Compulsory Health insurance for 0-A visa applicants effective 31st October

[Lovethailandelite]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

At this time I would assume it is for those issued after the order goes into effect.

A bit hard to enforce it for a visa that was issued this month for example since the insurance was not required. Would immigration deny entry in that case.

I think immigration will have to clarify that. 

As of today insurance is still not required for a OA according to the MFA or Consular Affairs website and two embassies I checked.

As I said, it points to all entry's on an O-A visa on or after the 31st October. It would only apply if you left the country on or after the 31st October and then returned. 

[Lovethailandelite]

3 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Was reported on Thai Visa that it was due to come into force on July 31st. Same as the thread "Announcement due this week" that ran a couple of months ago.

 

"Aprroved in principal" doesn't make it law. I'll reserve my panic room for when it actually becomes law.

The Police order has now been signed and issued. It isn't rumour any longer.

[Pib]

Ok, I'm still having a problem wrapping my head around below snapshot....from Section 2.22 In Case of Retirement Criteria.   

 

Say, I entered Thailand on a Non-OA Visa (multi-entry) 11 months ago....and it still has 1 month left on it.  I don't plan to exit and reenter to get another year. Instead, I'm just going to apply for a retirement extension of stay. 

 

I know it's been said already this new police order only applies to those on Non OA Visas and does not apply to folks on extension of stay.  But if it does not apply to people on extensions of stay also, why is below even included in Section 2.22 which deals with extensions of stay?

 

[DannyCarlton]

3 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

The Police order has now been signed and issued. It isn't rumour any longer.

"Approved in principal" you said it yourself. You have done too much scaremongering on TV, regarding visas, in the past. Your credibility has long since dissappeared.

 

 

[Liverpudlian]

Quite frankly i dont give a dam any more.

[onera1961]

Perfect trap. Now the IOs got the perfect reason to randomly deny retirees entry based on not having insurance. So, you get retirement extension and confine yoursel to TGhailand only. Cant travel. 

[silver sea]

I am in the second year of an O-A visa (multi entry long stay) issued by RTE in London.

 

The first year ran from 29th August 2018 until 28th August 2019. 

 

I returned to the U.K. 6th August 2019 and returned to Thailand on 21st August 2019. The IO at Bangkok Airport gave me another 12 months until 20th August 2020.

 

I would still have to report every 90 days at my local Immigration Office in Hua Hin.

 

As I understand it, during the second year, it is no longer multi entry. If I wanted to return to the U.K. during these 12 months I would have to go to Immigration and fill in a form for permission to leave and return and pay their fee.

 

My plan was, having paid for the visa last year, to get the full two years out of it. At the end of the second year I would return to the U.K. Then at the end of my stay there, I would apply for a tourist visa from RTE in London.

 

On arriving in Thailand, and after the appropriate elapse of time, I would apply for an extension of stay by reason of retirement. I already have 800,000 untouched in my account for that purpose.

 

However under this new directive, am I now required, over the next 12 months,  to show insurance cover every time I attend for my 90 day reporting?

[garyk]

Mark my words, this is just the beginning. First the banks now the insurance company’s. This is exactly how the banks started, it took about 5 years to push into law all the changes. Insurance company’s wiil start slow and ramp up. Just a matter of time.

[onera1961]

34 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A bit hard to enforce it for a visa that was issued this month for example since the insurance was not required. Would immigration deny entry in that case.

Sure they are going to deny entry. They may randomly strart denying entry for people with extension. What r u going to do? Just like they deny Tourist visas, METV, Ed visas etc for the lack of func to remain in Thailand. Wait for report to pour in for retirees denyed entry for the lack of health insurance. 

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, AussieBob18 said:

That is the end of any chance that I will ever return to Thailand under a Retirement Visa. 

When this was first raised, I checked out what looks like the most reasonable of the insurance companies listed.   https://www.viriyah.co.th/en/longstay-form.php#.XZ2HTFUzYa1

I costed for the health insurance to start when I am 66, and that I will live in Thailand for 15 years (until 80). 

The total premiums (at today’s rates) over that period added up to 1,035,000 Baht - and it is guaranteed that they put the costs up over the years. And there are <deleted> all consumer laws I could use if they ever refused to pay. And it is heavily limited with exclusions. And there is always the possibility that after 70 they will not insure me anymore.

69,000 Baht a year for a maximum of 400,000 Baht coverage that will be as hard to get as soup with a fork. 

