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factseeker · January 15, 2022

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I both had 12 month Retirement Visas - spending many months in Chiang Mai with a visit back to Europe/UK every year.

Then unfortunately we were in UK when the Virus hit and that was that - stuck.

We are both fully vacinnated and want to get back to our previous situation.

I have studied all that is necessary but two items come up.

1. The SHA+ or AQ hotel - looks like although totally 'jabbed' etc - we have to use for a couple of days on arrival? Is there such a thing in Chiang Mai??
2. I am 80 years old but am generally thought to be in my late 50's - full head of hair etc - all teeth - much Gym work. ^^ - just lucky with the Genes ;o))

But the Health Insurance required looks to be a problem because age - any ideas?

All a bit silly because due to the Retirement Visa requirements we still have the full funding for each held in Thai Banks which would cover for any

eventualities.

Hoping for advice.

Best Rgds & Health to All.

freedomnow · January 15, 2022

10 minutes ago, factseeker said:

1. The SHA+ or AQ hotel - looks like although totally 'jabbed' etc - we have to use for a couple of days on arrival? Is there such a thing in Chiang Mai??

7 days quarantine...nope, nothing in CM.

https://tp.consular.go.th/en/plan

metisdead · January 16, 2022

Moving to the Thailand Visas forum.

ubonjoe · January 16, 2022

7 hours ago, factseeker said:

1. The SHA+ or AQ hotel - looks like although totally 'jabbed' etc - we have to use for a couple of days on arrival? Is there such a thing in Chiang Mai??
2. I am 80 years old but am generally thought to be in my late 50's - full head of hair etc - all teeth - much Gym work. ^^ - just lucky with the Genes ;o))

But the Health Insurance required looks to be a problem because age - any ideas?

1. What you wrote about it the test & go scheme that no longer exists.

There are the sandboxes available for few southern Thailand locations.

For Chiang Mai there are not lot of options to do the 7 day quarantine if fully vaccinated due to number of direct flights available for there.

Look here for the options for entry https://tp.consular.go.th/

If entering the country with a visa that requires medical insurance you age does not affect you being able to apply for the $50,000 medical insurance needed. See: https://covid19.tgia.org/

You both could enter the country visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for non-o visas at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the non-o visa you could apply for extension of stay based upon retirment.

lordblackader · January 16, 2022

You can do quarantine in CM but you have to fly directly into CM from abroad, as in, you can't transit through Bangkok. At the moment, that's a twice weekly flight from Singapore with Scoot to CNX.

There's a limited number of hotels that are offering it.

Personal opinion - you'd be better off flying into Phuket and doing the sandbox for a week then flying to Chiang Mai. At least with the sandbox you can leave your hotel and have a good time. Under ASQ, you're stuck in your room for the entire period.

factseeker · January 16, 2022

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. What you wrote about it the test & go scheme that no longer exists.

There are the sandboxes available for few southern Thailand locations.

For Chiang Mai there are not lot of options to do the 7 day quarantine if fully vaccinated due to number of direct flights available for there.

Look here for the options for entry https://tp.consular.go.th/

If entering the country with a visa that requires medical insurance you age does not affect you being able to apply for the $50,000 medical insurance needed. See: https://covid19.tgia.org/

You both could enter the country visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for non-o visas at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the non-o visa you could apply for extension of stay based upon retirment.

Hi Ubonjoe,

Great comments from everyone - as usual - thank you.

The 'How to' - for ultimate target - Retirement Visa etc - I have pretty much a 'handle' on in particular thnxs to a Thai Visa Lady - NancyL at the start out.

I checked a while ago and heard that my 'route' as you outline above is still a 'go'.

So it looks like a Sandbox' session ( not been there for a long time ) followed by flight to our 'beloved' Moonmuang Rd, Chiang Mai.

Then back to the Gym - I know all Thai friends still there - been in frequent contact.

Thnxs All or all.

Best Rgds

factseeker · January 16, 2022

9 hours ago, metisdead said:

Moving to the Thailand Visas forum.

I apologise - thank you.

