1-year extension (Type-OA visa) initially denied (Phuket) (both marriage & retirement)

[Billy Bloggs]

Yes Peter Denis helped me greatly that is why Im sitting here now in Quarantine because the cost for the insurance wasnt that big a burden.

[SPREX]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

This is not correct information. You cannot change your visa status while you are in the country.

You can change the reason for your extended stay from retirement to marriage towards the end of your current extension. When you change the reason for the extension, the new one will start on the day you apply.

6 weeks is normal if you apply 2 weeks earlier. Anyone who requests a marriage-based extension from Ubon Immigration gets a 30-day review period that begins on the day you request the extension. Offices in other parts of the country are granted 30 days from the day you apply.

I Tell you !! you can change visa clause 2.22 retirement to 2.18 Thai wife please look the regulation 

3 persons here have been done this process as per  2.22 OA to 2.18 familly ( Thaiwife) 

1 personnes Change visa 2.22 OA to visa Elite  

It not necessary to have Visa Touriste or 90 days  all existing visa open the process to change as per the list 

I am waiting for the copy of the visa block code 2.22 to code 2.18 family (thaiwife) to prove the process to you
this afternoon

The list of change type visa 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by SPREX

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, SPREX said:

I Tell you !! you can change visa clause 2.22 retirement to 2.18 Thai wife please look the regulation 

3 persons here have been done this process as per 

That is not a change from 2.22 to 2.18. It is change of visa status from a tourist or transit visa or to apply for non immigrant visa if on a visa exempt entry.

This from what you posted.

 

You are confusing a extension of stay with a visa application. A TM7 form is used to apply for an extension.

 

[SPREX]

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Ce n'est pas un changement de 2.22 à 2.18. Il s'agit de changer de statut de visa d'un visa de touriste ou de transit ou de demander un visa de non-immigrant si sur une entrée exemptée de visa.

Ceci d'après ce que vous avez publié.

 

Vous confondez une prolongation de séjour avec une demande de visa. Un formulaire TM7 est utilisé pour demander une extension.

 

I am talking to change visa  before annual extension OA to O family 

Do not need to have visa Tourist or Transit only ......longstay visa can be change 

I am waiting the real document to prove what I say.... !!!!! 

You say it is impossible to change visa inside Kingdom  .... I say yes you can ... 

[Tanoshi]

20 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I'm tempted (but have not decided) to see if I can negotiate the insurance coverage to start in mid-February and end sometime in mid-December-2021 ... I don't mind paying the same Insurance price even if it only 10 instead of 12 months.

 

or if that too risky, to simply have the insurance date (for one year) start on around 18-Feb-2021 (well after Chinese New Year) ... with the intent of each year gradually move up the renewal date until its in December.   

 

The basic idea is to use the Immigration tying the Insurance ending date to the 'permission to stay' end date, to my advantage.

In my opinion taking out a 6 month policy until August would be cheaper.

OK Immigration will only extend your permission of stay until Aug, then you'll have to apply again, but your extension renewal date will be now well clear of interfering with your winter vacations.

 

If borders were open, I'd suggest going out somewhere locally in Feb and apply for a Non O Visa.

That would move your extension application up to May and no pesky Health Insurance requirement.

[SPREX]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is not a change from 2.22 to 2.18. It is change of visa status from a tourist or transit visa or to apply for non immigrant visa if on a visa exempt entry.

This from what you posted.

 

You are confusing a extension of stay with a visa application. A TM7 form is used to apply for an extension.

 

I do not confuse anything at all dear sir ....

Here is the proof of a change of visa type O Retirement Code 2.22 to an O family visa (Thai wife) code 2.18

 

[oldcpu]

31 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

In my opinion taking out a 6 month policy until August would be cheaper.

OK Immigration will only extend your permission of stay until Aug, then you'll have to apply again, but your extension renewal date will be now well clear of interfering with your winter vacations.

 

If borders were open, I'd suggest going out somewhere locally in Feb and apply for a Non O Visa.

That would move your extension application up to May and no pesky Health Insurance requirement.

