What are the requirements for extending OA and Non-O visas for a second year in Thailand?

Dec 10, 2022
2 years ago
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi guys, just trying to clarify a question I have regarding gaining our second year out of my OA (Australian passport) and my wife’s trailing spouse Non O (Australian Passport)

Both our current visas expire Jan 30th 2023 (the actual visa, not our stamped into date which is later)

We plan to leave Thailand in the third week of Jan 2023 and will return before Jan 30th and we’ll have a new one year insurance policy that meets the requirements etc. I believe that will gain us our second year to remain.

Q. I assuming that we will need to also renew our multi entry permit as they will have expired after we’ve returned?

Q. Once the above is done can we continue to travel in and out of Thailand for the second year and get stamped in to the validity date of our health insurance?

I’ve been confused by people telling me that ‘yes’ I can make use of the second year permission to stay so as the insurance is in place but a couple of people mentioned that because my original OA has expired then if we travel outside the country again then we’ll have issue on our return?

Hopefully my questions make sense, if I’ve missed anything or made the wrong assumptions please feel free to correct me. TIA
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking clarification on the process of extending their OA visa and their wife's Non-O visa for a second year in Thailand. They plan to leave Thailand in January 2023 and return before their visa expiration. They ask about renewing their multi-entry permit and if they can continue to travel after obtaining the necessary insurance. Answers provided indicate that as long as they re-enter Thailand before their OA visa sticker expiration and have the new insurance, they can be stamped in for another year. It's important to secure a re-entry permit for the wife's visa and to understand that the Non-O visa does not automatically guarantee a year-long stay.
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Ellie *******
unnecessary additional wrap-up timeline in case. For Non-OA holder (OA) and dependent to Non-OA (OD). Both meet insurance requirements.

Let's say (not exactly the same date as OP):

- Non-OA visa validity for (OA): Jan 30th, 2023

- Current Non-OA stamp for (OA): Feb 28th, 2023

- Current dependent stamp for (OD): Jan 30th, 2023

1. early Jan 2023: Leaving Thailand

(OA) shouldn't have a re-entry permit

(OD) should have a re-entry permit

2. Jan 26, 2023: Entering Thailand Just Before Jan 30, 2023 (activate second year on Non-OA)

(OA) enters on a Non-OA visa, stamped until Jan 25, 2024 (for another 365 days)

(OD) enters on re-entry permit, stamped until Jan 30, 2023 (same as a current stamp)

3. Jan 27, 2023: Extending (OD)'s stay

(OA) goes with the applicant, bring passport

(OD) goes with the main foreigner to the local immigration office to apply for a 1-year extension as a dependent to a foreigner who legally stays in Thailand. Bring passport and all the same documents as last time along with the fee of 1900thb

(OD) gets an extension, stamped until Jan 25, 2024, same to (OA)

4. Anytime after Jan 27, 2023, until Jan 25, 2024

(OA)(OD) apply for a re-entry permit for both, valid until Jan 25, 2024

Every time travel out and back to Thailand, both would be stamped until Jan 25, 2024
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ellie ******
thank you Ellie and the team. I have what I need.

You explanations are clear and much appreciated
Tod *********
As long as you exit/re-enter before your OA visa (the sticker) before the sticker expires and have a new year of insurance you will get stamped in for a whole new year. You're correct you will neeed a re-entry permit to exit/re-enter the country during this time. You won't need to show insurance comin' back in, you'll just get stamped in until that expiration date when ever you enter for that year.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
okay, so I’m sweet then, I just want to clarify my situation regarding my wife if possible, thx
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay, so once we fix our visa extensions in Jan 23 our current re-entry permit still have validity until the dates that are inked. We’ll just renew those as needed.
John **********
@Wayne *********
yes. Each extension has the same requirements as the previous one. You certainly are cutting it fine, no room for error.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Do I need to have her attached as my trailing spouse again or will her original connect ion to our now expired OA and non O connection still be recognised?
John **********
@Wayne *********
she will need to go to immigration and get a 12 months extension to match your OA. You will need to make sure you have enough time to do that before her existing extension expires.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
thank you John, we’ll be cutting it fine but as our current stickers expire on Monday Jan 30th and that’s the first day immigration is open after our return but I guess it’s doable 😎. So what your saying is that we essentially do what
@ ************
s advised when we first arrived 12 months ago to link her as a trailing spouse again?
James ********
@Wayne *********
Yes... Follow
@Tod ********
advice.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@James *******
thank James I always do 😎. Along with your as well.

As I’ve mentioned I believe that I’m fine with gaining the additional year out of my OA and my wife will also gain her extra year (as we will both return before our stickers expire, with another 12 month’s health insurance) It’s really just about making sure she’s still linked to me as a trailing spouse. It’s sounds like a trip to Phuket town immigration on Jan 30th is in order to reconnect the two of us in the system? Do you concur?
James ********
@Wayne *********
Yes you will need to visit Phuket immigration.

Glad you are able to get the second year of the OA.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@James *******
thank you.

I’ll let you know how we get on. 🙏🏼
James ********
@Wayne *********
make sure your wife has a re-entry permit to re-enter Thailand with you.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@James *******
yeap, she does have that in place already. We both got multi entry visas from Sydney last year before we arrived. Hers is actually stamped in until March 2023 because that’s when we arrived and our original insurance expires.

Either way I assume that as BOTH of our original Sydney issued stickers expire Jan 30 2023, we will both need new multi entry permits? Listening to
@Tod ********
and yourself it seems that people get confused with the difference between the dates on your sticker vs the date you get stamped each time you arrive back.

In our case, we are both stamped until March 2023 (when our current insurance expires) our stickers definitely expire Jan 30, so that’s the date I’m working to.
James ********
@Wayne *********
The dates shown on your current re-entry permits are the dates for which you can reenter Thailand without losing your current permission to stay status. The Re-entry permit states that specific ending date.
Tod *********
YOU will get stamped in for the second year, your wife on a Non-O visa will not..

There is no such thing as a year long Non-O visa that stamps you in for the year. ALL Non-O visas (that you get from a thai consulate before you come here) are for 90 days only.

Last year you should have come in on your OA and gotten a year, your wife should have come in on an O visa (single entry or multi-entry) and gotten 90 days, then before her 90 day stamp expired she either went to the immigration office and got a year extension based on your entry stamp (trailing spouse of a retirement visa holder) or if she had a multi-entry Non-O she could have bounced out and back every 90 days to get a new stamp.
Wayne **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
thanks Tod, we followed your advice last year and connected my wife’s Non O, multi entry to my Non OA multi entry towards the end her first 90 days of arrival.

What are her options when we come back in Jan, what stamp will she get in as? We will still be on our existing Non OA and Non O (trailing) because we will return before the original visa expiry date.

If I get my second year out of my OA do I have the option to go to immigration and link her again as my trailing spouse (as per our first year). Thanks again
Tod *********
@Wayne *********
you do the exact same thing you did before, you go get the second year, then she goes with you to the immigration office and you apply for a matching trailing spouse extension which will give her the stamp the same as yours
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