oldcpu

Within the past week I successfully obtained my an extension on my permission to stay (based on marriage) for the first time. There is a lot of paperwork required, but my being retired, I have more time than I have money, and despite being close to 70, I am still mobile enough that I don't need an agent to save me time/effort. The money I saved by doing this myself can buy a lot of nice meals. I don't know how much you have prepared for this ? Note if your marriage was outside outside of Thailand (like mine was) you will need to get marriage documents translated, certified, and then register your marriage at a local Thailand city hall. That 'might' be an extra hoop you will have to go through. Possibly in 10 years if I am still alive, I will start using an agent to minimize my effort, but for now I prefer to use the money saved for other things.

In Phuket one needs both a bank statement and a bank letter. For Phuket immigration, the bank statement can be 1-week old, but the bank letter has to be the same day ! Since I use Bangkok bank, to get a 1-year bank statement my local Bangkok bank branch needs to order that from Bangkok. Once the 1-year statement (from Bangkok) arrives in Phuket at my branch, it is basically only useful for a week. On then needs to decide the day (in the next few days) to go to immigration, go to the local Bangkok Bank early that same planned day, get the Bank letter (where amounts in the letter, the bank statement, and one's Bankbook have to match) ... and then after leaving the bank, immediately go to immigration on that same day. It requires a bit of coordination. ... Its relatively easy for me as I live a 10-minute car drive from immigration. I have sympathy for anyone who is hours away from a local immigration. .

I think the advice from a year or two is very relevant, which is always stay calm and gradually work away at the paperwork and get it ready. In my case, with Phuket immigration, I may have over done it for paper work, as in addition to paper work noted required, I showed up at Phuket immigration with copies of everything on the list and more (based on posts of some who said they had to provide more) with multiple images of my wife and I together, letter/statement from the bank (same day) showing necessary funds in a fixed account for the past 12-months, and copies from another bank book / account showing withdrawals of money that I used to live on, copies of my wife's BLUE book (she has her name on another house she owns to minimize taxes) and copy of my yellow book (showing my condo residence where I live (with my wife)), and even a TM-30 showing my arrival in my residence. I say too much, as a LOT of the above was handed back to me ... such as yellow book copy (mistakenly) being handed back to me by Immigration. Then a week later after my application, immigration phoned me back and wanted proof of my residence, as my wife's BLUE book address did not match the condo address on the forums where I lived. So my wife and I went to immigration again with my yellow book (and copies of it) , explained to them my wife (who owns another house) lives with me in my condo (ie the 'yellow book'), ... and this time they understood, and kept the yellow book copies. Edit: Also, since my marriage was two decades ago in Canada to my Thai wife, we had to get that paper work translated, translations certified, and marriage registered locally in Phuket. The document they gave us is a Kor-22 which I believe is the one for foreign marriages. It all worked out in the end, and after some time I obtained the extension 'based on marriage to a Thai'. I consider myself fortunate - as despite being incredibly busy, the Phuket immigration staff were VERY polite the entire time.

I am in Thailand on a permission to stay on type-OA visa, and I also recently changed from retirement extension to a marriage extension to avoid having to pay double health insurance (where the insurance on the Thai approved lists are not as good as the subsidized health Insurance I get with my pension from Europe (where my heavily subsidized European Insurance covers both my Thai wife and myself)). Because my wife and I were married 2 decades ago in Canada (and not in Thailand) it took me a long time to sort the paperwork, ... but I did it gradually. Canadian marriage documents had to be translated to Thai, certified, and marriage registered in Thailand at local 'city hall' ... etc ... Fortunately I obtained guidance/encouragement on this forum, which for me helped a lot. .

