OA Thai Health Insurance extension requirements.Chiang Maii

[harpman88]

Hi all, has anyone extended their OA retirement visas in Chiang Mai recently ,having to present a Thai health insurance policy from one of the approved companies? Would be very interested if any problems/issues arose with the required paperwork details (effective date of policy, foreign health insurance certificate,etc.) I'm waiting for my (already approved) policy to be reissued,as my OA expiry date is Feb. 11. .however, the insurance co.(Virayah) mistakenly put the effective date as the same day I applied in January instead of the required Feb 11 date,which covers me for the entire period of the extension. Also,Id also like an update as to how long the bank letter documents needed will be valid before going for the extension. (Assuming ,of course ,that both the balances on the letter and in the bankbook still are an exact match) Big thanks to all in advance,harp88

[pjuk]

Just extended mine in Samui.

No mention of insurance being required.

Easy process, 6000 bt including multi re-entry.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, pjuk said:

Just extended mine in Samui.

No mention of insurance being required.

Easy process, 6000 bt including multi re-entry.

You obtain 12 month extension to an O-A or non O ?

[4MyEgo]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You obtain 12 month extension to an O-A or non O ?

By the sounds of it, there was some tea money involved because 6,000 bt isn't what it cost to renew, from what I am hearing.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

By the sounds of it, there was some tea money involved because 6,000 bt isn't what it cost to renew, from what I am hearing.

3800 for the multi 1900 for extension.

I assumed he was just rounding it up.

[Suradit69]

21 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

By the sounds of it, there was some tea money involved because 6,000 bt isn't what it cost to renew, from what I am hearing.

He got an extension and a multi entry re-entry permit ... from what I was reading in his post.

[rwill]

On 2/4/2020 at 1:31 AM, harpman88 said:

foreign health insurance certificate

You can only use the insurance companies listed here for an extension:  https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

 

Only when you apply for the original visa in your home country can you use your foriegn insurance.  If your insurance company there will complete the required certificate for you that is.

 

And when you go in for your extension you don't need your insurance policy but the insurance certificate they should give you too.  It looks very similar to the certificate you can download from the above link.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, rwill said:

You can only use the insurance companies listed here for an extension:  https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

 

Only when you apply for the original visa in your home country can you use your foriegn insurance.  If your insurance company there will complete the required certificate for you that is.

 

And when you go in for your extension you don't need your insurance policy but the insurance certificate they should give you too.  It looks very similar to the certificate you can download from the above link.

Are you aware of any companies signing the notorious certificate? Many many posts of no success. 

 

[harpman88]

14 minutes ago, rwill said:

You can only use the insurance companies listed here for an extension:  https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

 

Only when you apply for the original visa in your home country can you use your foriegn insurance.  If your insurance company there will complete the required certificate for you that is.

 

And when you go in for your extension you don't need your insurance policy but the insurance certificate they should give you too.  It looks very similar to the certificate you can download from the above link.

You're right, to avoid confusion,I should've just said "insurance certificate", since,in this case, it's a Thai company providing the policy for an alien extending the OA. This certificate must be uploaded (by the Thai insurance co.)into the Thai Imm. database before it will be accepted when applying for the extension.

[Deerculler]

If anyone is over 65.

The insurance companies don't want to know you

Maybe it is time to accept that they don't want anyone on O-A.

They have said that they make millions from expats on the Elite Visa.

 

 

[DrJack54]

46 minutes ago, Deerculler said:

If anyone is over 65.

The insurance companies don't want to know you

Maybe it is time to accept that they don't want anyone on O-A.

They have said that they make millions from expats on the Elite Visa.

 

 

The non O-A and subsequent extensions based on whatever will require rubbish insurance. It's a crock. Line pockets of Thai establishment. 

The O-A is a dead man walking visa.

Along with extensions.

Time to consider alternatives. The obvious one is to change to non O.

[Tracyb]

I extended my OA retirement in October.  The bank letter was a day old and was accepted.  I updated the bank book immediately before I went to CM IMM.  Hope this helps the OP with the banking aspect of his post.

[Peter Denis]

The info below is not specifically for CM, but might be of interest for you.

Once you bought the policy you need to remind the insurer to:

- Provide you with a copy of the original policy certificate (required by some IOs);

- File your policy details on the IO Health-Insurance database (IO will look for it, and if it is not there your application will be denied);

There are some horror-stories about the above on the TV Forum from members that bought the #$%^ thai insurance, and were harassed by IO because of the above (having to come back several times until it was settled, and obviously each time bank-books needed to be updated again as well).

I also provide you with a link to a particular and recent horror-story about the start-date of the HI-policy which has to be fully aligned up to the HOUR with your extension application (a non-sense interpretation at CW, who also - incorrectly - insist that you can only apply for the OA retirement extension on the day your policy starts, and not earlier because you 'are not insured before that date').

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144510-non-oa-health-insurance-chaeng-wattan-madness/?do=findComment&comment=15016868

Having read that you wonder whether IO actually wants you to proceed with the OA - retirement extension!

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you aware of any companies signing the notorious certificate? Many many posts of no success. 

