O/A visa and insurance experience today

[Max69xl]

36 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

There is a requirement that you keep 400k in your account, but they don't check it all?

As far as I know, no. I showed my 800k in the bank 90 days after my last extension. At Jomtien Immigration they call it "90 days check". The female officer behind the desk took the 4 required copies looked through them maybe 10 seconds, looked up,smiled and said "you can go now". After that no one has mentioned the 400k I need to have. 

[MeePeeMai]

See below

Edited November 27, 2019 by MeePeeMai
Quote added below

[MeePeeMai]

21 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

May as well try. the worst that can happen is they refuse the extension not invalidate the current one for instance. if it fails can go get the 'O'

I believe you could also just do a border run and re-enter on a 30 day visa exempt (or visa on arrival) and apply for your Non-O here in Thailand.  Other members here know the rules on this method. 

[Max69xl]

24 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

In Jomtien you are

 

No,that's the 800k check 90 days after the extension.I have done two 90 days reports since my last extension and not a word about checking my account for 400k. 

Edited November 27, 2019 by Max69xl

[Canuck50]

4 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

If you don't have a current single or multi re-entry permit then you can leave anytime (at which point your current extension of stay would be terminated).  Otherwise I believe that you want would go to Immigration (airport?) and ask them to cancel your current re-entry permit (if you have one). 

No I don't have a reentry at this point. Do you think it is better to get the non-O outside LOS or come back on a Visa Exempt and convert to the non-O here? I am using am Income Letter from the Canadian Consulate so not sure if that would be accepted at Thai embassies in adjoining countries. Also, I want to avoid applying for the non-O in a place that requires other documents I wouldn't have available here, such as police records check from home, etc.

[Exploring Thailand]

6 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

As far as I know, no. I showed my 800k in the bank 90 days after my last extension. At Jomtien Immigration they call it "90 days check". The female officer behind the desk took the 4 required copies looked through them maybe 10 seconds, looked up,smiled and said "you can go now". After that no one has mentioned the 400k I need to have. 

So you've done 90-day checks without showing your bankbook? I think this may be one of those thing that varies from office to office, or even IO to IO.

[Max69xl]

14 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

If you don't have a current single or multi re-entry permit then you can leave anytime (at which point your current extension of stay would be terminated).  Otherwise I believe that you would want to go to Immigration (airport?) and ask them to cancel your current re-entry permit (if you have one). 

You just leave the country without a re-entry permit before it expires and the O-A is terminated.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, Max69xl said:

You're not supposed to show any proof of money when doing the 90 days reports. 

 

25 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

In Jomtien you are

 

The 90 Days Bank Checking is not a 90-days report.

The 90 Days Bank Checking is done 3 months after your extension of stay has been approved, to check whether you did not dip below the required 800K in the bank.

The 90-days report is just to notify your local IO of your continuation of stay, and no proof is being asked at that time whether you meet the financial requirements.  The 90-days report can also be done on-line.

[MeePeeMai]

5 minutes ago, Canuck50 said:

No I don't have a reentry at this point. Do you think it is better to get the non-O outside LOS or come back on a Visa Exempt and convert to the non-O here? I am using am Income Letter from the Canadian Consulate so not sure if that would be accepted at Thai embassies in adjoining countries. Also, I want to avoid applying for the non-O in a place that requires other documents I wouldn't have available here, such as police records check from home, etc.

I can't say which would be better, it depends on your situation but if you get a Non-O single entry outside of LOS then you would need to go to CW after 45-60 days to apply for your 1 year extension of stay based on over 50 / retirement.  I do not believe that you need the income letter, police clearance or proof of funds at Savanakhet (and maybe some other options) but you'd be better off asking someone with more info on this than I have currently.  There's a lot of discussion on this a little ways back in this thread.  Try going back to about page 95 on and read the posts as I recall lots of discussion on these options.

[Max69xl]

17 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

So you've done 90-day checks without showing your bankbook? I think this may be one of those thing that varies from office to office, or even IO to IO.

I have done two 90 days reports since my extension,no check for money. At Jomtien Immigration they have a dedicated desk for 90 days reports = Desk 4. I have had the same officer for maybe 2 years now. There's a sign at the retirement desk (Desk 8 ) about the "90 days check", but that's the 800k check. I'm not close to Desk 8 when I do my reports, so when I go to immigration for my 90 days reports, if there's no sign about checking my 400k,and the officer behind the desk doesn't mention it, then everything is ok. Get it? 

