Where to get a Non 0 Visa

[Mango Bob]

If I left Thailand when my current extension of stay expires (Non O/A 13 years ago) where would be the best country and consulate to obtain a Non O visa?

[kralledr]

savanakhet easy 

[ubonjoe]

You can get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over in Savannakhet by showing 800k baht in a bank and proof of retirement or 65k baht income..

[Peter Denis]

Your question is undoubtedly inspired by the new health insurance requirement when applying for a Non Imm OA Visa.  Although there is much confusion and contradictory posts on the subject, most probably that requirement will NOT be applicable for extensions of stay.  Hence there is no need to change your Visa category, as the requirements for extension of stay for O and OA are same.

[Mango Bob]

4 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Your question is undoubtedly inspired by the new health insurance requirement when applying for a Non Imm OA Visa.  Although there is much confusion and contradictory posts on the subject, most probably that requirement will NOT be applicable for extensions of stay.  Hence there is no need to change your Visa category, as the requirements for extension of stay for O and OA are same.

I want to agree with you.  However, no one here stamps my visa but the IO.  Today I called my IO and they said what others said here that I would have to get insurance to extend again.

[Peter Denis]

4 minutes ago, Mango Bob said:

I want to agree with you.  However, no one here stamps my visa but the IO.  Today I called my IO and they said what others said here that I would have to get insurance to extend again.

Yes, confusion all over.  Although the only approach that makes any sense would be to limit the health insurance requirement to application for Non Imm OA Visa in your home-country (the new requirement is already posted on the thai embassy websites abroad). 

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Yes, confusion all over.  Although the only approach that makes any sense would be to limit the health insurance requirement to application for Non Imm OA Visa in your home-country (the new requirement is already posted on the thai embassy websites abroad). 

Absolutely agree. In any event to the OP and many others living in los on "extensions based on retirement" that originally entered with O-A, if insurance turns out to in fact be required, then big deal. Exit los obtain non o  nearby country, enter then apply for extension. Or even reenter visa exempt and do "conversion" to non o at imm.

Easy because your money already in Thai bank.

However you will not need do this. Your O-A is expired.

Edited October 28, 2019 by DrJack54

[BertM]

1 hour ago, Mango Bob said:

If I left Thailand when my current extension of stay expires (Non O/A 13 years ago) where would be the best country and consulate to obtain a Non O visa?

You could also leave and come back on visa exempt for 30 days and apply for a 90-day Non O visa in Thailand using 800k in bank, then get 1 year extension after that. You may need to show that the 800k came from abroad. Best to ask Ubonjoe. I did my 90-day Non O & 1 year extension in Jomtien.

[Aforek]

16 minutes ago, BertM said:

 I did my 90-day Non O & 1 year extension in Jomtien.

You can do there even if you don't live in Jomtien ?

[Mango Bob]

23 minutes ago, BertM said:

You could also leave and come back on visa exempt for 30 days and apply for a 90-day Non O visa in Thailand using 800k in bank, then get 1 year extension after that. You may need to show that the 800k came from abroad. Best to ask Ubonjoe. I did my 90-day Non O & 1 year extension in Jomtien.

I would like to do that.  But if I fly back to Don Mueang will I have a problem getting the visa exempt with some IO saying you been in Thailand too long to be a tourist. 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Mango Bob

[Genericnic]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You can get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over in Savannakhet by showing 800k baht in a bank and proof of retirement or 65k baht income..

@ubonjoe

 

One of the requirements for the retirement non-O at Savannaket is: Official letter from the concerned Embassy/Consulate of applicant's nationality.

 

Would that have to be from the US consulate in Laos or from Thailand? Is it a standard form? I would have thought that a passport that states the bearers nationality would be sufficient. 

 

Thanks

 

David

 

[holy cow cm]

Now all you guys running out scared to change from OA to O are probably going to ruin it for all of us who are on the O from the beginning. All we can do is just hope the old time O holding expats are grandfathered and not subjected making them react and slap everyone. 

