O-A After Extension of Stay

[Gtto]

I am not comfortable for various reasons of leaving 800k in a Thai bank. I was therefore planning on applying for a multiple entry O A in the USA. I currently have an extension of stay based on retirement. Does anyone know if it is a problem getting an O A after having this extension assuming all criteria are met? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

No problem for you to apply for a OA visa after having an extension issued here.

[mosan]

I just returned from the US. I did a Non-immigrant O-A Multiple Entry at the Thai Washington D.C. embassy. Went very smooth. Initiated a police report from the FBI online and they immediately emailed me a letter to send along with a fingerprint card which can be obtained from any police office or security firm.

 

I had to snail mail the fingerprint card to them and they snail mailed the results letter back to me. The FBI report came back in 11 days. They will email you the result, but the Thai Embassy wants originals for the police report (and the medical certificate) signed in blue or black ink.

 

Visited my local primary care doctor and she gave me a quick checkup and completed the medical certificate that I downloaded from the Thai embassy website...along with the 2 required application forms required for the O-A VISA.

 

Mailed by Unites States Postal Service Priority Mail Express (next day delivery $24.70) to:

 

Consular Section

Thai Embassy

2300 Kalorama Rd. N.W.

Washington D.C. 20008-1623

Tel. (202) 640-5658 / (202) 640-1439

Fax. (202) 459-9536

Email: [email protected]

 

- VISA application forms

- Two 2"x2" passport photos

-  FBI report (State or Federal) 

-  Medical certificate

-  $200 postal money order

-  Passport

- Social Security income letter (printed from the mySSA website)

- Defense Accounting and Finance (DFAS) income letter (printed from the myPAY website)

- Prepaid self addressed "stamped not metered" USPS Express envelope for the return of your passport.

 

I also threw in my 1099SSA (Social Security), and 1099R (Retired Pay) tax documents from 2018 for good measure as income verification.

 

I sent the originals and a copy of each item—they wanted 2 complete sets of everything— but no copies of passport pages needed, and no need to sign any copies of anything except the application forms themselves.

 

The entire process took about 15 days...YMMV

 

P.S. I've been living in Thailand since 2000 and always did extensions using the income affidavit from the US Embassy in Bangkok. With this process, I visited home and skipped the in-country Immigrations dance all in one fell swoop...although I did drop into the Immigrations Office after arrival and the Officer pulled up my credentials on her computer and completed the TM30 in about 15 minutes. Rumor has it I'll get 2 years out of this baby... 

Edited February 1, 2019 by mosan

[Gtto]

Mosan,

  Thanks for all that. Was it required to get the stuff from the FBI or will local police do? Could you leave the application  in person or did you have to do it by mail? I was going to go to the consulate in NY. The crazy part is that I will be there in three weeks but I have less than 12 months on my passport and no time to get a new one before I go or after I get there. That means I will have to fly back there when my extension runs out.

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, mosan said:

Initiated a police report from the FBI online

I did get my O-A from Washington, DC in March 2018 but I used my savings account to qualify based on money in the bank. However, I went to the county clerk's office and asked for a criminal background check and they did it on the sport and gave me a letter (it was local county check only). And I took my chance with that. The visa was granted.

 

Can you please publish the FBI online criminal background check link here? I may need it next time and better to book mark it. 

 

Yes, it can be used for two years. The first year it uses the visa and the second year you just have the Admitted till stamp in your passport and you require a re-entry permit if you wish to leave the country. It gives you one year of stay for every entry using the visa. If you leave Thailand and come back just before it expires (e.g. my visa expires March 28, 2019, hence I must leave and come back before March 28, 2019), it will give you a second year to stay legally in Thailand and you need a reentry permit in the second year. 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by onera1961

[Pib]

51 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Can you please publish the FBI online criminal background check link here? I may need it next time and better to book mark it. 

https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

 

[SpokaneAl]

14 hours ago, Gtto said:

Mosan,

  Thanks for all that. Was it required to get the stuff from the FBI or will local police do? Could you leave the application  in person or did you have to do it by mail? I was going to go to the consulate in NY. The crazy part is that I will be there in three weeks but I have less than 12 months on my passport and no time to get a new one before I go or after I get there. That means I will have to fly back there when my extension runs out.

