O/A visa and insurance experience today

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

Perhaps he doesn't belong to this forum eh.....Duuuh...????

 

I was contacted on FB.....????

Good comment,I would love to know just what % of expats are on here? I suggest a very small one,I know many of my mates aren’t and have no interest in joining, are there any published estimates?

[The Man Who Sold the World]

1 hour ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

If I only knew what he meant

I know what he meant - he doesn't know, his bosses don't know, Thai Immigration doesn't know...

 

What we can all be fairly certainty of is that the "state of flux" Thai Immigration has evolved into just ain't gonna change... another day, another adventure

[OJAS]

14 hours ago, Pib said:

Two Chaeng Wattanna Immigration Officers told me face-to-face approx one month ago in a 15 minutes conversation that for my next retirement extension of stay in late 2020 (would be my 12th) that I will require insurance as all my extensions began with my 2008 OA Visa.

 

14 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

Another 1st hand report.

 

14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No sure that can be considered a 1st hand report of somebody actually being denied a extension at Chaeng Wattana and that was over a month ago.

I have seen no reports of a denial yet.

Whereas there does exist 1 first-hand report from someone who originally entered Thailand on an OA visa in 2006 and who has successfully applied for a retirement extension at Chaengwattana since 1st November without having to show proof of health insurance - see @Hayduke's posting at #2 on the following thread:-

 

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by OJAS

[OJAS]

12 minutes ago, The Man Who Sold the World said:

I know what he meant - he doesn't know, his bosses don't know, Thai Immigration doesn't know...

Indeed, his overriding concern, of course, was not to have to run the risk of subsequently losing face!

[BertM]

Someone just sent me this link of a first-hand report that this person was not required to have insurance to get his extension at CW in Bangkok on Nov 7 with a previous O-A. It would be nice to see more reports of people getting their extensions without insurance. But, for those who go ask ahead of time and are told it's needed, then they go buy it, we will never know if they could have gotten their extension without insurance like this person. See post below...

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by BertM

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, BertM said:

Someone just sent me this link of a first-hand report that this person was not required to have insurance to get his extension at CW in Bangkok on Nov 7 with a previous O-A. It would be nice to see more reports of people getting their extensions without insurance. But, for those who go ask ahead of time and are told it's needed, then they go buy it, we will never know if they could have gotten their extension without insurance like this person. See post below...

 

Picture of his O-A or it didn't happen. Lots of uninformed people don't realize they started with an O rather than an O-A and think all people in the retirement system are classified as O-A. People -- BE SKEPTICAL. Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged and have a hard time making these kinds of differentiations. 

[lopburi3]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged and have a hard time making these kinds of differentiations. 

Huh???

[Max69xl]

12 hours ago, BertM said:

Yes. That's close enough. He went in Nov to ask if he would need insurance for his extension in Dec. Looks like everyone with a past O-A should plan to buy insurance or plan to get a Non-O.

And for those who don't follow TVF, they will be in for quite a surprise when they go in to get their extension and are told the bad news.

"And for those who don't follow TVF"

Fyi, that's the majority of expats in Thailand. 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Huh???

The point is that many many people really don't know what's in their passport. Retirement extensions are often referred to as retirement visas and also O-A visas. For people that have been doing continuous extensions UNTIL VERY RECENTLY there has been no reason whatsoever to need to know if your ORIGINAL visa was an O or O-A. Thus I am very skeptical now of any reports from offices where OA starting people have been denied of people saying they started with OA but were accepted without insurance. There is no logical reason why an office with a no O-A based extensions without insurance policy would let any O-A people get extensions without it (except agents of course). Unless they have changed the policy for all OA based extensions. 

[Max69xl]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

The point is that many many people really don't know what's in their passport. Retirement extensions are often referred to as retirement visas and also O-A visas. For people that have been doing continuous extensions UNTIL VERY RECENTLY there has been no reason whatsoever to need to know if your ORIGINAL visa was an O or O-A. Thus I am very skeptical now of any reports from offices where OA starting people have been denied of people saying they started with OA but were accepted without insurance. There is no logical reason why an office with a no O-A based extensions without insurance policy would let any O-A people get extensions without it (except agents of course). Unless they have changed the policy for all OA based extensions. 

I'm on an original O Visa based on retirement. Jomtien Immigration likes stamps, so I have "Retirement"

stamped next to every extension. 

But I have a hard time believing that an expat wouldn't remember what visa he/she started with,even if it was years ago.

