Multiple Entry O-A Visa

[Robby nz]

I know this has been covered before but I still haven't got it right in my head

I have recently obtained an O-A multi entry visa and will be arriving over there soon

I understand that with 90day reporting after 12 months I will have to apply for renewal and at that time deposit 800K bht in a Thai bank.

However I did read that if you leave the country and return the 12 months would start again from your re-entry date or something similar

This would mean the origional 12 months can be streached out allowing cash to be kept in interest bearing accounts overseas

Anyone put me right on this

Robby

[lopburi3]

That is how it has happened to some in the past but is not how it should happen. I would not plan on doing it that way and indeed would plan to extend at the end of my first year regardless of any stamp put into my passport.

[doctormann]

This would mean the origional 12 months can be streached out allowing cash to be kept in interest bearing accounts overseas

I'm just about to test this out.

I have a multiple O-A that expires 02 August although my entry stamp is valid until October. I sought advice from Immigration in Pattaya as to when I should apply for the extension and was told that, as I have a multiple O-A, if I were to leave Thailand and return before the expiry date of the visa then I would indeed be stamped in for 12 months on my return.

Whether Immigration at Don Muang will see it this way remains to be seen but, if they don't, I lose nothing as I will still be legal until October. I was careful to ask about re-entry permits and was told that I don't need one provided I return by 02 August.

We shall see.

[Robby nz]

Thanks Lop

one more thing

Does the 90 day and 12 months start from the date of issue of the visa or from date of entry into the country

Robby

[jef]

From the day of entry

[harpman88]

This would mean the origional 12 months can be streached out allowing cash to be kept in interest bearing accounts overseas

I'm just about to test this out.

I have a multiple O-A that expires 02 August although my entry stamp is valid until October. I sought advice from Immigration in Pattaya as to when I should apply for the extension and was told that, as I have a multiple O-A, if I were to leave Thailand and return before the expiry date of the visa then I would indeed be stamped in for 12 months on my return.

Whether Immigration at Don Muang will see it this way remains to be seen but, if they don't, I lose nothing as I will still be legal until October. I was careful to ask about re-entry permits and was told that I don't need one provided I return by 02 August.

We shall see.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Doc,As long as you leave/renter before Aug. 2 you should get another 365 days upon arriving at Don Muang no problem. In other words,Pattaya Immigration is indeed correct. Just make sure you get a rentry permit to protect any 365 day

admitted until date that occurs after Aug. 2. Robby,Im doing the same as you...(keeping as much cash as possible in a home country money mkt. acct.,for as long as possible) Id leave/return to LOS just before the OA visa expiry date (printed in my multi OA as the "must be utilized by" date) and then follow the same guidelines as outlined above and by Pattaya Immigration. All the best,the Harpman

[doctormann]

Hi Harpman

Can you explain what you meant here?

Just make sure you get a rentry permit to protect any 365 day admitted until date that occurs after Aug. 2.

Does this only apply if I want to leave and return after the visa expiry date?

Pattaya Immigration implied that I don't need a re-entry permit as long as I am back in Thailand by August 02.

Were you thinking that I should get a re-entry anyway, as a safeguard?

Sorry if this is confusing but I want to get it right to save possible hassles further down the line.

Thanks

DM

[harpman88]

Hi Harpman

Can you explain what you meant here?

Just make sure you get a rentry permit to protect any 365 day admitted until date that occurs after Aug. 2.

Does this only apply if I want to leave and return after the visa expiry date?

Pattaya Immigration implied that I don't need a re-entry permit as long as I am back in Thailand by August 02.

Were you thinking that I should get a re-entry anyway, as a safeguard?

Sorry if this is confusing but I want to get it right to save possible hassles further down the line.

Thanks

DM

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi again,Doc M,Yes,as Pattaya Imm. explains.,you must protect any 365 day"admitted until" date that occurs AFTER your OA visa expiry date(printed in my OA as the "must be utilized by date") ,365 days from date of issue. by obtaining a rentry permit.

You no longer have a OA visa or any of the privileges that come with it once this date passes.

The 365 day admitted until date that comes after your OA visa expiry date also becomes the date by which you must apply for your extension of stay for the next 365 days if you wish to do so. Hope this helps,the Harpman.

[mrbojangles]

Is there anybody else who feels the same as me....totally confused on what is right

Mr BoJ

Edited July 7, 2005 by mrbojangles

[doctormann]

This would mean the origional 12 months can be streached out allowing cash to be kept in interest bearing accounts overseas

I'm just about to test this out.

I have a multiple O-A that expires 02 August although my entry stamp is valid until October. I sought advice from Immigration in Pattaya as to when I should apply for the extension and was told that, as I have a multiple O-A, if I were to leave Thailand and return before the expiry date of the visa then I would indeed be stamped in for 12 months on my return.

Whether Immigration at Don Muang will see it this way remains to be seen but, if they don't, I lose nothing as I will still be legal until October. I was careful to ask about re-entry permits and was told that I don't need one provided I return by 02 August.

We shall see.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

********************** UPDATE ***********************

Yes, it really works.

I can confirm that anyone holding a multiple entry O-A can obtain a further 12-month stay in the Kingdom by leaving and returning within the validity of the visa. You do not need a re-entry permit provided that the visa is still unexpired on the date that you return. I have just done this with no problems whatsoever - Immigration at Don Muang stamped my passport with the date 22 July 2006.

