What is the actual length of stay for a Non-Immigrant Visa in Thailand, particularly for the Type O?

Aug 21, 2018
6 years ago
Geoff *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
This is taken from the London Embassy website, relating to Non-immigrant Visas (including Type O):

'Multiple Entries Visa will be valid for 1 year from the date of issue. You must enter Thailand within the validity of visa. However, the permitted length of stay is up to 1 year from the date of your arrival in Thailand. Please carefully note the immigration stamp in your passport to make sure that you do not overstay your visa.'

This seems to say that the multi-entry visa is stamped allowing a visit length of one year. I'm a little confused as previous remarks in the group have implied that the length of stay is only 90 days. Can anyone clarify this?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The confusion arises from the differences between various Non-Immigrant visa types. The Non-Immigrant O visa allows for a 90-day stay upon entry, while the Non-Immigrant O-A visa grants a one-year stay, and the O-X visa allows for a five-year stay. It's crucial to check the suffix of the visa type to understand the permitted length of stay.
Tod *********
And so this topic doesn't run wild lets sort this out right now

ANY Non-Immigrant Type visa that doesn't have an A or an X suffix after the primary letter (B, F, ED, O etc) will ONLY get you stamped into the country for 90 days.

ONLY Non-Immigrant type visas with the A or X suffix will get you stamped in longer than 90 days.
Matt ********
@Tod ********
correct Tod.. I think people get confused between visa and the 90 day report/stay
Robert *******
To make it clear: There is a Non Immigrant O visa, which gives you 90 days of stay on entry in Thailand, the Non Immigrant O-A visa that gives you 1 year of stay on entry in Thailand and the Non Immigrant O-X visa that gives you 5 years of stay on entry in Thailand. Please do not mix those up.
Biff *******
Whilst the lovely people in the London embassy are indeed experts at not being clear, it is worth remembering that embassies and consulates that issue visas are not anything to do with the immigration department and often don’t know how those visas can be used at the various Thai borders.

When they gave general advice of the entry stamp being ‘up to’ one year, they were most likely including the non imm O-A in their all encompassing statement.

Best advice I’ve heard about embassies and consulates is to get visas from them and ignore EVERYTHING they say about using them.
Geoff *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
That's what I thought. The website is not clear...
Robert *******
You copied this out of the section explaining the Non Immigrant O-A visa, notice the suffix -A.
Joe ***********
Your 'multi-entry' stamp is actually a Multiple Reentry Permit... Not a One Year Multi-Entry O Visa based on being age 50 or more
Joe ***********
An Extension of Stay obtained at a Thai Immigration is NOT a One Year Multi-Entry O Visa for being age 50 or over
Jonn *********
Mine was issued only recently.

TR changed to non O 90 days.

The 50 plus or retirement extension of one year was added on to this.

Giving me almost 14 months.

My multiple entry stamp is valid for the same duration..

This is one year retirement extension of a O 90 days.

People get confused here.
Joe ***********
While it is still on the books...(read closely) the One Year Non Immigrant Multi Entry O Visa - based only on being age 50 or more is rarely issued anymore...
Geoff *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ******
This is how I have understood it and I have indeed done this myself in the past. The website is wrong on this point.
Robert *******
Okay, just visited the website. It is indeed UP to 1 year, what is not correct. You get 90 days of stay, make a border run get 90 days and so on till the valid untill date of the visa, if you make a border run just before or on the valid until date on the visa you can even make almost 15 months of stay out of the 1 year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa.
Geoff *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not true, the quote is taken from the General section relating to 'Non-immigrant Visas'. Hence my question...
Steve *******
The Non Immigrant OA will get you stamped in for a year on each entry the O 90 days for each entry.
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