The LMG insurance price for 200K THB deductible for 1 year on their plan 1 for a 67-year old is only  ~7,700 THB.   I am fortunate in my life at present where that is not an amount to be concerned about.   That insurance is not worth much wrt coverage, but as I already have excellent Insurance, the extent (lack of coverage) of the LMG health insurance is not a factor.

 

August renewal timeframe would be tempting, except I also tend to international travel in August to early October timeframe - hence either May-to-July ... or ... late-Oct-to-mid-November are the ideal times for myself to be in Thailand for conducting a renewal (of my permission to stay).

 

I agree about open borders (when there is no COVID) - and maybe that indeed the best way to go - but I need to be patient and wait until the borders open appropriately with no COVID restrictions/dangers. Then leave Thailand (optimistically in Jan-2022) and possible return/leave a few times between Jan-2022 and April-2022 (returning each time on Tourist Visa-exempt) and then in mid/late April when in Thailand (?) apply for a Non Imm Type-O Visa followed by applying for a 1-year extension (based on retirement).

Edited January 29, 2021 by oldcpu

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, SPREX said:

I do not confuse anything at all dear sir ....

Here is the proof of a change of visa type O Retirement Code 2.22 to an O family visa (Thai wife) code 2.18

I see nothing that says visas in those pics. They all are extensions of stay stamps not visas.

[Peter Denis]

14 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

The LMG insurance price for 200K THB deductible for 1 year on their plan 1 for a 67-year old is only  ~7,700 THB.   I am fortunate in my life at present where that is not an amount to be concerned about.   That insurance is not worth much wrt coverage, but as I already have excellent Insurance, the extent (lack of coverage) of the LMG health insurance is not a factor.

 

August renewal timeframe would be tempting, except I also tend to international travel in August to early October timeframe - hence either May-to-July ... or ... late-Oct-to-mid-November are the ideal times for myself to be in Thailand for conducting a renewal (of my permission to stay).

 

I agree about open borders (when there is no COVID) - and maybe that indeed the best way to go - but I need to be patient and wait until the borders open appropriately with no COVID restrictions/dangers. Then leave Thailand (optimistically in Jan-2022) and possible return/leave a few times between Jan-2022 and April-2022 (returning each time on Tourist Visa-exempt) and then in mid/late April when in Thailand (?) apply for a Non Imm Type-O Visa followed by applying for a 1-year extension (based on retirement).

In your case, it would surely be worth enquiring at LMG (ask for miss Kannika - who is fluent in english and very efficient) whether it would not be possible to change the start or end-date of that LMG Plan-1 insurance policy you intend to subscribe to, in order to cap your 1-year permission to stay to the policy end date.  When you clearly indicate that you are not 'fishing' for premium-reduction, but that you would pay the full 1-year premium (which is only 7.700 THB in your case) and that it simply would be more convenient for you to have the policy end at a date of your choice somewhere in October/November, I do not see how that could pose a problem.

But as mentioned higher, do enquire about this with miss Kannika, because when dealing with a junior LMG staff-member that barely speaks english, your request would fall flat on a 'non-understanding' rock.

[SPREX]

45 minutes ago, SPREX said:

 

I am not confusing anything at all dear sir ...

Here is the proof of a change of visa type O Retirement Code 2.22 to a family visa O (Thai wife) code 2.18

 

 

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, SPREX said:

I am not confusing anything at all dear sir ...

Here is the proof of a change of visa type O Retirement Code 2.22 to a family visa O (Thai wife) code 2.18

Those are clause numbers 2.18 and 2.22 of this immigration order. 

 

 

[SPREX]

Il y a 30 minutes, ubonjoe a déclaré:

Ce sont les articles 2.18 et 2.22 de cette ordonnance d'immigration. 

 

 

Yes,  clauses amended  for clause 2.22 Health insurance in 2019  

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by SPREX
up date

[Tanoshi]

8 hours ago, SPREX said:

 

I do not confuse anything at all dear sir ....

Here is the proof of a change of visa type O Retirement Code 2.22 to an O family visa (Thai wife) code 2.18

 

 

Those are changes of reason for permission of stay, not Visas.