I am from WA state and request a background check via the Washington State Patrol web site. I pay $10 extra and receive a notarized copy within a few days via the USPS, with no fingerprint cards required. The key point when requesting a background check is to be sure they will check histories of both felony and misdemeanor issues.

 

I have done this over several years with no problems.

 

P.S. The OP listed the required documents from the Thai Embassy in WA DC. Know that the requirements are a bit different in other locations. I use the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles and there are differences in the numbers of required copies etc from what the Thai Embassy wants.

[AAArdvark]

16 hours ago, Gtto said:

Mosan,

  Thanks for all that. Was it required to get the stuff from the FBI or will local police do? Could you leave the application  in person or did you have to do it by mail? I was going to go to the consulate in NY. The crazy part is that I will be there in three weeks but I have less than 12 months on my passport and no time to get a new one before I go or after I get there. That means I will have to fly back there when my extension runs out.

Specifically, local police are excluded.  It must be state or federal. 

[SpokaneAl]

Specifically, local police are excluded.  It must be state or federal. 

As long as they have the ability to provide the correct documentation, I see no evidence that local police are excluded. This comes from the LA Thai Consulate website -

“Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence.”


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[Tapster]

@Gtto

 

The OA visa will give you some time in Thailand without having to have money in a Thai bank, but to extend it annually, you'll have to deposit money, or use the income route.

 

 

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

[mention=174500]Gtto[/mention]
 
The OA visa will give you some time in Thailand without having to have money in a Thai bank, but to extend it annually, you'll have to deposit money, or use the income route.
 
 
 
 

You can get a second year out of the o-a visa by doing a border run. Each time up to the enter before date on the visa that you do the border run you will get an additional year, with no financial requirements. After that point one must apply for an extension of stay - there is no way to “extend it annually.”


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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

29 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

You can get a second year out of the o-a visa by doing a border run. Each time up to the enter before date on the visa that you do the border run you will get an additional year, with no financial requirements. After that point one must apply for an extension of stay - there is no way to “extend it annually.”
 

 

 

Your use of the term border run is accurate, but I think that tends to conjure people taking buses or vans to Cambodia or Laos or Myanmar and such.

 

All that's required to obtain the 2nd year of permission to stay under the O-A is to depart Thailand and then re-enter before the first year validity of the O-A expires. Thus any kind of international travel out of Thailand and back accomplishes that, including a trip back to one's home country and then a return to Thailand.

 

[Thomas J]

19 hours ago, mosan said:

I just returned from the US. I did a Non-immigrant O-A Multiple Entry at the Thai Washington D.C. embassy. Went very smooth. Initiated a police report from the FBI online and they immediately emailed me a letter to send along with a fingerprint card which can be obtained from any police office or security firm.

 

I had to snail mail the fingerprint card to them and they snail mailed the results letter back to me. The FBI report came back in 11 days. They will email you the result, but the Thai Embassy wants originals for the police report (and the medical certificate) signed in blue or black ink.

 

Visited my local primary care doctor and she gave me a quick checkup and completed the medical certificate that I downloaded from the Thai embassy website...along with the 2 required application forms required for the O-A VISA.

 

Mailed by Unites States Postal Service Priority Mail Express (next day delivery $24.70) to:

 

Consular Section

Thai Embassy

2300 Kalorama Rd. N.W.

Washington D.C. 20008-1623

Tel. (202) 640-5658 / (202) 640-1439

Fax. (202) 459-9536

Email: [email protected]

 

- VISA application forms

- Two 2"x2" passport photos

-  FBI report (State or Federal) 

-  Medical certificate

-  $200 postal money order

-  Passport

- Social Security income letter (printed from the mySSA website)

- Defense Accounting and Finance (DFAS) income letter (printed from the myPAY website)

- Prepaid self addressed "stamped not metered" USPS Express envelope for the return of your passport.

