What is the application process for the O-A visa for US citizens living in Europe?

@Roman *****

The best thing is to apply for a 90 days Non O visa at the Thai embassy/consulate where you currently stays. Then you just can use income to fulfil the financial requirements if you can meet the 65K baht a month.

The normal procedure is then to apply for a one year extension of stay within two months and within the first month you easily can open a bank account and bank the required 800K baht.

Since your embassy doesn’t offer to give you an affidavit letter to confirm your income, you’ll need to prove the first year yourself. 65K x 12 = 780K —> 800K baht.

If you come to Thailand on a tourist visa or visa exemption you’ll need to prove 800K baht also to apply for a Non O in country.

For your second year extension of stay you’re able to show proof of twelve months consecutive transfers of 65K baht and you can switch to the income method if you want to free the 800K baht in your bank.

The only benefit with a Non O-A visa is that it gives you one year instead of 90 days on a regular Non O visa. For your extension of stay you’ll need to prove 800K anyway and you maintain the mandatory Thai health insurance requirement for all your extensions of stay in the future. That’s why several people coming on a Non O-A first after a while decide to leave and cancel their stay based on the Non O-A visa, re-enter on a visa exemption or tourist visa and apply for a regular Non O from scratch.

What about if I have my own insurance here in the states - maybe a regular Type non-immigrant OA where we have to exit each 90 days may suffice? Thanks

@John ********

I think you're talking about a non-o and not a non-oa. The non-o is a 90 day visa and then you extend it for 12 months at thai immigration by meeting the requirements