in for another year. Thereby getting just under 2 years from their visa, though they'll need to show another year of insurance for the entry.

Then near the end of year 2 they return home and apply for a new OA and repeat the 2 year cycle, thereby never needing to show money in a Thai bank.

If you want to extend your OA in Thailand you would need the 800,000 in the bank 2 months before you APPLY for the extension, not before your entry stamp ends. It must remain in the bank for 3 months after you receive the extension, and it can never drop below 400,000. You would then need it at 800,000 again 2 months before you apply next year. So basically would need to be at 800,000 for 5 months each year, but you're also going to need to buy insurance every year as well.

You need to decide, do you want to do the OA 2 year cycle and not have to keep the large amount of money in a Thai bank, or do you want to do your yearly extensions in Thailand? If you want to do it in Thailand, you should leave after your OA visa expires and return as a tourist, and then apply to convert to a non-O visa from your immigration office. After 60 days on your new 90-day non-O visa, you can then apply for the 1-year extension without any requirement for insurance.

a year ago

Dominique ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you Brandon, you've been very helpful.

In short, with AO visa there's no need to ask for a re-entry but with a non-O you have to. The funds before applying is basically same for both but once you've got your visa, different rules might apply. If applying for non-O visa it's basically just asking the Immigration Officer. And with my current AO visa I will ask when they check if I'm indeed living at the Thai address given.

Once I know how it works exactly I will try to make a clear overview and post it in here.

a year ago

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

@Dominique ***

I don't know how long money needs to be in the account before an OA since that's an embassy specific rule. I only know about immigration rules applying within the country. But there will never be a check on your funds for OA visa. It just ends after 1 year

a year ago

Dominique ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

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

So the main difference is that non-O visa requires 800k in a Thai bank account at least 2 months before you APPLY for the extension and it should stay in there for 3 months after receiving the non-O visa. There's no requirement for insurance with a non-O visa. After 3 months you are still required to keep a minimum balance of 400k at all time.

And the OA visa requires to have the equivalent of 800k in your usual bank account but it may also be a Thai account. It must be in the account 3 months before APPLYING for the OA visa and it must remain in there for 2 months untouched. There's a requirement for insurance covering the full year and the amount may not drop below 400k.

a year ago

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

@Dominique ***

If you have an OA visa you don't need to get a re-entry permit because an OA visa is multiple entry already. Every time you enter before the date on the visa you will get 1 year or until the end of your insurance.

How long the money needs to be in the bank before you can apply for the non-O depends on the immigration office. Some have no requirement for how long, some require 2 months.

The money cannot be touched for 3 months after the visa is issued.

a year ago

Dominique ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

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

I will only stay 6 months this time. So when I exit I will have to ask for a re-entry stamp or so, right? I then need to re-enter before the 1 year AO visa expires and will receive another 1 year but I will need to have insurance which isn't an issue for me. Then another 12 months later I will come on a tourist visa and apply to convert to a non-O visa which will give me 90 days. Then after 60 days I apply for a 1-year extension. I won't need to show insurance but I will need to have 800k in the Thai bank account 2 months before I APPLY for the extension. Basically before I fly into Thailand I should have the 800k already in the Thai bank account. All correct till now? The only question I have now is what about the 800k with a non-O visa. How long does it need to be in the account? Once I apply, can I already use some funds or must I wait until I receive the non-O visa? Or maybe similar to AO visa I must leave it untouched for at least 2 months after my O-visa?

a year ago

Reply to

Dominique ****

Lyndon ************

I think you have your wires crossed...

Do you mean the non-imm oa visa, which you get at home?

Or

Do you mean the non-imm o visa which you normally get once in Thailand?

a year ago

Reply to

Lyndon ************

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What are the requirements for renewing a Non-OA visa in Thailand?

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