Arrived to suvarnabhumi today with re entry permit based on OA

[pipbcn]

Hi all

just arrived to suvarnabump with a re entry permit based on retirement extension from original OA visa. 

no questions or insurance mention at all. 

[Matzzon]

Probably bacause you do not have a Non-OA visa that was given to you after the 31st of oktober. Here you are coming with a re-entry on a visa approved and given before the rule went into effect. You will need an insurance the next time you appy for and try to enter with a Non-OA visa that has been aproved and given after the 31st okt 2019.

[problemfarang]

Agreed with Matzzon

[Sheryl]

There is never an issue coming in on a re-entry permit because it does not generate a new permission to stay.

 

Whether or nto OP will be asked to show insurance at his next extension is unclear at this point. Some IOs are saying so but the situation is still much in flux. If extension date is near ask your IO.

[SpokaneAl]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

There is never an issue coming in on a re-entry permit because it does not generate a new permission to stay.

 

Whether or nto OP will be asked to show insurance at his next extension is unclear at this point. Some IOs are saying so but the situation is still much in flux. If extension date is near ask your IO.

It kind of does, doesn’t it? If one was on the first year of the non imm o-a, he/she would be given a permission to stay for an additional year from that, most recent, entry date.

[Sheryl]

16 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

It kind of does, doesn’t it? If one was on the first year of the non imm o-a, he/she would be given a permission to stay for an additional year from that, most recent, entry date.

That is the difference between entering on a still valid (unexpired) OA and entering on a re entry permit. The former generates a new period of stay and the latter does not.

[scuba2day]

I received my OA visa in August. Entered at Suvarnabhumi on Nov 8th.

I was asked about Insurance - said no have. Given a one year permission to stay and told would need Insurance next time.

 

This is a multiple entry visa so don't need a re-entry permit.

However, I was wondering about the following scenario.

 

My original plan was to use the OA visa, entering and exiting several times, with a final entry on Apr 15, 2020.  On Apr 20th, 2020 I then planned go back to my country. This plan is dead now. As I understand the situation if I leave during the validity period of the OA Visa, I would not be able enter again on the OA Visa unless I have insurance.

 

I know it seems odd and twisted but even though the OA Visa is multiple entry, would I be able to get a re-entry permit on the existing permission to stay?

 

Finally, if I do exit the country and come back without insurance how will this be handled? Would they cancel the OA Visa and I would enter on Visa exempt?

I know this is uncharted territory. Just try to plan for my travels this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by scuba2day

[Peter Denis]

3 hours ago, scuba2day said:

My original plan was to use the OA visa, entering and exiting several times, with a final entry on Apr 15, 2020.  On Apr 20th, 2020 I then planned go back to my country. This plan is dead now. As I understand the situation if I leave during the validity period of the OA Visa, I would not be able enter again on the OA Visa unless I have insurance.

As confirmed only today > your understanding is not correct and it's NOT required.

I was almost in same situation as yourself and last 2 weeks I worried a lot about my options.

But it was clarified just today that border-Immigration were wrong when requiring health-insurance from holders of a pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa, and they are correcting their earlier mistakes and since then there have been no cases reported anymore of being denied entry for the health-insurance requirement.  Your case is additional proof of that, as you entered after Oct 31 without health-insurance.

So there will be no issue exiting and re-entering Thailand during the validity period of your OA Visa, and each time on re-entry you will be stamped in for a period of 1 year.  So it's recommended to exit and re-enter Thailand just before your OA Visa validity expires, as that would squeeze out the maximum permitted stay from your OA Visa.  Also during that 2nd period, after your OA Visa validity has expired, you can exit and re-enter Thailand till the date that your permission to stay expires.  However, during that 2nd period you will need a re-entry permit to keep that granted permission to stay alive.

Note: At this moment it is not clear yet whether the health-insurance requirement will be applicable when you apply for an extension of stay of your OA Visa (once your permission to stay is on the brink of expiry).  But hey, you have almost 2 years before that will become an issue (if it does).

So relax, and enjoy LOS!

Edited November 12, 2019 by Peter Denis

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Note: At this moment it is not clear yet whether the health-insurance requirement will be applicable when you apply for an extension of stay of your OA Visa (once your permission to stay is on the brink of expiry). 

Yes, there are a lot of posts around of regional offices saying insurance will be obligated for these extensions. And for those whose O-A was issued pre Oct 31st 2019 (all of those applying for an Ext I would expect)... their Permit To Stay actually carried no insurance requirement....it seems a contradiction that an Extension would. 

[scuba2day]

20 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

As confirmed only today > your understanding is not correct and it's NOT required.

I was almost in same situation as yourself and last 2 weeks I worried a lot about my options.

But it was clarified just today that border-Immigration were wrong when requiring health-insurance from holders of a pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa.

 

If I understand the police order (a translation posted on one of these threads) regarding OA visas issued before Oct 31,2019 the requirement for insurance is effective starting from the second entry. So, my experience and others are in line with that. It seems there have been cases the IO did not understand this correctly and was incorrectly insisting on insurance from the first entry. So, in fact, it is too early to make a determination based only on anecdotal posts.

I was hoping there would be someone with more knowledge of the police order that would be able to offer some input.

 

I am still interested in the answer to the question would I be able to get a re-entry permit on the existing permission to stay if the OA visa is still valid?

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by scuba2day

[Peter Denis]

51 minutes ago, scuba2day said:

If I understand the police order (a translation posted on one of these threads) regarding OA visas issued before Oct 31,2019 the requirement for insurance is effective starting from the second entry. So, my experience and others are in line with that. It seems there have been cases the IO did not understand this correctly and was incorrectly insisting on insurance from the first entry. So, in fact, it is too early to make a determination based only on anecdotal posts.

I was hoping there would be someone with more knowledge of the police order that would be able to offer some input.

Anecdotal, but of possible relevance for you:

[Peter Denis]

52 minutes ago, scuba2day said:

I am still interested in the answer to the question would I be able to get a re-entry permit on the existing permission to stay if the OA visa is still valid?

I was toying with that very same idea, when it was still unclear whether on re-entering Thailand you would be required to have health-insurance.

One TVF member wanted to do exactly the same, and did buy a Re-Entry Permit while his OA Visa validity had not expired.  But he had to argue with Thai Immigration at Suvarnabhumi to get it, and they told him that it was possible that it would not be honoured when re-entering.  

That was before the Nov 7 meeting at Suvarnabhumi by IO, in which it was indicated that pre oct 31 issued OA Visas would NOT require health-insurance on entry of the country.

 

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, scuba2day said:

If I understand the police order (a translation posted on one of these threads) regarding OA visas issued before Oct 31,2019 the requirement for insurance is effective starting from the second entry.

You are probably referring to the following part of the Police Order (page 11):

I read this - but might be proven wrong - that this refers to OA Visa holders that were issued such a Visa after Oct 31 (and thus had to meet the health-insurance requirement).

 

The intro to that same Police Order (page 7) also carries the following statement:

And I read this as confirming that OA Visa holders who have been granted a permission to stay based on a OA Visa issued before Oct 31, would be safe to enter/re-enter the country during that full period.

 

But of course I can be wrong, and as the Police Order can be interpreted in different ways, we need to wait for cases that will make it clear what interpretation is being enforced.

This being Thailand, I would not be surprised if it turned out that enforcement would not be consistent everywhere.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Peter Denis