[Mango Bob]

9 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Now all you guys running out scared to change from OA to O are probably going to ruin it for all of us who are on the O from the beginning. All we can do is just hope the old time O holding expats are grandfathered and not subjected making them react and slap everyone. 

I don't give a damn.  I am thinking of myself.  Not you.  

[Pib]

13 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Now all you guys running out scared to change from OA to O are probably going to ruin it for all of us who are on the O from the beginning. All we can do is just hope the old time O holding expats are grandfathered and not subjected making them react and slap everyone. 

If they didn't grandfather the OA folks (which it does not appear they have), they will not grandfather other visa types they might expand the insurance requirement to. 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Pib

[holy cow cm]

13 minutes ago, Mango Bob said:

I don't give a damn.  I am thinking of myself.  Not you.  

Of course you don’t. I just hope they deny OA changers and leave the O’s alone. 

[holy cow cm]

13 minutes ago, Pib said:

If they didn't grandfather the OA folks (which it does not appear they have), they will not grandfather other visa types they might expand the insurance requirement to. 

Yeah so best hope is the deny all the jumpers and leave O’s alone. If it comes to it I can do the useless insurance, but really  hope they get a better idea. 

[Aforek]

28 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Now all you guys running out scared to change from OA to O are probably going to ruin it for all of us who are on the O from the beginning. All we can do is just hope the old time O holding expats are grandfathered and not subjected making them react and slap everyone. 

I am sure in our situation, you would do the same ; do you know ? I have a O-A visa and an insurance in my country for 9 years, for my extension on 14 th next month, my I.O wants that I have a Thai insurance ( she doesn't care of mine ) ; but I have been refused by the Thai insurance today  for pre-existing  conditions ; what can I do , apart to get a O visa ? all my life, house, GF are in Thailand ; what would do in my place ? Don't try to stay in Thailand ?

[Pib]

9 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Yeah so best hope is the deny all the jumpers and leave O’s alone. If it comes to it I can do the useless insurance, but really  hope they get a better idea. 

When a person's OA expires and the person applies for a new, different type visa such as a non-O I can't see immigration denying such as long as the person meets the requirements.   

 

And it's a real shame it does not appear that the Thai govt has grandfathered current OA visa holders from Christmas past which many retirement extensions of stay grew from.   I know some believe the police order's current wording implies grandfathering but it appears immigration offices do not see it that way.  Probably because they have got additional guidance from HQ immigration.  But we will all know for sure after 31 Oct 2019 when people go to extend their retirement extensions of stay.  

 

 

[holy cow cm]

3 minutes ago, Aforek said:

I am sure in our situation, you would do the same ; do you know ? I have a O-A visa and an insurance in my country for 9 years, for my extension on 14 th next month, my I.O wants that I have a Thai insurance ( she doesn't care of mine ) ; but I have been refused by the Thai insurance today  for pre-existing  conditions ; what can I do , apart to get a O visa ? all my life, house, GF are in Thailand ; what would do in my place ? Don't try to stay in Thailand ?

Yeah so it is not like no one didn’t see the OA problem not coming and they should have jumped way prior to making a stampede. If your insurance from your country meets their standards of 400k/40 then there is no way the IO can deny you. Take it to the supervisor. Any insurance company will deny someone with existing conditions. Which one did you apply for? It’s not that I wish ill on anyone, I just see it is going to crush everyone in the end from the exodus jumping.

 

The next best scenario I can hope for is that they don’t enforce it for married or family. But long shot thinking. 

[holy cow cm]

30 minutes ago, Pib said:

When a person's OA expires and the person applies for a new, different type visa such as a non-O I can't see immigration denying such as long as the person meets the requirements.   

 

And it's a real shame it does not appear that the Thai govt has grandfathered current OA visa holders from Christmas past which many retirement extensions of stay grew from.   I know some believe the police order's current wording implies grandfathering but it appears immigration offices do not see it that way.  Probably because they have got additional guidance from HQ immigration.  But we will all know for sure after 31 Oct 2019 when people go to extend their retirement extensions of stay.  

