O_A Extensions 75+ Based on Retirement ONLY.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, luckyluke said:

I am a realist pessimist. 

 

I have an "O" and no need of insurance. 

 

But being 19 years in Thailand , I know that nothing is sure here. 

 

Paying 100000 is a possibility which I take in serious consideration. 

 

 

Live year to year, don't stress over maybe. How about a marriage extension? I somehow expect that to be left alone. 

[roobaa01]

go to your local immigration and apply for non-o 60 days to visit yr wife. within the 60 days put 400k in yr thai bank acc. . as u have 165 k monthly not too difficult. when the 60 days nearly finished and 400 ks are seasoned you apply for ext. of stay based on marriage 12 months stamp, no medical insurance required.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[luckyluke]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Live year to year, don't stress over maybe. How about a marriage extension? I somehow expect that to be left alone. 

I am married also. 

 

Being pessimist have been a few times not a bad approach, however most times unnecessary. 

 

Wish I was like you. 

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

go to your local immigration and apply for non-o 60 days to visit yr wife.

That is a 60 day extension of stay to visit your wife not a visa of any kind.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

I am married also. 

 

Being pessimist have been a few times not a bad approach, however most times unnecessary. 

 

Wish I was like you. 

 

Yes I know, a pessimist is an optimist who has learned a hard lesson. You have options, they haven't started tufting us old 'uns out yet!

[roobaa01]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

That is a 60 day extension of stay to visit your wife not a visa of any kind.

why does immigration  categorize it then as conversion to non-o ???

 

wbr

roobaa01

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, roobaa01 said:

why does immigration  categorize it then as conversion to non-o ???

 

wbr

roobaa01

Applying for a additional 60 days is not a conversion.

You seem to be confusing it with a application for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry done at immigration that often called a conversion from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

[JetsetBkk]

4 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

The negative publicity of forced exit of so many 1000s would be much greater than currently.

I haven't seen any.

[Sheryl]

14 hours ago, Maestro said:

There is no separate rule for applicants older than 75 years.

This is correct.

 

And no provision currently exists for alternatives to insurance for those who cannot get it.

 

An Imm Office will either require insurance for all OA extensions or for none.

 

Variables will be whether IO requires it and also whether agents are able to get around it. I have seen little report of the former and no info either way on the latter.

[Sheryl]

8 hours ago, travelerjim said:

I have learned from Pacific Cross that they will now consider applicants to age 80.

 

For O-A compliant health insurance policies.

 

Tj

 

This is huge if so. Whom at PC did you hear it from? And is that still with guaranteed renewal to age 99?

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, luckyluke said:

I assume the costs will be something like 250000+ for a cover of 400000.

 

And being that age, sure the insurance will find a reason for not paying. 

 

The costs will be high no doubt but with PC you do have the option of reducing premiums  by as much as 50% by accepting a deductible.

 

Make sure you are able to pay the deductible amount before doing that, though. the last thing we need is for someone with a high deductible policy to be unable to pay a hospital bill, that will lead them to ban deductibles.

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Go4er said:

I have been living in Thailand for almost 10 years now. Each year I have returned to the US for my annual physical, taxes, and to visit family. Each time I obtained a Non-OA long stay VISA at the Royal Thai Consulate in Los Angles. I am now 75 going on 76 (May) and cannot find any health insurance for my age in Thailand. I am planning another trip to the US in March 2020. I am looking at a Non-O VISA married to Thai this time and apply for extended stay based on marriage once I get back in Thailand. I have a documented retirement income in excess of 165,000 Baht per month but don’t have the 400,000 in the bank.  My wife has house book, Thai ID and Passport. Additionally, I have an adopted Thai son. What are my best options? Does anyone have some suggestions for me? Thanks in advance.

In your case it is a no-brainer. Non O based on Thai spouse.  The visa you get will be good for I think 90 days then you can extend it in country for 12 months. For this, you will need to document transfer of 45K baht a month into a Thai bank account from abroad, each month without fail bu the first time does nto have to have been 12 transfers can be I think just 2-3 but check with @ubonjoe to be sure.

 

Alternative if you have US insurance that covers you for emergencies in Thailand, or are willing to take out an international expat policy (Cigna Global probably best bet at your age) then you could continue with annual OA visas, using each visa for just a year, provided the insurance company will sign the designated insurers form OR  the Consulate will accept other proof such as copy of policy.  They will definitely not issue you another OA without proof you have insurance coverage in Thailand, but unlike in-country extensions for the visa issuance a foreign policy can be used. You will be allowed to stay/enter only up to the end of the effective date of the policy.

[LivinLOS]

3 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

An O visa based on marriage is a one year visa.

