O-A visa entry requirements

[law ling]

I went (today, 20 March) unseccessfully to Ban Packard border (Cambodia) to border-bounce to extend the life of my multiple entry non O-A visa (dates: 27 March 2019 -  26 March 2020, I'd entered in March and July last year, and am currently good until 5 July 2020).

I'd hoped today I'd get a visa to March next year (and hoped I wouldn't get caught by the only just announced insurance and medical report requirement for everyone re fighting the virus).

On trying to exit Thailand, the IO asked if I had medical insurance and a medical report, because without those I couldn't re-enter. I said no, pointed out the date of the visa, got nowhere, and asked for my passport back.

I told the Pattaya-based van driver/visa company guy, who came back and told me to try again at a patticular window, as he'd sorted it out. Before I got to that window the non-uniformed IO, who was marshalling the queues, saw me, looked at the passport, and long story short, also insisted I needed the insurance and medical report, as I understood it, because of my O-A visa.

If the van driver couldn't fix it, I saw no point in me pressing the issue at the point of exit - it would just be too easy for them to stamp me out  - the harder trick always is getting back in on the arrivals side.

1. Do O-A visas of my vintage and usage need medical insurance and a clear medical report for a re-entry?

2. If not, what's another open land border,  or other solution, I could try before the sunset of my visa, 26 March (and before the virus-centered requirement for insurance and medical report applies to everyone anyway).

Just so irritating when:
- the other nine folk in the van (all westerners, bar one) all got whatever visa they were after, and
- that the visa-run company (who photograph your visa at the time of booking) don't pick these problems up earlier.

[Peter Denis]

Not a real answer to your questions, but 2 important takes, which you are probably well aware of:

a) You have less than 1 week left (before 27-03) to exit/re-enter Thailand, in order to secure the full 2nd year your OA Visa entitles you to.

b) If you do not succeed in securing the 2nd year (see a) re-entering Thailand after 27-03 will require you to buy a re-entry permit BEFORE exiting in order to keep at least the 5 July permission to stay alive.

>>> You do not need to apply for a Visa at a foreign thai consulate/embassy, it's just a matter of being able to exit and return before 27-03.  Any border-hop or return-flight will do, but in the present situation it is indeed a matter of being well-informed of any of the present temporarily-measures that might be obstacles for leaving/returning.

Hope you succeed in finding a solution! 

[Langsuan Man]

So even after Royal Thai Immigration reversed themselves on the need for insurance for O-A that were issued before the cut off date, those who are trying to follow the rules of the O-A that allow multi entry,  local immigration officers are once again making up this sh... as they go

 

And you people on "O" visas really don't think it is going to happen to you

 

Never coming back is becoming a more attractive option every day   

Edited March 21, 2020 by Langsuan Man

[Boomer6969]

Why doesn't the OP apply for an extension of stay? Seems to be a no brainer under the current circumstances. He won't find a 100 000 USD insurance anyway, so the Thai rubbish insurances will look like a bargain.

[flexomike]

7 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Why doesn't the OP apply for an extension of stay? Seems to be a no brainer under the current circumstances. He won't find a 100 000 USD insurance anyway, so the Thai rubbish insurances will look like a bargain.

If he applies for an extension of stay he will need 800,000 baht in the bank for two months plus the Thailand required OA health insurance

 

[stament]

Is it possible to go to immigration and get an extra 60days instead of exiting the country if in the case of the OP he has a 1 year multi O visa that hasn't expired?

[fishtank]

3 minutes ago, stament said:

Is it possible to go to immigration and get an extra 60days instead of exiting the country if in the case of the OP he has a 1 year multi O visa that hasn't expired?

Yes. if he has Thai family.

[Peter Denis]

24 minutes ago, stament said:

Is it possible to go to immigration and get an extra 60days instead of exiting the country if in the case of the OP he has a 1 year multi O visa that hasn't expired?

His permission to stay is valid till 5 July so he has no need for an extension now.

