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

[from the home of CC]

9 hours ago, flexomike said:

Not for people on an OA extension of stay

well, the choice was yours to make..

[Andrew Dwyer]

Time for immigration offices to “ offer “ a conversion from OA to O , for a small donation to the benevolent fund of course !!

Will be plenty of takers and less work for them in future extensions .

Come on IO’s , you know it makes sense.

[ThailandRyan]

The hope at one time was that this insurance issue would just disappear, but then as we can see these folks still do not have a clue and want to ensure that Retiree's insure to a higher level for just a visit just like those wishing to come on a tourist visa. 

[tonray]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

well, the choice was yours to make..

A truly uninformed comment considering closed borders for more than a year but thanks for your input 

[Searat7]

Can those who used O-A visa for many years enter Thailand on Tourist Visa or Visa Exempt and then apply for Non-O Retirement visa once in Bangkok without having the health insurance policy presently required for O-A ?

[Andrew Dwyer]

19 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

Can those who used O-A visa for many years enter Thailand on Tourist Visa or Visa Exempt and then apply for Non-O Retirement visa once in Bangkok without having the health insurance policy presently required for O-A ?

Yes, but the issue is you have to kill your OA by letting it, or the extension, expire while outside the country or leave Thailand without a Re-Entry permit and then you can enter as you stated above.

[black tabby]

On 6/16/2021 at 8:06 AM, mtls2005 said:

Some articles on this new proposal by "The Cabinet" mention...

 

deputy spokeswoman for the government, said it would apply to all holders of the one-year, non-immigrant visa (NIV).

 

 

There are other mentions of COVID-specifc insurance.

 

And the ability to self insure, proof of a bank account with 3,000,000 baht.

 

 

Early days, nothing approved/gazetted, so a bit confusing, but this does seem to be about more than just the option for OA's to source their insurance from companies putside of Thailand.

 

 

Hello, the respective print media displayed the correction of their previous erro.

Covid cover needed for long-stay O-A visas (bangkokpost.com)

 

As follows:

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the new insurance requirement applied to holders of all non-immigrant visas. We apologise for the error.

 

[from the home of CC]

6 hours ago, tonray said:

A truly uninformed comment considering closed borders for more than a year but thanks for your input 

they made it difficult but people have been leaving and arriving for a long time now..

[ThailandRyan]

5 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

they made it difficult but people have been leaving and arriving for a long time now..

So your insinuating that expats have been successful in leaving via a land border and succesfully obtaing new visas from the consulates in those countries before returning here and so on.....I think not. What your talking about is the illegal crossings and has no bearing on the Visas discussed in the OP, but nice try.

Edited June 17, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[DrJack54]

12 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Time for immigration offices to “ offer “ a conversion from OA to O , for a small donation to the benevolent fund of course !!

Will be plenty of takers and less work for them in future extensions .

Come on IO’s , you know it makes sense.

Not possible.

[doctormann]

14 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not possible.

Many things here that are not possible can be made possible if the brown envelope is stuffed well enough!

 

[BobinBKK]

On 6/16/2021 at 7:38 AM, 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.

Bangkok Post is reporting all extension types.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/2133275/covid-insurance-needed-for-expats

 

[Mitkof Island]

22 hours ago, tonray said:

Simply because they can do whatever they want...there is no pushback from anyone

I said over a year ago that the quarantine was nothing more than a scam for the big hotels and the insurance companies. As long as desperate foreigners were willing to pay the ransom it would only get worse. Stop feeding the sharks.

[doctormann]

9 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

Bangkok Post is reporting all extension types.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/2133275/covid-insurance-needed-for-expats

 

That article was later withdrawn with an apology.  Only O-A visa and extensions of stay are affected.

[Olmate]

44 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not possible.

Agents do it every day.

[jackdd]

44 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

Bangkok Post is reporting all extension types.

This article is wrong.

If you look at the "main" article and not at the "easy" article, they updated it already and added:

"An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the new insurance requirement applied to holders of all non-immigrant visas. We apologise for the error."

Edited June 18, 2021 by jackdd

[BobinBKK]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

That article was later withdrawn with an apology.  Only O-A visa and extensions of stay are affected.