Hes talking about the permission of stay it generates.. 

A non imm O visa based on marriage generates 90 days as he says.. 

 

All of them generate annual extensions, but thats not his point, however wrong he is. 

[LivinLOS]

3 hours ago, jimn said:

I know that but because it is in its original form a 90 day visa in my opinion it will never fall into the insurance requirement

Maybe... maybe not.. 

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, JetsetBkk said:

I haven't seen any.

Maybe you didnt read the post ?? 

That was in reference to the possibility of the insurance expanding to the non imm O category as well, and having no alternative arrangements in place for those who cannot insure here. That event, if imposed the same way to O classes would create.. 

 

Quote

The negative publicity of forced exit of so many 1000s would be much greater than currently.

 

[jacko45k]

49 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

This is huge if so. Whom at PC did you hear it from? And is that still with guaranteed renewal to age 99?

I would like to see the policies.... nothing like having a customer who has neither choice nor alternative, and his arm up his back. If they offer 40k max OPD. with a 40k deductible (ie nothing) and 400,000 In patient cover for a premium of 500,000.... and a pretty certificate for immigration.... I will buy shares!

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

Changing from an O-A to an O will bypass the insurance requirement but what happens if immigration sees people changing from O-A to O to bypass insurance and then changes the requirement for an O visa to include medical insurance. By the time this happens most of the people who changed to an O are now over age 80 and are S.O.L.

I would suggest IF you can afford medical insurance get it now.

 

 And if you can get it.

 

There is no insurer on the approved list that will insure people over 75 with guaranteed renewal unless it proves true that PC is now taking up to age 80, no official announcement on that yet.

 

And all insurers will deny people with major pre-existing conditions.

 

Reverting to the OP, there have already been many reports of people being required to have insurance for renewals, you will find them scattered around in different threads including these

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1137024-non-o-a-extension-my-experience/?tab=comments#comment-14824848

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1132569-oa-visa-and-insurance-experience-today/page/138/?tab=comments#comment-14832301

(long thread with a number of reports scattered throughout).

 

Having already posted the outcome and gotten their extension (or made other arrangements) those who have already posted aren't likely to be reading this forum now.

 

To my recollection the following Imm  Offices are definitely requiring insurance:

 

Chaeng Wattana

Jomtien

Chiang Mai

Prachinburi

Hua Hin

 

There may be others that I missed.

 

[SkyFax]

12 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Maybe... maybe not.. 

Isn't 'urgent study' an oxymoron?

Edited December 12, 2019 by SkyFax

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, pennine said:

Perfectly articulated question which I'm sure applies to many of us, me included. Not without trepidation, I applied for my extension this week, including a letter from Pacific Cross that they don't insure over 75's, plus my overseas Medical Aid certificate, plus my savings book showing that I am able to fund a medical issue.

I have to go back on the 17th to get the result.

pennine

 

 

Was this for retirement or marriage extension?

 

At what Imm office?

 

Is your original visa O or OA?

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Capt Rob said:

Not specifically answering the original post, but recently on review my declined OA Visa dated 29th October, was validated without the requirement for medical insurance. My re-entry into Thailand was November 17th, I know of two other people had the same OA and entered ( CNX ) without issue also in November.

The larger issue now is how one will fare with an extension in 2020 ?

I plan to go that route but will not sign up for a almost worthless and expensive insurance cover.

To be clear - your OA was issued 29 October 2019? And you were one of those people erroneously denied entry (not denied the visa) at the airport for lack of insurance?

 

If so then does ngto shed light on anything other than that the airport entry issue on still  valid OAs has been resolved.

 

If you have good international insurance you might like to consider returning home for another OA rather than an incountry extension of stay if the present practice of IOs requiring local insurance for  extensions continues.

[david555]

15 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

To be clear - your OA was issued 29 October 2019? And you were one of those people erroneously denied entry (not denied the visa) at the airport for lack of insurance?

 

If so then does ngto shed light on anything other than that the airport entry issue on still  valid OAs has been resolved.

 

If you have good international insurance you might like to consider returning home for another OA rather than an incountry extension of stay if the present practice of IOs requiring local insurance for  extensions continues.

Good advice as the flight would even be cheaper than that Thai insurance for most retired people...

[moontang]

I bought the year at PC, yesterday.  Just under 27000.  I went with 780k in coverage and a 20,000 deductible.  Age upper 50s.

[emptypockets]

6 hours ago, matta said:

Best option change visa type O-A  based on retirement to non O based on marriage NOT in Thailand but in your home country or nearby country to avoid the problem concerning the health insurance. This is also the advice what the Immigration Officers give here in Thailand.

I presume that they want get rid of that type of visa ( O-A).

