You should get a Non O visa ‘for Retirement’ not a Non O-A as they are adding requirements to the latter (higher insurance, higher bank balance etc).

If the Embassy in your home country issues the Non O (only some do) then get that visa. Otherwise, enter Thailand on a Tourist Visa and convert once inside Thailand.

@Maurits ********

it’s the country you are in that counts not your nationality.

You can’t get a Non O ‘for Retirement’ in Australia only a Non O-A, which then requires specific health insurance for each annual extension. If you want to avoid this, get a Tourist Visa and then convert inside Thailand.

@David *******

Last person I know that did it themselves at Jomtien took 8 visits to immigration as the lady kept on asking for more paperwork. Got there in the end but took a while.

@Greg *******

Depends on agent. I’m only familiar with Pattaya agents and that’s pretty much the going rate for the initial 15 months. A couple a bit cheaper. Future extensions of stay would be much cheaper.

You can do it but some immigration offices make it very difficult or just refuse. It has to be sent to Bangkok to be processed.

TBH it’s often easier to use an agent for this part. They’ll get you a Non O plays the first Extension so you’ll have 15 months. Cost probably around 25k baht.

@Marlene *****

2 months before the first extension, 3 months before subsequent extensions. It also has to be there for 3 months after the extension and not fall below 400k for the rest of the year. Basically, you need to ‘park’ 800k and forget about it .

It will need to show that transport & Covid test is included.

@Marlene *****

No. You can stay permanently in Thailand. You get an Extension of Stay every 12 months and never have to leave. The same thing is true if you start with a Non O Visa ‘for Retirement’.

@Marlene *****

I’m sorry, I still don’t under the question. This visa is for long term stay in Thailand. You get 12 months on entry. If you leave and re-enter just before the original visa expires then you can ‘stretch’ the visa to nearly 2 years BUT there’s no way of avoiding Extensions of Stay after that.

The only other option is to go back to your home country and get a brand new visa.

Border runs are used by people who can’t get long term visas but want to ‘cheat’ the system by getting multiple visa Exempt entries. In any case, land borders are currently closed.