Extend Non O-A Retirement visa for less than one year

[gajah]

I've had Cigna health-care insurance for several years and the period of insurance does not match the period of my O-A Retirement visa by several months.  Changing the start date of the insurance opens me up to medical underwriting again, which I prefer not to do.  So does anyone know if I can request Immigration to extend my visa for about 3-1/2 months (instead of one year), then go back to Immigration when the 3-1/2 months are up to get the usual one-year extension.  At that point my visa dates and insurance dates would match.  I have fulfilled all other requirements of the visa. Any info readers may have on this will be appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

The first problem you have is not on the list of insurance companies listed to provide the required insurance. 

See: https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

You cannot apply for an extension is less than 1 year. But immigration would only issue the extension to the day the insurance coverage ends.

Rather than changing to one of the required insurance companies many people are dumping their OA visa entry they have by leaving the country to change to a non-o visa entry.

[DrJack54]

OP, as usual good advice from ubon.

Another member has written good step by step guide to move from non O-A @Peter Denis

[Peter Denis]

I am presently updating the Roadmap to apply/convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa.

Will send over by PM in course of tomorrow.

>> To access your PM-messages just click on the letter-icon next to your Profile when logged in to the Forum.

[Jdmagpie]

Is non o available for single person? Thai aussie website says for visit dependent, spouse and family. 

[gajah]

My understanding is that you can have insurance that is not on the list.  It has to be comparable in terms of benefits, and evidence of this must be provided. 

[Peter Denis]

13 minutes ago, gajah said:

My understanding is that you can have insurance that is not on the list.  It has to be comparable in terms of benefits, and evidence of this must be provided. 

When you apply in-country at your IO for an extension of stay based on your original OA Visa, IO only accepts those insurance policies that have the 'IO-mark' from the thai insurers on the list.

When you apply in your home-country for the Non Imm OA Visa, they will also accept other insurers but the snag being that your insurer then has to provide you with a filled-in and signed Foreign Insurance Certificate.  As that FiC refers to thai legislation with which most insurers are not familiar, it is not easy to get that document signed and filled-in correctly.

[oldcpu]

46 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

 

1 hour ago, gajah said:

My understanding is that you can have insurance that is not on the list.  It has to be comparable in terms of benefits, and evidence of this must be provided. 

... As that FiC refers to thai legislation with which most insurers are not familiar, it is not easy to get that document signed and filled-in correctly.

 

Further to this, I have Insurance with Cigna.  Out of curiosity, I requested they fill in the Thai form, and they 100% refused to complete the Thai government insurance form.

 

This is despite a couple of requests by myself to them to complete the forum. They repeatedly claimed they did not understand the Thailand requirements (despite my providing additional clarification documents/translations of the Thai government insurance requirements). 

 

So my assessment is you will not be able to use your Cigna insurance (as proof of insurance) if the Thai form needs to be completed as part of a Type-OA visa application.  I don't know thou, if all Thai consulates abroad will require that form to be completed. 

 

Still, I think as it stands today (IMHO), if you are not married to a Thai national, you are possibly better off to keep your Cigna insurance (if its good insurance like my Cigna insurance is very good), and instead go for a Type-O visa, either abroad (if possible) or after entering Thailand on a Visa exempt or on a Tourist visa.  Others (such as Peter Denis) know the details of this Type-O Visa process and can (and have) provided excellent advice.

 

[TigerandDog]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The first problem you have is not on the list of insurance companies listed to provide the required insurance. 

See: https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

You cannot apply for an extension is less than 1 year. But immigration would only issue the extension to the day the insurance coverage ends.

Rather than changing to one of the required insurance companies many people are dumping their OA visa entry they have by leaving the country to change to a non-o visa entry.

Joe, have to correct you on not being able to extend for less than 1 year. A friend extended for 6 months only, when doing his 2019 extension at Chiang Mai. He then extended for 1 year when the 6 month extension ran out.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

Joe, have to correct you on not being able to extend for less than 1 year. A friend extended for 6 months only, when doing his 2019 extension at Chiang Mai. He then extended for 1 year when the 6 month extension ran out.

That is not a normal procedure.

Are you sure there was not another reason for it being only 6 months. Perhaps a passport with less than 12 months of validity remaining.

[gajah]

I confirmed with Immigration today that my Cigna policy won't work with extending my O-A retirement visa.  So it's either getting an O retirement visa (risk being that they will eventually require locally-sourced insurance), or getting locally-sourced insurance now, which I think is not as good as my Cigna policy.  Peter Denis PM'd me some really good info on getting the O visa, and I am leaning towards that.  Thanks all for your comments.

[Peter Denis]

6 minutes ago, gajah said:

I confirmed with Immigration today that my Cigna policy won't work with extending my O-A retirement visa.  So it's either getting an O retirement visa (risk being that they will eventually require locally-sourced insurance), or getting locally-sourced insurance now, which I think is not as good as my Cigna policy. 

By all means do NOT dump your present Cigna policy if that policy meets your health-insurance needs.  Converting to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa and subsequent extension is one alternative.

You could also subscribe to the cheapest thai IO-approved health-insurance policy available.  Previously that was PacificCross that offered a thai IO-approved policy with a 300K deductible for approx 25.000 THB/premium.  But since beginning of March LGM Insurance now provides a thai IO-approved policy that costs only 6.000 THB first year annual premium when you are in the 51-60 age bracket.  At that price you could consider subscribing to that policy (on top of your present Cigna policy).  That LGM Insurance policy is of course worthless content-wise, and should be regarded as simply an entrance-ticket paper required to meet the IO health-insurance requirement when applying for the 1-year OA - retirement extension.

[TigerandDog]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is not a normal procedure.

Are you sure there was not another reason for it being only 6 months. Perhaps a passport with less than 12 months of validity remaining.

Definitely no other reason. It was his choice to ask for 6 months only as it then aligned with other things he intended doing. His passport still has several years remaining on it. It may well be unusual, but he asked if it was possible and there were no issues from CM Immigration at all. They happily gave him a 6 month extension at the usual cost 1900 baht, and then another 1900 baht 6 months later when he extended by 1 year.

[sscc]

On 3/10/2020 at 5:27 AM, Peter Denis said:

But since beginning of March LGM Insurance now provides a thai IO-approved policy that costs only 6.000 THB first year annual premium when you are in the 51-60 age bracket.  At that price you could consider subscribing to that policy (on top of your present Cigna policy).  That LGM Insurance policy is of course worthless content-wise, and should be regarded as simply an entrance-ticket paper required to meet the IO health-insurance requirement when applying for the 1-year OA - retirement extension.

 

 

Hi Peter

Do you know if LGM Insurance offer special rate also for groups above 60,  such as 60 to 65  or above 65 ?   If yes,  any idea of approx cost for 60-65 age group ?  

 

 

 

[Langsuan Man]

12 hours ago, sscc said:

 

 

Hi Peter

Do you know if LGM Insurance offer special rate also for groups above 60,  such as 60 to 65  or above 65 ?   If yes,  any idea of approx cost for 60-65 age group ?  

 

 

 

Here is a chart posted in another thread showing LGM's rates and coverage's: Doesn't do me any good at all since it bad enough to have to throw money away on useless insurance, but it gets more useless as you get older, and 11,400 per year is a bridge to far 

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Langsuan Man