O Conversion if O-A doesn't stay expire till July

[peterdwje2]

I want to convert to from O-A to O based on retirement as soon as possible because of uncertain virus-caused flight/border control situation in months ahead. I understand the conversion cannot be done in Thailand and I need to get the O visa abroad or return to Thailand Visa Exempt and apply at CW. But my O-A stay does not expire until July and I have a multiple re-entry permit. That means there's no way I can act and re-enter Thailand until after it expires, correct? 

Another complication is my current insurance policy (international, inpatient only) is expiring and I need to decide soon if I will stay with it or need to get the O-A approved policy.

I assume there are many others in similar situation.

Any advice is appreciated. 

[Peter Denis]

- Yes, your Multiple Entry Re-Entry Permit will keep the present permission to stay based on your original OA Visa alive.  And so you cannot apply for a new Visa abroad until your present permission to stay almost expires.  Also doing a border-run to apply for a new Visa at your local IO will not be possible, because of the above.  So the earliest you can do either of the above would be when your present permission to stay has less than 30 days left before expiry.

- If your current international health-insurance policy meets your needs, I would strongly suggest NOT to replace it by a bogus thai IO-approved health-insurance policy.  What you could do is subscribe to the dirt-cheapest thai IO-approved HI policy on top of your present health-insurance policy.  Since a couple of weeks now LMG insurance has - finally - launched an affordable thai IO-approved health-insurance policy.  The annual premium for the first year ranges from 6.000 THB to 11.700 THB depending on your age bracket (from 50 till 74).  Coverage-wise that policy is worthless, but it should just be regarded as a necessary paper ticket when wanting to extend your permission to stay based on your original OA-Visa for reason of retirement. 

[JimGant]

3 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

The annual premium for the first year ranges from 6.000 THB to 11.700 THB depending on your age bracket (from 50 till 74). 

What about for us old farts 75 and up? Got a link? (sorry for being so lazy)

[cnx355]

I am stuck like you with an O-A extension and Multiple re-entry.  I have to wait until April 5 to exit and return the next day.

 

At the moment I could use Mai Sai-Tachilek border but in 18 days, it is possible that Thailand close all border points.

 

I am thinking seriously about buying the LMG "special insurance" to get my next extension. Otherwise I may get stuck on overstay with all borders closed.

 

Thanks Mr. Wuhan Virus !

 

 

[doctormann]

8 minutes ago, cnx355 said:

I am stuck like you with an O-A extension and Multiple re-entry.  I have to wait until April 5 to exit and return the next day.

 

At the moment I could use Mai Sai-Tachilek border but in 18 days, it is possible that Thailand close all border points.

 

I am thinking seriously about buying the LMG "special insurance" to get my next extension. Otherwise I may get stuck on overstay with all borders closed.

 

Thanks Mr. Wuhan Virus !

 

 

I'm in the same position with the same concerns about not wanting to be in on overstay if the borders get closed.  i can do nothing until July but have the additional problem that I have turned 75 so am not eligible to get insurance.

 

I'm really wondering if to just call it a day and repatriate - to UK - while I still can.  Not a nice prospect!

[Peter Denis]

27 minutes ago, JimGant said:

What about for us old farts 75 and up? Got a link? (sorry for being so lazy)

There are no thai IO-approved health-insurance policies to which you can subscribe when you are over 75 years of age.  Your only options if you are in that case are:

- Converting to a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa and subsequent extension (this requires exiting/re-entering Thailand);

- Marrying a thai national and applying for an extension of your Non Imm OA Visa for reason of marriage (but please note that some rogue IOs refuse to do that or insist that also in that case you need the thai IO-approved mandatory health-insurance policy);

- Convert to an Elite Visa.

[Peter Denis]

25 minutes ago, cnx355 said:

I am stuck like you with an O-A extension and Multiple re-entry.  I have to wait until April 5 to exit and return the next day.

 

At the moment I could use Mai Sai-Tachilek border but in 18 days, it is possible that Thailand close all border points.

 

I am thinking seriously about buying the LMG "special insurance" to get my next extension. Otherwise I may get stuck on overstay with all borders closed.

 

Thanks Mr. Wuhan Virus !

If your permission to stay expires April 5, you can still do a border-run and return Visa-Exempt as the 30-day the Visa Exempt entry will provide you is more than the remaining days your Re-Entry Permit will give you.

Normally border-immigration will give you the choice on which of both options you want to return.  When you fill in the TM-6 arrival/departure card put on Visa your choice, i.e. Visa Exempt and on # of days write 30 days, there will not be any confusion about which is your choice of preference. 

[Peter Denis]

18 minutes ago, doctormann said:

I'm in the same position with the same concerns about not wanting to be in on overstay if the borders get closed.  i can do nothing until July but have the additional problem that I have turned 75 so am not eligible to get insurance.

 

I'm really wondering if to just call it a day and repatriate - to UK - while I still can.  Not a nice prospect!

> See my response in post #6.

When you cannot do a border-run because of closed borders, you can request your embassy to write a statement that you cannot leave the country.  With that statement you can apply for a 30-day extension at your local IO, and this can be repeated indefinitely until the situation clears up.

[doctormann]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

> See my response in post #6.

When you cannot do a border-run because of closed borders, you can request your embassy to write a statement that you cannot leave the country.  With that statement you can apply for a 30-day extension at your local IO, and this can be repeated indefinitely until the situation clears up.

If true, this would be useful, of course.  However, my prior experiences with the British Embassy in Bangkok rather brings to mind the phrase 'chocolate teapot'!  They now only offer a very limited service to ex-pats.  I will, of course, get in touch with them - if i can find a contact number or email  address that actually works!

[RocketDog]

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

> See my response in post #6.

When you cannot do a border-run because of closed borders, you can request your embassy to write a statement that you cannot leave the country.  With that statement you can apply for a 30-day extension at your local IO, and this can be repeated indefinitely until the situation clears up.

I have read your Road Map for OA to O visa conversion you sent me by private message. 

It is very clear, comprehensive, consistent. It will be useful to so many people in my situation. 

 

It looks like you covered all the variations and options that are open to me. 

I am especially interested in avoiding the ludicrous cruel joke they call mandatory insurance required for the OA visa based on retirement. 

 

So I will be leaving the Kingdom less than 30 days before my present OA expires May 22, re-entering immediately visa exempt and then applying to my local IO for an O visa based on retirement.

 

It is equally clear that even a single day of overstay should be vigorously avoided. I truly hope I can avoid dealing with the US embassy at all. That effort had always been annoying at best. 

 

Seems like a very clear choice for me now unless Thailand is locked down at that time. In that case I think the immigration here will be providing temporary extensions for the duration. Or not! 

 

Well, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. 

Thanks again. 

[oldcpu]

7 hours ago, JimGant said:

What about for us old farts 75 and up? Got a link? (sorry for being so lazy)

I note this link:  https://www.lmginsurance.co.th/en/Products/Pages/Universal-Longstayvisa.aspx  (and there may be better links) which unfortunately states, as Peter Denis noted it is for "Entry age up to 75 years old and Renewability to age 100 years".     Peter's post#6 above lists approaches to follow.