Is Non-O from UK Possible

[DogNo1]

Today I talked with an acquaintance from the UK who told me that he planned to renew his one-year multiple-entry non-O visa that he had gotten at the Thai Embassy in the UK last January early next year.  He said that he had been required to put 800,000 in a Thai bank to get it.  I told him that as far as I knew, non-O visas were only obtainable in-country.  I told him that I supposed that when he applied for a new visa, he would be required to get an OA visa and would be required to buy health insurance.  He pulled up a website in the UK that apparently said that non-O visas were obtainable there but that they were now single entry only.  He was dismayed by the new Thai rules and said that he may just not come back to Thailand.

What he said was confusing to me and I don't understand why he would have to put money in a Thai bank to obtain a visa in the UK.  He said that he had gotten one-year multiple-entry visas in the UK for the past several years.   Knowing how old guys get confused about visas, I suspect that he got things mixed up.  Can anyone sort out what his visa status might be.

[SheungWan]

There is no requirement for money in a Thai bank in the application for an O-A visa. The single-entry non-Imm O visa can be obtained from the UK Thai Embassy.

[Mr Smithy]

It would appear that your acquaintance is confused. Visas cannot be renewed and 800,000 Baht is only required if applying for an extension of stay(which is not a visa) from immigration. Money in a Thai bank is not required if applying for a visa in the UK

[4evermaat]

What is his reason for qualifying for the non-o category visa? (visiting Thai family, retirement, etc).

 

Also, do not confuse non-O Visa with an Extension of Stay.

 

I think only the Thai embassy in London can issue ME visas now, but that could change.  @ubonjoe any ideas?

 

He could always get a ME non-O regionally if needed (Savannakhet, Penang, HCMC). 

 

 

[DogNo1]

Thanks.  Understood about the O-A and the single-entry visa from the UK.  Did there used to be a multi-entry non-O obtainable from the Thai Embassy? I'm not sure what my friend has.  

[DogNo1]

Right.  I'm also confused by his saying that he has money in a Thai bank.  His non-O visa expires in January before the date of his pre-purchased, non-refundable flight back to Bangkok.  He wants to get a ME visa for the purpose of retirement from the embassy in London before his return flight later in January.  He assumes that the visa will be good for one year and that he can make multiple trips to Thailand during that time. Is such a visa available?  If it is, I presume that his proof of income can come from a bank in the UK.  Is that correct?

[UKresonant]

The very useful non-O ME, 90days per entry, valid for one year from issue, ceased to be available from the RTE

London since 14th June 2019. (Generally marriage /retirement purpose description).

The 1 year ME O-A was still available, which required financial equivalent of 800000THB to be shown in a UK bank e.g. approx £21000 postal statement /statement with bank branch stamp and Signature. A Thai bank could be used with a letter from that bank in Thailand.

The financials  of the O-A could also be proved as a combination of a deposit account(s) balance, and separate account(s) showing an income stream showing the combined total total>£21000 / 800kTHB equiv..

The O-A also needed a police report, medical cert.

Since October the additional medical insurance requirement has made it much less practical for many. The conforming Thai medical insurance compulsion would have to be carefully checked, to see if It offered any cover whatsoever! (Rather than a quite expensive or impossible tick box requirement)

Single entry non-O visas, up to 90 days entry seem to still be available (with the DWP pension letter option). e-visa application and post/in person to London, or the good old paper application in person at one of the consulates....

These  SE non-Os (pension )can be extended to a 1 year extension of stay in Thailand, that requires the 800kTHB in the Thai bank for two months before requesting over there .the extension can have a multi-entry permit added to have similar ME capabilties. 

Not being out of the UK for more than 90days at a time, can keep some aspects simple. 

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by UKresonant

[steve187]

5 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

Right.  I'm also confused by his saying that he has money in a Thai bank.  His non-O visa expires in January before the date of his pre-purchased, non-refundable flight back to Bangkok.  He wants to get a ME visa for the purpose of retirement from the embassy in London before his return flight later in January.  He assumes that the visa will be good for one year and that he can make multiple trips to Thailand during that time. Is such a visa available?  If it is, I presume that his proof of income can come from a bank in the UK.  Is that correct?

multi entry non imm 'O' visas are not available in the UK now, single entry are available,  a multi entry non imm 'O''A visa is available from RTE, but as posted above requires police check and medical forms, and financials. another option would be a multi entry tourist visa, depends on how long he wants to stay in Thailand, 

[fishtank]

His choices appear to be a Single Entry Non Imm O Visa that can be extended at Immigration in Thailand.

OR.

A Non Imm O-A Visa that requires an expensive poor quality medical insurance.

