First Time Retirement Visa

[Manforallseasons]

bkkguy, the O-A and O-B visa are different only as the 0-A is gotten in one’s home country whereas the O-B can only be obtained in Thailand.

[francois]

I thought that a "B" visa was for Business?

[Manforallseasons]

I thought that a "B" visa was for Business?

No, if you look at your original 1 year visa if you got it in Thailand as I did it will be noted as an O-B visa as I did, If your initial 1 year visa was gotten at a Thai embassy in the U.S. U.K. etc. it will be noted as a O-A visa.

[francois]

No, if you look at your original 1 year visa if you got it in Thailand as I did it will be noted as an O-B visa as I did, If your initial 1 year visa was gotten at a Thai embassy in the U.S. U.K. etc. it will be noted as a O-A visa.

I got my visa in Thailand and it was a Non-O Visa (retirement) which I get annual extensions.

Here is a listing of types of visas available per LA Consulate in USA; I don't see a Non0-B listed?


Visa types and purpose of visit


Visa types Category Purpose of visit
Diplomatic Visa D to enter the Kingdom of Thailand for diplomatic purposes.
Official Visa F to enter the Kingdom of Thailand for official purposes.
Transit Visa TS to transit to another country or to re-enter his/her own country
S to participate in sports activities
C the person in charge or crew of a conveyance coming to a port

Tourist Visa

TR (Single) to enter for tourism purposes
TR (Single) to enter for training (boxing, scuba diving, and yoga training) – Suspended –
STV to enter for tourism purposes (permitted to stay up to 90 days)
MT
to enter for a medical treatment at hospitals / medical facilities – Suspended –
METV to enter for tourism purpose (Multiple entries)
Non-Immigrant Visa
NON – B
to work (Working)
NON – B
to conduct business by invitation (Business)
NON – B
to work as a teacher (Teaching)
NON – IB
to conduct business as Investor through Board of Investment (BOI)
NON – ED
to study
NON – ED
to do an internship
NON – F
to perform official duties in Thailand
NON – M
to work as a film-producer
NON – M
to work as journalist or reporter
NON – O to perform duty or mission in the family of an alien.
NON – O to stay with family in Thailand
NON – O
a person who used to have Thai nationality to visit Thai relatives
NON – O to perform volunteering duties
NON – O to receive medical treatment for more than 60 days – Suspended –
NON – O to be a sport trainer as required by the Thai Government
NON – O to be a contestant or a witness for the judicial process
NON – O
to stay in Thailand after retirement (at least 50 years of age)
NON – O-A Long Stay retirement (up to 1 year) (for at least 50 years of age)
NON – O-X Long Stay retirement (up to 5 years) (for at least 50 years of age)
NON – RS to conduct scientific research / training / teaching in a research institute
NON – R
to perform religious / missionary works (single entry)
NON – RA to perform religious / missionary works (Multiple entry)
Special Entry SE Thailand Privilege Card (Elite Card) holder.
Privilege Entry PE Thailand Privilege Card (Elite Card) holder.

SMART Visa


T to enter as Highly skilled professionals
I to enter as Investors in technology-based business
E to enter as Senior executives in technology-based companies
S to enter as Technology-based startup entrepreneurs
O to enter as legal dependents of Smart Visa holders

[2lz2p]

I got my visa in Thailand and it was a Non-O Visa (retirement) which I get annual extensions.

Here is a listing of types of visas available per LA Consulate in USA; I don't see a Non0-B listed?

I agree. To my knowledge, there is no such thing as an O-B Visa. If you Google a Thailand Non-Immigrant O-B visa, you will not get any information as the sites listing are for categories O, O-A, or B, but none for O-B.

Those obtaining a Non-Immigrant Visa in Thailand for purpose of retirement (or married/related to a Thai) are issued a Non-Immigrant O Visa. The Non-Immigrant O-A Visa i is issued only by Thai Embassies/Consulates in the applicant's country of residence - which is only available in some countries, not all.

If obtaining an annual extension of the one year stay from Pattaya Immigration, it should note the underlying Visa on which it is based. If based on retirement, it should show either Non-O or Non-OA.

[francois]

Dodger as you get older the cost of this insurance will increase until, at a certain age, you will no longer be eligible. I suggest you consider switching to an Non O visa and then do annual extensions. You would have to leave Thailand and return and then apply for the Non O visa and then extensions.

[Dodger]

Dodger as you get older the cost of this insurance will increase until, at a certain age, you will no longer be eligible. I suggest you consider switching to an Non O visa and then do annual extensions. You would have to leave Thailand and return and then apply for the Non O visa and then extensions.

Thanks, but the O visa just doesn't seem like a good fit for me.

I wouldn't want to be forced to leave the country every year just to maintain my visa, and Non O visa holders will almost certainly be required to carry health insurance in the future anyway.

The increase in cost of my health insurance as I get older has already been planned for, and I'm really not concerned about my eligibility going forward. A lot of scrutiny went into my selection of an insurer for this very reason, which is one reason I went with Pacific Cross.

MFAS, if you're reading this, I think they may have made a mistake when issuing your original long-stay visa. Unless you were working in Thailand at the time you should have received a Non O visa. B is for business.

[Manforallseasons]

Dodger did you get your initial 1 year visa in the U.S.? We both use the same insurance broker when the new need for insurance was mandated I was concerned as my insurance covers 1 million USD for inpatient only and the mandate states you also need outpatient coverage so I took my original passport with visa in it to our broker he showed me the Non immigrant O-B and said I was lucky I got it while in Thailand as some of his clients like yourself got it out of Thailand and only then were subject to the new mandate.

[Dodger]

Dodger did you get your initial 1 year visa in the U.S.? We both use the same insurance broker when the new need for insurance was mandated I was concerned as my insurance covers 1 million USD for inpatient only and the mandate states you also need outpatient coverage so I took my original passport with visa in it to our broker he showed me the Non immigrant O-B and said I was lucky I got it while in Thailand as some of his clients like yourself got it out of Thailand and only then were subject to the new mandate.

Yes, I obtained my initial O-A Retirement Visa while in the States.

When I first started coming to Thailand it was for business purposes and classified "B".

My policy with PC includes both In-patient and out-patient coverage (and covid) so I'm good-to-go with Immigration.

That "OB" on your visa remains a mystery. Maybe you had something else that started with "B" on your mind and just imagined it being there?

[Manforallseasons]

Yes, I obtained my initial O-A Retirement Visa while in the States.
That "OB" on your visa remains a mystery. Maybe you had something else that started with "B" on your mind and just imagined it being there?

No mystery as 3 friends here also got there initial 1yr visa at Jomtien also have 0-B……only mystery is that someone like yourself with a wealth of knowledge about everything Thai did realize you could have saved yourself some worry had you done your “retirement” visa at Jomtien.