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

[malibukid]

4 hours 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.

its another money grab.

[dave moir]

5 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Fat chance of the British Embassy in Bangkok being prepared to provide the necessary certification. Instead British applicants would probably be required to follow the cumbersome legalisation process described in all its "glory" in the following link:-

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

 

We British expat retirees can, I think, be forgiven for arriving at the conclusion that the British and Thai governments are actively engaged in some joint initiative aimed at making our lives here in Thailand as difficult as is humanly possible. On top of what the Immigration Bureau have inflicted on us over recent years (as well documented on this and other threads), the British government have inflicted on us over the same period cumbersome bureaucracy in the areas of passport renewal (how many retirees aged 70+ are physically up to making 2 potentially lengthy and difficult trips in person to offices located in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, and why should they have to shell out an extra 5,000 THB+ for an agent to make these trips on their behalf?) and State Pension Life Certificate witnessing - on top of the legalisation process to which I have already referred.

 

 

 

There hasn't been a British Consulate in Chiang Mai since 2016!????

 

[chilly07]

7 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 ? 

Because the OA avoids the checks on income/deposits and therefore insurance covers the hospitalization risk. O holders have monthly income requirements which are checked annually and in some offices at 90 day intervals

[MadMac]

Ok if Phuket implements that. Or Buriram. ????

 

[chilly07]

Not much of a relaxation if you are required to prove 3m bht cash. Immigration should scrap all insurance requirements. Absconding without paying Hospital bills has been covered with a 300bht surcharge on top of the 500bht already charged

[khunjeff]

4 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

Because the OA avoids the checks on income/deposits and therefore insurance covers the hospitalization risk. O holders have monthly income requirements which are checked annually and in some offices at 90 day intervals

 

The financial requirements for extending the OA and the Non-O (Retirement) are exactly the same; insurance is the only difference.

[MadMac]

3 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

The financial requirements for extending the OA and the Non-O (Retirement) are exactly the same; insurance is the only difference.

 

True, and you have (or had) the option to enter the country with either one. Long stay got 1 year free ride, the other O's, B's whatsoever had to put more meat on the table. Up to you to change that. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by MadMac

[chilly07]

Oh yes. Border bounces. There's a blast from the past. A border bounce gave OA holders 2 yrs in Thailand without the need to prove income and exit and enter Thailand whenever they want. With Wuflu OAs become most unnatractive.

[flexomike]

7 hours ago, smedly said:

 can you not convert to an O visa, tourist visa can be converted, let your OA expire, yes I know it makes little sense

you need to leave the country and come back in to get the O visa

[MadMac]

1 minute ago, flexomike said:

you need to leave the country and come back in to get the O visa

 

Was said before, what counts is the visa you entered the country in the first place. If it is O or B you are safe, if it is longstay O-A or O-X you pay for glass palaces.

[MadMac]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Sounds like it will be all long stay individuals per this article

Long-stay foreigners will need virus cover (thephuketnews.com)

All foreigners living in Thailand as non-immigrants will in the future have to prove they have insurance coverage of at least US$100,000 (B3 million) against COVID-19.

 

Posting copied from BKK Post which was removed since. Wrong translation. But I still think Phuket and Buriram shall fall under it ????

[MadMac]

Ubonjoe has the reference in Post #1

 

https://siamrath.co.th/n/253073

[ThailandRyan]

32 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

Because the OA avoids the checks on income/deposits and therefore insurance covers the hospitalization risk. O holders have monthly income requirements which are checked annually and in some offices at 90 day intervals

OA extension still has income requirements.  either 800K in the bank or the 65K a month transfer with proof by bank statements

[DPKANKAN]

6 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Fat chance of the British Embassy in Bangkok being prepared to provide the necessary certification. Instead British applicants would probably be required to follow the cumbersome legalisation process described in all its "glory" in the following link:-

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

 

We British expat retirees can, I think, be forgiven for arriving at the conclusion that the British and Thai governments are actively engaged in some joint initiative aimed at making our lives here in Thailand as difficult as is humanly possible. On top of what the Immigration Bureau have inflicted on us over recent years (as well documented on this and other threads), the British government have inflicted on us over the same period cumbersome bureaucracy in the areas of passport renewal (how many retirees aged 70+ are physically up to making 2 potentially lengthy and difficult trips in person to offices located in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, and why should they have to shell out an extra 5,000 THB+ for an agent to make these trips on their behalf?) and State Pension Life Certificate witnessing - on top of the legalisation process to which I have already referred.

 

 

 

In relation to life certificate witnessing, I used a local mate ex UK police, only a constable, to sign and give me a copy of his Police papers. It was accepted no problems.

[MadMac]

It is not O-A, it is retirment for which you have to show the 800k, either O or O-A. Which is still the most painless option, compared to a B or O-Marriage. 

[Destiny1990]

Amazing there are still some long term stayers willing to put up with all the requirements for some visa.

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, MadMac said:

It is not O-A, it is retirment for which you have to show the 800k, either O or O-A. Which is still the most painless option, compared to a B or O-Marriage. 

That's what I posted the Extension of Stay based on O-A, which I have and which I have had to show the insurance from within Thailand when I extended said extension of stay again last November.

