From OA to O visa

[domdom]

Good afternoon,

We are retired and live here for 6 years with initial OA visa and yearly extensions of stay.

We wanted to go out to Cambodia, come back with tourist visa exemption and apply here for O visa in order to avoid insurances issues.. but Covid appeared and our plans were ruined.. and we are stuck with OA extensions.

There was no way to change here for O..

Did by chance Covid change the rules and would it be a way to go for O retirement without leaving the country

Thanks a lot and have a nice evening

[ubonjoe]

You still have to leave and re-enter the country to change to a non-o visa. No changes have been done.

One of you could get a extension based upon being a family member of the one that applied for a extension of stay. That way only the one with the extension based upon retirement would need the insurance and financial proof.

[DrJack54]

OP, not the end of the world. Means another year of insurance and when borders open you can kill off your non O-A and do as you outlined to obtain non o at Thai immigration.

[domdom]

Thank you very much for this info, even if it does not please me.

Not being married, each of us has bank account and financial prooves..

The issue is the insurances, as we have a medical insurance we pay for in France and we keep as there is no age limit and no exclusions for anterior diseases..

So, pay for nothing already for one insurance 40+400 which excludes all illnesses and mainly hospitalisations for these causes, is already unfair.. If now we need on top of it this stupid Covid 19 100.000 dollars coverage, it is too much..

We would rather accept to keep a bigger deposit in the bank than pay for nothing an insurance..

Let s see if one day we can do a visa run to Cambodia..

Have a nice evening

[domdom]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, not the end of the world. Means another year of insurance and when borders open you can kill off your non O-A and do as you outlined to obtain non o at Thai immigration.

Of course you re right.. but we went this morning to enquire about the cost of this covid 19 insurance if needed and apparently the cost is around 11.000 bahts for 90 days.. So, if needed, could have a high yearly cost..

Let s see what happens

Have a nice evening

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, domdom said:

The issue is the insurances, as we have a medical insurance we pay for in France and we keep as there is no age limit and no exclusions for anterior diseases..

So, pay for nothing already for one insurance 40+400 which excludes all illnesses and mainly hospitalisations for these causes, is already unfair.. If now we need on top of it this stupid Covid 19 100.000 dollars coverage, it is too much..

The cabinet just approved in concept a change to the rules that should allow you to use your insurance from France if it meets the requirements for the medical insurance. Also covid if it covers it up to about 3.3 million baht ($100k US).

[domdom]

The problem is that our insurance covers 80% of all costs, whatever the amount is.. even 5, or 10 millions or more.. so, it is refused by immigration as they want a coverage of 100% ...

Let s see what happens before september..

Hopefully the covid stuff won t be in place !!! as I don t imagine we will be allowed to go out and re enter without a quarantine..

Have a nice evening..

[tonray]

38 minutes ago, domdom said:

Of course you re right.. but we went this morning to enquire about the cost of this covid 19 insurance if needed and apparently the cost is around 11.000 bahts for 90 days.. So, if needed, could have a high yearly cost..

Let s see what happens

Have a nice evening

Unless of course they require insurance for the duration of an OA permission to stay which is 1 year, which would increase the cost dramatically.