No need for medicals, money in bank or anything else. No tea money required either!

Of course, this only puts off the evil day for 12 months (when I shall need to extend in the 'normal' way) but, for the moment, the cash can stay in an interest earning account elsewhere so I'm actually feeling quite happy about the situation.

Anyone in a similar situation - do it soon before they close the loophole (if indeed it is a loophole - Thai government giving you something for nothing??)

DM

[Larryst]

Do you get a 12 month stamp extension if you fly to Cambodia, before your retirement visa is up.

[lopburi3]

Do you get a 12 month stamp extension if you fly to Cambodia, before your retirement visa is up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is only on the initial O-A multi entry visa issue and not on a normal extension of stay or after the first year. You can try but I would be sure to arrive back in Thailand with a few days remaining on your O-A visa so that if you do not get it you have time to apply for the normal extension of stay for retirement with bank money/pension income.

[doctormann]

Do you get a 12 month stamp extension if you fly to Cambodia, before your retirement visa is up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't see any reason why this should not work for you. My little trip was to Singapore, for three days, but flying into Don Muang from Cambodia should not be any different.

However, there is always the caveat that everything is 'at the discretion of the individual immigration officer' so if you catch one on a bad day who knows? As Lop has said, it's a good idea to leave yourself a bit of time for contingencies. I was working on the assumption that I would not be refused entry as long as my visa had not expired. My original 'admitted until ...' date would still have been 'alive' as long as I met this requirement so, had immigration not given me the full year, I would have been no worse off anyway and would just have needed to extend 'normally'.

My understanding now is that I just have to report every 90 days, as before. If I want to leave the Kingdom again and re-enter I must now (well after 02 August) get a re-entry permit as my original visa will have expired.

Just what the situation will be in twelve months time remains to be seen. I am not clear if, when I extend, I get an entirely new visa stamp (in which case it might be possible to get a multiple entry again) or merely a new 'admitted until ...' stamp, in which case re-entry permits will be needed for any traveling. Perhaps Lop could shed some light on this?

DM

[lopburi3]

You will get an "extension of stay permitted up to" stamp with a retirement red stamp. No more visas.

[harpman88]

Do you get a 12 month stamp extension if you fly to Cambodia, before your retirement visa is up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Larry,it doesnt matter at all where you go,as long as you re-enter Thailand before your multi OA expiry date,365 days from date of issue. If (not at all likely) you

get an Imm.officer at BKK airport that doesnt understand this(they've become a lot more well briefed on multi OAs within the past year or so), smile ,be polite ,and ask for a superior officer. But again,I doubt very seriously this will happen. But allowing yourself at least a couple of days before visa expiry date upon arrival

back in Thailand is not at all a bad idea.

[Larryst]

It sounds like you can get an extra 365 days if you go thru Don Muang immigration. Or can you also get the same if you do a visa run taxi to Cambodia? My retirement visa expires in February 15, 2006. So if I go to Cambodia around the 8th for 2 days and return back to Thailand I should get it. Do they stamp my passport at the immigration desks when you disembark your plane, or is there a immigration office I would have to check in? If you go to the states in April or May 2006, does your 365 visa extention continues and you do the 90 day check in with immigration?

[thaiflyer1]

It sounds like you can get an extra 365 days if you go thru Don Muang immigration. Or can you also get the same if you do a visa run taxi to Cambodia? My retirement visa expires in February 15, 2006. So if I go to Cambodia around the 8th for 2 days and return back to Thailand I should get it. Do they stamp my passport at the immigration desks when you disembark your plane, or is there a immigration office I would have to check in? If you go to the states in April or May 2006, does your 365 visa extention continues and you do the 90 day check in with immigration? 

The extra 365 days only applies to those people who hold a Multiple entry Non Immigrant O-A visa i.e.............they applied for and qualified for the year stamp upon arrival in Thailand before leaving their home country as opposed to those people who arrive in Thailand and then go to Immigration to apply for the 1 year extension of stay.

Providing you come under the first category you can exit and re-enter Thailand to and from whereever and each entry will attract a fresh 365 day stay as long as your last entry is before Febuary 14 2006. The fresh 365 days stamp will be issued at whichever checkpoint you come through upon your return into the country.

If we assume you renew your visa in Feb 2006 and you decide to go to the States in April you will need to apply for a re-entry permit this will protect your 365 day extension of stay upon your return. The re-entry permits come in 2 forms a single re-entry permit (1000baht) or a multiple re-entry permit (3800baht with 1 year validity) allowing multiple trips overseas.

Edit ...........not wishing to sound patronising but please be sure you understand the difference between an 0-A and and an O visa.

Edited July 26, 2005 by thaiflyer1

[lopburi3]

Thaiflyer1 provided a good breakdown but a re-entry is only valid for the time remaining on your permitted to stay stamp. So if that is one month from now the re-entry permit would only be valid one month regardless of it being a multi type.

[thaiflyer1]

Thaiflyer1 provided a good breakdown but a re-entry is only valid for the time remaining on your permitted to stay stamp.  So if that is one month from now the re-entry permit would only be valid one month regardless of it being a multi type.

Correct Lop.................