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What steps should I take with my Non-Immigrant OA visa in Thailand before it expires?
non-immigrant OA visanon-o visavisa renewalborder bouncehealth insurance requirementsexpat living in ThailandPattayaretirement visaThai immigration rules
Jan 23, 2026
3 months ago
Cris ************
ORIGINAL POSTERHi, I obtained my non-immigrant OA retirement visa last March in France. Now that I'm settled in Pattaya, have a 12-month lease, have opened a bank account, and my insurance is about to be renewed for another year, what should I do before my visa expires? Should I stay on the OA visa or apply for the O visa? What do you advise?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user seeks guidance on the necessary actions to take before their non-immigrant OA retirement visa expires, having settled in Pattaya and completed initial requirements such as securing a lease and insurance. Key points from community comments include the recommendation to perform a border bounce to extend the visa duration based on updated health insurance coverage, confirming the validity period of the visa, and addressing financial requirements for transitioning to a non-O visa if desired. Various strategies for staying in compliance with Thai immigration rules are discussed, emphasizing the importance of timely actions and understanding Thai visa regulations.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
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Nongnuch ********
Cris Cris . . . . . .Look up your .pdf visa document which is your Non-O/A visa, and check on the expiry date of the visa validity (the date behind the wording “visa must be used by”)
This would be a different date than the expiry of your currently stamped stay permit (the small stamp in your passport saying “admitted until” and the expiry date in blue ink.
You could do a border bounce and enter Thailand within the 1-year visa validity. You would get stamped in for a last time for fully 365 days but only if your new health insurance is also valid for a full year. If it is not, you will only get stamped in until the expiry date of your health insurance.
In case you wish to get off the O/A visa and the mandatory health insurance, you need to exit Thailand AFTER the expiry of the 1-year visa validity, but still within the duration of the stamped stay permit, in order to invalidate the O/A visa.
Then you would be free to apply abroad for the Non-Imm-O visa, which does not require a mandatory health insurance, however you would need 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account or in your home bank account, showing account statements of 3 months, or you would need a proof of a minimum monthly income of 65,000 THB.
On this 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, you can re-enter Thailand, get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit, and before the 90 days stay permit expires, apply for the 1-year extension of the stay permit.
In case your embassy in Bangkok still issues income affidavits, you can use the income affidavit as proof of funds for the application. In case your embassy in Bangkok does not issue income affidavits anymore, you must show a minimum of 800,000 THB funds in your Thai bank account, and the bank letter must confirm that the deposit has been sitting in your account for 2 months.
This would be a different date than the expiry of your currently stamped stay permit (the small stamp in your passport saying “admitted until” and the expiry date in blue ink.
You could do a border bounce and enter Thailand within the 1-year visa validity. You would get stamped in for a last time for fully 365 days but only if your new health insurance is also valid for a full year. If it is not, you will only get stamped in until the expiry date of your health insurance.
In case you wish to get off the O/A visa and the mandatory health insurance, you need to exit Thailand AFTER the expiry of the 1-year visa validity, but still within the duration of the stamped stay permit, in order to invalidate the O/A visa.
Then you would be free to apply abroad for the Non-Imm-O visa, which does not require a mandatory health insurance, however you would need 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account or in your home bank account, showing account statements of 3 months, or you would need a proof of a minimum monthly income of 65,000 THB.
On this 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, you can re-enter Thailand, get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit, and before the 90 days stay permit expires, apply for the 1-year extension of the stay permit.
In case your embassy in Bangkok still issues income affidavits, you can use the income affidavit as proof of funds for the application. In case your embassy in Bangkok does not issue income affidavits anymore, you must show a minimum of 800,000 THB funds in your Thai bank account, and the bank letter must confirm that the deposit has been sitting in your account for 2 months.
Wannikea *********
As others have said do a border bounce just before your visa expires you will be stamped in for as long as your insurance is valid, be aware that it will only be a single entry, will have to buy a reentry permit if you intend to travel outside of the country and keep your stay permit alive. Or... Don't buy insurance, Leave the country after the visa expires (not your permission to stay stamp) and enter on visit exempt, and then switch over to a non-O, transfer your 800k into your Thai bank account within 30 days, then get a yearly extension at immigration after the money has seasoned for 2 months.
Sammy *********
Extend your non-O visa when it expires. Dont listen to these knuckleheads here just go to Immigration 1 week before; just make sure you have the financial requirements. That's all you have to do. If you don't, you can always go to agency.
