Popular Post david_je Posted February 3, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 3, 2020 This regards those of us needing to extend our O-A stay based on retirement who are faced with the onerous health insurance requirement. The advice on this forum is to leave the country before the current stay expires, return after the expiry and enter visa exempt and then apply for non-O at CW. Would appreciate hearing from someone who has actually done this recently at CW, whether it went smoothly. Were you questioned about the switch? Did they accept the 800,000 that already was in your bank for O-A extension, or did you have to prove it came from abroad? Etc. Please excuse me if I missed, but would be reassuring to hear of actual experience of doing this recently. Thanks. 3 1
kbb Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 Have you pursued insurance quotes? Not vouching for the quality of the coverage, but —- I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. 1
jacko45k Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 And has anybody been turned back at the airport, as they are obviously not tourists and entitled to a Visa Exempt entry?
Popular Post nightbird Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 Last month, I went to Penang and applied for a Non O. I brought all the documentation that is listed on their website(Penang Royal Thai Consulate). Doors open 9am. Dropped it off at the clerk's window and picked up the new visa the next day at 2pm. No questions were asked. Easy in, easy out. Just make sure you have everything that is asked for. No proof needed of funds coming from abroad. Only your bank statement, stamped by the bank, showing you've had at least 800K for more than 2 months. 6 2
Popular Post Fairynuff Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 1 hour ago, kbb said: I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. Do you consider that a good deal? From what I’ve been reading here none of the companies here are a good deal so in effect the 50k is just an added cost of the visa. I don’t have insurance, nor do I want it so I’ve never sought a quote 5
zaZa9 Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 1 hour ago, kbb said: Have you pursued insurance quotes? Not vouching for the quality of the coverage, but —- I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. For a lot of people over 60 , switching Insurers upsets the apple cart. Like me , they may well have signed up pre-60 in order to get an Insurance Co. to make a written agreement to cover them for life. So any new Insurance for me is a waste , even of 50,000 baht. And that 50k is well more than an agents fee . A further waste is seeing 800k for 5 months , and 400k Forever ( !! ) left in a Thai bank producing virtually nothing , when at home that money can be part of a good investment plan. Im about 90k p.a. better off using an agent . But even my agent told me I could do as you described above and it works fine. Its just that by the time I took a trip and had the money in the bank I was out of pocket , then faced with a fare bit of dealing with Immigration at this time of the year as well. 1
Popular Post Guderian Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 41 minutes ago, Fairynuff said: Do you consider that a good deal? From what I’ve been reading here none of the companies here are a good deal so in effect the 50k is just an added cost of the visa. I don’t have insurance, nor do I want it so I’ve never sought a quote Plus, of course, you'd still have to pay out of your own pocket for the treatment of any pre-existing medical conditions, or any complications caused by the pre-existing conditions to the treatment of new ailments. And what about 'dangerous activities'? Most western policies, for example, don't provide cover for accidents from riding a motorbike, unless you pay (often quite a lot) extra. Do these Thai policies provide such cover as standard, or would you have to pay yet more money for it? 3
Popular Post jimn Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 1 hour ago, kbb said: Have you pursued insurance quotes? Not vouching for the quality of the coverage, but —- I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. Why would he do that? He is posting about letting the OA expire and obtaining a new Non O visa where there is no insurance requirement. 5
Popular Post Peter Denis Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 1 hour ago, kbb said: Have you pursued insurance quotes? Not vouching for the quality of the coverage, but —- I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. I consider that 50K 'down the drain' for a basically worthless piece of paper, with the only 'merit' that it allows you to extend the permission to stay of your Non Imm OA Visa for reason of retirement. Note: And consider this horror-story of a TVF member that DID subscribe to such a policy and was harassed when applying for his extension at CW due to crazy and faulty interpretations of policy start dates.https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144510-non-oa-health-insurance-chaeng-wattan-madness/?do=findComment&comment=15016868 Switching to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa is surprising simple, and the requirements / conditions for a Non Imm O - retirement extension or an extension based on an original OA Visa for reason of retirement are EXACTLY the same. But with the Big Difference that the Non Imm O - retirement Visa extension does NOT require you to pour money down the drain for the expensive and basically useless bogus thai health-insurance scam. 6 5
Max69xl Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 2 hours ago, kbb said: Have you pursued insurance quotes? Not vouching for the quality of the coverage, but —- I was quoted visa qualified coverage for less than 50k a year. OP don't want an insurance. He wants to start all over again with a 90 days Non-immigrant O Visa + annual extensions.