Thanks for that clarification. Indeed what the stamp says (consistent with your correction): "Application of stay is under consideration of the immigration bureau. Applicant must contact this office again in person on 4-Mar-2022" where that was signed by the IO on 4-Feb-2022. .... My previous "retirement" extension was due to expire on 23-Feb-2022 ... and there are words in Thai handwritten by the IO in my passport (on 4-Feb) that say something to the effect that my 'retirement' extension is to be replaced by a 'marriage extension' if approved after the consideration period. ... That is not an exact translation (only vaguely what I recall my Thai wife translating/telling me). The marriage extension is all very different in the detail, from a 'retirement extension' in some aspects of the implementation. But I am happy to get this extension based on marriage, as it means I do not have to: (1) leave the country to invalidate the type-OA and come back in tourist-exempt, followed by Type-O, followed by another extension application, which would cost a fair amount of money), nor do I have to when on a marriage extension : (2) purchase double Health Insurance (as I don't wish to stop my current far superior subsidized health insurance from Europe - which in addition to being superior for me, also fully covers my Thai wife). This 'marriage extension' means this year I save 7,700 Thai baht (for not buying double health insurance from LMG that has a massive deductible) and likely if I do the same next year (ie marriage extension) I will save 26,800 Thai baht for not buying larger health insurance from LMG with an even larger deductible (assuming no change in Health Insurance costs). One can buy a lot of meals for 7,700 Thai baht, not to mention many meals for 26,800 Thai baht. I may leave Thailand for just over a month in August/September, and I need to decide whether to get a re-entry permit to invalidate the marriage extension/Type-OA visa, (and return on the Type-O route noted above), ... or stick with the Type-OA and continue to do marriage extensions. .... I am not sure as to the best route, but having done the 'marriage extension' once, I believe it may be easier for me the second time (next year).

Something partly similar happened to me, although only for a few days. After applying for a 1-year extension on my permission to stay in Thailand (based on marriage) at Phuket immigration, I was given a 1-month permission to stay extension (based on marriage), while waiting for my extension application to be approved. I was constantly checking the Phuket immigration web site for the approval status and I was also obtaining "under processing". That web site states that if it is still saying "under processing" on the day one's 1-month 'permission to stay' extension expires, then one is to go to Immigration on that day. So on the day my permission to stay 'expired' I went to Phuket immigration, and they told me the approval for my extension application still had not been received by Phuket immigration. Given my permission to stay was 'expiring' on that same date, I asked for another short extension, but I was denied. The immigration official told me to just stay in Thailand and assured me I would not be on an overstay and that I was to keep checking the web site - and come back to Phuket immigration in a week if no change to the 'under processing'. Fortunately the official spoke English, as my Thai wife is home self isolating with COVID symptoms (although ATK tests are negative) and she could not come with me as a translator. My wife and I have been separating for the past week because of her symptoms. A few days later, the website finally changed to 'approved' for my extension application, and I went to Phuket immigration and had my passport stamped for my permission to stay for another 11-months after the earlier 1-month extension. The 'issue date' of the next 11-months extension (of my permission to stay) was back dated to the day when my 1-month permission to stay expired. Anyway - I am happy about getting this extension. Phuket immigration was incredibly busy each time I visited (typically early in the morning to avoid crowds) and I could not see even one Phuket official lounging around or taking coffee breaks. In addition to being incredibly busy, the immigration staff were also very polite to me. My visa is a Type-OA, and this extension cost was only 1900 baht (immigration fee) + 600 baht (bank fees). Had I been required to obtain health insurance (my superior European health insurance is not on the Thai list) it would have cost me another additional 7,700 Thai baht this year (for mostly useless health insurance) and next year cost for similar useless Health Insurance will be at least 3x that amount. ... So for me, the extra 'hassle' to go for an extension based on marriage to a Thai woman was worth the hassle.

I opened a Thai bank account on a tourist visa-exempt status in Phuket back in 2016. While in Phuket at that brief time (max 30 days - actually it was for less), my Thai wife and I were staying in a small condo owned by my wife's brother, and upon arrival in Phuket, the next day we immediately went to Phuket immigration and obtained a letter indicating my residence while in Phuket was my wife's brother condo. The letter (with a passport sized picture on it) was good for one month. Some nominal fee was charged. I wanted to go to the tourist area of Patong beach to open a bank account (as I read that had a better chance to find a bank to accept foreigners on 'visa-exempt' status), but my wife dislikes that area, and she insisted we try Phuket town first. We then started visiting the branches of various Thai banks in Phuket town, where the 1st 3 refused to let me open account, but the 4th, Bangkok Bank in Phuket town, were happy for me to open an account with them - especially after I explained I needed an account not only for Visa purposes (eventually) but also because I wanted to purchase a condominium and it was easier if I had a bank account in Thailand to facilitate that purchase. Having my Thai wife with me, to translate at times, helped a lot. It would not have been possible thou, without the letter from Thai immigration. So my view is it is possible to open a bank account (even when under a Tourist visa exempt status) but some preparation and determination is needed (and willingness to keep trying when 1st few efforts fail).

