Changing from O-A to O

[SoonOh]

Chiang Mai immigration officer told us to live the country, re-enter get 30 days visa, and apply for Non-O.

With a smile on her face, she told us that sometime next year Non-O will require medical insurance.

She also told us that medical insurance for our country will not be acceptable. 

[ukrules]

When did you go to immigration? Today?

[bkk6060]

Seems many IO's are misinformed or spreading rumors.

So, fret, worry, be stressed about something that has not happened and you have no control over?

Let's just wait and see and deal with it as mature adults if it happens.

Edited December 25, 2019 by bkk6060

[Maestro]

2 hours ago, SoonOh said:

Chiang Mai immigration officer told us to live the country, re-enter get 30 days visa, and apply for Non-O...

 

Who are "us"? You and what other person or persons?

[holy cow cm]

I am sure they have heard the next step that is being drawn up. Why would they not subject the Non O to insurance as this makes the trough payout huge and the foreigner expat exodus out of Thailand look like that of the great animal migration on the plains of Africa.

[Peter Denis]

Thanks for posting what your local immigration officer told you.

But it is most probably a personal opinion/interpretation of the officer and I strongly doubt that it is based on insider-information of IO's next move in this disaster health-insurance saga.

Note: Admitted, it is nice of her to provide you with advice on how to convert from an OA to O Visa, telling that you can simply exit/re-enter Thailand VisaExempt and apply for the first-step 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa at your local IO.  Many IOs will tell you to apply for the 90-day Non Imm O -retirement Visa at a thai embassy/consulate abroad as that is more convenient for them (less paperwork).     

 

[elviajero]

12 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Seems many IO's are misinformed or spreading rumors.

On what basis to to state that little gem? 
 

They are clearly moving towards compulsory medical insurance for all long stay retirees. The only question at the moment is how they achieve the end game.

[fishtank]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

They are clearly moving towards compulsory medical insurance for all long stay retirees. The only question at the moment is how they achieve the end game.

On what basis do you have for that little gem?

Total guesswork on your part.

Edited December 26, 2019 by fishtank

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, fishtank said:

On what basis do you have for that little gem?

Total guesswork on your part.

“They are clearly”. Obviously, to the reader, it’s a thought/opinion.

 

If they only introduce it for O-A visa holders everyone will stop buying them, and existing O-A visa holders will switch to O visas. We’ve already seen that start to happen.
 

IMO they will phase out O visas for retirement and only issue O-A visas; so that — in the future — retirees don’t have a choice.

As I said, the question is how they achieve the obvious end game. I would be surprised if they introduce it for existing O visa holders, but that remains a possibility.

[mokwit]

18 minutes ago, elviajero said:

IMO they will phase out O visas for retirement and only issue O-A visas; so that — in the future — retirees don’t have a choice.

I regard that as a distinct possibility. the question is do they phase it in for new retirees and grandfather in those on extension of O based on retirement, or do we get told we have to "go back your country" and apply for OA (or worse OX) there? It would be a lot less messy for them to apply the OA requirements that way than to enforce them on existing O holders.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2019 by mokwit

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, elviajero said:

IMO they will phase out O visas for retirement and only issue O-A visas; so that — in the future — retirees don’t have a choice.

IMO there is no way they will do that.

No need to do it that way. Just put it in force when applying for the first time extension of stay based upon retirement with a non-o visa.

[elviajero]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

IMO there is no way they will do that.

No need to do it that way. Just put it in force when applying for the first time extension of stay based upon retirement with a non-o visa.

We’ll see. But the writing has been on the wall for some time. O’s are increasingly hard to get and not available everywhere, and the O-A is being sold as the “retirement visa”.

 

Most of all it makes no sense having two categories of visa for the same purpose of visit.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

We’ll see. But the writing has been on the wall for some time. O’s are increasingly hard to get and not available everywhere, and the O-A is being sold as the “retirement visa”.

 

Most of all it makes no sense having two categories of visa for the same purpose of visit.

Continue with your predictions based on what?

For a member with very comprehensive knowledge of Thai visas to me seems your like train wreck in progress.

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, elviajero said:

We’ll see. But the writing has been on the wall for some time. O’s are increasingly hard to get and not available everywhere, and the O-A is being sold as the “retirement visa”.

Not being able to get a non-o visa for being 50 or over for retirement is really nothing new. Many embassies and official consulates have not issued one for many years now. Only honorary consulates were able to issue one since they cannot issue a non-oa visa.

 

 

11 hours ago, elviajero said:

Most of all it makes no sense having two categories of visa for the same purpose of visit.

A category non-o visa can be issued for many reasons. Only the reason for issuing one can be restricted.

You seem to of forgotten that immigration can issue the visa as well. They have even expanded it to all offices now while before only certain offices could issued them.

[justin case]

even the IO is wrong, you (we) will not get a visa without that what THEY think you need...

 

sad country

[DUNROAMIN]

Farangs are cash cows, so they will milk us every way they can, TIT. I am predicting all types of extensions of stay will require health insurance by the end of 2020.

[Laza 45]

It look like they are already asking for Thai health insurance for No O in Australia..   I'll check with the consulate in Adelaide when I return for a visit in Feb..

 

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant/

[tgeezer]

9 minutes ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Farangs are cash cows, so they will milk us every way they can, TIT. I am predicting all types of extensions of stay will require health insurance by the end of 2020.

I am not going to pay more than 500THB directly to an IO in order to waive the insurance requirement, if it becomes required and I can’t win the argument.   If, as issaanlawyers say, O-A visa holders have no money in the country then it is reasonable to require them to insure hospitals against non payment of bills, but I prove annually that I am able pay.   