[Exploring Thailand]

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

OA extension still has income requirements.  either 800K in the bank or the 65K a month transfer with proof by bank statements

But you only that prior to the application. Once the visa is issued, there are no financial requirements.

[MadMac]

Just now, Destiny1990 said:

Amazing there are still some long term stayers willing to put up with all the requirements for some visa.

 

I changed from O marriage to O  retirement (not O-A, just O) last year and it's the best type of extension you can get here with the least effort. Just show them the money. Done.

[SunsetT]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

On your page. My fav is Saigon. Prior to covid went at least once per month.

Never understood the big rush for people exit Thai for visa matters and need to rush back. 

Yes I have always enjoyed a few days in Laos; I prefer Vientiane to Savannakhet, on my border runs, and I shall miss them now I have retirement extensions. Mind you, the pollution from the traffic in Vientiane last time was horrendous, so I will not miss that.

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

But you only that prior to the application. Once the visa is issued, there are no financial requirements.

Once your in the country and go to do an extension of stay based on the OA you still have financial requirements to show immigration as well as the insurance they added in 2019 on October 31st.

[ubonjoe]

54 minutes ago, dave moir said:

There hasn't been a British Consulate in Chiang Mai since 2016!

He was writing about getting a UK passport at VFS.

[Exploring Thailand]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Once your in the country and go to do an extension of stay based on the OA you still have financial requirements to show immigration as well as the insurance they added in 2019 on October 31st.

The OA is valid for one year with no extensions. If you leave the country in the twelfth month, and return before the first year expires, you are are stamped in for another year, so you get two years with no extensions. After that the OA is expired. You can apply for an O or leave the country and get another OA.

[Destiny1990]

12 minutes ago, MadMac said:

 

I changed from O marriage to O  retirement (not O-A, just O) last year and it's the best type of extension you can get here with the least effort. Just show them the money. Done.

Yes that sounds doable but any  visa that needing more then 5 requirements I personally wouldn’t bother. Just give me stress.

[TKDfella]

I think that one way out of the 'insurance problem' for all expats, or at least, over 70's, would be to allow hospitals to develop a system much on the same lines as they did for Asians. If memory serves this was 2,000 pa though I am not suggesting it should be as cheap as that. Even if they increased 10 or 20 times such a price would much more affordable. Although I have no evidence from the statistics I would think most of us do our best to stay fit and healthy so the hospitals would benefit from a lot of custom and not pay out much.  It wouldn't matter then if all extensions required insurance thus treating all equally. However, such an hospital insurance scheme won't happen since a similar proposal by some hospitals was rejected last year because of the private sector.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Maybe immigration will agree to accept foreign insurance coverage. Tricare for US military retirees for example. 

The Federal Employee Program through the Office of Personnel Management offers group health insurance to both active duty civil service employees and retired civil service employees, ie., 

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/open-season/federal-retirees-other-annuitants/

 

Some of the plans offer international out-patient and in-patient coverage typically ar beyond minimum required by Thai Immigration, ie., Blue Cross Blue Shield. They cannot exclude pre-existing conditions unlike Thailand health insurance.

 

The cost of insurance from such policy providers typically DOES NOT depend on age (unless children are also covered) and I know of no age or gender limitation for continued coverage. Rate increases require government approval.

As such insurance has been accepted by Immigration for initial non O-A first year entry, maybe Immigration can simply continue to accept such government group insurance for subsequent extensions.

[Mark mark]

7 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.

This all seems like it is only making it MORE expensive ! ... Like from 400,000 Bart up to 3 Million ? which presently is only the special CV 19 Policy that you can get On Line (Supposedly ?) ... And it is all really REALLY difficult AND Unsettling.

 

... And they have told me in the Australian Thai Embassy, that they were not accepting any NON - O visa arrivals now ? (I had one) .. Like not giving NON - O visa holders the COE. ... Like not long after the Epidemic started ... and that I would have to apply for a NON - AO (Which I now have) ...

 

... But well the ongoing Insurance Debacle is just <Deleted> ... (Like it Really just makes you feel like just living some where Else !!! )

[MadMac]

4 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Yes that sounds doable but any  visa that needing more then 5 requirements I personally wouldn’t bother. Just give me stress.

 

Visa you only have the first time, I wrote that already, and that is what defines your status. If you come in on longstay (free ride first year) you need to show health inusrance. If you come in on ordinary B or O you need to fulfil those requirements, like all that trouble with a wife, or work, but no health insurance. So it is up to you, no easy paths ????

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

The OA is valid for one year with no extensions. If you leave the country in the twelfth month, and return before the first year expires, you are are stamped in for another year, so you get two years with no extensions. After that the OA is expired. You can apply for an O or leave the country and get another OA.

All visas eventually expire, with the OA you convert to what's called an extension of stay if you stay in country and then get a reentry permit to keep it alive if you leave.  I have had OA visas for years. The first 2 I used the multiple entries so I did not need to do an extension and got 2 years out of them. When I decided to stay at the end of the 1st year on my last OA visa I needed to do an extension of stay based on the OA visa I had.  You still have monetary requirements and insurance requirements to show in country on an extension of stay based on the original OA.

[ThaiFelix]

8 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 ? 

I have an O visa extension of stay based on marriage and I imagine I am not 'punished' because I have to keep 400K in the bank to renew (or 800k for retirement), or is my thinking incorrect?