Extension of stay permitted to ..........

 

Visas are issued by Thai Embassies/Consulates.

You enter Thailand and are granted a permission of stay, then you extend that permission of stay annually.

The word 'Visa' does not appear on the Immigration stamps above because they are permits, not Visas.

 

You cannot change a Visa type (O/O-A/B/ED). You have to apply for a new one for a different reason at a Thai Embassy

Edited January 29, 2021 by Tanoshi

[ubonjoe]

16 hours ago, SPREX said:

Yes,  clauses amended  for clause 2.22 Health insurance in 2019  

I fully aware of all changes done to the immigration orders. In fact I am the one that found some them on the immigration website and requested the translations to English you can find.

I was also on this forum in 2014 when the new immigration order was issued (same for previous one in 2008).

[oldcpu]

15 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

In your case, it would surely be worth enquiring at LMG (ask for miss Kannika - who is fluent in english and very efficient) whether it would not be possible to change the start or end-date of that LMG Plan-1 insurance policy you intend to subscribe to, in order to cap your 1-year permission to stay to the policy end date .... and that it simply would be more convenient for you to have the policy end at a date of your choice somewhere in October/November, I do not see how that could pose a problem.

The more I think about this idea that I initially considered (to go for ~9-months Health Insurance to 'force' an early end of my retirement extension to 'mid-November-2021' ) the less likely I am to attempt it.   Assuming LMG will go for 9-months Health Insurance (and I can see no reason why they would not), my concern is Phuket Immigration may decide I am 'working the system' and refuse the extension and insist I obtain the extra 3-months (approx) to closer approximate a 1-year Health Insurance ....   Of course this is my speculative paranoid over-cautious aversion to risks.

 

From what I've read, different Immigration offices have some leeway in how they implement/enforce the regulations ... and so maybe my best bet with my Non-immigrant Type-OA is to simply go for the 1-year retirement extension (obtaining 'throwaway' 1-year health insurance on the Thai approved list (augmenting my current excellent Health Insurance that is not on the Thai approved list)).  Keep renewing that every year until COVID is over (which could be late this year or early next) and when its finally ok to travel internationally without facing quarantines/other-restrictions, then leave Thailand (without a re-entry permit) to stop my OA visa, and return on a 30-day Tourist Exempt-Visa status followed by applying for a Non-Immigrant Type-O (timing such to be in a favourable time of the year for my future travels).   From what I have read, leaving the country to 'kill' the OA, and come back to setup a 'Type-O' is the "tried and proven" method, and I'm not one for taking risks (however slight) and venturing into new extension-application territory (so to speak).

 

But many thanks for all the suggestions !

Edited January 30, 2021 by oldcpu

[Peter Denis]

37 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

... Assuming LMG will go for 9-months Health Insurance (and I can see no reason why they would not), my concern is Phuket Immigration may decide I am 'working the system' and refuse the extension and insist I obtain the extra 3-months (approx) to closer approximate a 1-year Health Insurance ....   Of course this is my speculative paranoid over-cautious aversion to risks.

...

When you fully meet the requirements for your 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa, there is no reason for Phuket Immigration to refuse it.

And when they apply the rules re the health-insurance requirement, they will have to 'cap' your permission to stay till insurance validity expiry date, but that is exactly what you want.

Note: My own application was capped 2 days because I had my LMG policy start on my day of application (didn't want to run any risks on that one) and I applied 2 days before permission to stay expiry > result being that the permission to stay I received was capped with 2 days because 1-year policy validity expiry date.

Many reports of applicants doing same, and some 'losing' 3 weeks or more because of that capped permission to stay till insurance validity expiry date. 

But if you are worried, then don't do it as I suggested.  And of course you can still 'play' the permission to stay end-date in a 30-day window, by applying earlier than your permission to stay expiry date with an already valid insurance policy on the date of application.

[SPREX]

On 1/30/2021 at 2:43 AM, Tanoshi said:

 

These are changes in the reason for authorization to stay, not visas.

Extension of stay authorized to ..........

 

Visas are issued by Thai embassies / consulates.