Max69xl Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 46 minutes ago, Guderian said: Plus, of course, you'd still have to pay out of your own pocket for the treatment of any pre-existing medical conditions, or any complications caused by the pre-existing conditions to the treatment of new ailments. And what about 'dangerous activities'? Most western policies, for example, don't provide cover for accidents from riding a motorbike, unless you pay (often quite a lot) extra. Do these Thai policies provide such cover as standard, or would you have to pay yet more money for it? Every western insurance covers more than a thai insurance. If you read the fine print there are loads of exclusions in a thai policy regarding accidents. 1
Peter Denis Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 OP > I have PM-ed you a comprehensive Roadmap outlining all details/options on how to convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa. To access your PM messages, click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum.
richardlg Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 47 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Switching to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa is surprising simple, and the requirements / conditions for a Non Imm O - retirement extension or an extension based on an original OA Visa for reason of retirement are EXACTLY the same. But with the Big Difference that the Non Imm O - retirement Visa extension does NOT require you to pour money down the drain for the expensive and basically useless bogus thai health-insurance scam. Have you actually switched from OA to O Peter? Did you leave the country with no re-entry permit, obtain the 30 day visa free and then apply? If no, then what did you do? I extended my OA in November for 11th time and also obtained a single re-entry permit. No problems. However, now l am returning to Aust in two weeks for one month. I go once or twice a year for health reasons (l have full Veterans Affairs health cover but only in Aust) I'm thinking that l'll probably be stopped at Suvarnabhumi on my return because no Thai health cover and considering taking out a useless Thai 62,000 bht policy before l go, just to get me back onto Thailand. My thinking is then to leave Thailand again next Oct/Nov, let visa expire, return to Thailand and apply for O visa. Would appreciate hearing from anyone that has actually done this which l think is what OP was asking.
traveller101 Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 2 hours ago, nightbird said: Last month, I went to Penang and applied for a Non O. I brought all the documentation that is listed on their website(Penang Royal Thai Consulate). Doors open 9am. Dropped it off at the clerk's window and picked up the new visa the next day at 2pm. No questions were asked. Easy in, easy out. Just make sure you have everything that is asked for. No proof needed of funds coming from abroad. Only your bank statement, stamped by the bank, showing you've had at least 800K for more than 2 months. Did they ask for some sort of "proof", that you are retired? If yes, what documents did you provide? 1 1
Aforek Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 8 minutes ago, traveller101 said: Did they ask for some sort of "proof", that you are retired? If yes, what documents did you provide? Thai insurance is a scam ; I did it at Savannakhet, same as in Penang, but they ask a proof that we are retired ; as for me, the affidavit from my embassy was enough if no proof, no visa ( first time, I was denied O visa because I did'nt have this document ) 1 1
JimGant Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 21 hours ago, david_je said: The advice on this forum is to leave the country before the current stay expires, return after the expiry and enter visa exempt and then apply for non-O at CW. Anybody have experience (or opinion) about leaving the country several months before your O-A based retirement extension -- and its related re-entry permit -- expire? I'm just wondering if the IO, seeing I had left the re-entry permit number off the TM6, would allow me to enter visa exempt -- or would insist I utilize the re-entry permit.....? I guess experience with this would be the only meaningful answer, as there's probably no set procedure briefed to the IO's on how to deal with this situation. Anyway, I'd love to get this drill out of the way several months ahead of current extension's expiration -- and I guess I could try. Oh, I guess this leads to another question, namely, could I get a Non Imm O visa abroad *before* my current extension of stay and re-entry permit expire? Hmmmm.