 

I also threw in my 1099SSA (Social Security), and 1099R (Retired Pay) tax documents from 2018 for good measure as income verification.

 

I sent the originals and a copy of each item—they wanted 2 complete sets of everything— but no copies of passport pages needed, and no need to sign any copies of anything except the application forms themselves.

 

The entire process took about 15 days...YMMV

 

P.S. I've been living in Thailand since 2000 and always did extensions using the income affidavit from the US Embassy in Bangkok. With this process, I visited home and skipped the in-country Immigrations dance all in one fell swoop...although I did drop into the Immigrations Office after arrival and the Officer pulled up my credentials on her computer and completed the TM30 in about 15 minutes. Rumor has it I'll get 2 years out of this baby... 

What do you do regarding renewals?  Do you have to travel back to the USA or can you do that from Thailand? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One question that occurs to me here is this:

 

How does someone who's actually living in Thailand, and making a trip back to the U.S. to apply for and obtain an O-A, best obtain the fingerprint/criminal records clearance QUICKLY without being stuck waiting in the U.S. for a long period waiting for the mailed return of the records history, and only then being able to go to the Consulate to apply, which has its own turnaround/waiting period?

 

Is there anyway to start the criminal records request process from Thailand so that the turnaround time in the U.S. is minimized?

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

What do you do regarding renewals?  Do you have to travel back to the USA or can you do that from Thailand? 

 

The O-A cannot be renewed. You'd need to travel back to the U.S. every 1-2 years to apply for a new one...

 

The alternative, of course, is to instead apply for an extension of stay based on retirement from Thai Immigration. But that's getting increasingly complicated and burdensome with the new/latest rules involving having to import monthly income into Thailand and/or having to keep Thai bank deposit funds above a 400,000 baht level for the entirety of the year, apart from the 800K requirement for 3 months preceding your application.

 

[SpokaneAl]

One question that occurs to me here is this:
 
How does someone who's actually living in Thailand, and making a trip back to the U.S. to apply for and obtain an O-A, best obtain the fingerprint/criminal records clearance QUICKLY without being stuck waiting in the U.S. for a long period waiting for the mailed return of the records history, and only then being able to go to the Consulate to apply, which has its own turnaround/waiting period?
 
Is there anyway to start the criminal records request process from Thailand so that the turnaround time in the U.S. is minimized?
 

If you have a US address, I would think that, depending on what state you live in, using your US address you could get the criminal records requirements done. Just make sure to check the Consulate or Embassy website you are dealing with to ensure your report is within the required timeframe.


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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

If you have a US address, I would think that, depending on what state you live in, using your US address you could get the criminal records requirements done. Just make sure to check the Consulate or Embassy website you are dealing with to ensure your report is within the required timeframe.
 

 

 

It was the fingerprinting part I was thinking of mainly.... If you can only do that once you're back in the States, then you're having to wait for the processing and return mail turnaround time.

 

I have addresses in the U.S.  But if I have to wait to start the process until I go to have fingerprinting done in the U.S., that's going to require days of sitting around waiting for the return of the DOJ document, and only then can I go to the Consulate with my application package.

 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, Tapster said:

@Gtto

 

The OA visa will give you some time in Thailand without having to have money in a Thai bank, but to extend it annually, you'll have to deposit money, or use the income route.

 

 

 

 

You get two years stay for each Visa with no need of money in a Thai bank. I am sure a trip home every 2 years will become more common!

Edited February 2, 2019 by jacko45k

[mosan]

The multiple O-A VISA can be renewed for a second year so I will not have to return for a new one until 2021--however that was my plan all along. The trip is to serve as a time to visit my family and acquire a new VISA.  And the police report/criminal records check can be started online at the FBI website.  The turnaround is actually very quick. As noted the entire process for the VISA (including getting the police report) only took 15 days.  

