What are the requirements and tips for obtaining a long-stay O-A visa for Thailand?

Jun 20, 2020
5 years ago
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone,

First post so please be gentle.

I am planing on returning to Thailand for a semi extended stay from late November through March.

Tickets are already purchased for that time period (easily changed if needed) and I would like to get the process started for the proper visa.

I have no intention of working and am over 50 (sadly) so I think it is a type O-A?

I have read the requirements for applying (looks like I need a stash of around 30k in my bank and a ton of insurance) and it seems fairly straight forward however, and there is always a however, I would like to ask if anyone has some advice that has gone through the process so that I can make this as smooth as possible.

Any and all helpful pointers, tips, secret phrases or handshakes would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Dana
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user is planning to return to Thailand for a semi-extended stay from late November through March and is looking for advice on obtaining a long-stay O-A visa. They have read the requirements, including needing a bank balance of around 800,000 baht and health insurance. Users provided various tips, including checking with the Thai embassy in their home country for exact requirements, emphasizing the need for a police check, and sharing experiences about meeting the financial requirements and insurance details. Additionally, there are warnings about potential challenges with borders and current travel conditions.
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Noel *****************
Depends really where you decide to live. Happy to take a pm
Mark *******
If less than 8 months, just get a 6 month tourist visa. Super easy to get....but you need to get it in your home country.
Mark *******
@Dana *********
many Thai consulates have different requirements so contact the Thai consulate in your area and get the requirements for the six month multi entry tourist visa. It's the only way to know for sure. As Tod mentioned, some require proof of funds, others (for example Toronto) do not. Contact the consulate.
Tod *********
Good answer, although to get a 6 month METV <- multi-entry tourist visa from the consulates in the US you show a bank balance of 7K USD. Some consulates want the balance at 7K for the previous 6 months before you apply and some want the balance there only on the day you apply.. Check with the consulate you're applying at for their requirement
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
tell me more of this please.
Nick *******
Ouch... Not looking good
Anthony ********
Hi Dana. I am currently in Thailand and have been throughout the epidemic. I can tell you that things here will never be the same again as regards to tourists. Firstly what country are you from? They are creating "bubbles " with countries with low risk factors like Australia. Also it has been officially announced that Thailand future will only be interested in "high end tourists " so the more money you have the better. I would wait and see what the future holds.
Patrick ********
@Anthony *******
I read in a article that China will be considered in one of the tourism bubbles. The article further stated that the future is “High end tourism from China, Japan and Korea”

The definition of “High End “ could mean just the bus tourism companies kind of guided tourism where the money the tourist spends is very controlled or it quite possible the people in charge went on a watching Crazy Rich Asians binge and just want that kind of

market that’s a very small percentage.

Before the pandemic the manufacturing sector was already hit hard by the high Baht. Government officials from various industry’s encouraging laid off workers to get into the tourism industry now this talk of “High end” tourism sounds fancy and pretty but the trickle down effect of the tourism market will be gone. For example taxis can no longer charge 200 Baht for a 2 block ride for tourist, bars, restaurants, vendors, hotels will just start going bankrupt. When there is no work the social problems will start then crime will go up and people just won’t visit. The projected tourism arrivals was going to be 40 million tourist before the corvid. This year will be lucky to see 1 million ?

Considering there is really no social programs to fall back on the big number will be the unemployment and what to do with the unemployed people ?
Anthony ********
@Patrick *******
totally agree! The government reckons one rich person will spend the equivalent of 5 poorer people. They want gone backpackers and Pattaya images. Tour companies they have said will not be welcome.
Patrick ********
@Anthony *******
Tour company’s as will totally take over with their all inclusive resorts and direct flights using budget airlines from one of the three corvid free countries those countries are again Japan, Korea and China. Koreans and Japanese could be just the honeymooners or elderly. “Corvid free China” customers will be China government owned airlines with the majority of the customers coming over using social credits doing the tour bus routes with little spending money.

This model of tourism has been tried and failed in other neighboring countries.

I suspect the people who are thinking and making these policies has seen Crazy Rich Asians one too many times.

Pattaya nightlife and backpackers have put lots of cash in peoples pockets and kept the economy’s moving.

When the tourism goes it’s difficult to come back if at all 🤷‍♂️
John *********
You could just get a tourist visa from a Thai embassy or consulate in the US. That is good for 60 days and can be extended for another 30 days for about 2000 baht at any Thai immigration office. Then if you did a border crossing, you would get 30 days more. That should cover you from late November to March. Integrity Legal has a YouTube video with useful information and also their phone number in the US as well as in Bangkok is listed.
Nick ************
Might be easier to contact the Thai embassy in your country but here are some site links to information here in Thailand. I dont know enough about your circumstances to give Visa advice but I beleive all long stay options should be obtained in your home country.

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Siam Legal also have useful information on their site.