Only for some cases (ie for those who have been in Thailand on a Type-OA for some time). For anyone new on a 1st extension (and dependent on date also for a 2nd extension) on their permission to stay in Thailand, Phuket DOES insist upon the insurance. I know that because they demanded health insurance from me (and would not accept my superior European health insurance). Had it not been for the pandemic, I would have left Thailand (to void my Type-OA) and returned Visa exempt and applied for a Type-O. ... Instead, because of COVID, I've applied for an extension on my permission to stay in Thailand based on marriage to a Thai woman.

Hi Captain Jack. I am very curious - did this work out ok, and the "under processing" end, and you were able to have the extension decision made (hopefully approved) without having any 'overstay' issues?

If the trend of relaxing travel requirements continue (such as going to Vietnam or other near by countries) during this pandemic times , if fully vaccinated, it may be possible to leave Thailand, invalidate the Type-O visa, and then return Visa exempt. And as soon as one is in Thailand, apply for a new Type-O visa. Then two months later apply for a 1-year extension on the permission to stay. I think < not sure > that should enable one to not have to prove 800K in the bank for critical times during the past year (and 400K at other times). Rather one would only need to show the 800K for past 2 to 3 months (I believe). Of course there is an expense going in/out/in of the country, not to mention the need to buy COVID insurance for the 30-days of the Visa exempt, that when all costs are added up could come close to what one pays an agent, or possibly even a bit more expense to do this legitimately (not to mention the inconvenience of travel), but it could remove any legitimacy concerns. If/when this pandemic finally ends, things will hopefully get a lot easier.

The details here still need to be provided .... and often the devil is in the details. It could be that this 3m foreign insurance, if applicable to an extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand, could require some piece of paper to be signed by the overseas insurance company (my worst-case speculation) or could require the over-seas insurance company to fill in some piece of paper signed by directors (again my worse-case speculation). I know for certain Cigna overseas will NOT do that (as I already contacted them on this). We won't know how easy or difficult it will be for the 3m cover until the details are promulgated. Does anyone know the details yet for extensions on the permission to stay? IMHO likely not able to use your overseas Cigna - but it would be good if you could. I have European insurance from Cigna (exceeds the 3m) but last year to obtain an extension on my permission to stay, I ended up buying LMG (with a crazy high deductible) as Cigna was not accepted. Now I note Cigna is recently on the list of Thai insurance companies, so I asked my European Cigna if they would satisfy the Thai requirements (such as complete Thai immigration database). Answer: No. Nor would they, a European Cigna, would not give me any sort of letter saying they met Thai requirements. So I then contacted the Thai branch of Cigna, advised them of my European coverage, and asked if they would then complete necessary paperwork for Thai immigration for an extension of my permission to stay (given my Cigna coverage was adequate). Their Answer: No. Definitely No. Thai Cigna advised if I wanted them to fill in the needed paperwork to meet Thai permission to stay requirements I had to buy their specific Thai package from their Thai Cigna branch. Whether I dumped my superior (subsidized by my pension) European Cigna insurance was up to me (ie for all they cared I could double insure myself with Cigna). Thai Cigna refused to recognize the European Cigna coverage for advising Immigration that I met Thai requirements. So again - devil in the details - I ended up applying for an extension based on marriage to a Thai - so to avoid paying double insurance. My hope is in the future, the ability to prove one has superb insurance will get easier.

With respect ... that does not provide the specifics. I am skeptical that one can just show a foreign health insurance company name and number and have it accepted by any Thai immigration office for an extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand. Also, I suspect the eventual proof needed (to show Thai immigration or to show Thai Embassy staff) will be different from each other Thai organisation, dependent on whether one is showing proof of foreign insurance when applying for a Visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate outside Thailand, as opposed to (ie different when) applying for an "extension on one's permission to stay" at a Thailand Immigration office inside Thailand. That is the detail I am most curious about. ... From my own perspective, it would be great if anyone could just show they have 3-million baht in a Thai bank account, and have that accepted as self insurance, but even that new 3-million self insurance rule is having clauses put around it, limiting it to only those who can prove they were denied Health Insurance from a Health Insurance company. I am too healthy to be denied Health Insurance (even thou in my late 60s). I fear the 'devil is in the details' and so all may not be as easy as many of us hope could eventually be the case. In my case, I have elected this time around to go for an extension on my permission to stay (with a Type-OA visa) based on marriage. Neither the money I have in the bank (no issues getting the 3-million THB), nor my superior European Health Insurance coverage that is part of my pension (exceeding the 3-million Thai baht), is acceptable to the local immigration office. Hence an extension based on marriage (given I did not want to leave the country at present time) appeared to me to be the best approach ( in my case). I prefer not to pay for double Health Insurance. I do hope the 'detailed proof' requirements for Health Insurance does get easier with time for those of us expats looking for 'extensions on our permission to stay'.

