Phuket Sandbox Visa durations of stay querie

[Upnotover]

7 minutes ago, truthfix said:

And one last thing as there are a lot of dead links on their website, does anybody know the cost of the Non Imm O-A Visa from the UK?

£150 in 2019.

[truthfix]

13 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You must have serious reason to want to come sooner than a bit later.

If you work back from Dec ( that's when you can obtain non o (retirement) in Thailand.

So just one pathway.

I would enter visa exempt 45 days. Followed by 30 day extension followed by 60 day covid extension. (Should still be available). Note imm will most likely make you take the 30 day extension.

Eventually you can apply for non O retirement at immigration. That gives a 90 day permit of stay. 

Note also if you obtain a STV you cannot obtain a non o from that visa, however you can from visa exempt, setv 

My reasons to come in July are quite simple, I was travelling in Asia in 2019, had started in India, intended to go to Thailand next and through Asia up to Japan and maybe Hawaii. I was living in India and returned on an emergency flight in April 2020 as C got very bad there. Nowhere as bad as now but still glad to have got out then and I've been stuck in the UK with my life on hold since then. I think things will be very back n forth regarding individual countries lockdowns moving forward and after monitoring things here I can foresee another lockdown looming, this is just my humble opinion and I'm viewing the Phuket Sandbox as an opportunity to get out now.  Please see below but shouldn't it be the Non Imm O-A Visa to consider though rather than the 'non O retirement'??...

[truthfix]

10 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

£150 in 2019.

Wow! that's pretty cheap for the entitlement!

[BritTim]

Something to bear in mind ...

 

If you enter with a regular tourist visa (or visa exempt) you are able to apply for many kinds of extensions that are unavailable when entering with a special tourist visa. If your plan is to convert to a non immigrant visa in December, taking advantage of turning 50 to move to extensions of stay based on retirement, that can probably happen if you enter with a single entry tourist visa. Even with an agent's assistance, to achieve this after entering Thailand with an STV, you will almost certainly need to exit Thailand and enter afresh.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, truthfix said:

My reasons to come in July are quite simple, I was travelling in Asia in 2019, had started in India, intended to go to Thailand next and through Asia up to Japan and maybe Hawaii. I was living in India and returned on an emergency flight in April 2020 as C got very bad there. Nowhere as bad as now but still glad to have got out then and I've been stuck in the UK with my life on hold since then. I think things will be very back n forth regarding individual countries lockdowns moving forward and after monitoring things here I can foresee another lockdown looming, this is just my humble opinion and I'm viewing the Phuket Sandbox as an opportunity to get out now.  Please see below but shouldn't it be the Non Imm O-A Visa to consider though rather than the 'non O retirement'??...

Don't take this the wrong way but your jumping all over the shop regarding non O-A. That is a topic in itself. 

However just 2 items regarding that visa. It is obtained in your home country or country where your a legal resident. The money remains in your home country bank. It's a 12 month multiple entry visa and you are granted 12 month permission of stay every time you enter. You effectively obtain 2 years out of that visa also can then obtain annual extensions. The negative is that the extensions require useless Thai health cover. Now I see your travel habits I would suggest follow my earlier post. 

Enter visa exempt obtain covid extensions and when turn 50 obtain a non O (retirement) at Thai immigration. 

Do not obtain a STV

Edited June 19, 2021 by DrJack54

[truthfix]

10 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Something to bear in mind ...

 

If you enter with a regular tourist visa (or visa exempt) you are able to apply for many kinds of extensions that are unavailable when entering with a special tourist visa. If your plan is to convert to a non immigrant visa in December, taking advantage of turning 50 to move to extensions of stay based on retirement, that can probably happen if you enter with a single entry tourist visa. Even with an agent's assistance, to achieve this after entering Thailand with an STV, you will almost certainly need to exit Thailand and enter afresh.

Thanks for the advice and I agree, I think the STV is good for one thing, a guaranteed 90 days and a 'possible' further 90 days extension but afterwards it will be a problem. I was initially thinking in 6 months things will change but if not or possibly gotten worse then the whole having to leave the country could be very problematic especially with individual countries quarantine necessities etc. 

 

A separate question with a SETV is there an expectation (especially with the 'C' situation) of an onwards flight tkt?? As that used to be the case.

[truthfix]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't take this the wrong way but your jumping all over the shop regarding non O-A. That is a topic in itself. 