You enter Thailand and get a residence permit, then you extend that residence permit every year.

The word "Visa" does not appear on the above immigration stamps as they are permits and not visas.

 

You cannot change the type of visa (O / OA / B / ED). You must apply for a new one for a different reason at a Thai Embassy

Decidedly there are stubborn people when we put in front of them real documents which prove that we can change the type of visa in extension obviously any extension stamp is not a viusa within the meaning of the legislation as a reminder it you just have an original embassy visa for example an OA and after 1 year you request an extension and change to a visa for example Thai wife as I indicated

A stamp visa cannot last more than one year !!!

In short, I did nothing but contradict what was stated that you could not change your original visa in extension for another extension
It is the same to know how many foreigners stay in Thailand which made debate on this forum with irreissembable assumptions whereas the figures are available in the monthly and annual reports of the immigration from the PIBCIS database
of course everything is in Thai and requires the minipulation of software or open access ....

[Peter Denis]

42 minutes ago, SPREX said:

Decidedly there are stubborn people when we put in front of them real documents which prove that we can change the type of visa in extension obviously any extension stamp is not a viusa within the meaning of the legislation as a reminder it you just have an original embassy visa for example an OA and after 1 year you request an extension and change to a visa for example Thai wife as I indicated

A stamp visa cannot last more than one year !!!

In short, I did nothing but contradict what was stated that you could not change your original visa in extension for another extension
It is the same to know how many foreigners stay in Thailand which made debate on this forum with irreissembable assumptions whereas the figures are available in the monthly and annual reports of the immigration from the PIBCIS database
of course everything is in Thai and requires the minipulation of software or open access ....

Sorry, but you are totally confused.

- You can only apply for a VISA at a Thai Embassy/Consulate abroad.

- The one exception being the 'change Visa' process, which allows you to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa at an Immigration Office in Thailand.  But this can only be done when you entered Thailand Visa Exempt or on a 60-day Tourist Visa.

- When the permission to stay as stamped in your passport when Entering Thailand and based on the original Visa granted to you, is due to expire you can apply at an Immigration Office for a 1- year extension of stay.

- When applying for a subsequent 1-year extension of stay you can do this for a different reason than for the original reason you applied for at your previous 1-year extension of stay (of course you would need to meet the criteria for such switch of reason for the 1-year extension you are applying for).

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by Peter Denis

[SPREX]

2 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Désolé, mais vous êtes totalement confus.

- Vous ne pouvez demander un VISA que dans une ambassade / consulat thaïlandais à l'étranger.

- La seule exception étant le processus de `` changement de visa '', qui vous permet de demander un visa Non Imm O de 90 jours dans un bureau d'immigration en Thaïlande. Mais cela ne peut être fait que lorsque vous êtes entré en Thaïlande sans visa ou avec un visa touristique de 60 jours.

- Lorsque l'autorisation de rester basée sur le visa original qui vous a été accordé, arrive à expiration, vous pouvez demander une prolongation de séjour d'un an auprès d'un bureau de l'immigration.

- Lorsque vous postulez pour une prolongation de séjour d'un an, vous pouvez le faire pour une raison différente de celle pour laquelle vous avez demandé votre précédente prolongation de séjour d'un an (si vous remplissez les critères d'un tel changement de raison pour le 1 -year extension pour laquelle vous postulez).

 

Yes Yes ! you are right on this forum there are always experts who in fact never bring any proof of source an annoying mania at Thaivisa
For your information I had an OA visa invalidity incident because I forgot my re-entry
Normally I will have to go out to request a 90-day Vis O
well the immigration office gave me a 90-day O visa on site and I was able to reapply for a visa or if you want an authorization to stay 1 year in retirement clause 2.22
15 days after I had my authorization
So I did not leave the territory !!!!

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, SPREX said:

Normally I will have to go out to request a 90-day Vis O
well the immigration office gave me a 90-day O visa on site and I was able to reapply for a visa or if you want an authorization to stay 1 year in retirement clause 2.22

He wrote this.