On a Type-OA Visa, I applied for an extension of my permission to stay based on marriage a week ago at Phuket Immigration. They accepted the paperwork and gave me a permission to stay for 30 more days from that date (ie about 3 weeks from now). Hopefully they will have approval (from Hua Hin (?)) and be able to stamp my passport with a permission to stay (based on marriage) for the remaining 11-months (giving a total of a 1-year permission to stay) when I show up at the immigration office in three weeks from now. I plan to have my Thai wife accompany me, so my hope is that there will be no language issues in communicating (such as Captain Jack reported) if for some reason they are not ready to stamp my passport.

I suspect those of us with Yellow Books can all show the odd occasion when its come in handy. Just over a week ago I applied for a 1 year extension on my permission to stay (based on marriage) and my Yellow Book actually came in handy. This was the first time I had gone for an extension of my permission to stay based on marriage (my previous extension was based on retirement). My wife's tabien baan (blue book) is for a different house than where my wife lives - and she has it on that house for tax management reasons. The local IO noted the address in her 'blue book' did NOT match my address. My wife explained the reason to them, and pointed out to them my yellow book. In the end they accepted my 'yellow book' as proof where I lived, and also accepted the various pictures of my wife and I in the location where I live (condo complex sign, our unit door sign, inside the unit) .... So IMHO one never really knows - sometimes because one does something a bit different, it might mean different items are accepted and other's not accepted. Indeed. I have found the pink ID helpful at times. Sometimes its been accepted by a Thai hotel ... other time's it has not. Its sort of 'hit and miss' as to whether its useful. But I don't regret owning it.

I am not convinced/certain wrt the suspicion that they might only give a two-week permission to stay. I suspect it could be otherwise. Prior to COVID, I know of people who on a type-OA come in/out of Thailand with a recent departure after arrival, and they were able to do so because they obtain a re-entry permit to make that possible. But they still get a one year permission to stay stamp in their passport. They had to get a re-entry permit soon after arrival so not to invalidate their Type-OA. The departure fairly soon did not affect the permission to stay in their passport. Does immigration look at the departure ticket if one arrives on an OA-Visa ? When I arrived in Thailand (on 29-Feb-2020 at the start of COVID) on a Type-OA (granted it was 2 years ago), they never looked at my departure ticket, nor did they ask for my departure ticket. I can't say based on experience if immigration at the airport (on arrival) looks at one's COVID insurance. I read on a forum (I think it was this forum) that Thai immigration at the airport only confirm that one has a Thailand Pass and that they themselves do not check the Insurance details - as that is nominally done as part of the Thailand pass. If one has the Thailand pass, one is assumed to have the COVID Insurance. But since I don't have personal experience on going in/out myself, I can't be certain. Where I do have 'sort' of experience: I do know of a friend in his 70s, who came in on a Type-OA with 11 months left in his OA (he was on a re-entry permit) and he was required as part of the Thailand pass to get the 11-months COVID insurance to get the Thailand Pass. Eleven months COVID insurance was very very very expensive for him. When applying for the Thailand pass, he did not try to advise his stay would only be for 2 weeks (showing a departure ticket to prove), but rather noted it would be for the 11-months remaining on his Type-OA permission to stay. ... I also note this was at the start of the Thailand Pass implementation - maybe things have changed?