Peter Denis Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 9 minutes ago, richardlg said: Have you actually switched from OA to O Peter? Did you leave the country with no re-entry permit, obtain the 30 day visa free and then apply? If no, then what did you do? I extended my OA in November for 11th time and also obtained a single re-entry permit. No problems. However, now l am returning to Aust in two weeks for one month. I go once or twice a year for health reasons (l have full Veterans Affairs health cover but only in Aust) I'm thinking that l'll probably be stopped at Suvarnabhumi on my return because no Thai health cover and considering taking out a useless Thai 62,000 bht policy before l go, just to get me back onto Thailand. My thinking is then to leave Thailand again next Oct/Nov, let visa expire, return to Thailand and apply for O visa. Would appreciate hearing from anyone that has actually done this which l think is what OP was asking. No, my own OA Visa validity date is end of June 2020. As I foresee to exit and re-enter Thailand shortly before Visa validity expiry, my permission to stay will only expire in June 2021, and then I will 'take my own medicine' and convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa. My advice to you is: whatever you do, DO NOT waste money on the bogus thai IO health-insurance scam. If you are not insured, that money can be spent far better on REAL health-insurance (thai or international). In your case > When you come back from Australia in 1.5 month, you could come VisaExempt or on a TouristVisa. And then you can apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa at the IO of the place where you want to stay. In the last month of that 90 days you can then apply for a 1-year extension based on that Non Imm O - retirement Visa. NO bogus health-insurance required when going that road. Many TVF members have done it already and the process is not complicated. > I have PM-ed you a comprehensive Roadmap outlining all details/options on how to do it. To access your PM messages, click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum. 1
Popular Post nightbird Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 2 hours ago, traveller101 said: Did they ask for some sort of "proof", that you are retired? If yes, what documents did you provide? No proof asked for or needed. 1 2
Fairynuff Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 How can you prove you are retired? Surely the fact that you are living in Thailand without a Non B visa or work permit should be enough? You might not be of pensionable age but still be retired. 1
JimGant Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 19 minutes ago, Fairynuff said: How can you prove you are retired? Surely the fact that you are living in Thailand without a Non B visa or work permit should be enough? You might not be of pensionable age but still be retired. Somewhere amongst these threads, I saw that an affidavit from your embassy/consulate would do the trick. The Thais will usually accept an affidavit as same same certification, i.e., you say whatever it is you're saying is true, and a consular seal and signature against your signature validates it. Of course, this went astray with income affidavits for some countries. But for other attestations, the Thais seem to still accept affidavits (I recently did one for certification of residency, which was accepted readily for my driving license renewal.)
Popular Post billsmart Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 Just before the first of the year I was refused a one-year extension because I had last entered Thailand on an O-A visa but do not have health insurance. I successfully went to Vientiane, Laos and got a 90-day O visa based on Marriage. I will go in about a month before it expires (mid-Feb) and apply for a one-year extension based on marriage. I've been in to talk with my local immigrations (Phetchabun) and showed them everything, and they say it all looks good, and I should have no problems going forward. I know this doesn't answer your question about visas based on retirement, but I thought I'd at least let you know about my experience. Good luck! ...Bill! 3
JimGant Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 35 minutes ago, billsmart said: I successfully went to Vientiane, Laos and got a 90-day O visa based on Marriage. What documentation did you provide? Any snags with this documentation, i.e., not exactly the info and format they desired? Thanx.
Popular Post Peter Denis Posted February 4, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 4, 2020 3 hours ago, billsmart said: I successfully went to Vientiane, Laos and got a 90-day O visa based on Marriage. 2 hours ago, JimGant said: What documentation did you provide? Any snags with this documentation, i.e., not exactly the info and format they desired? Thanx. For your info > Bill is married to a thai national, but was staying in Thailand on a Non Imm OA Visa based on retirement. With the new HI-requirement for OA retirement-extensions, he wanted to extend his permission to stay based on his original OA but this time not for reason of retirement, but for reason of marriage (which does not require health-insurance). However, his rogue Petchabun IO insisted - incorrectly - that he also needed to meet the HI-requirement when extending for reason of MARRIAGE. They are blatantly wrong, but the IO always has the last word so Bill was forced to exit Thailand (to kill his present OA Visa) and decided to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa in Vientiane (which he successfully got). Bill > please add the link to the very well laid out and detailed report you posted on how got it. Note: He did not apply for a Multi-Entry 1-year Non Imm O - marriage, because a) he intends to apply for an extension of stay at his local IO based on that 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa; b) Vientiane does ONLY issue ME Non Imm O - marriage Visa to Lao residents (however, the consulate in Savannakhet does issue them) 2 2
david_je Posted February 4, 2020 Author Posted February 4, 2020 10 hours ago, nightbird said: Last month, I went to Penang and applied for a Non O. I brought all the documentation that is listed on their website(Penang Royal Thai Consulate). Doors open 9am. Dropped it off at the clerk's window and picked up the new visa the next day at 2pm. No questions were asked. Easy in, easy out. Just make sure you have everything that is asked for. No proof needed of funds coming from abroad. Only your bank statement, stamped by the bank, showing you've had at least 800K for more than 2 months. Were you converting from O-A based on retirement to O, to get around the insurance requirement? Or did you not already have O-A? Thanks.