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Unless they have changed the policy for all OA based extensions. 

And what policy would that be?  It seems to shift by the day, if not minute and depend more on who is asked when than on any solid information.  Feel for everyone under the current conditions.

[Max69xl]

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Picture of his O-A or it didn't happen. Lots of uninformed people don't realize they started with an O rather than an O-A and think all people in the retirement system are classified as O-A. People -- BE SKEPTICAL. Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged and have a hard time making these kinds of differentiations. 

"Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged"

How many "extremely" aged expats do you see every day? 

[moontang]

5 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

I'm on an original O Visa based on retirement. Jomtien Immigration likes stamps, so I have "Retirement"

stamped next to every extension. 

But I have a hard time believing that an expat wouldn't remember what visa he/she started with,even if it was years ago.

I have submitted a copy of my now expired OA with all extension apps, TM30, and even a few 90s.  

[UKresonant]

1 hour ago, BertM said:

But, for those who go ask ahead of time and are told it's needed, then they go buy it, we will never know if they could have gotten their extension without insurance

A formal denial in writing may be better, as a formal record could be useful if clearly you are directed to buy a compulsory insurance, especially if it duplicates cover or which may possibly not to cover you, or subsequently does not! But you must have it for the Visa or Extension, useful for some but for others, it may just turn out to be a really expensive visa extension  fee. If you cannot get that insurance, a formal record could be in effect become a notice of expulsion (perhaps to copy to you home country F.O.), even if you actually have cover from another provider. 

 

[Mango Bob]

6 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged"

How many "extremely" aged expats do you see every day? 

Every morning I wake up and run to get my passport to see if I still have an O/A or it changed overnight to an O.

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged"

How many "extremely" aged expats do you see every day? 

Are you really asking? I'd estimate about 50. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

16 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

I'm on an original O Visa based on retirement. Jomtien Immigration likes stamps, so I have "Retirement"

stamped next to every extension. 

But I have a hard time believing that an expat wouldn't remember what visa he/she started with,even if it was years ago.

Let’s not forget that one of the earliest reports on this thread was from a CM expat who claimed to have gotten an extension on retirement ( from an OA ).

 

That set the ball rolling !!, but unfortunately it was not true as he had an O visa !!

 

All posts from him ,and replies , were removed by Charlie, on this and another thread, to avoid confusion.

 

So confusion is present in expats as to their current visa status.

 

I believe the only 1st hand accepted extension ( without insurance ) is from Hayduke .

[Max69xl]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Are you really asking? I'd estimate about 50. 

Yes, I'm asking because "extremely" aged in my book is maybe 85+ years of age. Are you staying in an old folks home? 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

Yes, I'm asking because "extremely" aged in my book is maybe 85+ years of age. Are you staying in an old folks home? 

I don't check their ID's dude. (Jomtien, God's waiting room.)

[vivananahuahin]

i am since 2012 in Thailand on OA visa and since 2014 on extension retirement,i was friday in the immigration office for my last 90 report before the next extension(february) and ask him about health insurance and says yes you need the basic visa is OA,no way,i need go out the country to kill this type of visa and come back with Non O based on marriage,i will receive 90 days on entry,45 days before the end of these 90 days i need ask him extension for one year and i told him based on marriage ,he says no i will give you retirement extension because too much work with marriage visa ,but i prefer marriage visa may be more secure in the future,nobody knows what they will do with the Non O,very confused about these situations,each province,each immigration office,each officer use his understanding of this "law",i know we need accept and respect it,Thailand is a sovereign state,but they are limits and uncertainty can be harmful for the country.

[Max69xl]

4 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Let’s not forget that one of the earliest reports on this thread was from a CM expat who claimed to have gotten an extension on retirement ( from an OA ).

 

That set the ball rolling !!, but unfortunately it was not true as he had an O visa !!

 

All posts from him ,and replies , were removed by Charlie, on this and another thread, to avoid confusion.

 

So confusion is present in expats as to their current visa status.

 

I believe the only 1st hand accepted extension ( without insurance ) is from Hayduke .

I remember that post from the guy with an O. But some of the confusing posts might also be because of terminology. The O-A Visa is called a retirement visa, and then you have the 1 year extension based on retirement. From the first 1 year extension for the O-A Visa the requirements are exactly same as for the 1 year extension based on retirement. Until October 31. 