There is already a discrimination because one must have 400k on the bank and the other 800k. The proposal is that you must have a Thai insurance and if you read the small letters on the policy, some illnesses are not covered. They have the privilege to cancel the insurance policy.

There is a law that says that it is legal that the price for a treatment for foreigners (falang) is double or triple than for a Thai person. How long do you think you must wait to see the problems?

The price for a health insurance is also too expensive for most people. I also don't understand why there are no transitional measures taken place for this issue.

 

 

 

Change to a marriage based On from OA? What if the person is not married?

Can you list the immigration officers giving this advice as you claim?

[JetsetBkk]

26 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

1 hour ago, JetsetBkk said:

I haven't seen any.

Maybe you didnt read the post ?? 

That was in reference to the possibility of the insurance expanding to the non imm O category as well, and having no alternative arrangements in place for those who cannot insure here. That event, if imposed the same way to O classes would create.. 

 

Quote

The negative publicity of forced exit of so many 1000s would be much greater than currently.

Ah, I see.  I did read the post but didn't connect the "forced exit of so many 1000s" to the possible/probable O visa extensions, rather than the current O-A extensions.

 

The point about O-A extensions is that they were "sold" as "Retirement" visas, even though there is no such thing. My Immigration Office stamps my extension as "RETIREMENT" in capital letters, but it isn't - it's just a 1 year extension of permission to stay.

 

If it were truly a Retirement visa, we would be allowed to live here in peace until we were dead. That is what most people think "retirement" is.

 

But in Thailand they change the rules regularly. First of all, you could come here on an O-A after showing just paperwork - age, health report, police report, etc. The only time I needed money in the bank (800,000) was the day before my first extension. Then it was 3 months before, then it was 3 months before but always 400,00 minimum. Now it's the same plus 100,000>200,000 insurance premium that pays out, maybe, 400,000.

 

So what is the point of the 400,000 in the bank all year? 

 

I think this is partly due to hospital administrators who can't be bothered to chase up non-paying customers. How can these customers get away without paying? The only times I've had extended hospital stays I had to pay up front - literally. When I had a kidney stone problem, the hospital sent me to the bank in a taxi (I paid) to take out 160,000 baht to give to them before they would operate. Nice.

 

They weren't interested in looking at my bank book which showed a couple a mil. No, no - they wanted cash in hand. How was I going to argue? And why can't other hospitals do the same?

 

 

[david555]

They could also allow to block the same money the insurance policy need to have 400K+ outpatient blocking extra on bank …"same-same but different" as Thais say.

Would be helpful for all because finances ,but it could become manageable for those  in the 65 or 70+ range as last resort 

Edited December 12, 2019 by david555

[Peter Denis]

19 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Change to a marriage based On from OA? What if the person is not married?

Can you list the immigration officers giving this advice as you claim?

Refer to my post #54 in this thread, in which I listed ALL possible options when wanting to avoid or not being able to get the thai-approved health-assurance now required for extensions of stay for Non Imm OA Visas based on retirement.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Peter Denis

[emptypockets]

12 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Refer to my post #54 in this thread, in which I listed ALL possible options when wanting to avoid or not being able to get the thai-approved health-assurance now required for extensions of stay for Non Imm OA Visas based on retirement.

I did read that post, which has nothing to do with the question I asked on response to a different post. Don't know why you need to use large font and bold some words. Do you think you are important or something?

[Martyp]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

This is huge if so. Whom at PC did you hear it from? And is that still with guaranteed renewal to age 99?

I talked to my PC agent yesterday about renewing my policy for January 1st. As we talked about the insurance issue he mentioned that they have extended the age limit to 80 years old. I did not ask for details though. I think it is a recent development as within the past week. If it isn’t on the website then you should really talk to an agent.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Martyp

[matta]

Quote

Change to a marriage based On from OA? What if the person is not married?

Can you list the immigration officers giving this advice as you claim?

I must not give an answer to the first question because you have read post 54.

Second maybe you did, but I not write the names from people ( in this case IO) who give me an answer, or advice or something else , the immigration office was in the north

[SheungWan]

23 hours ago, alanrchase said:

He is doing an extension of stay. My understanding is that the financial requirements for money in the bank are the same for extending from a non OA as they are for a non O, ie. 800,000 for 2 months prior, 800,000 for 3 months after and not allowed to drop below 400,000. The problem appears to be that if you are extending from a non OA immigration are requiring health insurance. The original new rule as I remember only stated that insurance was needed when applying for the non OA but immigration seem to be applying it to extensions from a non OA as well.

I guess the the question is whether he can obtain a non-imm O and then extend that to extension to stay ie discontinue the prior O-A link.