 

Yes, a number of them. But this is accepted only for issuance of the initial visa. Cannot be used for extension.

 

OP  there was a post recently regarding OA extension with health insurance and I think (not 100% sure) it was Chiang Mai. The poster had problem over dates. Policy was effective from date current extension ended and IO would not extend because it was not already in effect or something like that (wrong on IO part IMO). Maybe others can give you link to this. I don't temember if in visa oe CM forum.

[harpman88]

2 hours ago, Tracyb said:

I extended my OA retirement in October.  The bank letter was a day old and was accepted.  I updated the bank book immediately before I went to CM IMM.  Hope this helps the OP with the banking aspect of his post.

Hi Tracy,thanks much for your post. The deal here is that the new health insurance requirement didn't take effect till Oct. 31 2019.

[harpman88]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Yes, a number of them. But this is accepted only for issuance of the initial visa. Cannot be used for extension.

 

OP  there was a post recently regarding OA extension with health insurance and I think (not 100% sure) it was Chiang Mai. The poster had problem over dates. Policy was effective from date current extension ended and IO would not extend because it was not already in effect or something like that (wrong on IO part IMO). Maybe others can give you link to this. I don't temember if in visa oe CM forum.

Hi Sheryl,I think the post you're referring to is the one above posted by Peter D. ,this mess occurring at CW.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, harpman88 said:

Hi Sheryl,I think the post you're referring to is the one above posted by Peter D. ,this mess occurring at CW.

Could be. Thanks.

[Tracyb]

3 hours ago, harpman88 said:

Hi Tracy,thanks much for your post. The deal here is that the new health insurance requirement didn't take effect till Oct. 31 2019.

I understand.  I was trying to  be responsive to your question about the banking requirements which I believe to have remained unchanged.

[harpman88]

7 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

The info below is not specifically for CM, but might be of interest for you.

Once you bought the policy you need to remind the insurer to:

- Provide you with a copy of the original policy certificate (required by some IOs);

- File your policy details on the IO Health-Insurance database (IO will look for it, and if it is not there your application will be denied);

There are some horror-stories about the above on the TV Forum from members that bought the #$%^ thai insurance, and were harassed by IO because of the above (having to come back several times until it was settled, and obviously each time bank-books needed to be updated again as well).

I also provide you with a link to a particular and recent horror-story about the start-date of the HI-policy which has to be fully aligned up to the HOUR with your extension application (a non-sense interpretation at CW, who also - incorrectly - insist that you can only apply for the OA retirement extension on the day your policy starts, and not earlier because you 'are not insured before that date').

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144510-non-oa-health-insurance-chaeng-wattan-madness/?do=findComment&comment=15016868

Having read that you wonder whether IO actually wants you to proceed with the OA - retirement extension!

Hi Peter.Virayah had the policy (or so I thought) ready to go at 2pm today,picked it up and went to CM Imm. to have them check everything.  The officer told me I needed the original policy certificate. Wouldn't you know it, had only given me a certified photocopy.(even tho all the other pages were originals.) Now BKK has to send the original here via EMS.( the Virayah office here has already notified BKK to send the original ASAP.)OA expires on the 11th. When the original copy arrives and,if I end up having to go back to CM Imm. anytime after the 11th, I wonder if I still get the extension and just pay the 500Bt. per day overstay fine.

[Peter Denis]

9 minutes ago, harpman88 said:

Hi Peter.Virayah had the policy (or so I thought) ready to go at 2pm today,picked it up and went to CM Imm. to have them check everything.  The officer told me I needed the original policy certificate. Wouldn't you know it, had only given me a certified photocopy.(even tho all the other pages were originals.) Now BKK has to send the original here via EMS.( the Virayah office here has already notified BKK to send the original ASAP.)OA expires on the 11th. When the original copy arrives and,if I end up having to go back to CM Imm. anytime after the 11th, I wonder if I still get the extension and just pay the 500Bt. per day overstay fine.

Hi harpman88,

Sorry to hear, what a bummer for you!

Before you go back to CM immigration once the original policy certificate has arrived, better check with Virayah whether they have indeed uploaded your policy details on the IO Insurance Database.  If not, you might once again be turned down.

Also remember to re-update your bank-book and bank statement when going again.

Finally I do hope they have some common sense in CM and that you will not be confronted with the CW madness where a crazy officer insisted that the application had to be on an exactly the same time as the policy start date and HOUR (16h30, so closing time of the office ...). 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144510-non-oa-health-insurance-chaeng-wattan-madness/?do=findComment&comment=15016868

Would appreciate if you post your experience, for the benefit of future CM OA - retirement extension applicants that will have to submit proof that they meet the thai-approved health-insurance requirement.

 

[harpman88]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi harpman88,

Sorry to hear, what a bummer for you!

Before you go back to CM immigration once the original policy certificate has arrived, better check with Virayah whether they have indeed uploaded your policy details on the IO Insurance Database.  If not, you might once again be turned down.

Also remember to re-update your bank-book and bank statement when going again.