 

23 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

The one exception being the 'change Visa' process, which allows you to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa at an Immigration Office in Thailand.  But this can only be done when you entered Thailand Visa Exempt or on a 60-day Tourist Visa.

I assume you got a 30 day visa exempt entry due to not having a re-entry permit.

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, SPREX said:

Yes Yes ! you are right on this forum there are always experts who in fact never bring any proof of source an annoying mania at Thaivisa
For your information I had an OA visa invalidity incident because I forgot my re-entry
Normally I will have to go out to request a 90-day Vis O
well the immigration office gave me a 90-day O visa on site and I was able to reapply for a visa or if you want an authorization to stay 1 year in retirement clause 2.22
15 days after I had my authorization
So I did not leave the territory !!!!

Sorry once again, your incident story is total gibberish...

I presume that what happened is that you exited Thailand without buying a Re-Entry Permit to protect the permission of stay from your original Non Imm O-A Visa (of which the 1-year validity had already expired).  On re-entering Thailand you were then stamped in Visa Exempt with a 30-day permission to stay stamp in your passport.  You then applied (with at least 15 days left on that permission to stay) at your local IO for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, or for reason of marriage or for reason of dependent children or for any other reason for which you met the criteria.  And in the last month of those 90 days you then applied at that same local IO where you got the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for a 1-year extension of stay.

>> If you are telling that you never left Thailand and were able to switch your Non Imm O-A Visa to a Non Imm O Visa, I would be interested to know at which Imm office you did this.

And if you are telling that you never left Thailand and switched the reason for the 1-year extension of stay you applied for based on your Non Imm O-A Visa, that would be no surprise at all as the IO regulations allow to switch the reason for your 1-year extension of stay when you meet the criteria.

[CALSinCM]

On 1/28/2021 at 12:19 PM, Tanoshi said:

As you have the required 800K already in a Thai bank account, the easy solution is to obtain a Health Insurance policy from one of the Thai approved Insurers, then reapply based on retirement this year.

The following year you can change to marriage.

 

@Peter Denishas done extensive research on this issue. The LMG Thai approved policy meets the Health Insurance requirements, very cheap, but essentially useless for cover as it has a 200,000 exclusion on claims.

If Peter doesn't reply shortly, send him a PM.

I got this from Peter Denis awhile back.

50366551_LMGInsuranceNonImmO-AapprovedPolicyTipsCaveats_rev1dd2020-08-10.pdf

[CALSinCM]

On 1/28/2021 at 12:32 PM, OJAS said:

But, unless I am mistaken, Phuket had previously been reported on here as not enforcing the mandatory health insurance requirement for those seeking retirement extensions on the basis of original OA visas. If so, then they have clearly now had a change of heart.

 

Moreover, the fact that they are apparently not permitting retirees with original OA visas to switch to marriage as the reason for their annual extensions marks them out as a rogue office par excellence in my book.

Which means that perhaps the "agent" route to help obtain the marriage extension may be the best route.  If they grant the first extension with the help of an agent, it would be difficult for them not to grant subsequent extensions based on marriage.

[jackdd]

On 1/28/2021 at 12:19 PM, Tanoshi said:

As you have the required 800K already in a Thai bank account, the easy solution is to obtain a Health Insurance policy from one of the Thai approved Insurers, then reapply based on retirement this year.

The following year you can change to marriage.

The denial of a marriage extension is obviously just made up by the IO. If OP does what you suggested, next year the IO would probably just come up with some other arbitrary reason why OP can't get an extension based on marriage. (Maybe then he will say that it's not possible in the first two years or whatever he can come up with)

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, SPREX said:

For your information I had an OA visa invalidity incident because I forgot my re-entry

You didn't have an O-A Visa incident. The O-A Visa is multi entry.

Your O-A Visa had expired and you had extended the permission of stay from that Visa entry (not extended the Visa) which doesn't allow entries without a re-entry permit.

 

Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay.

Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker.