However just 2 items regarding that visa. It is obtained in your home country or country where your a legal resident. The money remains in your home country bank. It's a 12 month multiple entry visa and you are granted 12 month permission of stay every time you enter. You effectively obtain 2 years out of that visa also can then obtain annual extensions. The negative is that the extensions require useless Thai health cover. Now I see your travel habits I would suggest follow my earlier post. 

Enter visa exempt obtain covid extensions and when turn 50 obtain a non O (retirement) at Thai immigration. 

Do not obtain a STV

Very informative and appreciated! And no I didn't take anything the wrong way.????

 

Yes I'm thinking the Non O-A is a separate beast to tackle nearer that time but you have simplified the info for me which is really appreciated. I am also, given the comments on here, swaying against the STV in favour of the SETV for all the now obvious reasons. I think the STV will paint me into a corner down the line .

[truthfix]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

You must have serious reason to want to come sooner than a bit later.

If you work back from Dec ( that's when you can obtain non o (retirement) in Thailand.

So just one pathway.

I would enter visa exempt 45 days. Followed by 30 day extension followed by 60 day covid extension. (Should still be available). Note imm will most likely make you take the 30 day extension.

Eventually you can apply for non O retirement at immigration. That gives a 90 day permit of stay. 

Note also if you obtain a STV you cannot obtain a non o from that visa, however you can from visa exempt, setv 

Really informative and helpful, thanks! The UK is visa exempt but and I might be buying into semantics here, the sandbox states need a visa to enter, again I might be having a blonde moment, but I just want to ensure I've crossed the Ts and dotted the Is so to speak, would you suggest that visa exempt is more beneficial than the SETV? It's obviously less to deal with etc, just want to ensure i don't come unstuck with airline personnel or at immigration with either person having a bad day etc.

 

And these if I'm remembering rightly used to require an ongoing or return flight, do you know where they stand on that now? 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, truthfix said:

And these if I'm remembering rightly used to require an ongoing or return flight, do you know where they stand on that now

Yes visa exempt requires onward flight. This can either be cheapest throw away flight or buy 'rent a flight' 12usd.

Nothing wrong with obtaining STEV

[Tanoshi]

2 hours ago, truthfix said:

Wow! that's pretty cheap for the entitlement!

It's still £150.

Visa fee - Royal Thai Embassy, London

[Tanoshi]

6 hours ago, truthfix said:

Yes I'm thinking the Non O-A is a separate beast to tackle nearer that time but you have simplified the info for me which is really appreciated.

Usually you can apply for the METV, which can allow you to stay for up to 9 months at a time. However because borders are currently closed, the METV has been suspended and replaced with the temporary STV. When normal order is resumed the METV should be available again.

 

If looking for options to stay for longer periods, then consider either the Non O, or Non O-A Visas. Must be 50 years old to apply based on retirement.

 

A single entry Non Imm O Visa. Valid 3 months. Can be issued based on retirement or Thai wife/family. On entry this Visa is ‘used’. Under the Immigration law you are granted permission to stay for 90 days.

Within the last 30 days of the 90 granted at entry, you can apply to extend your permission of stay for a further 365 days, subject to meeting the financial requirements. Extensions of stay are 'permits'.

Financial requirements based on retirement from a Non O Visa entry here:  2. 35-2561 (2019( change 327-2557 Criteria - Eng.pdf

 

A multi entry Non Imm O-A Visa. (Long stay). Valid 1 year. Can be issued to those who are over 50 who intend to remain in Thailand for long periods. This Visa allows unlimited 1 year entries before the ‘enter before’ date of the Visa, at which point this Visa is ‘used’.

If you leave and re-enter just before the ‘enter before’ date of this Visa type you are granted another 1 year permission to stay. You will however require a re-entry permit if you intend to leave and re-enter Thailand during this 2nd year permission to stay period.

This is because when the Visa expires on the ‘enter before’ date, so does the ME facility which is only valid for the duration of the Visas validity (1 year)

If used correctly, you can stay in Thailand for almost 24 months with this Visa type.

[truthfix]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

Usually you can apply for the METV, which can allow you to stay for up to 9 months at a time. However because borders are currently closed, the METV has been suspended and replaced with the temporary STV. When normal order is resumed the METV should be available again.

 

If looking for options to stay for longer periods, then consider either the Non O, or Non O-A Visas. Must be 50 years old to apply based on retirement.

 

A single entry Non Imm O Visa. Valid 3 months. Can be issued based on retirement or Thai wife/family. On entry this Visa is ‘used’. Under the Immigration law you are granted permission to stay for 90 days.