 

I intend to spend more than a month at home and in many cases up to 3 months.  Anyone spending $900 for a round trip ticket to the states for under 30 days is waste of money in my opinion.

 

And, yes, I can apply for an extension of stay right here in Thailand, but then I really want to skip the in-country process and leave my money in the US...

 

The whole process was completed through the mail, no need to travel to the embassy or consulate, however you can if you'd like.

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by mosan

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, mosan said:

The multiple O-A VISA can be renewed for a second year

 

You're not "renewing" the O-A visa for a second year.

 

You're simply making use of the original one year visa you obtained, and earning a final one-more-year permission to stay stamp based on that visa by leaving and returning to Thailand before the original one-year period of the visa expires.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, mosan said:

I intend to spend more than a month at home and in many cases up to 3 months.  Anyone spending $900 for a round trip ticket to the states for under 30 days is waste of money in my opinion.

 

In the past at least, American expats living abroad full-time had to be careful to not stay too long back in the U.S. during any calendar year in order to preserve their foreign residency exemption from the tax penalty for not having a qualified Obamacare health insurance policy.

 

However, I think that tax penalty provision for not having an ACA qualified policy is not going to apply for the 2018 tax year....and onward.

 

But it's still a pretty expensive place to stay for very long, if you don't have your own home or a family member's home to stay in. Nightly hotel rates are not cheap and add up very quickly.

 

[SpokaneAl]

 
It was the fingerprinting part I was thinking of mainly.... If you can only do that once you're back in the States, then you're having to wait for the processing and return mail turnaround time.
 
I have addresses in the U.S.  But if I have to wait to start the process until I go to have fingerprinting done in the U.S., that's going to require days of sitting around waiting for the return of the DOJ document, and only then can I go to the Consulate with my application package.
 

Are you certain that you need to get fingerprinted? I am a WA state resident and getting a criminal check via the WA State Patrol requires no fingerprinting.


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[Tapster]

@SpokaneAl

 

There are many pedants on TV.

Some correct people who talk about 'renewing their visa', and insist that they refer to an 'extension of stay' instead.

 

You have taken this to a new level, congratulations.

 

My use of the word extend implies my understanding of this.

 

 

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

[mention=176603]SpokaneAl[/mention]
 
There are many pedants on TV.
Some correct people who talk about 'renewing their visa', and insist that they refer to an 'extension of stay' instead.
 
You have taken this to a new level, congratulations.
 
My use of the word extend implies my understanding of this.
 
 
 
 

Precision when discussing visas, extensions of stay etc is important. The fact that the misuse of a word or phrase is not a problem for you does not help when others who are following the discussion are looking for insight.


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[mosan]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

In the past at least, American expats living abroad full-time had to be careful to not stay too long back in the U.S. during any calendar year in order to preserve their foreign residency exemption from the tax penalty for not having a qualified Obamacare health insurance policy.

 

However, I think that tax penalty provision for not having an ACA qualified policy is not going to apply for the 2018 tax year....and onward.

 

But it's still a pretty expensive place to stay for very long, if you don't have your own home or a family member's home to stay in. Nightly hotel rates are not cheap and add up very quickly.

 

The ACA tax thing does not kick in, I'm ex military (TRICARE for Life) and a couple of months in the US doesn't matter.  Also, I'm full in with a home in the US and I'm also well financed, so no problems there. Visiting home and acquiring a new O-A VISA (I know it's not a renewal--slip of the keyboard) is not for everyone, but it's a great option for some, and is excellent until the smoke clears from all of the confusion.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, mosan said:

The ACA tax thing does not kick in, I'm ex military (TRICARE for Life) and a couple of months in the US doesn't matter.  Also, I'm full in with a home in the US and I'm also well financed, so no problems there. Visiting home and acquiring a new O-A VISA (I know it's not a renewal--slip of the keyboard) is not for everyone, but it's a great option for some, and is excellent until the smoke clears from all of the confusion.