But he wants to do a border-run before end of this week, in order to get stamped in again for a full year permission to stay that his still valid OA Visa (till 26-03) entitles him to.

[stament]

45 minutes ago, fishtank said:

Yes. if he has Thai family.

Thanks.

 

Oh, but not if he doesn't, seems a bit harsh.

 

Can that be done repeatedly every 60days or just once before you have to exit and re-enter the country

 

 

[tonray]

2 minutes ago, stament said:

Thanks.

 

Oh, but not if he doesn't, seems a bit harsh.

 

Can that be done repeatedly every 60days or just once before you have to exit and re-enter the country

 

 

Only one 60 day extension per entry

[EricTh]

Strange. Why would the other westerners got their visa and not you?

 

What is a multiple entry non-OA visa? Do we need to exit every 3 months ?

Edited March 21, 2020 by EricTh

[stament]

1 minute ago, EricTh said:

Strange. Why would the other westerners got their visa and not you?

Maybe on different visas

[Peter Denis]

11 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Strange. Why would the other westerners got their visa and not you?

What is a multiple entry non-OA visa? Do we need to exit every 3 months ?

The 1-year MultipleEntry Non Imm O-A (long-stay) Visa can only be applied for in your home-country.

During the 1-year Visa validity it is MultipleEntry and on each entry you will be stamped in for a full-year permission to stay.  So you can effectively get 2-years of stay out of that Visa.

Before Oct 31 last year, this was considered the Golden Visa for retirement, but then thai authorities imposed the mandatory health-insurance requirement when applying or extending that Visa.  So most OA Visa-holders are now switching (at the end of their 2nd year) to a Non Imm O Visa and subsequent extension.  And those who are married to a thai national apply for an extension of their OA Visa not for reason of retirement but for reason of marriage, which also does not require health-insurance.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Peter Denis

[Mickey Mouse]

So even after Royal Thai Immigration reversed themselves on the need for insurance for O-A that were issued before the cut off date, those who are trying to follow the rules of the O-A that allow multi entry,  

 

 

Above quote from Langsuan Man

Is there any cut off date for need for OA insurance?

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, Mickey Mouse said:

Is there any cut off date for need for OA insurance?

Cut-off date was 31 Oct 2019, after which applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa or applying for an extension based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement, required the mandatory (thai) IO-approved health-insurance.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Mickey Mouse said:

Is there any cut off date for need for OA insurance?

Hope I answer the correct question.... After 31st Oct 2019 insurance is required on O-A applications in home country, and for entry into Thailand on an O-A issued after that date. Also all retirement extensions based on all O-A Permits to stay (even older ones) 

[EricTh]

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

The 1-year MultipleEntry Non Imm O-A (long-stay) Visa can only be applied for in your home-country.

 

Does that mean that they don't need to transfer 800k in a Thai bank on O-A visa?

 

Do they have to exit every 3 months on a O-A visa?

[Peter Denis]

24 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Does that mean that they don't need to transfer 800k in a Thai bank on O-A visa?

Do they have to exit every 3 months on a O-A visa?

1 - When you apply for the Non Imm O-A in your home-country you have to show your foreign bank-account has the equivalent of 800K.

During the full 2 years that you can squeeze out of the Visa, there is no need for keeping money in a thai bank-account (nor to visit IO, except for your 90-day reports - which you can also do on-line).

2 - No need for 3-month exits.  The Visa is valid for a full year (and since it is Multiple-Entry you do not need Re-Entry permits to exit/re-enter the country during the Visa validity).  When you exit Thailand just before Visa validity expiry you are once again stamped in for a full year permission to stay.  However, during that 2nd year you will need a Re-Entry permit to keep that 2nd year permission to stay alive when exiting and then re-entering the country.

>> From the above it is clear why that Non Imm O-A Visa was the Golden retirement Visa.  At the end of the 2nd year, you could either apply for the 1-year extension of stay in country (but then had to meet the financial requirements for an extension, similar as for an O-Visa extension).  Or re-apply for a new Non Imm O-A Visa in your home-country (which allowed you to stay once again almost 2 years without any IO-hassle).

But alas the mandatory health-insurance requirement has 'killed' the O-A Visa and made it far less attractive than it used to be.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Peter Denis

[EricTh]

32 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

1 - When you apply for the Non Imm O-A in your home-country you have to show your foreign bank-account has the equivalent of 800K.

nd made it far less attractive than it used to be.

It seems that previous Non-O visa holders based on retirement had a huge disadvantage over Non-OA because they could only earn a meager interest on their money parked in Thailand. Moreover, we have to pay for the expensive re-entry permit as well.

 

I am glad that immigration have levelled the playing field. It doesn't seem fair to have two types of retirement visa with one having a huge advantage over the other.

Edited March 21, 2020 by EricTh

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I am glad that immigration have levelled the playing field.

Not a very nice remark from your side. ????

When visiting your home-country, nothing prevented you from applying for that Visa there.

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, EricTh said:

Does that mean that they don't need to transfer 800k in a Thai bank on O-A visa?

 

Do they have to exit every 3 months on a O-A visa?

Yes.

No. 

[fishtank]

15 hours ago, EricTh said:

It seems that previous Non-O visa holders based on retirement had a huge disadvantage over Non-OA because they could only earn a meager interest on their money parked in Thailand. Moreover, we have to pay for the expensive re-entry permit as well.

 

I am glad that immigration have levelled the playing field. It doesn't seem fair to have two types of retirement visa with one having a huge advantage over the other.

There is a huge disadvantage with the O-A Visa.

The rip off insurance you have to buy.

 

O-A Visa have been available for years.

Edited March 22, 2020 by fishtank

[Langsuan Man]

16 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

I am glad that immigration have levelled the playing field.

Your ignorance is not bliss.  If you are not married or have a Thai child the O-A visa is the only long stay visa available in your home country

 

[ThailandRyan]

48 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

Your ignorance is not bliss.  If you are not married or have a Thai child the O-A visa is the only long stay visa available in your home country

 

As you say, it is the only way to long-stay in Thailand as a retiree, and if done right gives you two years before you need to renew it back in your own country.  Saves from depositing 800,000 THB in a bank and having it sit there.  Its great for us that travel in and out once or twice a year as it resets when you come back until the end of that first year, after that a re-entry permit is needed to keep the Visa alive for the second year if you leave the country.  The addition of the added health insurance was a pain in the rear, but unfortunately must now be had in order to re-up this visa since October 31, 2019.  It allows me to keep my money in a bank in the US and invested there, with up until the CV-19 Issue, was a good thing.  However, no with being unable to travel out for who knows how long, I have been slowly building up my bank account here in order to have the required amount here.  As much as I could use the monthly transfer method of 65,000 THB based upon having a pension, I do not trust the IO's when it comes to doing that even with my pension letter from my US State of California since I can no longer get the US Embassy affidavit.  Different ways to stay and as Peter Dennis has stated the Non Imm-O seems to be the best way forward for those who do not want, as many call it, to have to buy a Thai Insurance policy, or scam insurance.

[bokningar]

21 hours ago, EricTh said:

I am glad that immigration have levelled the playing field.

So, you are glad other people here now has a lot of problems with this. Being forced to buy a useless insurance to get their visa.

Being glad for other people’s trouble!!!!

What a very nice and decent person you are.

 

[law ling]

Thanks for these replies to my OP -  confirming that an O-A visa of my vintage is caught by the insurance requirement.

[Langsuan Man]

19 hours ago, law ling said:

Thanks for these replies to my OP -  confirming that an O-A visa of my vintage is caught by the insurance requirement.

You were correct in asking this question since,  to my knowledge, this is the first time that Royal Thai Immigration has made a major policy change that did not grandfather in Visa holders, to the rules at the time of their Visa issuance