Within the last 30 days of the 90 granted at entry, you can apply to extend your permission of stay for a further 365 days, subject to meeting the financial requirements. Extensions of stay are 'permits'.

Financial requirements based on retirement from a Non O Visa entry here:  2. 35-2561 (2019( change 327-2557 Criteria - Eng.pdf

 

A multi entry Non Imm O-A Visa. (Long stay). Valid 1 year. Can be issued to those who are over 50 who intend to remain in Thailand for long periods. This Visa allows unlimited 1 year entries before the ‘enter before’ date of the Visa, at which point this Visa is ‘used’.

If you leave and re-enter just before the ‘enter before’ date of this Visa type you are granted another 1 year permission to stay. You will however require a re-entry permit if you intend to leave and re-enter Thailand during this 2nd year permission to stay period.

This is because when the Visa expires on the ‘enter before’ date, so does the ME facility which is only valid for the duration of the Visas validity (1 year)

If used correctly, you can stay in Thailand for almost 24 months with this Visa type.

Thanks! I just have reservations about depositing sizeable amounts in to a Thai bank, it mentions that in the attachment, is that for both the Non O and Non O-A as well, as there was info posted here earlier suggesting no monies had to go to a Thai bank??

 

DrJack54 mentioned...

However just 2 items regarding the Non O-A visa. It is obtained in your home country or country where your a legal resident. The money remains in your home country bank. It's a 12 month multiple entry visa and you are granted 12 month permission of stay every time you enter. You effectively obtain 2 years out of that visa also can then obtain annual extensions. The negative is that the extensions require useless Thai health cover. Now I see your travel habits I would suggest follow my earlier post. 

Enter visa exempt obtain covid extensions and when turn 50 obtain a non O (retirement) at Thai immigration. 

Do not obtain a STV

Edited June 19, 2021 by truthfix

[Tanoshi]

3 minutes ago, truthfix said:

Thanks! I just have reservations about depositing sizeable amounts in to a Thai bank, it mentions that in the attachment, is that for both the Non O and Non O-A as well, as there was info here earlier suggesting no monies had to go to a Thai bank??

For the Non O and Non O-A Visa applications at a Thai Embassy the proven funds can be in any bank in any Country.

For extension applications at local Immigration offices, the funds must be in a Thai bank.  The Non O is single entry and only permits a stay of 90 days before applying for an extension at a local Immigration office.

The Non O-A is multi entry and each entry permits a stay of 365 days. If you exit and re-enter just before the Visa expires you can stay for almost 2 years.

To avoid applying for an extension and having to deposit funds in a Thai bank, you can apply for a new Non Imm O-A Visa in your home Country as an alternative.

 

A mandatory requirement of the Non O-A Visa or extensions from it is to have Health Insurance which covers 400K THB inpatient and 40K THB outpatient cover.

[truthfix]

Does anybody know of the best insurance to travel with to be covered to meet the Sandbox requirements? It's suggested that 'AXA' is more recognised by Thai authorities but it appears that a 12 month cover is 46,176 baht, which is £916! This seems very excessive! Do we think a 12 month cover is required or a smaller duration is acceptable to enter with?

 

I'm as always looking at the bigger picture here, being that, moving forward I'm sure it will be a requirement to have sufficient C health coverage in order to extend a visa etc.

 

It would appear that the UK is a high risk zone. I'm wondering if that might be a problem to enter Phuket, but multiple listings online suggest the Thai government is welcoming people from the UK in the Sandbox scheme?

Edited June 21, 2021 by truthfix

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, truthfix said:

Do we think a 12 month cover is required or a smaller duration is acceptable to enter with?

The $100k covid 19 insurance only has to be valid for the length of stay you get when you enter the country.

What will you be using to enter the country?

[Tanoshi]

@truthfixCheck your PM folder ????

1 hour ago, truthfix said:

Does anybody know of the best insurance to travel with to be covered to meet the Sandbox requirements? It's suggested that 'AXA' is more recognised by Thai authorities but it appears that a 12 month cover is 46,176 baht, which is £916! This seems very excessive! Do we think a 12 month cover is required or a smaller duration is acceptable to enter with?

This really depends on how you intend to enter Thailand.

The 400/40K Health Insurance doesn't apply to all types of entry, just certain Visa types and it is only required for the duration of stay granted on entry.

The Covid $100,000 Insurance cover applies to all foreigners in order to get the COE, but again it only needs to cover the period of stay granted on entry.

