What is the procedure for switching from a Non-Immigrant OA to a Non-Immigrant O visa in Thailand?

Question

Where can I find the procedure for switching from a Non -Immigrant OA to Non Immigrant O (based on over 50).  American passport. I’m getting ready for my next extension of stay but would like to switch and get ride of the insurance requirement. Thank you.

Ask Thailand · Answer

To switch from a Non-Immigrant OA visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa, you must leave Thailand and apply for the Non-O visa. There is no direct conversion process. You can either apply at a Thai embassy/consulate abroad or enter Thailand on a visa-exempt stamp and then apply for the Non-O visa at a local immigration office. You will need to have 800,000 THB in your bank account and various documents prepared for the application. It's crucial to visit your local immigration office first, as not all offices can process this transition.

Colin ***************** · Answer

I've just been through this procedure and got my 1 year stamp, Non-O, last week.

1) Leave the country without a re-entry permit and return getting stamped in for 30 days, visa exempt

2) Go to your local immigration bureau and apply for a non-O visa. You'll need 800k in the bank and a whole bunch of documents/copies (get the list from immigration beforehand)

3) you'll get a new stamp extending stay to 90 days

4) About a month before the 90 days expire go to immigration and apply for an extension of stay for 1 year. You'll need the 800k to be still in the bank and a new, complete set of the same docs and copies as for 90 days

5) You get get an extension of stay for one year on top of the 90 days already granted.

6) Towards the end of the 1 year period, repeat step 4

Daniel ******* · Answer

If you've lived here multiple years on the O-A extension and the 800k has been banked the whole time, is it necessary to show proof that it's been transferred internationally when applying for the non-O retirement visa?

Wannikea ********* · Answer

Leave the country after your 1 year visa expires without re-entry permit, or if your on an extension already, leave without getting a re-entry permit and return on a visa exempt stamp and go from there to obtain a Non O.

Robert ******* · Answer

FIRST thing to do is visit your local Immigration Office, this as NOT every of the ove 80 offices are certified to perform the conversion from Visa Exempt Entry into the Non Immigrant O visa,

Better be good prepared than finding out you run out of time to arrange all things at the last moment.

Steve ******** · Answer

You have to leave the country and start again

Ellie ******* · Answer

There is no "switching" procedure from a Non-OA-based entry/extension to a Non-O for retirees. What you need to do is leave Thailand and get on Non-O retirement.

Roughly what your steps are:

1. Leave Thailand without a valid re-entry permit or Non-OA (means after the valid period of original visa)

2. Get Non-O retirement for 90 days a) or b)

a) get Non-O retirement at the embassy/consulate and enter Thailand on it for 90 days.

b) Enter Thailand on visa-exempt and apply for in-country Non-O based on retirement at the local immigration office.

This requires you to have 800K transferred internationally if you are still entry stamp from Non-OA before you leave Thailand for that

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What is the procedure for switching from a Non-Immigrant OA to a Non-Immigrant O visa in Thailand?

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