Edited November 27, 2019 by Max69xl

[Peter Denis]

51 minutes ago, Canuck50 said:

My Extension of Stay based on original Non-Imm O-A (from 2012) ends Dec 24. I want to go to Chaengwattana tomorrow (Thursday) to attempt an extension for another year. I already have good insurance bought in Canada so I will not buy the local (inadequate/expensive/unneeded) insurance. Having gone through the many pages here I am not at all clear on how this is really shaking out.

Please do post a report of your experience at CW of your application for an extension of stay and whether thai approved health-insurance was required to get it approved.

As you remarked there are very little actual 1st hand reports of approval/denial, so your experience would be very welcome (especially since it is at CW).

[Max69xl]

8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

You're not supposed to show any proof of money when doing the 90 days reports. 

 

 

The 90 Days Bank Checking is not a 90-days report.

The 90 Days Bank Checking is done 3 months after your extension of stay has been approved, to check whether you did not dip below the required 800K in the bank.

The 90-days report is just to notify your local IO of your continuation of stay, and no proof is being asked at that time whether you meet the financial requirements.  The 90-days report can also be done on-line. 

You don't need to inform me, I'm staying in Jomtien and know how everything works at Jomtien Immigration. 

[Canuck50]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

Please do post a report of your experience at CW of your application for an extension of stay and whether thai approved health-insurance was required to get it approved.

As you remarked there are very little actual 1st hand reports of approval/denial, so your experience would be very welcome (especially since it is at CW).

Will do!

[Peter Denis]

8 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

You don't need to inform me, I'm staying in Jomtien and know how everything works at Jomtien Immigration. 

My post was not meant for you, but for @kingofthemountainwho responded to your earlier posting (and possible other TVF members that might got confused about the difference between the 90-days bank-checking and the 90-days report).

Personal posts I sent PM.

[Max69xl]

19 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

So you've done 90-day checks without showing your bankbook? I think this may be one of those thing that varies from office to office, or even IO to IO.

There's only one "90-days check" at Jomtien Immigration, 90 days after the extension,and the sign says nothing about further 90 days checks. You don't show the bank book, only 2 copies and 2 copies from your passport. Every copy signed at the bottom. There's no receipt what so ever, or stamp in the passport. I think they throw away the copies afterwards. ????

[Martyp]

1 hour ago, Exploring Thailand said:

There is a requirement that you keep 400k in your account, but they don't check it all?

When you apply your next 1 year extension they will examine your bank passbook for the past year. If you didn’t keep a minimum balance of 400,000 then you have not met the financial requirements for the past year and your application for the next year will be denied. The same with the monthly income method. If you did not deposit at least 65,000 baht each month then you will not be able to get the next year extension. You will have to start over with a new visa.

 

As has been mentioned, Jomtien is an exception. There is a 90 day check of your bank balance but it is not the same as a 90 day report. Two separate things.

Edited November 27, 2019 by Martyp

[Exploring Thailand]

28 minutes ago, Martyp said:

When you apply your next 1 year extension they will examine your bank passbook for the past year. If you didn’t keep a minimum balance of 400,000 then you have not met the financial requirements for the past year and your application for the next year will be denied. The same with the monthly income method. If you did not deposit at least 65,000 baht each month then you will not be able to get the next year extension. You will have to start over with a new visa.

 

As has been mentioned, Jomtien is an exception. There is a 90 day check of your bank balance but it is not the same as a 90 day report. Two separate things.

Thanks. So presumably that means once you start with an agent, you're locked into using them for subsequent extensions.  

[moontang]

1 hour ago, Canuck50 said:

Will do!

Keep in mind, the insurance process may take about a week to get the copy of the policy and certificat, even if you are under 65 and dont require the physical, or in the case of Pacific Cross..even if you go in person to their office on Sathorn..according to Clarke, the English speaking agent.  Another company was offering more of an electronic based system..so yu can check around.  PC seems to be best for my neeeds at age mid 50s.

[Max69xl]

51 minutes ago, Martyp said:

When you apply your next 1 year extension they will examine your bank passbook for the past year. If you didn’t keep a minimum balance of 400,000 then you have not met the financial requirements for the past year and your application for the next year will be denied. The same with the monthly income method. If you did not deposit at least 65,000 baht each month then you will not be able to get the next year extension. You will have to start over with a new visa.