Cris ************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Sammy ********
thank you so much, exactly 3 weeks before is good 👍Larry ***************
@Sammy ********
while I agree with most of that I would go as much as 3 weeks in advance of expiration that way if they throw any wrenches into the work you've got plenty of time to sort it out. When you do go early still get one year from the original expiration so you don't lose any timeNongnuch ********
@Sammy ********
the knucklehead is YOU! . . . he did not enter on a Non-O visa. He entered on a Non-OA visa. So please keep the BS to yourself and stop handing out wrong adviceNongnuch ********
"Extend your non-O visa when it expires" . . . . complete nonsense. You cannot extend a Non-O Visa. You can only extend the stay permit. A visa cannot get extended. You can't "extend" a Non-Imm-O/A visa either. You go into the second year of a Non-O/A Visa by doing a border run, not by visiting Immigration. Quit handing out wrong advice
Sammy *********
Nongnuch Kamdee
Aaaaawwwwwww did You get your feelings hurt? If you fealt hurt then yes, you took the comment as if YOU were a knuckehead, that's on you, because I didnt mention any names but was talking in general. Ok I'll go elsewhere with my BS as you requested. Bye
Aaaaawwwwwww did You get your feelings hurt? If you fealt hurt then yes, you took the comment as if YOU were a knuckehead, that's on you, because I didnt mention any names but was talking in general. Ok I'll go elsewhere with my BS as you requested. Bye
Reply to
Sammy *********
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Bob **********
If you paid for insurance for a year do a border bounce and take advantage of your free year then switch to the non-o
Greg ***********
Bob D'Andrea best way to handle it. I hate when people are forced into a Thai private health insurance as soon as they switch to the 1-year Extension of Stay. Plus this is the moment when funds in your home country bank are not accepted any more - the 800,000 THB need to sit in a Thai bank account
Bob **********
Greg Alexander yes when I got my IA there was no insurance requirement when it changed immagration told me to exit and come back and get the non-o
Greg ***********
Bob D'Andrea oh this must have been before 2018. After that year the health insurance became mandatory for the O/A visa. And "grandfathering" of the old conditions ended by 2022
Reply to
Greg ***********
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Marty *********
I kept my OA and the insurance for 6 years. I then used the insurance when I qualified for my LTR visa. It’s really up to you.
Pierre *********
Marty Pollard Insurance with which company?
Thank you
Thank you
Marty *********
Pierre Rondeau Pacific Cross
Reply to
Marty *********
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Greg ***********
look up your .pdf visa document and check on the expiry date of the visa validity. This would be a different date than the expiry of your current stay permit. You have to do a border bounce and enter Thailand still within the 1-year visa validity. You will get stamped in for a last time for fully 365 days but only if your new health insurance is also valid for a full year. If it is not, you will only get stamped in until the expiry date of your health insurance. In case you wish to get off the O/A visa, you need to exit Thailand AFTER the expiry of the visa validity, but still within your stay permit, in order to invalidate the O/A visa. Then you would be free to apply abroad for the Non-Imm-O visa which does not require a mandatory health insurance, however you would need 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account or in your home bank account, since 3 months, or would need a proof of a minimum monthly income of 65,000 THB. You could re-enter Thailand on the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa and before the 90 days stay permit expires, apply for the 1-year extension of the stay permit. In case your embassy still issues it, you can use the income affidavit of your embassy in Bangkok, or the 800,000 THB funds in your Thai bank account
Graham ******
Do a border bounce before your Non-OA expires (not your entry stamp) and you'll get a new entry stamp up to the end of your new insurance
Cris ************
ORIGINAL POSTERGraham Seal My visa expires on March 31st, and so does my health insurance. So, in mid-March, I'll cross the border by road with my health insurance, which will be renewed for another 12 months. Doesn't that seem too easy?
Jan ******************
Cris Cris Phil That’s exactly how a one year Non O-A visa with multiple entries works. It gives you a one year stay upon entry (or within the validity of your health insurance) each time you enter within the validity period (one year from issued) of your visa.
Cris ************
ORIGINAL POSTERJan Kenneth Nesland Wow, that's really cool! 15 days before my visa expires, I just have to show proof of my health insurance for another 12 months and they'll extend my stay for another 12 months?
Jan ******************
Cris Cris Phil correct ✅
Cris ************
ORIGINAL POSTERJan Kenneth Nesland thank you so much, merci👍🏻
Greg ***********
Cris Cris Phil plese be aware, that the "second year" new stay permit you obtain when re-entering before the O/A visa expires, does NOT have a multi re-entry permit included. So if you plan to do a few trips abroad during the "second O/A year", you must buy a re-entry permit to keep the last stamped stay permit alive
Jan ******************
Cris Cris Phil Avec plaisir, bonne chance.🤞
Greg ***********
Cris Cris Phil you must show the new insurance to the Immigration officer when crossing the border into Thailand. AFAIK, your insurance must again fill out and submit the F.I.C. Just in case they won't submit another F.I.C., you will need a contract with one of the tgia-listed Thai private health insurances
Reply to
Greg ***********
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Jan ******************
The immigration will normally tell you to do a border bounce first to get another year off your visa. You’ll need to update your mandatory health insurance regardless of if you do a bounce or apply for an extension. You can’t apply for any Non O visa in country now, only through a foreign mission outside Thailand or in country if you enter on a visa exemption.
Greg ***********
Jan Kenneth Nesland will he need a signed by the insurance F.I.C. for the new one-year health insurance to show at the border?
Jan ******************
Greg Alexander I’ve personally never heard that people are required to update also the FIC after the insurance has already been approved by the embassy, as long as they can show an updated version of the same insurance to immigration when they are stamped back in.
Reply to
Jan ******************
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