 

 

Ok. I do feel sorry and do hope the best for all the long timers and ones who have their life wrapped here. Not trying to be insensitive, but just a little frustrated at how the treatment is becoming towards us. There are definitely better nicer ways to go about this by them, but they are either being clueless or non caring. 

Edited October 28, 2019 by holy cow cm

[DaRoadrunner]

1 hour ago, Mango Bob said:

I would like to do that.  But if I fly back to Don Mueang will I have a problem getting the visa exempt with some IO saying you been in Thailand too long to be a tourist. 

Why would they say you have been a tourist when you can show an old long term OA in your passport?

 

What gets me is that if they give someone a Retirement Visa, they should also consider that this person has made a long term commitment to Thailand and therefore there should always be a way to renew their visa. Yet they leave us in an unstable situation with ever changing rules.

Edited October 28, 2019 by DaRoadrunner

[GeorgeCross]

so if a retiree is denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions they, what? cannot get an extension and have to go back home?

 

seriously?! how heartless can a country become. disgusting.

 

i thought there was supposed to be some kind of 'get out' for these cases?

 

and not grandfathering again. they really are ... well you know.

 

 

 

[DaRoadrunner]

10 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

so if a retiree is denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions they, what? cannot get an extension and have to go back home?

 

seriously?! how heartless can a country become. disgusting.

 

i thought there was supposed to be some kind of 'get out' for these cases?

 

and not grandfathering again. they really are ... well you know.

 

 

 

For those barred from insurance, I thought there had been some discussion about depositing a bond as surety to cover medical expenses? Though I ask, is it not enough that we already have shown 800k in a Thai bank account?

 

As for your comment:- “how heartless can a country become. disgusting.” .... With the Thais its all about greed. If one has money I suspect there will always be a way to stay.

[GeorgeCross]

11 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

For those barred from insurance, I thought there had been some discussion about depositing a bond as surety to cover medical expenses? Though I ask, is it not enough that we already have shown 800k in a Thai bank account?

 

 

i thought so too but i guess not as the police order makes no mention of it

 

 

[sunnyboy2018]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over in Savannakhet by showing 800k baht in a bank and proof of retirement or 65k baht income..

Sorry for my ignorance but that sounds the same as retirement extension. i thought the non o visa was a out having moneybin your home bank in your home currency.

[sunnyboy2018]

18 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

For those barred from insurance, I thought there had been some discussion about depositing a bond as surety to cover medical expenses? Though I ask, is it not enough that we already have shown 800k in a Thai bank account?

 

As for your comment:- “how heartless can a country become. disgusting.” .... With the Thais its all about greed. If one has money I suspect there will always be a way to stay.

 

If you want heartless immigration rules look no further than Australia,  UK or USA..

[GeorgeCross]

53 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

If you want heartless immigration rules look no further than Australia,  UK or USA..

 

UK's seem fair to me, we will be processing my wife's this year.

 

she is looking forward to getting her CITIZENSHIP.

 

 

 

 

[Aforek]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over in Savannakhet by showing 800k baht in a bank and proof of retirement or 65k baht income..

  What do you call"  proof of retirement " ?

and, what about Phnom Penh to have a O visa ? I have seen on the Thai embassy site in Phnom penh that when they speak of "retirement " their link leads to O-A visa ; their O visa seems to be only for family, I guess married people Thai-foreigner 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, Aforek said:

I am sure in our situation, you would do the same ; do you know ? I have a O-A visa and an insurance in my country for 9 years, for my extension on 14 th next month, my I.O wants that I have a Thai insurance ( she doesn't care of mine ) ; but I have been refused by the Thai insurance today  for pre-existing  conditions ; what can I do , apart to get a O visa ? all my life, house, GF are in Thailand ; what would do in my place ? Don't try to stay in Thailand ?

One option might be to switch to a Thailand Elite visa. For many, it likely works out cheaper than the required insurance policy.

 

Another option to look at might be an O-A visa once every two years from home country where the consulate might accept your existing insurance, but that seems risky with Immigration on entry liable to override the consulate's decision to issue you the visa.