 

As has been mentioned, Jomtien is an exception. There is a 90 day check of your bank balance but it is not the same as a 90 day report. Two separate things.

There is only one 90 days check at Jomtien Immigration,and they only check for 800k three months after the extension. The 65k part of your explanation is not correct. There's no 65k monthly requirement if you still get an income letter from your embassy/consulate. Only for expats from the UK,US or Australia. And there's no info about next extension and checking the bank book(s) for the past year. The new rules for money in the bank started March 1, and it's 3 month more until the second year is coming up.

[Martyp]

32 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

Thanks. So presumably that means once you start with an agent, you're locked into using them for subsequent extensions.  

That is my impression from some of the post’s I’ve read. I’ve never considered an agent. The process is pretty easy and I have the time to go to immigration myself though I understand why some people use agents.

[Max69xl]

2 minutes ago, Martyp said:

That is my impression from some of the post’s I’ve read. I’ve never considered an agent. The process is pretty easy and I have the time to go to immigration myself though I understand why some people use agents.

No need for agents as long as you meet the requirements. It will just cost you a lot of money. 

[Martyp]

7 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

There is only one 90 days check at Jomtien Immigration,and they only check for 800k three months after the extension. The 65k part of your explanation is not correct. There's no 65k monthly requirement if you still get an income letter from your embassy/consulate. Only for expats from the UK,US or Australia. And there's no info about next extension and checking the bank book(s) for the past year. The new rules for money in the bank started March 1, and it's 3 month more until the second year is coming up.

Yes I should have been specific about a single check at Jomtien. I am a US citizen so I spoke from that perspective. I just did my 1 year extension at CW and they did indeed examine my bank passbook as well as accept my bank letter.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, Canuck50 said:

Will do!

And if you get an extra minute with the immigration officer ask them "if", repeat if you were applying for a "marriage extension of stay" vs the retirement extension of stay based on your old OA Visa would insurance still be required.   

 

I'm still trying to get clarity if a person happened to have one each Thai wife (like I do) but that person has been doing OA Retirement extension of stays vs Marriage extension of stays for many years due to simplicity (I'm on my 11th retirement extension right now) if medical insurance would be required if switching from an OA retirement extension of stay to an OA Marriage Extension of stay?

 

I will tell you that around month ago I talked to two immigration officers at CW for approx 15 minutes regarding medical insurance requirement in my particular case of being on my 11th retirement extension of stay based on an OA visa from 2008.  The answer was Yes, insurance would be required for my next extension in Oct 2020.   Only option to avoid the requirement would be to obtain a Non-O.  I asked the question over and over....several different ways....got the same answer that insurance would be required.

 

However, I simply did not ask this question: "Well, if I switch from a retirement to marriage extension of stay will insurance still be required since marriage extension requirements are covered by a different police order section....a section that remain unchanged although the 2.22 section for retirement extension of stays now requires medical insurance? 

 

I was back at CW in early Nov to pick up a confirmation of address letter and was going to try to ask the question again but the place was a zoo.....packed like sardines that  day...would have probably had to wait half a day just to hopefully talk to an immigration officer in the L1 section that processes the long stay extensions.  The L1 section officers are the experts/the ones to ask the question to as they are the ones that process/approve extensions of stay.

 

 

 

[Martyp]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

And if you get an extra minute with the immigration officer ask them "if", repeat if you were applying for a "marriage extension of stay" vs the retirement extension of stay based on your old OA Visa would insurance still be required.   

 

I'm still trying to get clarity if a person happened to have one each Thai wife (like I do) but that person has been doing OA Retirement extension of stays vs Marriage extension of stays for many years due to simplicity (I'm on my 11th retirement extension right now) if medical insurance would be required if switching from an OA retirement extension of stay to an OA Marriage Extension of stay?

 

I will tell you that around month ago I talked to two immigration officers at CW for approx 15 minutes regarding medical insurance requirement in my particular case of being on my 11th retirement extension of stay based on an OA visa from 2008.  The answer was Yes, insurance would be required for my next extension in Oct 2020.   Only option to avoid the requirement would be to obtain a Non-O.  I asked the question over and over....several different ways....got the same answer that insurance would be required.