Finally I do hope they have some common sense in CM and that you will not be confronted with the CW madness where a crazy officer insisted that the application had to be on an exactly the same time as the policy start date and HOUR (16h30, so closing time of the office ...). 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144510-non-oa-health-insurance-chaeng-wattan-madness/?do=findComment&comment=15016868

Would appreciate if you post your experience, for the benefit of future CM OA - retirement extension applicants that will have to submit proof that they meet the thai-approved health-insurance requirement.

 

Hi Peter,I did check at Virayah about the policy upload to TI and was told yes it was,( I hope they understood me),but I think I was so fixated on that,I neglected to hammer home that I needed the original policy cert. as well. The thing in my case is that Iv'e got a 12 yr. old son in school here and can't just up and leave,saying good riddance! as I do. If push comes to shove,and I end up having to kill the OA here and now(instead of toward the end of this pending OA as I'd planned)I'm now looking into the best air options out of here from CM to do a quick same day turnaround for a 30 day entry as I'm leaving for the U.S. on March 6 anyway,returning in May either with the OA extension or a METV.

[Peter Denis]

17 minutes ago, harpman88 said:

Hi Peter,I did check at Virayah about the policy upload to TI and was told yes it was,( I hope they understood me),but I think I was so fixated on that,I neglected to hammer home that I needed the original policy cert. as well. The thing in my case is that Iv'e got a 12 yr. old son in school here and can't just up and leave,saying good riddance! as I do. If push comes to shove,and I end up having to kill the OA here and now(instead of toward the end of this pending OA as I'd planned)I'm now looking into the best air options out of here from CM to do a quick same day turnaround for a 30 day entry as I'm leaving for the U.S. on March 6 anyway,returning in May either with the OA extension or a METV.

Hi Harpman88,

If you do not succeed with the OA - retirement extension because of trouble getting CM IO to accept the thai health-insurance policy you bought, there are of course other alternatives.

Since you will be leaving for the US on March 6, you could indeed just 'dump' your present OA, do a quick border-run to kill it and return VisaExempt which will provide you with 30 days stay, sufficient to bridge the period till you leave for the US.

If you decide on doing that, I would suggest you request Virayah to postpone the start date of the thai health-insurance policy you bought with them till your foreseen date of return to Thailand from the US.  That will allow you to use that policy to meet the health-insurance requirement for a fresh Non Imm OA Visa application in US.

A fresh Non Imm OA Visa is Multi-Entry and does not require any financials tied up in Thailand (but if you have them already, you can use these also to prove the financials when applying in US).

Obviously it is preferable for peace of mind to have your OA - retirement extension done before your leave, but if you encounter more trouble with having the insurance-policy at CM IO, the above might be a worthwhile alternative.

 

[harpman88]

21 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Harpman88,

If you do not succeed with the OA - retirement extension because of trouble getting CM IO to accept the thai health-insurance policy you bought, there are of course other alternatives.

Since you will be leaving for the US on March 6, you could indeed just 'dump' your present OA, do a quick border-run to kill it and return VisaExempt which will provide you with 30 days stay, sufficient to bridge the period till you leave for the US.

If you decide on doing that, I would suggest you request Virayah to postpone the start date of the thai health-insurance policy you bought with them till your foreseen date of return to Thailand from the US.  That will allow you to use that policy to meet the health-insurance requirement for a fresh Non Imm OA Visa application in US.

A fresh Non Imm OA Visa is Multi-Entry and does not require any financials tied up in Thailand (but if you have them already, you can use these also to prove the financials when applying in US).

Obviously it is preferable for peace of mind to have your OA - retirement extension done before your leave, but if you encounter more trouble with having the insurance-policy at CM IO, the above might be a worthwhile alternative.

 

Yeah Peter,looking ahead,being fed up with all this OA insurance BS,(and since I do have Blue Cross HI already with my retiree/pension plan).what I planned on doing either this yr. or 2021 is dump the OA,return on a METV then convert to an O and then extend from that. In my case I could extend with retirement,father of Thai child,or potentially,marriage. Very interesting (and tempting) about being able to use Thai bank acct. for fresh OA in the US tho. It would just be a matter then of using Blue Cross to get over the HI hurdle. BTW for future ref.any ideas about the least hassle air (only) border-runs from CM? Always a pleasure,harp88

[Peter Denis]

11 hours ago, harpman88 said:

Yeah Peter,looking ahead,being fed up with all this OA insurance BS,(and since I do have Blue Cross HI already with my retiree/pension plan).what I planned on doing either this yr. or 2021 is dump the OA,return on a METV then convert to an O and then extend from that. In my case I could extend with retirement,father of Thai child,or potentially,marriage. Very interesting (and tempting) about being able to use Thai bank acct. for fresh OA in the US tho. It would just be a matter then of using Blue Cross to get over the HI hurdle. BTW for future ref.any ideas about the least hassle air (only) border-runs from CM? Always a pleasure,harp88

Hi harpman88,

As yours is a very specific case, and therefore of limited interest for TVF members, I have responded PM.

To access your PM-messages, just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum.

[harpman88]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi harpman88,

As yours is a very specific case, and therefore of limited interest for TVF members, I have responded PM.

To access your PM-messages, just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum.

Got it!!