I don't know if it is something you are missing, but be wary of being required to pay large extra COVID Health Insurance (which is separate and additional to regular Health Insurance) which could be up to one year in duration if you re-enter on your Type-OA (as you will be stamped in for one year). Dependent on your age, this additional 1-year COVID health insurance (again, I believe it additional to the regular nominal health insurance) could be expensive. Possibly, if you can get your 'regular' Health Insurance company, to produce a letter saying it meets the specifics of the Thai COVID insurance (for entering Thailand) then you could combine the two separate Health Insurance into one. Possibly < unsure > another approach could be to buy a cheap one way airplane ticket leaving Thailand two weeks after your arrival on your Type-OA, and claim that even thou you are entering on a Type-OA, you are only staying for 2 weeks (using the departure ticket as 'proof') ... and then possibly you could get away with only buying 2 weeks of COVID insurance (in addition to also having your 1-year regular health insurance). There is a degree of speculation in what I have typed above - and I am not certain about any of it, but this would be a concern for me if I were in your shoes.

Further to this, I read: In the case of non-Thai health insurance, the applicants shall follow the following conditions: (a) The foreign insurance certificate shall be certified by a government organization which is an embassy in Thailand, or (b) Coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country to sign the notary by the authorised person. My Health Insurance comes with my pension from a European organisation of multiple European governments. There is no embassy associated in Thailand. Further there is no MFA associated. So for me, those clauses can not be followed. I also recall for those who get pensions from different countries, where the countries will no longer certify the pensions with a letter (some will - some won't) and hence proving one's monthly pension is a lot harder for some in Thailand. I wonder as to how many Embassies (or foreign country MFA's) will 'certify' or 'sign the notary'? My suspicion is very few - although I would be happy to be proven wrong on this.

I would like to read the Immigration 'proof' requirements surrounding such a amendment. I am very much from Missouri wrt its practicality (in my case). If it requires a custom Thai form to be filled in with director's signatures, I am pretty certain the Insurance company (that the pension and insurance organisation I receive my pension from) will not sign it. Further, if it requires an entry in a custom Thai database wrt the Insurance information (from said foreign insurance company) I am pretty certain also that will not be completed by the Insurance organisation I receive my pension and Insurance from. Do you have any specifics on this amendment that you would be able to point to?

Not exactly. per many posts in this thread, you have to produce a letter from an Insurance company stating they denied you Health Insurance. I'm 68, on a Type-OA, and I would happy go for 3-million THB in the bank, but the insurance companies on the limited Thai immigration approved health insurance companies list won't give me such a letter, but rather want to insure me. They figure I am healthy enough still to have me buy their insurance. But in my case it would require me to buy double health insurance, as I already have health insurance (covering both myself and my Thai wife) superior to the 3-million Thai immigration required Health Insurance for foreigners (on Type-OA visas) where mine is heavily subsidized for payments as it is part of my pension. I do NOT want to give up my superior current Health Insurance to purchase Health Insurance from the Thai approved list, which is not as good. Hence to stay on a retirement extension of my permission to stay (on a Type-OA visa) I was looking at buying expensive double health insurance. I had planned to leave Thailand (invalidating my Type-OA) and returning Visa Exempt, followed by applying for a Type-O visa, ... but given the COVID situation I decided not to do that (cancelling all travel plans). Instead I have applied for an extension on my permission to stay (on a Type-OA) based on "marriage" extension, instead of my previous "retirement" extension.

Thanks for that. The immigration officer(s) were very polite. A massive contrast to last year, where they were very stressed due to the large number of COVID extensions they were handling. This year the Immigration office was no where near as crowded. They work quite late in the Phuket office - and given my wife and I did not show up until late in the afternoon, we were fortunate immigration still processed us. I was the last foreigner (with my Thai wife) to leave the Phuket office on a Friday afternoon, long after the nominal closing time. One of the IOs told us that it is very common for many of the Phuket Immigration secretaries to be working to 9:00pm or so in the evening (most days) processing the large amount of paperwork.