 

However, I simply did not ask this question: "Well, if I switch from a retirement to marriage extension of stay will insurance still be required since marriage extension requirements are covered by a different police order section....a section that remain unchanged although the 2.22 section for retirement extension of stays now requires medical insurance? 

 

I was back at CW in early Nov to pick up a confirmation of address letter and was going to try to ask the question again but the place was a zoo.....packed like sardines that  day...would have probably had to wait half a day just to hopefully talk to an immigration officer in the L1 section that processes the long stay extensions.  The L1 section officers are the experts/the ones to ask the question to as they are the ones that process/approve extensions of stay.

 

 

 

From what I read you can’t escape your O-A history unless you start over with an O. Switching from retirement to marriage is an option I can consider too. We both have nearly a year to see if it is otherwise.

[MeePeeMai]

9 minutes ago, Martyp said:

From what I read you can’t escape your O-A history unless you start over with an O. Switching from retirement to marriage is an option I can consider too. We both have nearly a year to see if it is otherwise.

I asked at that question at Chiang Khan and was told the same thing.  If applying for an extension based on marriage (I'm here on an O-A), if I would be required to have a Thai insurance policy and was told in that case that yes, I would need one.  They then suggested that I exit and apply for a Non-O based on marriage to avoid the need for a Thai insurance policy. 

 

I too am hoping that this will be clarified for sure one way or the other as my current permission of stay ends in the 1st 1/4 of 2020.

[Max69xl]

44 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Yes I should have been specific about a single check at Jomtien. I am a US citizen so I spoke from that perspective. I just did my 1 year extension at CW and they did indeed examine my bank passbook as well as accept my bank letter.

I understand, that's the routine when you have no income letter. 

[Max69xl]

32 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

I asked at that question at Chiang Khan and was told the same thing.  If applying for an extension based on marriage (I'm here on an O-A), if I would be required to have a Thai insurance policy and was told in that case that yes, I would need one.  They then suggested that I exit and apply for a Non-O based on marriage to avoid the need for a Thai insurance policy. 

 

I too am hoping that this will be clarified for sure one way or the other as my current permission of stay ends in the 1st 1/4 of 2020.

If you meet the financial requirements, there's no problem starting all over again with a 90 days Non-Immigrant O Visa from let's say Savannakhet in Laos. Just a bit of travelling. If using the money in the bank method, then it's even easier. See it as a short vacation. ????

[MeePeeMai]

4 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

If you meet the financial requirements, there's no problem starting all over again with a 90 days Non-Immigrant O Visa from let's say Savannakhet in Laos. Just a bit of travelling. If using the money in the bank method, then it's even easier. See it as a short vacation. ????

 

I agree thanks.

 

I already made plans to go to HCMC to get my Non-O but my plans might change (if they change or re-clarify the requirements for those of us who wish to change to a marriage extension).

[Max69xl]

5 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

 

I agree thanks.

 

I already made plans to go to HCMC to get my Non-O but my plans might change (if they change or re-clarify the requirements for those of us who wish to change to a marriage extension).

Do they issue Non-Immigrant O Visas in HCMC? I thought they're only issuing B,ED and O-A Visas.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, Canuck50 said:

My Extension of Stay based on original Non-Imm O-A (from 2012) ends Dec 24. I want to go to Chaengwattana tomorrow (Thursday) to attempt an extension for another year. I already have good insurance bought in Canada so I will not buy the local (inadequate/expensive/unneeded) insurance. Having gone through the many pages here I am not at all clear on how this is really shaking out.

 

1. Is there any consensus and/or recent reports of anyone being either approved or rejected at CW when applying for an extension based on original O-A, without local insurance? 

 

2. Is it a hit and miss thing where it depends on the interpretation and/or mood of the IO you happen to get?

 

3. Is it an evolving policy that is being changed frequently as upper management try to interpret and pass down the policy to the front line IOs?

 

I am trying to get an idea if it is even worth my time and expense to travel there to make the attempt. Any first hand reports welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

In October several reliable members asked at CW and were told insurance is required.

 

In early November 1 person got an extension (OA as original visa) without any mention made of insurance.

 

Yesterday came this post on TVF  re CW

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1135872-insurance/

 

Those are the only reports I have seen but might have been others I didn't.

 

I suggest you go as far in advance as allowable, submit your usual documents and see what happens. If told you need insurance politely but firmly state you understand this note  to apply for extensions and see if you can meet a more senior person to discuss.

 

And report back what happens!