Elderly expats given lifeline regarding mandatory insurance requirement for Non-Immigrant “O-A” visas

[MadMac]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

what about requirements for 1 year extensions ? Where is your logic now? 

 

This topic is about visa, not extension. You should understand the difference as this is important.

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

At this time immigration flat refuses to accept anything other than Thai insurance.

They could accept the overseas insurance certificate that is used for a OA visa applications.

 

Unless the wording of that certificate is changed, a non-starter

[flexomike]

7 minutes ago, MadMac said:

 

This topic is about visa, not extension. You should understand the difference as this is important.

Yes, but if you read the Bangkok Post article it says also for extensions

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, flexomike said:

Yes, but if you read the Bangkok Post article it says also for extensions

I have read the info on the cabinet meeting summary and it also mentions extensions of OA visa entries but nothing is that clear yet since it was only approved in principle.

I also read the article and is has a lot of things wrong in it.

[MadMac]

Maybe something lost in translation as usual. Anyways, nothing (besides Wuhan) stops you from entering the country on a different type of visa than O-A or O-X. Of course the requirements will be different and higher. But hey, up to you as they say here ????.  Nobody said Thailand is cheap.

 

Non-issue anyways nowadays as you need that 100kUS$ insurance regardless. So nothing but hot air.

[Galong]

What if you have Thai Social Security, which I have for life as I've exceeded the 15 year pay-in threshold.  I would assume, maybe falsely, that that counts as legitimate healthcare coverage. 

BTW, I'm still working, but I'll likely apply for a Non-O next year.

Edited June 16, 2021 by Galong

[MadMac]

5 minutes ago, Galong said:

BTW, I'm still working, but I'll likely apply for a Non-O next year.

 

Not a problem if you convert from B to O, longstay insurance is only required for longstay O-A and O-X visa and extensions.

Edited June 16, 2021 by MadMac

[JimGant]

30 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

it also mentions extensions of OA visa entries

That makes complete sense, as the biggest complaint with this OA insurance bag of worms was the difficulty of some older retirees obtaining the mandated Thai insurance needed for extensions. Not to mention its non necessity, when these retirees hold much better foreign insurance.

Getting US Embassy/Consulate "certification" won't be hard: The affidavit you apply for can say anything, as it is only witnessing your signature that what you're attesting to is true. You can say you're Jesus Christ, or that your income is over 65k per month. Of course with the latter, the Thais said this is unproven attestation, and disallowed it. Hopefully, they wouldn't apply this logic for affidavits on health insurance.......

[moe666]

3 hours ago, tonray said:

Good Question...and why do they continue to punish OA Visa holders and leave O Visa holders unscathed ? Extensions now are absurd...because my OA obtained in 2017 needs insurance(s) and the guy in the booth next to me does not , all other requirements being equal ? 

This is a story about O-A visa holder, but in todays Bangkok Post the requirements will apply to all foreigns in all visa catagories.

[moe666]

42 minutes ago, MadMac said:

 

Not a problem if you convert from B to O, longstay insurance is only required for longstay O-A and O-X visa and extensions.

not any more read todays BKK post

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Getting US Embassy/Consulate "certification" won't be hard: The affidavit you apply for can say anything, as it is only witnessing your signature that what you're attesting to is true.

I am sure they would not witness a affidavit for that. They have tightened upon what they will witness now.

They no longer have affidavit forms for specific reasons now (address confirmation and etc). You can only download a blank one now.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, moe666 said:

not any more read todays BKK post

They got it wrong. I read the article and I have read the summary of the cabinet meeting.

[MadMac]

12 minutes ago, moe666 said:

not any more read todays BKK post

 

He converts from currently B to an O extension, that is just "other", not longstay (O-A or O-X), thus no insurance requirement. Also no visa or re-entry, no 100kUS$ insurance required either. So same as before. You can also convert from O "Thai Wife" to O "Retirement" and no insurance is needed. What counts is only the visa category when you first enter the country.

[JimGant]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They no longer have affidavit forms for specific reasons now (address confirmation and etc). You can only download a blank one now.

The last affidavit I did was a blank form wherein I said something like, "xxx Moo 9, blah blah blah is my home residence." The consulate didn't verify my address, but just witnessed my signature (I used this to renew my drivers license, and it was fully acceptable). But, yeah, they might balk at my attestation to being Jesus Christ. However, I doubt I would have any trouble for an affidavit for Tricare.