Edited November 18, 2019 by fishtank

[jacko45k]

7 hours ago, SheungWan said:

There is no requirement for money in a Thai bank in the application for an O-A visa. The single-entry non-Imm O visa can be obtained from the UK Thai Embassy.

But would money in a Thai bank be accepted as financial proof? 

[UKresonant]

27 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

But would money in a Thai bank be accepted as financial proof? 

For the O-A=Yes (correct at Sept 2019, enqiry made to check feasibility of Thai deposit & UK income combo possibility)

But; Bankbook not enough, must have letter from the Thai bank that holds the deposit.( unsure of over what timecale such a letter would remain valid though).

Edited November 19, 2019 by UKresonant

[steve187]

18 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

For the O-A=Yes (correct at Sept 2019, enqiry made to check feasibility of Thai deposit & UK income combo possibility)

But; Bankbook not enough, must have letter from the Thai bank that holds the deposit.( unsure of over what timecale such a letter would remain valid though).

not sure if you would need a bank letter, will be very hard to get if out of the country

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, steve187 said:

not sure if you would need a bank letter, will be very hard to get if out of the country

The requirements for the O-A at the Embassy are not the same as those for a domestic extension. Simply stating  e.g. bank statements,  (original). No actual mention of the age of the statement. 

[UKresonant]

16 minutes ago, steve187 said:

not sure if you would need a bank letter, will be very hard to get if out of the country

Not sure either, but if you had the person I spoke to processing your application, and it was a Thai account she sounded quite clear that it would be! ????

Income in one account, and deposit in another, deposit account should not show many in-out transactions apparently, which ruled out using my FCD. 

Alas, discontinued interest after the 31stOct (O-A) ...event

[steve187]

i applied for a single entry married 'O' visa via hull and used a copy of my Thai bank book for financials, no letter

[DogNo1]

Many thanks for the detailed explanations.  I will relay the information to my friend.  He was unaware that the multi-entry non-O Visa ceased to be available in June.  There appear to be many other good options available to him.  I will suggest the local extension of stay to the three-month non-O since he apparently has the 800,000 in a Thai bank.

[misterphil]

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/Home/

 

 

[Mises]

I have been using non imm O multi entry for 10 years which is now no longer available.  Anyone know the rational behind that decision?  Luckily this year I needed a new one last month so I got a O-A multi entry before the need for the useless expensive insurance.  If this requirement is still in place next October and the £/baht is still under 40 I will look elsewhere.

[The Fat Controller]

A Single Entry Non O based on being married to a Thai is available from the Royal Thai Consulate in Glasgow WITHOUT any financial information at all.

[Max69xl]

10 hours ago, jacko45k said:

But would money in a Thai bank be accepted as financial proof? 

For the 1 year extension of the SE Non-Immigrant O at the local immigration office,yes. For the O-A, I guess no. 

[LivinLOS]

55 minutes ago, Mises said:

I have been using non imm O multi entry for 10 years which is now no longer available.  Anyone know the rational behind that decision?  Luckily this year I needed a new one last month so I got a O-A multi entry before the need for the useless expensive insurance.  If this requirement is still in place next October and the £/baht is still under 40 I will look elsewhere.

I also have been using this due to work commitments, and it leaves many of us falling through the gaps in the system. Last year I was one of the every last people to obtain a ME O.. and this year am resorting to singles, which will have to do for a couple of years until I hit 50. 

Also be aware, if travelling in and out on your ME OA, there is the possibility of the insurance question. Please do post successful entry experiences as this is a bit of a grey area at present (also pre oct 31 visa or post oct 31 visa). 

[UKresonant]

12 minutes ago, Mises said:

I have been using non imm O multi entry for 10 years which is now no longer available.  Anyone know the rational behind that decision?  Luckily this year I needed a new one last month so I got a O-A multi entry before the need for the useless expensive insurance.  If this requirement is still in place next October and the £/baht is still under 40 I will look elsewhere.

I could not find any stated rational, other than the e-visa system did not incorporate it in the initial design, and then that was cribbed across to the u.k. and France e-system intro. Some speculated that they took a dislike to people getting them and only leaving the country for a day and re-entering the next day continuously,  etc. 

Whatever the rational, if there ever was one, it's an unfortunate timing. I planned to use the non-O ME for some years, after planning my slightly earlier than expected departure from my work Q1 of 2018. Therefore my pension options were locked in at that decision point (which I do not regret on reflection, good financial adviser, must of anticipated the potential temptation to make poor financial choices, when Thai Imm. change their direction inconsistently ???? ).