I applied last week for a 1-year extension on my permission to stay in Thailand, where my underlying Visa is a Type-OA. However I applied for reasons of 'marriage to a Thai' and not for reasons of 'retirement'. I was on a retirement extension at the time (due to expire in about 2 weeks) and upon my application for an extension (based on marriage) the old retirment extension was then immediately replaced by the IO at the local immigration office with a 1-month permission to stay based on marriage to a Thai ... and my paperwork is now being sent to Bangkok (I assume) where if it is approved, I should get another 11-months, to make up a full 1-year extension on my permission to stay (again, underlying visa is a Type-OA). I suspect this is not what would help the OP, as I believe they are considering an extension based on retirement. But the subject to this thread did not specify, and possibly others might be interested. Originally I had intended to leave Thailand in Feb this year, and thus invalidate my Type-OA, and then re-enter Thailand in March on a Visa exempt, and immediately then apply for a 3 month Type-O visa, ... and toward the end of the 3-month Type-O visa's permission to stay in Thailand, apply for a 1-year extension based on retirement. However the COVID situation globally (in Thailand and where I intended to travel) resulted in my cancelling my travel plans, and I decided it best/safest to simply stay in Thailand. Unfortunately, for a 68-year old, a one-year permission to stay extension on a Type-OA visa would mean a Health Insurance payments required for 1-year from a limited Thai list of acceptable (to Thai immigration) of Health Insurance companies. My excellent Health Insurance (that come with my pension, and that covers both myself and my Thai wife and that exceeds the 3-million Thai baht requirement coverage) is NOT on the Thai list. I did not want to have to pay double health insurance (by buying extra insurance from the Thai approved list of health insurance companies), nor did I want to cancel excellent superior health insurance that comes with my pension (so to only have the Thai approved health insurance) - so I elected instead to go the extension by marriage route. I should know in a few weeks if Bangkok approves the remaining 11-months on the extension application.

I notice the TM87 form for the 90-day Type-O Visa application, has a line in it that says " reason (s) for application " which one must fill in? I'm curious, what do most expats (who intend to retire in Thailand and decide to go the Type-O route) put in that line in the TM97? Do they type "retirement" (even thou this is only a 90-day visa) ?

This is my experience also wrt the expats who I know, who use an agent, to obtain an extension on their permission to stay. I know one expat who does not have the 800K immediately available in the bank in Thailand, and so he successfully used an agent to get his 1-year permission to stay extension. I know two others (both in their mid-70s) who DO have the 800K and much more in the bank in Thailand, but the idea of them researching to ensure they have all the paperwork, and then have to physically go to immigration and possibly wait, is not something they want to do. They would rather pay an agent to tell them what they need to provide (to the agent), have the agent come to their residence in Thailand, pick-up their paperwork/passport and have the agent go to the immigration office for them, and have the agent bring back the approved extension in their passport. I'm too cheap to do that myself (ie I would rather go to immigration myself and provide all the required documents) but some see an agent as being worth the hassle. I guess it all depends on the individual, and on one's individual financial situation.

Interesting ... any tips on things you did differently the 2nd time to speed things up? or was it just the 'luck of the draw' ?

I am curious, but I have no plan to make such a contact to Cigna myself to ask about transferring Insurance. My Cigna Insurance from Europe, is tied into my retirement pension from a European government organisation. I pay about 50% of the monthly fee, and the European organisation pays the remaining 50%. Also my insurance plan is a custom negotiated plan (coverage exceeds the Thai plans) which was possible as there are 600 (more ? ) people in the organization I belonged to, so a very good insurance rate was negotiated for all 600 people (including retirees). If I were to switch to the policy to Thailand Cigna, the organisation would stop subsidizing the Cigna monthly insurance payment (and I would lose the ~50% of the monthly fee paid by the European organisation) and the Thai policy would not be as good for the same price. I am now seriously considering the Type-O Visa route, with a tentative plan to: (1) leave Thailand 1 week before my Permission to stay on a Type-OA visa expires. (2) return to Thailand a month later on a tourist Visa exempt status. Likely I will buy 3rd party COVID insurance for about 3,500 Thai baht (to cover me for 30-days). And I will likely buy a throw away 'one-way' ticket (to Cambodia or Singapore for about 3,000 Thai baht) so to be able to board my flight back to Thailand (3) as soon as I arrive back in Thailand apply for a 90-day Type-O visa. I have the money in the bank (deposited from outside of Thailand), but its been there for years so I need to confirm Phuket immigration will accept it. (4) 30-days prior (possibly 45-days prior given this is Phuket) to the permission to stay on this 90-day Type-0 visa expiring, apply for a 1-year extension based on retirement. Traveling at present is annoying, with all the requirements for entering countries - but I had planned to travel in February (to Canada) anyway, so I will try to do this 'Visa change' at the same time. It is a bit unsettling to let a perfectly good Visa (type-OA) permission to stay expire ... but given I don't want to pay for double Health Insurance, it appears to be the logical choice.