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Ellis
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Posts posted by Ellis
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After an inconclusive trip to Chaengwattana, I tried the airport yesterday evening and without any fuss an officer took my passport away and came back a few minutes later with it altered to one year. I mentioned to the officer that several people in recent days have reported getting in with a one year stamp, and he confirmed that this was what they were now doing after a meeting of immigration heads at the airport on 7th November. Reading other people's reports it seems that the period of stamping in people for 30 days and asking for insurance lasted for a few days only.
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13 hours ago, saengd said:14 hours ago, Thaidream said:
The O-A insurance project accordng to the info from the Health Ministery was to be a pilot project and IMo the project isn't doing well.
Is that written somewhere, if so where, please, I thought the O-X project was a pilot for this?
It's described as a pilot project here.
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6 hours ago, La Migra said:
Question for all: Have their been reports of anyone actually signing up/buying the insurance at the airport/port of entry?
I have read of those given a choice of 30 day visa exempt entry or buy - but no one opting to buy. (Plus the original post being given the option then being stamped in for 12 months).
So again, any reports of someone signing up/buying insurance at the airport?
I was shown two receipts for insurance on the immigration officer's smartphone for policies sold earlier that day. One was for a full year of cover, the second was six months to cover the length of the proposed stay.
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Another report from yesterday:
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Two more reports in the past 24 hours of people who did get in on pre October Non OA's without being asked for insurance. What the heck is going on here?
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28 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:seems to me they have clarified the rules and its expats that are in denial.
they are saying: if you want to enter on a non-oa you will need the mandated insurance.
sorry but everybody in immigration is telling you this, you said so yourself.
On the contrary, most officials I've spoken to admitted they didn't really understand the rules and wound up either referring things up the line, or making a phone call. They've been instructed how to play this by the senior mid ranking levels who've made a judgment call. The way hierarchy works here, this means that one person misinterprets it at a senior level and dozens of junior officers start repeating it. The only clarification I've seen of the rules is one directing officials to check remarks on a visa, which came after the original police order, which suggested that older visas and extensions would be unaffected as no remarks would be present.
No expats are in denial and unless you're personally affected by this issue right now you're out of line in criticising people for taking issue with it.
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1 minute ago, saengd said:
Can you supply a link please, I at least can't view what you've posted.
Image was unclear, I edited it now in the post above yours.
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Here's another report.
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45 minutes ago, brianj1964 said:
Do you have to leave Thailand within the 30 days once you purchase the insurance?
my case is slightly different, I already have been stamped in for 1 year so presume if I want to avoid a world of pain sometime in the future I only need to buy the cheapest policy available and show it if I am asked
According to the airport staff, yes I'd need to reenter with insurance to get a year stamp. But I've not actually spoken to any officials yet about this who haven't either been either confused or blinkered. Although I can extend the 30 days in town I doubt it'd be possible to re-enter and just get another 30 day stamp, though arriving again without insurance there would still be the option of buying it on the spot. Not clear at this point if insurance can be purchased to directly facilitate a stamping change at Chaengwattana.
This new hard line by airport officials is causing a lot of drama and I think immigration is going to be forced to clarify the rules before too long. Not least by the front line airport staff who can't be happy about the vagueness of the rules they've been forced to implement and the fact that practically everyone they call out on it is going be complaining.
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7 hours ago, DavidBak said:
I am Korean (Rep of Korea) passport holder aged over 60 and got Non-imm O-A visa Oct 25th 2019 from Thai Embassy in Korea. Entered Suv airport Nov. 4 and the immigration officer at airport asked me proof of medical insurance. I explained Thai Embassy did not ask for medical insurance to apply visa and they confirmed visa application after Oct 31 will required this paper. They also confirmed no medical proof docs to enter Thailand with this visa which issued before Oct 31.
I understand the insurance requirement is effected to the visa application after Oct 31. That is insurance certificate will be a necessary paper to apply visa, not to show when enter to Thailand.
I cannot understand why airport entry immigration ask for this paper.What did they stamp you? 30 days?
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3 hours ago, TheAppletons said:As much as I admire, appreciate, and respect the opinions and assistance that Ubonjoe has provided in the many years he has posted on this forum, in this instance he was simply wrong. The Thai Immigration folks do not differentiate between O-A visas issued prior to or after the enactment of the new law.
I don't agree he's wrong, except he didn't predict how much of a hard line airport staff would take in applying the new rules. I was in contact with him by private message today and he strongly urged me to contact the immigration bureau here and get it corrected as a stamping error. I went to see them and I have to say everyone I spoke to was completely baffled by the new rules, but all were holding the line that insurance was needed on older visas as well. I pointed out the clause about remarks on a visa, but no one really understood it, and were very apologetic and sympathetic even, agreeing it wasn't fair. A staff member phoned the airport and came back to me and confirmed the insurance was needed. There was no way of speaking to anyone more informed about it, and I think it would require someone with connections (and perhaps legal experience relating to immigration matters here) to get contact with someone powerful enough to have a meaningful discussion on this. The staff were all nice, wanted to be helpful, and ultimately very sorry, but confusion reigns.
Ubonjoe was helpful and prompt in his email responses to me which I appreciate. I agree his position, that the ground staff and mid level ranks have misunderstood the new rules. Seems like in the absence of anyone able to challenge them, they're running with it.
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2 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:Are you saying that you entered Thailand a couple of months ago on your Non Imm OA Visa and were stamped in for 1 year permission to stay. And that during that permission of stay you exited and now re-entered Thailand but were stopped because you had no thai approved health-insurance? But that they let you in on Visa exempt (30 days).
At which Airport or land border crossing was this?
If possible please provide full details (expiry date of the OA Visa and stamped in permission to stay date after 1st entry).
Yes, it was very similar to the report in the original post, except there were more supervisors involved. It was at Suvarnabhumi. My previous entry was in May shortly after I got the visa, and I had earlier been stamped in until May 2020. Now I'm stamped in until early next month.
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1 minute ago, zydeco said:
Online insurance without a medical was available to buy "on the spot?" Which company? Would be interested in knowing for own use, if needed.
I didn't see what company, but she showed me two examples on her phone of people who'd bought it at the airport.
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Same has just happened to me. Non OA issued a few months ago, second time using it. Girl on immigration desk asked for insurance, I said it's a pre October visa so doesn't apply. Supervisor took me away, same conversation. A third supervisor came along and they were all confused so we ended up in the office where a higher level supervisor came in and basically said it applies to all Non OA's irrespective of date. At that stage I had no option but to either buy insurance online (on the spot) or take a 30 day stamp, which I did, in the hope I could later get it corrected in Bangkok. I'm at a loss about what to do now.
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O-A reentry to Thailand without insurance
in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Posted
Yes, around the first week of November was when people were getting stamped in for 30 days. It happened for a few days only, maybe started around 3rd through to the 7th.
You don't need to fly out and reenter to get a corrected stamp, airport immigration will amend your stamp and computer entry to one year. This is preferable to getting it done at Chaengwattana who are still using the older computer system, rather than the biometric one at the airport. You can go to the tourist police on 2nd floor who are aware of the problem and they will phone through to get an Arrivals officer to come through and take your passport.