 

On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 or 365 days from the arrival date. The period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the arrival stamp. Travellers who wish to stay longer than such period may apply for extensions of stay at offices of the Immigration Bureau located in the provinces. For information on applications for extension of stay, see the Immigration Bureau website at www.immigration.go.th

 

4 hours ago, SPREX said:

Normally I will have to go out to request a 90-day Vis O
well the immigration office gave me a 90-day O visa on site and I was able to reapply for a visa or if you want an authorization to stay 1 year in retirement clause 2.22

Because you didn't have re-entry permit to protect your permission of stay, you were granted a 30 day Visa Exempt entry. You can apply for the 'O' Visa at Immigration when entering VE or Tourist Visas.

You then didn't reapply for a Visa, you applied to extend the 90 day permission of stay from the 'O' Visa for a further 365 days based on retirement.

You completed a TM7 application form with the heading:

ตม.7
TM.7
คำขออนุญำตเพื่ออยู่ในรำชอำณำจักรเป็นกำรชั่วครำวต่อไป
APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY STAY IN THE KINGDOM

 

Nowhere does the word 'Visa' appear either on the application form or the stamp in your passport, which states;

Extension of stay permitted up to ..........(date)...............

 

Above the stamp is the reason of stay 'Retirement'

You can change your reason of stay from retirement to marriage, or vice versa.

 

[Tanoshi]

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The denial of a marriage extension is obviously just made up by the IO. If OP does what you suggested, next year the IO would probably just come up with some other arbitrary reason why OP can't get an extension based on marriage. (Maybe then he will say that it's not possible in the first two years or whatever he can come up with)

This is the short term solution.

Next year he may be able to exit at a local border and re-enter with an 'O' Visa, or VE and apply for the 'O' at Immigration. From the 'O' he can then apply for an extension based on marriage or retirement.

[Rimmer]

A post with a altered quote into French has been removed, please do not do this as it is against forum rules:

 

16) You will not make changes to quoted material from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. This cannot be done in such a manner that it alters the context of the original post.

[oldcpu]

On 1/28/2021 at 4:43 PM, Peter Denis said:

My own experience when applying for that LMG Plan-1 policy > The application process went very smooth.  Did sent the filled-in application form on Sunday evening.  Monday morning I already had response that it was received and being processed (but with request for a copy of my passport ID-card).  After sending that, within hours I received confirmation of application approved and payment details.  I paid same-day and Tuesday morning I received the Health Insurance Certificate by e-mail, and 3 days later I received the policy documents by regular mail.

 

Success with your application!

Thanks for the success wish - but my going is NOT going smooth with LMG.  Yes they have been quick to reply, but likely because I am older (?) than you, they asked for my last medical result (and yes I did select NO, in the application form for all the mentioned illnesses/conditions, which was correct).   I had a medical in 2019 at one of Thailand's best hospitals so I sent them that medical result.  There were a few recommendations in that medical, where the hospital in the medical noted a few 'border line' areas and suggested if I had any symptoms (which they listed) I should follow up in 3 to 6 months.  Well I had no symptoms and did not need thus to follow up. I also showed the medical results to my German doctor in Europe, who laughed and noted such results in a Hospital test would not have raised a comment in Germany and in his opinion I had no need to follow up. 

 

LMG got back to me today and asked for a year 2020 or 2021 medical result (where I have none -2019 was my last medical) and they pointed to those recommended followup 'if symptom' comments as their justification asking for another medical result from me. 

 

I replied to LMG proposing we talk on the phone, but I am beginning to think LMG will be a no go ...  I speculate (note speculate) that possibly LMG will ask for a medical in the next 2 weeks (barely enough time to do such)  which in these COVID times I am not particularly keen to do.

 

Any suggestions (from anyone on this thread) as to what another Insurance company with low rates for a 67-year old. Again - I am fully covered for Health Insurance far exceeding Thai requirements, but my Insurance company is not on the Thai list.

[Peter Denis]

7 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Thanks for the success wish - but my going is NOT going smooth with LMG.  Yes they have been quick to reply, but likely because I am older (?) than you, they asked for my last medical result (and yes I did select NO, in the application form for all the mentioned illnesses/conditions, which was correct).   I had a medical in 2019 at one of Thailand's best hospitals so I sent them that medical result.  There were a few recommendations in that medical, where the hospital in the medical noted a few 'border line' areas and suggested if I had any symptoms (which they listed) I should follow up in 3 to 6 months.  Well I had no symptoms and did not need thus to follow up. I also showed the medical results to my German doctor in Europe, who laughed and noted such results in a Hospital test would not have raised a comment in Germany and in his opinion I had no need to follow up. 