 The Obamacare tax penalty I believe has now gone away for everyone... so that should no longer be an issue.

 

But not every expat maintains a home in the U.S., and no matter how well financed, +- $100 a night hotel bills for those who don't still add up quickly.

 

[mosan]

Surely you understand that this is just banter of a "personal" nature and is placed here solely for those readers who may need to consider other options.  Owning a home or spending nights in a hotel are not pre-requisites for a visit.  There may be friends, family members (like my son, daughter, sister and brother in my particular case) who may be able and willing to host an individual... The key phrase in my post above was "is not for everyone, but is a great option for some".  In fact, I have a neighbor from the UK, who has done exactly what we're talking about each and every year for the past 10 years that I've know him.

Edited February 2, 2019 by mosan

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

Are you certain that you need to get fingerprinted? I am a WA state resident and getting a criminal check via the WA State Patrol requires no fingerprinting.
 

 

 

When I looked at the Calif State site for that earlier today, it seemed to talk about requiring fingerprinting with a state approved entity.... But they apparently also had two different kinds of processes, depending on the purpose for which the results letter is going to be used.  I will doublecheck.

 

[Pib]

Yea, there are various type of criminal background checks.  The ones that don't require fingerprinting are limited in nature.  Need to ensure you get the type that satisfies whoever you are submitting/getting it for.  Below Washington State website talks the differences.  

http://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history/

 

Over 10 years ago when getting my O-A Visa in Hawaii I went the FBI fingerprint method.  But the Thai Honorary Consulate in Hawaii was happy enough with an online Hawaii State printout (could be done online from your home for a few dollars...no fingerprinting...etc).  I went the FBI fingerprint route because I got the fingerprinting done free, the FBI check was only $12 at the time (I think it's $18 now) and I just wanted to see the results....see if the FBI possibly had any misinformation regarding me on file....like I had been convicted for bank robbery, spitting on the street somewhere, etc.  Kinda like how misinformation can get on a person's credit agency report.  My FBI check came back clean in approx two weeks and that's what I used for my O-A visa.

 

Below is what the Thai Embassy Washington DC says it required.  State or federal crimmal records check is satisfactory.  Says an "online" criminal records check without authorizer's signature is "unacceptable."   So that tells me a no fingerprint type background check is fine "if the background check results has a signature."

 

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

Quote

7.  Letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification have to valid for not more than three months and must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only. Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable )

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

 

Below is what the Thai Embassy Washington DC says it required.  State or federal crimmal records check is satisfactory.  Says an "online" criminal records check without authorizer's signature is "unacceptable."   So that tells me a no fingerprint type background check is fine "if the background check results has a signature."

 

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

 

 

Not surprisingly, the LA Consulate has different language:

 

Quote

 

6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence.  The verification must not be more than three months old. Please note we will not accept the receipt for Request for Live Scan Service unless it includes the actual report/results.

 

 

vs.

 

Quote

 

DC:

7.  Letter of verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification have to valid for not more than three months and must be issued from a state or Federal Bureau of Investigation only. Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable )

 

 

Still gotta figure out if I can get this done to the L.A. Consulate's satisfaction without the time hassle/delay of sending in fingerprints done while in L.A.

 

I guess I'd start by looking at their language referring to a report from their "nationality or residence" -- which is not part of the DC language. Presumably the nationality part would basically mean the FBI report. But residence part presumably would mean a report from a state law enforcement agency, even if requested thru some local entity.

 

But that latter aspect gets a bit more complicated for me, since my official residency on bank statements and DL is Texas, but if I were to apply for an O-A, I'd be staying in L.A. at the time. So maybe I can also explore making a records request thru the Texas state law enforcement entities, and see how their process compared to CA.

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK