O-A Retirement and Health insurance

[moon0205]

Went to Chaeng Wattana today for extension of stay (retirement since 2004). I am 80 and feeling strong, because all my ailments are under control with Chula Cardiologist-3months visits. Extension was refused for two reasons:
1. used Kasikorn account letter and book for proof of funds.> not accepted, as last year I had used my SCB bank (before that over 15 years Kasikorn). I hardly still can believe this. What might be the reason?
2. Without health insurance no A-O Visa holder cann not get an extesion.
Why did I all the time, while reading TV infos. have the impression, this is a condition for new A-O applicants from ABROAD, and not for expats staying here already? What is true now?
Anyhow did no company say they woud accept me, with the exception of one who would decide after seeing a health report covering 5 years - and even that for a minimum of 100.000 Baht.
This is hardly an option. If anyone has good advise I would be glad.

[DrJack54]

Sorry to break it to you but the insurance requirement for people exactly in your situation has had zillion threads. You need insurance whereas previously you did not.

You should of exited Thailand previously and obtained non O. Then problems over. No insurance required. 

Also doubtful that you satisfy the Thai approved companies at your age.

Hopefully someone has better suggestion than this but thinking you need obtain 30 day extensions based on Covid. 

Are you married to a Thai? 

Approach an agent. Doubt will help. Others will advise about agents.

Edited April 2, 2020 by DrJack54

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, moon0205 said:

1. used Kasikorn account letter and book for proof of funds.> not accepted, as last year I had used my SCB bank (before that over 15 years Kasikorn). I hardly still can believe this. What might be the reason?

Assuming from this that you have used the 800k bank balance method for proving finances, might it be possible that you switched the holding account from SCB to Kasikorn within 2 months of your trip to CW? If so then the reason for the first refusal might have been that the IO with whom you dealt was of the view that you did not comply with the current seasoning requirement of 800k for 2 months before applying for your retirement extension (incidentally now extended to 3 months afterwards and then reducing to 400k for the remaining 7 months, meaning that your account is now under the Immigration spotlight year round).

 

Repeated account-hopping between banks is probably not a good idea for retirees in your situation who use the bank balance method!

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by OJAS

[DrJack54]

Ojas, that's exactly what happened as you outlined, is my guess. His bigger problem is insurance. He is 80+ with pre existing. 

An agent could have side stepped money in the bank. 

Edited April 2, 2020 by DrJack54

[Sophon]

I think it's more likely the problem with his bank account stems from the new requirement to keep 800k/400k also after the extension is granted.

 

Now, if changing to another bank (or account) than used for your latest extension, you will need to show account histories for both accounts to demonstrate that you meet the requirements of:
800k in your account for three months after your current extension was granted

800k in your account for two months prior to your application for the new extension

400k in your account for the time in-between.

 

The OP only mentions bank letter and passbook for his Kbank account, he says nothing about showing updated passbook for his SCB bank account used last year.

[JimGant]

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

An agent could have side stepped money in the bank.

Any agents that can sidestep the insurance requirement?

[Peter Denis]

As @DrJack54 in post #2 indicated, the 1-year extension of stay based on an original O-A Visa for reason of retirement, does - since Oct 31, 2019 - require mandatory thai IO-approved health-insurance.

But at your age it will be as good as impossible to find a thai insurer that will offer such a thai IO-approved policy.  Those policies are also very expensive and as good as worthless, so the best advice for people in your situation is to convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa and subsequent extension.  The requirements for an O - retirement Visa extension or one from an original O-A Visa for reason of retirement, are identical but with the one difference that an Non Imm O - retirement Visa/extension does NOT require the scam health-insurance requirement.

Apart from doing the above, there are only 2 other ways for you to long-stay in Thailand:

- In case you are married to a thai national or have dependant thai children, you can apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on your O-A Visa for reason of marriage or children, because the health-insurance is ONLY required when extending for reason of retirement

> However, in your case that will probably not be possible anymore as you did not met the financial requirement for extension of your Non Imm O-A Visa.

- If you have sufficient funds, you can apply for a Thai Elite Visa (500.000 THB for a 5 year Thai Elite Visa).

As mentioned higher, your best option is to convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa which is actually a surprisingly simple process, but it does require exiting and re-entering Thailand, which in the current Covid-19 situation unfortunately will not be possible.

So you would have to wait out your time till the borders are once again open to do that (a simple same-day border-run by land or air, would enable you to apply for that Non Imm O - retirement Visa).  But as this not possible in present times, in mean time you will have to apply for the 30-day emergency Covid-19 extension in order not to be on overstay (which will quickly add-up at 500 THB fine per day overstay).