So I'm still using my second non-O ME, but find myself rushing back at the start of February, to get a last entry from it, rather than applying for a new one at that time. Still will manage fit in a trip to RTE London with the daughter, to renew her Thai passport, and her birthday, so we can get a few things done.

 

So I will still have had a year and a bit in Thailand out of the two ME visas, which has been good.

 

Back to Single Entry non-O applications every time I'm back to the UK, from a consulate.

 

Dad's reverted to Tourist visas now, we'll just have to be careful to keep the fight book-ends within the 60 days, where before a slight few days, did not impact as it was a 90 day entry on the non-O ME. 

[Letseng]

18 hours ago, Mr Smithy said:

It would appear that your acquaintance is confused. Visas cannot be renewed and 800,000 Baht is only required if applying for an extension of stay(which is not a visa) from immigration. Money in a Thai bank is not required if applying for a visa in the UK

My recent experience at Thai Embassy Vienna a requirement of 20,000 € or equivalent in a bank anywhere in the world or a 1,500 €/month pension. This was for a NON-O ME visa. Rules seem to have changed. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Letseng

[Max69xl]

33 minutes ago, Letseng said:

My recent experience at Thai Embassy Vienna a requirement of 20,000 € or equivalent in a bank anywhere in the world or a 1,500 €/month pension. This was for a NON-O ME visa. Rules seem to have changed. 

There are no requirements like that.

You must have misread. There's been no changes in Vienna since 2015.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Max69xl

[Mises]

1 hour ago, LivinLOS said:

I also have been using this due to work commitments, and it leaves many of us falling through the gaps in the system. Last year I was one of the every last people to obtain a ME O.. and this year am resorting to singles, which will have to do for a couple of years until I hit 50. 

Also be aware, if travelling in and out on your ME OA, there is the possibility of the insurance question. Please do post successful entry experiences as this is a bit of a grey area at present (also pre oct 31 visa or post oct 31 visa). 

 

Ditto. I have a business in England and I return frequently so need ME. I last entered Thailand 26 October and no issue at immigration but as you say there could be.  I hope there is no problem this Saturday when I enter again.  If so I will post here.  I do have multi trip travel insurance far in excess of the Thai requirement but no stupid letter signed by a Director.

[Max69xl]

13 minutes ago, Mises said:

 

Ditto. I have a business in England and I return frequently so need ME. I last entered Thailand 26 October and no issue at immigration but as you say there could be.  I hope there is no problem this Saturday when I enter again.  If so I will post here.  I do have multi trip travel insurance far in excess of the Thai requirement but no stupid letter signed by a Director.

Do you have an O-A Visa or an O? 

No insurance needed for the O. 

[Letseng]

46 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

There are no requirements like that.

You must have misread. There's been no changes in Vienna since 2015.

I have not misread but had to provide the requested proof. It is not on their website but they ask for it. Go and find out.

I applied there in previous years when it was different.

[UKresonant]

1 hour ago, Letseng said:

My recent experience at Thai Embassy Vienna a requirement of 20,000 € or equivalent in a bank anywhere in the world or a 1,500 €/month pension. This was for a NON-O ME visa. Rules seem to have changed. 

That was similar to the RTE London, website, it asked for Income showing 3 months bank statements, 2018 £1400/month and first half of 2019 £1500/ month (pre-evisa days). But this was not actually enforced for the married 1 year non-0 ME, (the financial pack just came back with the passport). The income requirement listed on the website was the same as the retired requirement at those times 

Was your one a 1 year Longstay non-O ME as a pensioner? (UK also had the facility for non-O ME by showing a state pension letter).

 

I remember printing off the >£1400/m at the start of Jan 2019 and I think it was the next day I noticed it changed to £1500 ????, I had to advance a payment ~£40 ! in for that current month and reprint the summary and the part of month Jan bank statement. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by UKresonant

[treetops]

3 hours ago, UKresonant said:

I could not find any stated rational, other than the e-visa system did not incorporate it in the initial design, and then that was cribbed across to the u.k. and France e-system intro. Some speculated that they took a dislike to people getting them and only leaving the country for a day and re-entering the next day continuously,  etc. 

I don't believe there was any particular reason for it not being continued and it was just the fact the evisa application system was written around the Chinese process which never had an option for one so it wasn't written into the software.

[UKresonant]

1 hour ago, Mises said:

I do have multi trip travel insurance far in excess of the Thai requirement

Yes that's what I do as well, and never go to Thailand more than 90 days per trip. The coverage for medical is so high, I believe I would be expired, long before the limit was expended ????. But even though it is a no-excess policy, I would still pay any outpatient in Thailand by cash or debit card (even if I could get an effective Thai policy as well). I always view insurance as a thing to use as a last resort...