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

It look like they are already asking for Thai health insurance for No O in Australia..   I'll check with the consulate in Adelaide when I return for a visit in Feb..

 

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant/

Non O obtained in Au?

[Tchooptip]

"She also told us that medical insurance for our country will not be acceptable". 

But still acceptable by every hospitals in the country...

Which is the absolute proof that this compulsory insurance is a 100% scam!
One of the generals must have a manager of an insurance company in his friends

•  

[pookiki]

14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

IMO there is no way they will do that.

No need to do it that way. Just put it in force when applying for the first time extension of stay based upon retirement with a non-o visa.

I would agree.  But if having an non-o visa is just trying to postpone the inevitable, will there be any advantage to having a non-o over a non-o-a?

[Tchooptip]

17 hours ago, elviajero said:

On what basis to to state that little gem? 
 

They are clearly moving towards compulsory medical insurance for all long stay retirees. The only question at the moment is how they achieve the end game.

You mean to westerners married with Thai wife too? 

[Momofarang]

16 hours ago, fishtank said:

On what basis do you have for that little gem?

Total guesswork on your part.

I guess because it makes frakking sense doesn't?

[Momofarang]

5 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

You mean to westerners married with Thai wife too? 

Wouldn't surprise me at all, as happy families with a Farang dad is thorn in the eye of most people here. They won't shy away from tearing these families apart.

[BertM]

On 12/26/2019 at 4:18 AM, SoonOh said:

she told us that sometime next year Non-O will require medical insurance.

I heard that too from my Visa agency, but he told us not to worry that it will only apply to retirement extensions.

[Tchooptip]

7 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

Wouldn't surprise me at all, as happy families with a Farang dad is thorn in the eye of most people here. They won't shy away from tearing these families apart.

If we go that far, then there is no reason why the VIP visa even at 1,000,000 for twenty years is found one day with the same compulsory insurance!

What is beyond me is that insurances in our respective countries are no longer valid overnight for immigration, while they remains of course for hospitals.

[Peter Denis]

53 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

It look like they are already asking for Thai health insurance for No O in Australia..   I'll check with the consulate in Adelaide when I return for a visit in Feb..

 

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant/

Sounded highly unlikely so I checked the website.

- Canberra Embassy does not issue Non Imm O - retirement Visa.

  Only Non Imm O Visa for - (volunteer or NGO) OR for - (dependent, spouse and family visit, or spouse of Thai national), both of which don't require health-insurance

- Canberra Embassy does issue Non Imm OA Visa.

  And for these health-insurance is required.

Couldn't find the website of the thai honorary consulate Adelaide, but it's possible that they still issue Non Imm O - retirement Visa.  

But as good as certain that if they do, that they would NOT require health-insurance.

[ubonjoe]

22 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Couldn't find the website of the thai honorary consulate Adelaide, but it's possible that they still issue Non Imm O - retirement Visa.  

None of the honorary consulates in Australia can issue a non-o visa for being 50 or over for retirement. The embassy made them stop issuing them at least 2 years ago.

[soisanuk]

1 hour ago, Laza 45 said:

It look like they are already asking for Thai health insurance for No O in Australia..   I'll check with the consulate in Adelaide when I return for a visit in Feb..

 

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant/

The linked page does not show a Non O available for purpose of retirement - they only show health insurance is required under this caption:

Quote

Non-Immigrant Visa type O-A (Australian passport holders only) (for retirement long stay: must be 50 years of age and over)

Three sets of the following documents (1 original set and 2 copies):

That is for the O-A Visa which all Thai Embassies/Consulates have been requiring since October 31.   As to implementing a health insurance requirement for all retirement extensions, that is always a possibility.  But, the requirement will most likely be put forward by the Ministry of Public Health which is the Ministry that proposed and obtained the requirement for the O-A category Visa.

 

It appears that for expediency, Immigration has chosen not to accept home country insurance as it would be easier to verify.  However, if the requirement for all retiree extensions should come about, perhaps that is the time to get outside New outlets interested in the impact it will have on those that do have home country insurance and/or are too old or have pre-existing conditions to qualify for health insurance in Thailand (with their home country insurance being much better).  Such publicity, IMO will have more impact on the powers that be to change the rules and permit outside insurance or self insurance to be allowed.  Likewise, maybe some public protest by those that will be affected to gain Thai media coverage.

[pookiki]

38 minutes ago, soisanuk said:

The linked page does not show a Non O available for purpose of retirement - they only show health insurance is required under this caption:

That is for the O-A Visa which all Thai Embassies/Consulates have been requiring since October 31.   As to implementing a health insurance requirement for all retirement extensions, that is always a possibility.  But, the requirement will most likely be put forward by the Ministry of Public Health which is the Ministry that proposed and obtained the requirement for the O-A category Visa.

 

It appears that for expediency, Immigration has chosen not to accept home country insurance as it would be easier to verify.  However, if the requirement for all retiree extensions should come about, perhaps that is the time to get outside New outlets interested in the impact it will have on those that do have home country insurance and/or are too old or have pre-existing conditions to qualify for health insurance in Thailand (with their home country insurance being much better).  Such publicity, IMO will have more impact on the powers that be to change the rules and permit outside insurance or self insurance to be allowed.  Likewise, maybe some public protest by those that will be affected to gain Thai media coverage.

When you think about it, the Thai government's reluctance and or outright refusal to rely on foreign documents/policies is not any different than allowing current retirees to show sufficient monthly income in the form of pension documents, etc., when the US/UK/Australia stopped issuing affidavits/income verification. I'm in no way defending the absurdity of the insurance requirement but the Thai government has been consistent in its practice of not allowing foreign documents for extensions of stay.

Edited December 27, 2019 by pookiki
grammar