@Rok *******

I think if you have a multiple entry permit then you have to wait until it expires. It should be coordinated with your permission to stay or extension of stay stamp.

@Sean *******

Definitely bring her with you

I had an OA for 6 years. If you are planning to retire here and live full time then I would recommend getting a 90 day O visa. After 90 days you apply for 1 year extensions of stay. It is identical to extensions of stay from an OA but without the insurance requirement.

Extensions of stay require the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank. Do you already have a Thai bank account? If not then that seems to be the hurdle for most people.

I switched from an OA to a 10 year pensioner LTR obtained through the Thailand Board of Investment. The LTR requires insurance and you have to have an $80,000/yr passive income. If you are interested in this then check it out on the BOI website.

@Kev ********

After the first year of the OA visa you must leave Thailand without a reentry permit. Then reenter Thailand as a tourist and apply for a nonimmigrant O visa. Or you can get an O visa at a Thai consulate outside of Thailand.

I opened a Kasikorn account in Bangkok. Last year I moved to Sisaket province. The Kasikorn branch here just changed my mailing address. My branch is still in Bangkok. Fortunately I do little business inside any branch. If I withdraw money using cardless withdrawal I don’t get charged the 15 baht fee.

@David ***

No. You can’t convert an OA to an O inside Thailand. You have to leave Thailand to kill the OA and the enter and start the process to get an O and subsequent extensions of stay.

@Kenny *****************

If you have the right insurance then Immigration will process your extension off stay of an OA just like an O visa. Makes no difference to them.

There is a list of Thai insurance companies that qualify. I have Pacific Cross. In theory you can get a form that his insurance company can sign stating that their coverage satisfies the Thai requirements. I've heard that some (many?) insurance companies won't sign it but i have no experience with this. It is definitely worth a try. I still recommend going for the nonimmigrant O visa with subsequent 1 year extensions of stay. It just sounds easier to me

I asked about his country of origin because he should able to meet the financial requirements using an income affidavit from the French embassy. This is something he should ask the embassy about.

Are you aware of the 10-year pensioner LTR visa available from the Thailand Board of Investment? That is what I have now. It also needs insurance and has a financial requirement of a yearly income $80,000 USD/yr. It costs 50,000 baht for 10 years.

You can only apply for an OA visa from a Thai consulate in your home country. I had an OA for 6 years. It is an interesting visa but it comes with an insurance requirement for the visa and subsequent extensions of stay. I recommend that you pursue a 90 day O visa which can the be extended yearly without the insurance requirement.

It would help to know what country he is from. The requirements vary.

@Natalie *******

Yes I made an appointment and I went directly to the BOI office