 

LMG got back to me today and asked for a year 2020 or 2021 medical result (where I have none -2019 was my last medical) and they pointed to those recommended followup 'if symptom' comments as their justification asking for another medical result from me. 

 

I replied to LMG proposing we talk on the phone, but I am beginning to think LMG will be a no go ...  I speculate (note speculate) that possibly LMG will ask for a medical in the next 2 weeks (barely enough time to do such)  which in these COVID times I am not particularly keen to do.

 

Any suggestions (from anyone on this thread) as to what another Insurance company with low rates for a 67-year old. Again - I am fully covered for Health Insurance far exceeding Thai requirements, but my Insurance company is not on the Thai list.

Did you sent your application to Miss Kannika, of which I provided the co-ordinates in the LMG Application Guideline?  She speaks/writes english fluently and is very efficient, so never any problems when she is your main contact person.  Unfortunately this cannot be said from some of the other LMG Insurance staff, some of whom are very slow to respond and hardly speak/understand english, which can and has lead to misunderstandings for applicants.  LMG uses a system that the sales rep that picks up your application will also follow it through, hence the importance to address your application to Miss Kannika.

Normally any pre-exisiting conditions you have and reported on the application form, will simply be taken out of the insurance coverage.  And any claims you would do later will be investigated whether it was the result of a pre-existing condition.  So it's actually a Big Charade, as that LMG Plan-1 policy has been developed simply to meet the Non Imm O-A insurance requirement and should not be considered as regular health-insurance.

But I do hope that it works out fine for you, and that this BS for past medicals to be provided by you will be dropped, as subscribing to that policy does NOT require a medical.

 

[oldcpu]

19 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Did you sent your application to Miss Kannika, of which I provided the co-ordinates in the LMG Application Guideline? 

....

Normally any pre-exisiting conditions you have and reported on the application form, will simply be taken out of the insurance coverage.  And any claims you would do later will be investigated whether it was the result of a pre-existing condition. 

...

But I do hope that it works out fine for you, and that this BS for past medicals to be provided by you will be dropped, as subscribing to that policy does NOT require a medical.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

I had immediately applied to LMG (filled in their web site application) prior to your recommendation in this thread for Miss Kannika, so I am dealing with another LMG representative.  I considered contacting Miss Kannika, but I suspect commissions for LMG agents could be involved, and changing agent in mid-stream may simply irritate LMG.

 

Re pre-existing conditions being taken out of the coverage - YES, I'm fine with that, but given I don't have ANY such conditions (only year-2019 medical suggestion to follow up on border line areas in case there may be a condition  - where my German doctor laughed at that recommendation)  its pretty hard to point to a pre-existing condition.   

 

I suspect I will be pushed into doing a medical.  I'm hoping LMG reply to me by Monday, and if so, on Monday I'll likely contact my Health Insurance company, and get their 'blessing' to go for an annual medical (they will cover ~90% of cost), and then go for a Medical here in Phuket as early as late next week.   I would rather not in these COVID times  - but if this solves the problem then I am ok with such.

 

My understanding is the Hospitals that cater to foreigners are looking forward to the business ... I just need to make certain in any medical that they understand I need it for Health Insurance and that they don't overstate any test (trolling for extra money via recommending tests - which IMHO the Thailand hospitals OFTEN do ... ).  I don't want to side track this thread, but I have been getting medicals in Thailand since 2014 (?), they often have recommendations on what they say is "borderline", and when I show such to my European doctor, they simply shake their head, say by European standards its an ok reading (ie Thai criteria too tight), and they speculate the hospital is trolling for money at a foreign patients expense.  The truth ? I don't know - but I have heard others claim similar experience.   But I am on a tangent - sorry.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Edited February 5, 2021 by oldcpu