Unbelievable.  Clearly Thailand does not want Expat Retirees.  Ok - it is their country. 

 

They don't want young foreigners to stay here and now they don't want old retiree foreigners to stay here. Guess there won't be many foreigners in this country anymore.

[Tanoshi]

51 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No it includes all entries from the OA visa done before the the visa expires.

For anyone on a currently valid O-A Visa, do a border hop before October 31st, to get another 1 year entry before the compulsory Insurance starts.

[Martyp]

9 minutes ago, silver sea said:

I am in the second year of an O-A visa (multi entry long stay) issued by RTE in London.

 

The first year ran from 29th August 2018 until 28th August 2019. 

 

I returned to the U.K. 6th August 2019 and returned to Thailand on 21st August 2019. The IO at Bangkok Airport gave me another 12 months until 20th August 2020.

 

I would still have to report every 90 days at my local Immigration Office in Hua Hin.

 

As I understand it, during the second year, it is no longer multi entry. If I wanted to return to the U.K. during these 12 months I would have to go to Immigration and fill in a form for permission to leave and return and pay their fee.

 

My plan was, having paid for the visa last year, to get the full two years out of it. At the end of the second year I would return to the U.K. Then at the end of my stay there, I would apply for a tourist visa from RTE in London.

 

On arriving in Thailand, and after the appropriate elapse of time, I would apply for an extension of stay by reason of retirement. I already have 800,000 untouched in my account for that purpose.

 

However under this new directive, am I now required, over the next 12 months,  to show insurance cover every time I attend for my 90 day reporting?

Why return to the UK after the 2nd year? Just stay here and apply for a 1 year extension of stay. 

[Peterw42]

8 minutes ago, silver sea said:

However under this new directive, am I now required, over the next 12 months,  to show insurance cover every time I attend for my 90 day reporting?

There is no mention of showing insurance at 90 day reports. since you already have your OA visa then the requirements that come in at the end of october should not apply to you.

[bbi1]

16 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Perfect trap. Now the IOs got the perfect reason to randomly deny retirees entry based on not having insurance. So, you get retirement extension and confine yoursel to TGhailand only. Cant travel. 

The IOs have been doing it randomly to young SETV/METV holders. Now they are spreading the love around to older retirees too.

[Martyp]

3 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

For anyone on a currently valid O-A Visa, do a border hop before October 31st, to get another 1 year entry before the compulsory Insurance starts.

Apparently it applies for the 2nd year too because it is an entry on the original O-A visa. See above.

[Mitkof Island]

58 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No it includes all entries from the OA visa done before the the visa expires.

So if i understand correct. This has nothing to do with Type O Marriage visas?

[Tanoshi]

12 minutes ago, silver sea said:

However under this new directive, am I now required, over the next 12 months,  to show insurance cover every time I attend for my 90 day reporting?

No your not.

Your O-A has already expired.

You have been granted permission of stay until 20th August 2020.

 

5 minutes ago, Martyp said:

My plan was, having paid for the visa last year, to get the full two years out of it. At the end of the second year I would return to the U.K. Then at the end of my stay there, I would apply for a tourist visa from RTE in London.

 

On arriving in Thailand, and after the appropriate elapse of time, I would apply for an extension of stay by reason of retirement. I already have 800,000 untouched in my account for that purpose.

You should apply for the Non O single entry Visa from RTE London.

Then straight onto an annual extension based on retirement.

[Laza 45]

47 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

As in the police order. Any entry's using an O-A visa on or after the 31st October 2019 will need Health insurance. I don't see any disparity as to when the visa was issued

Thanks.. so.. since I'm already here and ok to April 2020 and won't be doing any entries before then I should be good until then.. But then I think I will have a problem.. I'll be 75 by then.. insurance will cost about 100,000 a year.. and going up as I age.. I'm wondering what my next best visa option is..  I could do a Non O marriage.. but if my home country found out I got married my pension would be cut..  any suggestions appreciated.. Thanks for your reply ..

 

[UKresonant]

22 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

So, you get retirement extension and confine yoursel to TGhailand only. Cant travel. 