Oh thank GOD for that!!! I'm still going to come up with some type of retirement escape plan to either the Philippines or Malaysia. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, BobinBKK said:

Oh thank GOD for that!!! I'm still going to come up with some type of retirement escape plan to either the Philippines or Malaysia. 

Plan B's and C's have always been made as a contingency, but sometimes the grass is not always greener.  I went to the Phil's and after 5 months returned. 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, BobinBKK said:

Bangkok Post is reporting all extension types.

If you look closer you found that on the learning section not on the news pages.

They removed the original article due to it being completely wrong.

[Pib]

2 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

Bangkok Post is reporting all extension types.

 

 

That 16 June 0903hrs morning article was corrected/update 16 June 1752hrs afternoon saying it only applies to OA; not other visa types.   The morning article was poor reporting/provided incorrect info. 

 

And the paper added an apology at the bottom of the afternoon update for the earlier incorrect article. 

[BobinBKK]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Plan B's and C's have always been made as a contingency, but sometimes the grass is not always greener.  I went to the Phil's and after 5 months returned. 

Why did you return? What difficulties did you run into?

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

Why did you return? What difficulties did you run into?

Don't get me wrong, I liked Cebu.  IT was the lack of the types of food I liked, the constant harassment by the local plod, and then the crime.  I was mugged twice, once in a mall parking lot and then in Manila just walking through the business district.  The medical facilities are ok, but the hospitals seem to be lacking in specialty programs like the private hospitals here in BKK.  Would I go back, sure, but I would have to find a locale where I felt safe.  They do have some shopping centers like S&R where you can get pretty much what you want to eat, but restaurants that are decent are hard to find, unless you live in a tourist area. The Visa issue is of no problems and is easier than compared to hear.  Beautiful beaches

[BobinBKK]

9 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Don't get me wrong, I liked Cebu.  IT was the lack of the types of food I liked, the constant harassment by the local plod, and then the crime.  I was mugged twice, once in a mall parking lot and then in Manila just walking through the business district.  The medical facilities are ok, but the hospitals seem to be lacking in specialty programs like the private hospitals here in BKK.  Would I go back, sure, but I would have to find a locale where I felt safe.  They do have some shopping centers like S&R where you can get pretty much what you want to eat, but restaurants that are decent are hard to find, unless you live in a tourist area. The Visa issue is of no problems and is easier than compared to hear.  Beautiful beaches

I went to one of the tourist areas in Manila last year (before Thailand had closed its boarders) and there was a lot of harassment by the locals begging for money, drove me nuts too. I didn't really feel anymore unsafe than do here in Bangkok or any other large city, but point taken about your being mugged twice and I'm sorry to hear that happened to you.

[Andrew Dwyer]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Not possible.

I was not claiming that it is currently possible more of a wish , hence my “ time for “ opening remark .

 

After all if Phuket Immigration can bypass the mandatory health insurance for retirement extensions based on OA’s 

 

and 

 

My friend can renew his retirement extension yearly ,from an O visa , with next to zero baht in his account and WITHOUT the use of an agent !

 

Then anything here is “possible” !!

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Then anything here is “possible” !!

No they are not. 

Some things such as obtaining extension RT without funds in bank is possible. 

Your example used where friend doing this without agent most likely means payment direct to imm officer.

 

In my opinion Phuket is the one office interrupting the insurance requirement for non O-A extensions correctly. 

However bit irrelevant. Many variations in imm offices.

 

Some things are just not possible.

Obtain non O retirement when your under 50 etc etc.

Another is changing from non O-A  to non O in Thailand.

Didn't understand your first post on this and still don't.

Why not allow a 'virtual border run' for the guys on ME (marriage) every 90 days. NO not possible.

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by DrJack54

[laislica]

On 6/16/2021 at 4:31 AM, MRToMRT said:

Thats about as clear as mud!

 

Is it only for over 70s?

What about renewals?

Can we dump our crappy over priced Thai insurance?
How can I ask the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to verify my insurance - ridiculous!

Do these people jus simply hate foreigners and revel in making life too complicated? 

Spains looking better everyday.

First check out the income tax for Spain, brutal.....

Otherwise, depending where you choose to live, it's OK