RocketDog Posted February 5, 2020 Posted February 5, 2020 22 hours ago, Peter Denis said: No, my own OA Visa validity date is end of June 2020. As I foresee to exit and re-enter Thailand shortly before Visa validity expiry, my permission to stay will only expire in June 2021, and then I will 'take my own medicine' and convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa. Just to be clear, this next permission to stay will be after your first year on the original O-A visa. So you assume the 2nd year, first permission to stay, will not require proof of insurance. I hope that is true but am skeptical given the way each office plays so loose and free with their interpretations. This would be a good time to hear success stories from people in your situation. As many others have reported, and I have verified at my own Hua hin IO, the second and subsequent extensions of permission to stay do require insurance. I applaud your Roadmap document. I have it and plan to follow it after my latest extension of permission expires in late May 2020. Thanks for your efforts to help TVF members.
Peter Denis Posted February 5, 2020 Posted February 5, 2020 31 minutes ago, RocketDog said: Just to be clear, this next permission to stay will be after your first year on the original O-A visa. So you assume the 2nd year, first permission to stay, will not require proof of insurance. I hope that is true but am skeptical given the way each office plays so loose and free with their interpretations. This would be a good time to hear success stories from people in your situation. As many others have reported, and I have verified at my own Hua hin IO, the second and subsequent extensions of permission to stay do require insurance. I applaud your Roadmap document. I have it and plan to follow it after my latest extension of permission expires in late May 2020. Thanks for your efforts to help TVF members. Hi Rocketdog, There is a mis-understanding in your first paragraph. The requirement for mandatory thai-approved health-insurance will ONLY kick-in when I apply for an extension of stay at my local IO. That will be when my permission to stay based on the pre-Oct 31 issued OA Visa, will expire. On my first entry with the OA Visa, I was stamped in by border Immigration for the full-year that Visa entitles me too. And since then I have already re-entered Thailand twice, and was each time - as expected and foreseen - stamped in for another full-year without any mentioning of health-insurance. So I plan to exit and re-enter Thailand once more just before the validity expiry date of my OA Visa. I will be then once again stamped in for a full year permission to stay. At the end of that 2nd year when my permission to stay almost expires, I can do 2 things: a) Apply for an extension of stay based on that Non Imm OA Visa. > Since I am not married to a thai national, I can do that only for reason of retirement and that would invoke the mandatory health-insurance requirement. b) Exit Thailand, re-enter and apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa at my local IO, and then apply in its last month for an extension of stay based on the new 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa. > The requirements and conditions for an O - retirement or OA - retirement extension are the same, except that when applying from an original O Visa that NO thai health-insurance is required. From the above it will be obvious what will be my choice! Note: You wrote correctly in the 3rd paragraph > As many others have reported, and I have verified at my own Hua hin IO, the second and subsequent extensions of permission to stay do require insurance. The key-word here is EXTENSION > Extensions of permission to stay are indeed done at your local IO once your granted permission to stay is due for renewal. And my permission to stay - after having exited and re-entered Thailand just before my OA Visa validity expiry - will be June 2021. 1
AussieBob18 Posted February 5, 2020 Posted February 5, 2020 On 2/4/2020 at 1:56 PM, richardlg said: Have you actually switched from OA to O Peter? Did you leave the country with no re-entry permit, obtain the 30 day visa free and then apply? If no, then what did you do? I extended my OA in November for 11th time and also obtained a single re-entry permit. No problems. However, now l am returning to Aust in two weeks for one month. I go once or twice a year for health reasons (l have full Veterans Affairs health cover but only in Aust) I'm thinking that l'll probably be stopped at Suvarnabhumi on my return because no Thai health cover and considering taking out a useless Thai 62,000 bht policy before l go, just to get me back onto Thailand. My thinking is then to leave Thailand again next Oct/Nov, let visa expire, return to Thailand and apply for O