Good luck.
Wayne ********
for such short period of stay as someone mentioned for a border run go to singapore or kuala lumpur or another asian country which may have borders open and then return next day or two. easiest way then jumping through hoops with immigration.... then you dont need bank accounts or anything like this. just ensure your health insurance fully paid up and covers you during your stay here and please dont rent a motorbike and ride here roads are treacherous it doesnt matter how good a rider you are its the idiots on the road that never look when turning or overtaking or whatever..
Nick ****************
You wont get better or more up to date advice than this from Todd
Tod *********
IF you are going to apply for the year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) visa <- the one that is good for a year, gives you unlimited entry for that year and every entry gets you stamped in for a new year you can ONLY apply at the thai consulates in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles or Washington DC.

As people correctly posted, that visa application requires a police background check, a medical certificate, proof of funds (using a bank account in your country) AND proof of meeting the mandatory health insurance requirements (40K baht out-patient/400K baht in-patient).

Here is an example of the requirements from the thai consulate in New York City

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%E0%B8%A0%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AD-%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A4%E0%B8%A9-english-version/visa-service/doc-non-im-oa/
Alan *******
@Tod ********
to be clear, that's only for Americans? Impossible to get within Thailand too?
Jim ***********
@Alan ******
every nationality, I'm looking same from UK
Janin ******
@Tod ********
take a multiple entry O/A if you intend to go in and out several times a year, so much easier and not paying every time you come back in!
Tod *********
@Janin *****
they switched a couple years ago and now you can ONLY get a year-long, multi-entry Non-O-A visa. They don't sell it as a single entry anymore
Janin ******
@Tod ********
, ohh, is it only in the US, a friend of mine has a single O/A last year?
Tod *********
@Janin *****
i think it is only in the US, because I saw a single O-A from Australia last year too.
Shane **********
The first option that comes to mind is a retirement visa, stay up to 12 months but not allowed to work. Need around
*****
0 baht in the bank or access to that amount such as a credit card. Good luck.
ᘻᗅᖶᖶᗁᕦᙛ *******
Sadly ? Bro. Life starts at 50 it's not sad
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Awesome, thank you for that. As for the police check did you just go local or to the Fed level? I have clearance from both as I used to work at an international airport and just wondered if it mattered.
Mike ********
@Dana *********
On the background check you need a Live Scan done. You can get it done at some law enforcement agencies or UPS, check around. If your pension is at least
*****
baht, you don't need to keep money in a Thai bank. I got my O-A visa in December using my retirement health insurance, just hope I can get back before it expires??
John *********
@Dana *********
doesn't matter. O-A on US means you need insurance. O-A in Thailand means no insurance. Show 65,000 each month deposits or 800,000 in bank. Does not include covid insurance.
J ******************
You should not do anything before about a month prior to departure, also you will need to have a police check done. Am in a similar boat ,was about to pay the money for health insurance when the border was closed .You can contact your local Thai Embassy to get a list of their preferred insurance companies.
J ******************
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai where you provide details of yourself from police as to whether you have any conviction or outstanding debts
Jeremy ********
You might not want to do a border bounce into Cambodia
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Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you for the thought but I will avoid that route
Rick *******
Doubt it. Where are you coming from.
Nick ************
Might be easier to contact the Thai embassy in your country but here are some site links to information here in Thailand. I dont know enough about your circumstances to give Visa advice but I beleive all long stay options should be obtained in your home country.

******************


*********************


Siam Legal also have useful information on their site.

Good luck.
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Mass, USA
Rick *******
@Dana *********
, we will be one of the last countries allowed back into Thailand from everything that I have read.
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm going to be going back and forth to Thailand each year, next trip is to meet the parents of my GF. Intend on investing in a condo. Have my own place here in MA so it will be part year here and then the rest there. Till then I ust want to get my feet a little more wet and the long stay seems to fit the bill.
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Rick ******
possibly however I am looking for advice on obtaining long stay visa.
Rick *******
You will first have to wait until the Thai Consulates open in the US. If you are not married to a Thai national, there are other ways to obtain a long stay visa. There are work visas, educational visas and if you are over fifty years old and place 800,000 baht into a Thai bank account, you can apply for a retirement visa. All the details can be found on a Thai Consulate website. I personally have obtained a Non-Immigrant Multiple Entry O one year visa from the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles for the past 15 years with showing very little money in my US bank account. I prefer to come back to the US every year to visit friends and family rather than go through the extension application in Thailand because immigration likes you to jump through a lot of hoops. It is not the easiest thing to get a long term visa for Thailand. If you are an American citizen, the Philippines is the easiest country to obtain a long term visa. Also, Malaysia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are all easier than Thailand. Good luck.
Drew *******
Doing a border run may be difficult as well if Thailand is re opened for overseas visitirs.
Jeremy *********
Just check with the Thai embassy in your country.
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Look like they are open three days a week. Have yet to get a response but I'm sure they have a number of people asking questions now.
Jeremy *********
@Dana *********
good idear
Jeremy *********
@Dana *********
I would not plan a trip till 2021 March .I got family in Thailand and I just told them it will be one year .till I am back.
Dana **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jeremy ********
Wish that was an easy option but I really would like to get things in order for when it does open up.
Jeremy ********
I hope Thailand is open by November
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