A question regarding the 12-month O-A Longterm Visa ...

[smiles]

Some background info:

• I am in Thailand (Hua Hin) on a Non-Immigrant 12-month multiple entry 'O-A' visa (retirement).
• I received it in Vancouver on August 13/08. The visa document states that I must enter Thailand no later than August 12/09.
• I actually entered Thailand about one month later, on September 15/08, at which time I received a passport entry stamp stating the arrival date and that I had until September 14/09 before I must leave Thailand.

I intend on leaving Thailand for Canada on April 2/09 (with re-entry document) and (planning!) coming back to Thailand 'around' September 3rd, giving me until Sept 14th to extend the retirement visa.

But the other day (i.e. just BEFORE the (apparently) f%#*ing move to Prachuap reported in another thread!!) the Imm agent startled me by pointing out that I had in fact to be back in Thailand before August 12 in order to preserve my visa staus ... even though the entry stamp says I am OK to stay in Thailand until September 14th.

I have yet to fill in my Re-entry Permit (form #TM-8) as I am now very confused as to the dates I must return to Thailand so as to not jeopardize my 12-month visa.

Can anyone enlighten me?
For personal family reasons the September return date is rather important to me. I of course will come back by Aug 12 if necessary to keep my Retirement visa ... but I would much prefer the Sept dates.

As usual, I have asked around ... and (as usual) received conflicting replies: a couple of replies said I have to stick to the dates on the visa ... the others have suggested the Imm officer was incorrect, or at the very least did not fully understand what I was asking him.



Here are a couple of photos of the relavent pages from my passport:

This is the O-A visa document pasted into my passport



This is entry stamp received at the airport on arrival



Hope you can shed some light on this.

Cheers ...

[lomuamart]

Your visa will expire on August 12th, so any entries you make must be before that to get another year despite what your permitted to stay stamp says.
As long as your last entry to Thailand is on or before August 11th, you'll get another year. You've got a multi-entry so there's no need for a re-entry permit in the first year - as long as you come in before the visa expires. You can exit and re-enter as many times as you like and get a year each time. Say you come back in on August 10th 2009, your permitted to stay stamp will be until August 9th 2010. If you exit again after August 12th 2009 - the second year - you'll need the re-entry permit to keep your date of August 9th 2010 alive as the visa has expired.
Hope that makes sense.

[malcolminthemiddle]

For personal family reasons the September return date is rather important to me.

What's so important about keeping the existing visa alive? Why not just apply for a new O-A visa after the existing visa expires. You'll be in Canada anyway.

Or am I missing something?

[Takiap]

Sorry this is slightly off topic but from you've just said Lomu, would I be correct in thinking................

I currently have a 90 single entry Non O (marriage) which is about to expire early next month. If I were to do a border run, would I then get another three months? If not, how long do you think I would get? I'm just thinking that maybe I can postpone my Laos adventure for a month or two in the meantime.

Thanks for any advice

S

[MrD]

You will get 90 more days if you do a visa run before the visa expires.

[Spitfire]

I currently have a 90 single entry Non O (marriage) which is about to expire early next month.............

A bit here but,

If I'm reading your post correctly Takiap then the answer is "No", remember it's single entry. To get another 90 days you have to go to an embassy/consulate and do the applying thing for a new Non-O, not a problem to get another and can have as many as you want on the trot.

What you are considering is multi-entry related I think.

I think if you just hop over the border and do not visit an embassy etc then you'll just be granted the 15 day bunch of useless rubbish.

Maybe I'm not reading/infering this one right.

[lomuamart]

Takiap,
Spitfire's right. The visa should have "used" stamped on it from when you crossed back in initially after getting it. It's only good for one entry of 90 days. You can keep your permitted to stay stamp alive by getting a re-entry permit, but that dosn't seem to be worthwhile in your situation.
The OP has a multi-entry visa so he can exit and re-enter as many times as he likes whilst the visa's still valid and get one year at a time (OA).
You'll get a 15 day visa exempt stamp if you do what you're suggesting.

[MrD]

Thanks guys. I missed the word single....

[Takiap]

Thanks guys. Yes I think I was too hasty posting that question....lol.

15 days................i wouldn't waste my time with it. The last time I went to KL there were quite a few people that I spoke too who had been here on holiday but they were heading out to explore elsewhere as they said it was not their while returing back into Thailand considering they only get 15 days. Yes sure they were not the so called "well heeled" tourists but their money was the same colour and it's a pity to see Thailand actually discouraging tourists. Anyway, TIT

[smiles]

As a short denouement to this thread:

As explained in the original post my O-A 12-mth Visa has an 'ending' date of August 12/09.

But this morning, I had no problem receiving a re-entry stamp (single re-entry, 1000 baht) allowing me to re-enter Thailand on any date before Sept 14/09 (i.e. 12 months after my entry on Sept 15/08). The fact that the actual visa expires on Aug 12 was not an issue.
Consequently, I am able to receive my 12 month extension of permission to stay in Thailand any time between next arrival date (which will be 'about' Sept 3) and Sept. 14th.

For those contemplating the re-entry application you will need:

• Your passport
• Immigration Form RM.8
• 1000 baht (single entry) or 3800 baht (multiple entry)
• One passport-size photo
• Photocopy of your passport personal information page (photocopying can be done at the Imm Office, 5 baht a page)
• Photocopy of the original entry/exit form (stapled in your passport)
• Photocopy of your visa and 'Admitted Until' stamp page.

All is well, and once again, thanks for all the advice.

Cheers ...

[lomuamart]

smiles,
Good for you. As you have experienced, you needed the re-entry permit to keep your permitted to stay stamp alive and allow you time to get your extension application done when you return.
Once you're in The Kingdom, the permitted to stay stamp in all-important. It takes precedence over any visa validity. Ie, my last visa expired in September 2008 but it dosn't matter as I've got an annual extension. There are plenty of people whose visa expired 10 or so years ago, but as they extend annually, again it dosn't matter.
However, don't lose your passport because the original visa that you always work off is in it!!!

[Takiap]

Just a little update from my side as well:

As my single entry 90 O expires beginning of next month I was planning a trip to Laos. Anyway, I popped over to soi 23 yesterday to see if I can get my current vi9sa extended. They first told me they can only give me seven days but in the end they said they can give me 60 days if I want to take care of my two kids. So, it's sixty days more at a cost of 1900 baht.

Now I'm starting to think this arrangement will suit me just fine as it means I really get five months without any border runs and having to leave the country once every five months is in itself prfect for me - a nice excuse to get away and on the road every once in a while.