>> I have PM-ed you a comprehensive guideline document containing all details/options to apply for the Non Imm O - retirement Visa and subsequent extensions. 

As this requires exiting/re-entering the country it will not yet be possible for you to start the process, but you can at least plan the steps you want to take based on the available option most convenient for you.

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

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, JimGant said:

Any agents that can sidestep the insurance requirement?

Good question. There was a guy stating he knew one. When questioned he never put up any serious detail. 

Agents seem to get around money in the bank but it would be ongoing need to use the agent. 

[Peter Denis]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Good question. There was a guy stating he knew one. When questioned he never put up any serious detail. 

Agents seem to get around money in the bank but it would be ongoing need to use the agent. 

OP has a double issue:

- OP being +80 years of age will not be able to find an insurer for the mandatory thai IO-approved insurance for his OA - retirement extension;

- OP did not meet the 12 month financial-requirement.

So there is no way he can meet the OA-retirement extension requirements, and hence has to start from scratch again.

Indeed it might be possible to find an agent that can fix him a new 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa.

But it would for sure be better for him to get hold of a 30-day extension of stay, or a 30-day VisaExempt entry, possibly with the help of an agent.

Once he gets that he can then apply himself for the 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa and not be at the mercy of the agent that might fix such Visa for him but with possible issues afterwards.

[moon0205]

On 4/2/2020 at 8:28 PM, OJAS said:

 

Repeated account-hopping between banks is probably not a good idea for retirees in your situation who use the bank balance method!

 

Never within 13 years did I switch bank. Had both accounts since then. Used Kasikorn proof for 12 years, only last year used SCB.

[Peter Denis]

15 minutes ago, moon0205 said:

Never within 13 years did I switch bank. Had both accounts since then. Used Kasikorn proof for 12 years, only last year used SCB.

It is not clear from what you write what the possible reason for the rejection of the financial evidence could be.

But actually that does not matter anymore, as you do not have the mandatory thai IO-approved health-insurance and at your age will as good as certain not be able to get it anyway.

>> See my post #9 with some advice on how to address the matter.  In normal times no problem > border-hop and re-apply for a Non Imm O - retirement Visa.  But in the present situation with borders closed, you will need to take some temporary steps to wait it out till some borders (or international return flights) are open again.

[moon0205]

23 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

 

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

Thank you, Peter, for this. Yet forgiveme: I could not access your PM message (too stupid, I guess). The letter icon does not lead me there> Sorry!

[Peter Denis]

Hi Moon0205,

When you scroll to the top of the page when logged-in to the Forum, you will see in the top-right corner the following < see attached screenshot >.

Between the Notifcation 'bell-icon' and your Profile (far right), there is the PM 'letter-icon'.

Normally both on the Notification icon and on the letter-icon a RED circle is featured with the number of un-read Notifications and PersonalMessages you have.

So just click the PM 'letter-icon' and a small window opens from which you can access the Messages that were sent to you.

Hope this helps.

 

 

Note: I did just re-sent you the PM-message, in case you deleted it by accident.

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Peter Denis

[JimGant]

22 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

OP being +80 years of age will not be able to find an insurer for the mandatory thai IO-approved insurance for his OA - retirement extension;

This corrupt society of 12 Thai insurers certainly would have a premium option of paying 440,000 baht in premium -- for a policy coverage of 40,000 out patient, 400,000 in patient coverage. Of course, they could still lower those premiums somewhat, as not all policy holders would ever file. Then, they and their fellow travelers in government, could continue to laugh all the way to the bank. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrh.

[moon0205]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Moon0205,

When you scroll to the top of the page when logged-in to the Forum, you will see in the top-right corner the following < see attached screenshot >.

Between the Notifcation 'bell-icon' and your Profile (far right), there is the PM 'letter-icon'.

Normally both on the Notification icon and on the letter-icon a RED circle is featured with the number of un-read Notifications and PersonalMessages you have.

So just click the PM 'letter-icon' and a small window opens from which you can access the Messages that were sent to you.

Hope this helps.

 

 

Note: I did just re-sent you the PM-message, in case you deleted it by accident.

 

I made it. Will study all of it. Looks like a change to marriage is 

[moon0205]

4 minutes ago, moon0205 said:

I made it. Will study all of it. Looks like a change to marriage is 

.. one good option. Will go see them Tuesday. a big THANK YOU for this help. regards Manfred

[oldcpu]

21 hours ago, moon0205 said:

Looks like a change to marriage is 

Good luck on this.  I hope it works out.  Sticking with a Type-OA Visa and going for an extension on my 'permission to stay' in Thailand based on marriage is also the approach I plan to go for.  Fortunately my permission to stay is until 27-Feb-2021, so I have lots of time before I need to go for an extension.