[MadMac]

A number of countries don't even certify your pension or other retirement income. Big discussion some months, or is it years now, back. Why would they start doing this for insurances where they have even less visibility and control over. Another one of those fantastic thought over policies, perhaps they can make an app for it ????

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, JimGant said:

The last affidavit I did was a blank form wherein I said something like, "xxx Moo 9, blah blah blah is my home residence." The consulate didn't verify my address, but just witnessed my signature (I used this to renew my drivers license, and it was fully acceptable). But, yeah, they might balk at my attestation to being Jesus Christ. However, I doubt I would have any trouble for an affidavit for Tricare.

Not sure why they did away with the special affidavit form for specific reasons. It appears to of happened when they stopped doing the income affidavits.

Try doing a self certification affidavit for a confirmation of something from the SSA to the prove the source of your income for a extension application.

Not sure about doing one for Tricare. The office at Jusmag might be able to provide something.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You really have to wonder if the Immigration folks or whomever else brings this kind of stuff to Cabinet ever actually consults with the foreign consular community here BEFORE they put forward this kind of stuff.

 

I'm sure the last thing the U.S. citizen services staff want is a lot of dirty, unvaccinated U.S. expats crowding into their nice, clean, fully COVID vaccinated workplace!  ????

 

[moe666]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

They got it wrong. I read the article and I have read the summary of the cabinet meeting.

ok thanks

[JimGant]

53 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure why they did away with the special affidavit form for specific reasons.

They still have the marriage affidavit, probably because there are too many "must fills" to trust to a free form. But, for other subjects, like certificate of residency, free forming works just fine, at least it did for me, where I just entitled the top of the narrative area with "Certificate of Residency." Probably unnecessary, and the drivers license folks barely glanced at it.

 

Of course, the "consulate doesn't guarantee the contents of my sworn statement" was the stumbling block for income statements (the Thais wanted a guarantee but the consulate was not in the position to do so). Who knows where this will go, if it does go, with foreign health insurance policies.

Edited June 16, 2021 by JimGant

[moe666]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

They got it wrong. I read the article and I have read the summary of the cabinet meeting.

Can you furnish link to cabinet meeting

[MadMac]

Bangkok Post article seems to have been removed now.

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, JimGant said:

They still have the marriage affidavit, probably because there are too many "must fills" to trust to a free form.

But that one is special and does appear on the affidavit page.

I think that is the only one the still available.

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Can you furnish link to cabinet meeting

It is in my post here on page one.

 

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is nothing in the summary of the cabinet meeting about any thing other than OA visas.

See number 8 here in Thai (I used google translate on it) https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/42740

As said it is not final yet. It could be months before anything appears in a immigration order or a change of the requirements at a embassy or official consulate.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, MadMac said:

Bangkok Post article seems to have been removed now.

It has certainly disappeared.

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Thai 6 month tourist visa for euro 140 a very easy / simple / good option with no bs for anyone with residence in country of application. convert that after 6 mths to O- ED longstay 12 mths with no finance / no insurance / no agent / no illegality/ no school attendance. use it also to learn thai or chinese !

 

 

[AMIA63]

5 hours ago, doctormann said:

Yes, you can, but this cannot be done in-country.  You have to exit, get a non-O and return, or re-enter on a 30-day visa exemption.  Although possible, neither option is easy because of the COVID situation.  I intended to make a trip to Laos and get a non-O there but this is not possible at the moment.  Flying home (UK) to do this is also very difficult and extremely expensive.

Agent and money might help..

 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

Thai 6 month tourist visa for euro 140 a very easy / simple / good option with no bs for anyone with residence in country of application. convert that after 6 mths to O- ED longstay 12 mths with no finance / no insurance / no agent / no illegality/ no school attendance. use it also to learn thai or chinese !

 

The METV is not being done now. If was available you would have to leave and re-enter the country to get the total stay it allows.

You can only get a single entry tourist visa that allows one 60 day entry.

[MasterBaker]

just relax, they will flip-flop at least a dozen times

[alphason]

56 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It has certainly disappeared.

Glad this story does seem to be reported incorrectly by the Bangkok Post and has been removed, but unhelpfully The Phuket News has just posted it on there site at 12.15 this afternoon.

 

Richard Barrow tweets confirms it seems to only apply to Non OA "front page story in the Bangkok Post... is very misleading"  same as Ubon Joe has said here.

Edited June 16, 2021 by alphason

[garzhe]

6 hours ago, jackdd said:

Probably a bank statement

I guess a chunk of money in a Thai Bank