[Max69xl]

8 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

i am since 2012 in Thailand on OA visa and since 2014 on extension retirement,i was friday in the immigration office for my last 90 report before the next extension(february) and ask him about health insurance and says yes you need the basic visa is OA,no way,i need go out the country to kill this type of visa and come back with Non O based on marriage,i will receive 90 days on entry,45 days before the end of these 90 days i need ask him extension for one year and i told him based on marriage ,he says no i will give you retirement extension because too much work with marriage visa ,but i prefer marriage visa may be more secure in the future,nobody knows what they will do with the Non O,very confused about these situations,each province,each immigration office,each officer use his understanding of this "law",i know we need accept and respect it,Thailand is a sovereign state,but they are limits and uncertainty can be harmful for the country.

So why don't you start with telling us which immigration office you belong to? If I want correct info about the O-A Visa and insurances, I wouldn't ask the officer behind the 90 days report desk. They have by far the easiest and most simple job at immigration. 

[Peter Denis]

6 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

i am since 2012 in Thailand on OA visa and since 2014 on extension retirement,i was friday in the immigration office for my last 90 report before the next extension(february) and ask him about health insurance and says yes you need the basic visa is OA,no way,i need go out the country to kill this type of visa and come back with Non O based on marriage,i will receive 90 days on entry,45 days before the end of these 90 days i need ask him extension for one year and i told him based on marriage ,he says no i will give you retirement extension because too much work with marriage visa ,but i prefer marriage visa may be more secure in the future,nobody knows what they will do with the Non O,very confused about these situations,each province,each immigration office,each officer use his understanding of this "law",i know we need accept and respect it,Thailand is a sovereign state,but they are limits and uncertainty can be harmful for the country.

Sad story.

If a Non Imm O Visa based on marriage is the correct Visa for your situation, it is unacceptable that IO refuses to process your application because it is 'too much work for them'. 

In your shoes, I would not accept the 'less work' O Visa based on retirement, as that type Visa might get abolished in future (already in many countries you cannot get it anymore, and it would fit in the longer-term scheme of only allowing OA for retirement purposes).

What a shambles!

 

[kingofthemountain]

42 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"Also keep in mind many people on retirement are extremely aged"

How many "extremely" aged expats do you see every day? 

I see beetwen 10 and 50 of them on a daily basis

and everytime i go to the immigration office, there is 

few who hardly seems to know where is the door entrance

so you can imagine the mess it's in their paperwork.

It's not a critic, we are going all to be aged a day

but be realist, for some of us the old age is a shipwreck

[Max69xl]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

Sad story.

If a Non Imm O Visa based on marriage is the correct Visa for your situation, it is unacceptable that IO refuses to process your application because it is 'too much work for them'. 

In your shoes, I would not accept the 'less work' O Visa based on retirement, as that type Visa might get abolished in future (already in many countries you cannot get it anymore, and it would fit in the longer-term scheme of only allowing OA for retirement purposes).

What a shambles!

 

"already in many countries you cannot get it anymore".

I know only the US, so far, and that happened before the health insurance c**p started. 

[Jingthing]

Just now, Max69xl said:

"already in many countries you cannot get it anymore".

I know only the US, so far, and that happened before the health insurance c**p started. 

Yes for several years already.

[kingofthemountain]

33 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Yes, I'm asking because "extremely" aged in my book is maybe 85+ years of age. Are you staying in an old folks home? 

It's not only the age

you can have a very clear ideas and perfect fonctuning mind at 80 or 90

and be totaly confused at 60 or 70, following a serious illness or just because of your genetic.

[Peter Denis]

13 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"already in many countries you cannot get it anymore".

I know only the US, so far, and that happened before the health insurance c**p started. 

US, Belgium, Malaysia and possibly other countries (don't remember).

[The Man Who Sold the World]

1 hour ago, vivananahuahin said:

he says no i will give you retirement extension because too much work with marriage visa

Simple solution, have your bank balance fall to THB 500k, won't qualify for a "retirement" extension, will for a "marriage"

[moontang]

47 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

US, Belgium, Malaysia and possibly other countries (don't remember).

Thanks for the heads up..that kills my plan B.2, which was to go to Malaysia.  Waiting to hear about the the letter of retirement for those with 800k in the bank..at that point, I will probably try the high deductible with Pacific Cross and make it my last year, here.  I thought Falcon would be ok, but on my second review of it I see it is 800k coverage, but only 80k per incident..you can get 200k coverage from BBL for a song..I am mid 50s..so I will care better than most..but this is about the worst pile of <deleted> since moving here full time 6 years ago.

Edited November 24, 2019 by moontang