Definitely not ME! (or Dad for that matter) ????✈ 

[calbts2]

Wow so in one day the Non O-A goes from being the best retirement stay option since no money required in Thai bank - to the worst - being forced to buy one of the ripoff insurance policies at http://longstay.tgia.org/ and paying for overpriced outpatient coverage. Watch this visa become extremely unpopular now as very few will buy any of these 

horrible policies. I was planning on switching from my Non-O extension to a Non O-A next year but now that is a no go. Looks like I will be forced to keep the 800k in the bank here if I want to stay.

And if they make this insurance compulsory for extensions - I am outta here. Enough is enough.

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, calbts2 said:

Wow so in one day the Non O-A goes from being the best retirement stay option since no money required in Thai bank - to the worst - being forced to buy one of the ripoff insurance policies at http://longstay.tgia.org/ and paying for overpriced outpatient coverage. Watch this visa become extremely unpopular now as very few will buy any of these 

horrible policies. I was planning on switching from my Non-O extension to a Non O-A next year but now that is a no go. Looks like I will be forced to keep the 800k in the bank here if I want to stay.

And if they make this insurance compulsory for extensions - I am outta here. Enough is enough.

Looks like they clearly don't want any long-stay foreigners in Thailand. Well, maybe except for the Elite Visa which seems safe for now at least.

[DannyCarlton]

3 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Alternatively get an Elite Visa.

I'm sure the OP would concur with that. 555

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, DannyCarlton said:

I'm sure the OP would concur with that. 555

Lol just saw the OP's username lol

[Tanoshi]

8 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

Thanks.. so.. since I'm already here and ok to April 2020 and won't be doing any entries before then I should be good until then.. But then I think I will have a problem.. I'll be 75 by then.. insurance will cost about 100,000 a year.. and going up as I age.. I'm wondering what my next best visa option is..  I could do a Non O marriage.. but if my home country found out I got married my pension would be cut..  any suggestions appreciated.. Thanks for your reply ..

 

You could get a Non O ME from HCMC or Savannakhet with no financial proof.

Alternatively a single entry Non O, then apply for annual extensions based on marriage.

You'd need to deposit 400K in a Thai bank, or transfer 40K per month from overseas.

[silver sea]

16 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Why return to the UK after the 2nd year? Just stay here and apply for a 1 year extension of stay. 

 Thanks for your reply Martyp. 

 

I need to go back each year to see friends and to see my financial advisor. I also still own a small flat there. Nice to make use of it for a few weeks. And England in the summer is still great, and it stays light and warm until well after 9 pm. I love both countries.

[Pib]

And if I remember right when the govt first started talking a health insurance requirement months and months ago they said a foreign medical policy meeting the 800K inpatient and 400K outpatient requirement should be acceptable, but apparently that was BS as only buying the prescribed Thai health insurance online is accepted under the police order.

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

So if i understand correct. This has nothing to do with Type O Marriage visas?

It does not apply to extensions of stay based upon marriage.

Same for applying for a non-o visa at a embassy or consulate.

[Martyp]

1 minute ago, silver sea said:

 Thanks for your reply Martyp. 

 

I need to go back each year to see friends and to see my financial advisor. I also still own a small flat there. Nice to make use of it for a few weeks. And England in the summer is still great, and it stays light and warm until well after 9 pm. I love both countries.

I go back to the US every year for the same reason. I just got back a couple of weeks ago. But applying for a 1 year extension in Thailand after your O-A expires is very easy. Particularly in your case using the 800,00k banked money which is the method I use too. I got my second extension on Monday. You just have to time your home visit not to interfere with the extension. In Bangkok I can apply for my extension 45 days before the current one expires. Good luck however it works out.

[Kelsall]

10 minutes ago, Pib said:

And if I remember right when the govt first started talking a health insurance requirement months and months ago they said a foreign medical policy meeting the 800K inpatient and 400K outpatient requirement should be acceptable, but apparently that was BS as only buying the prescribed Thai health insurance online is accepted under the police order.

From the OP.  "For those who buy health insurance from foreign companies Must have the sum insured not less than Thai health insurance as stipulated as well, "

 

So you can use your US (or other) insurance.

[Martyp]

11 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

From the OP.  "For those who buy health insurance from foreign companies Must have the sum insured not less than Thai health insurance as stipulated as well, "

 

So you can use your US (or other) insurance.

I bought a policy from Pacific Cross this year. I like the coverage and price compared to my previous US insurance and it way exceeds the visa required insurance. If your from a country with government insurance though then this requirement is not going to look good.

 

BTW, my US insurance only covered me as a traveler. Not as an Expat.