Generalize Visa and flight information needed

[oceanbreeze851]

      Covid-19 has put a damper on my retirement plans. I am 67 y/o male married to a Thai woman. We were married in Korat in a Buddhist ceremony. We did not get the marriage registered. My wife entered the USA on a fiancé visa and we were married in Austin 2 weeks later.  She is a USA citizen now with a Thai and USA passport. 

      My plan was to enter Thailand on a O-Visa and get an extension of stay based on marriage. With covid-19, the only visa available for me is a Visa-OA. With this visa, I will be required to have health insurance. I have health insurance with Medicare and Tricare-for-Life. Tricare-for-Life changes to Tricare Overseas when I live out of the USA. 

      Questions:

      1) At age 67, The cost of health insurance for me is not cost effective.  Will I be able to change to extension of stay based on marriage where I will not need the extra insurance.

      2) Are there any flights to Thailand? I have read that flights are being cancelled without notice. If I go and do all of the requirements for the flight and the flight is cancelled then I will have to be retested for cover-19 to be with the 72 hours. Is it 72 hours before flight take off or is it 72 hours when the flight arrives in Thailand. 

      3) If the the flight gets cancelled, do I have to go through the visa process again?  I read that a member arrived in Thailand from the Philippines yesterday. Could I possible fly to the Philippines and arrange a one way flight to Bangkok?

 

Any answer would be appreciated. We are at least a month away from firming our plans as we have to sell our house prior to leaving.

[ubonjoe]

 You can apply for a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai using your US marriage certificate at the embassy or one of the 3 official consulates.

At this time the the only way you can enter the country is by applying for a certificate of entry and etc to board a repatriation flight.

You can qualify for one based upon upon being married to a Thai but not retirement.

Info is here on the embassy website. https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

You wife would also have to apply for a certificate of entry if she wants to travel to here with you.

You could still apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage at immigration here. You will have to register your foreign marriage at a Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 22 marriage registry that immigration requires to apply for it.

[farmerjo]

The Philippines currently only has two repatriation flights a month for people in country.

They are not allowing tourists in either.