visa. Would appreciate hearing from anyone that has actually done this which l think is what OP was asking. Got a mate that is too old for insurance so during his last visit to Australia (also does once a year) he applied for and got a non-O 90 day Visa based on Marriage (Sydney Consulate via the mail). He has re-entered Thailand and he/Thai wife have spoken to KK Immigration and been advised he can apply for a 12mth Non-O without insurance - they were given all the details and documents etc needed. Their plan is to go back in the last month of the 90 day Visa and apply for the full 12 mth Non-O Visa based on Marriage. That will be next month - remind me if I forget to post an update on what happened. I have been doing all his paperwork etc. - too old to do himself and wife cannot read/write English. 2
RocketDog Posted February 5, 2020 Posted February 5, 2020 13 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Hi Rocketdog, There is a mis-understanding in your first paragraph. The requirement for mandatory thai-approved health-insurance will ONLY kick-in when I apply for an extension of stay at my local IO. That will be when my permission to stay based on the pre-Oct 31 issued OA Visa, will expire. On my first entry with the OA Visa, I was stamped in by border Immigration for the full-year that Visa entitles me too. And since then I have already re-entered Thailand twice, and was each time - as expected and foreseen - stamped in for another full-year without any mentioning of health-insurance. So I plan to exit and re-enter Thailand once more just before the validity expiry date of my OA Visa. I will be then once again stamped in for a full year permission to stay. At the end of that 2nd year when my permission to stay almost expires, I can do 2 things: a) Apply for an extension of stay based on that Non Imm OA Visa. > Since I am not married to a thai national, I can do that only for reason of retirement and that would invoke the mandatory health-insurance requirement. b) Exit Thailand, re-enter and apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa at my local IO, and then apply in its last month for an extension of stay based on the new 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa. > The requirements and conditions for an O - retirement or OA - retirement extension are the same, except that when applying from an original O Visa that NO thai health-insurance is required. From the above it will be obvious what will be my choice! Note: You wrote correctly in the 3rd paragraph > As many others have reported, and I have verified at my own Hua hin IO, the second and subsequent extensions of permission to stay do require insurance. The key-word here is EXTENSION > Extensions of permission to stay are indeed done at your local IO once your granted permission to stay is due for renewal. And my permission to stay - after having exited and re-entered Thailand just before my OA Visa validity expiry - will be June 2021. Thanks for the clarification. Now I remember the same experience getting my first (automatic) extension. It went off flawlessly in the Myanmar crossing west of Khanchanaburi. Out/in same day, no problems. That was before this whole insurance horror started though. Indeed, Extension is the key word. In any event, this was partly a rhetorical question to benefit other TVF members who might have the same question I did. Thanks for the answer. 1
Popular Post ubonjoe Posted February 5, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, RocketDog said: Now I remember the same experience getting my first (automatic) extension. That was not an extension of stay. It was getting a new one year entry that your visa allowed. Extensions can only be applied for at a immigration office. 4 1
Popular Post Peter Denis Posted February 5, 2020 Popular Post Posted February 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, RocketDog said: Now I remember the same experience getting my first (automatic) extension. It went off flawlessly in the Myanmar crossing west of Khanchanaburi. Out/in same day, no problems. That was before this whole insurance horror started though. No problem, the various terms to navigate the Thai Visa jungle are often incorrectly used. A short overview: A Visa (the sticker in your passport) is your 'entry ticket' and it will provide you on entry with a Permission to Stay (stamped in your passport at border-Immigration). When your Visa validity has expired, you will need to get a Re-Entry Permit before exiting and then re-entering Thailand when you want to keep 'alive' the Permission to Stay granted from that Visa. When your Permission to Stay has almost expired, you either need to exit Thailand or apply for an Extension of Stay at an in-country IO. 2 2
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