 

If your looking at the Non O-A then you will need 12 months Health Insurance cover and 12 months Covid Insurance cover. For Health Insurance LMG (Plan 1) is by far the cheapest but regardless as a useless throw away policy due to the large deductible, but it meets the requirement of 400K inpatient and 40K outpatient.

- Health Insurance for Long Stay Visa in Thailand (tgia.org)

 

Plans and Price list here: Microsoft Word - Long Stay VISA Jan 2020 Rev02 (lmginsurance.co.th)

 

Universal Series for VISA O-A (lmginsurance.co.th)

 

The UK is an 'amber' zone for Thailand entry.

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Tanoshi

[truthfix]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The $100k covid 19 insurance only has to be valid for the length of stay you get when you enter the country.

What will you be using to enter the country?

Hi I'll be entering with a 60 day SETV, then will extend for a further 30 days afterwards and repeat by which ever means will be available at the time to make it sustainable.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, truthfix said:

Hi I'll be entering with a 60 day SETV, then will extend for a further 30 days afterwards and repeat by which ever means will be available at the time to make it sustainable.

The covid 19 insurance will only need to be valid for 60 days.

That is the only insurance required.

[Tanoshi]

1 minute ago, truthfix said:

Hi I'll be entering with a 60 day SETV, then will extend for a further 30 days afterwards and repeat by which ever means will be available at the time to make it sustainable.

 

No Health Insurance required for an SETV.

Just the $100,000 Covid Insurance for 60 days.

4.480 THB.

 

I left you a PM yesterday.

[truthfix]

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

 

No Health Insurance required for an SETV.

Just the $100,000 Covid Insurance for 60 days.

4.480 THB.

 

I left you a PM yesterday.

Initially I wanted to obtain a visa from the UK just to ensure that there would be no room for any discrepancies with boarding a plane or at immigration. But would you suggest getting an SETV or flying in Visa Exempt? I think the SETV is 60 days and visa exempt is 45 days, is there an advantage to either? Regarding the $100,000 Covid Insurance for 60 days at 4.480 THB, I can't find a specific link? Could be a blonde moment from my side though, apologies in advance! ????

[Tanoshi]

3 hours ago, truthfix said:

I think the SETV is 60 days and visa exempt is 45 days, is there an advantage to either?

You need proof of an outbound/return ticket within 45 days with VE.

Can get messy. You'd still need to purchase the 60 day Covid Insurance cover.

 

3 hours ago, truthfix said:

Regarding the $100,000 Covid Insurance for 60 days at 4.480 THB, I can't find a specific link?

Home - Covid 19 Insurance (tgia.org)

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Tanoshi

[Tanoshi]

 

3 hours ago, truthfix said:

Could be a blonde moment from my side though, apologies in advance! ????

 

Blonde moments.

Two blondes announce they're going to be the first female astronauts to land on the Sun. Family and friends tell them they're crazy, they'll burn up before landing.

They say they thought of that and plan to go at night time.   ????

 

Sorrrrry!

[truthfix]

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

 

 

Blonde moments.

Two blondes announce they're going to be the first female astronauts to land on the Sun. Family and friends tell them they're crazy, they'll burn up before landing.

They say they thought of that and plan to go at night time.   ????

 

Sorrrrry!

Ha ha ha ha.... A perfect end to my day, a big laugh! Thanks!

[truthfix]

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

You need proof of an outbound/return ticket within 45 days with VE.

Can get messy. You'd still need to purchase the 60 day Covid Insurance cover.

 

Home - Covid 19 Insurance (tgia.org)

 

I still require an outbound/return ticket with the SETV as well though, right? Out of the two options would you suggest the SETV?

[truthfix]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The $100k covid 19 insurance only has to be valid for the length of stay you get when you enter the country.

What will you be using to enter the country?

What will happen though after the SETV 60 days end and I'm at an immigration office looking for a 30 day extension, but have no C insurance cover, that wouldn't represent issues?

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, truthfix said:

What will happen though after the SETV 60 days end and I'm at an immigration office looking for a 30 day extension, but have no C insurance cover, that wouldn't represent issues?

The covid 19 insurance is not required to apply for the extension. No problem for not having it.

[truthfix]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The covid 19 insurance is not required to apply for the extension. No problem for not having it.

Thanks for clarifying!????

[Kammie]

Guess I'll lift along on this thread; Just heard from the Thai embassy in the Hague that the Phuket sandbox is NOT applicable to the Netherlands ????