Best Rgds

factseeker · January 16, 2022

5 hours ago, lordblackader said:

You can do quarantine in CM but you have to fly directly into CM from abroad, as in, you can't transit through Bangkok. At the moment, that's a twice weekly flight from Singapore with Scoot to CNX.

There's a limited number of hotels that are offering it.

Personal opinion - you'd be better off flying into Phuket and doing the sandbox for a week then flying to Chiang Mai. At least with the sandbox you can leave your hotel and have a good time. Under ASQ, you're stuck in your room for the entire period.

Hi,

Seen your series on't Tele.

Great comments from everyone - as usual - thank you.

Then definitely a Sandbox' session ( not been there for a long time ) followed by flight to our 'beloved' Moonmuang Rd, Chiang Mai.

Then back to the Gym - I know all Thai friends still there - been in frequent contact.

Thnxs All or all.

Best Rgds

factseeker · January 16, 2022

16 hours ago, freedomnow said:

7 days quarantine...nope, nothing in CM.

https://tp.consular.go.th/en/plan

Thanks Freedomnow

factseeker · January 16, 2022

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. What you wrote about it the test & go scheme that no longer exists.

There are the sandboxes available for few southern Thailand locations.

For Chiang Mai there are not lot of options to do the 7 day quarantine if fully vaccinated due to number of direct flights available for there.

Look here for the options for entry https://tp.consular.go.th/

If entering the country with a visa that requires medical insurance you age does not affect you being able to apply for the $50,000 medical insurance needed. See: https://covid19.tgia.org/

You both could enter the country visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for non-o visas at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the non-o visa you could apply for extension of stay based upon retirment.

Hi Ubonjoe,

Great comments from everyone - as usual - thank you.

The 'How to' - for ultimate target - Retirement Visa etc - I have pretty much a 'handle' on in particular thnxs to a Thai Visa Lady - NancyL at the start out.

I checked a while ago and heard that my 'route' as you outline above is still a 'go'.

So it looks like a Sandbox' session ( not been there for a long time ) followed by flight to our 'beloved' Moonmuang Rd, Chiang Mai.

Then back to the Gym - I know all Thai friends still there - been in frequent contact.

Thnxs All for all.

Best Rgds

BLACKJACK2 · January 16, 2022

23 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You both could enter the country visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for non-o visas at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements.

Hi ubonjoe, can you do this as I have been looking to enter Feb and on London embassy website it says if you enter 30 days exempt and want to stay longer you have to apply for a visa or am i reading it wrong. Thanks.

ubonjoe · January 17, 2022

6 hours ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

Hi ubonjoe, can you do this as I have been looking to enter Feb and on London embassy website it says if you enter 30 days exempt and want to stay longer you have to apply for a visa or am i reading it wrong. Thanks.

That is false and outdated info. That has probably been on their website since before a 30 day extension of a visa exempt has been allowied since 2014.

Embassies and consulates do no know anything about visa exempt entries.

geisha · January 17, 2022

blackjack2 , no, you don’t apply for a visa after the 30 days. You go to your local immigration office and apply for an extension , as you enter Thailand via exempt. You do this a few days before your 30 days are up. Passport copies, passport, photo, 1900 Baht. Thé extension gives you 30 days more with a stamp on your passport.

DrJack54 · January 17, 2022

5 minutes ago, geisha said:

blackjack2 , no, you don’t apply for a visa after the 30 days. You go to your local immigration office and apply for an extension , as you enter Thailand via exempt

If he is 50+ he can obtain a non O retirement after visa exempt entry.

superal · January 17, 2022

Factseeker , Have your retirement visas expired because you say " we had 12 month retirement visas "

lopburi3 · January 17, 2022

30 minutes ago, superal said:

Factseeker , Have your retirement visas expired because you say " we had 12 month retirement visas "

That was two years ago it seems - so well expired.

Quote

Then unfortunately we were in UK when the Virus hit and that was that - stuck.

2 hours ago, geisha said:

blackjack2 , no, you don’t apply for a visa after the 30 days. You go to your local immigration office and apply for an extension , as you enter Thailand via exempt. You do this a few days before your 30 days are up. Passport copies, passport, photo, 1900 Baht. Thé extension gives you 30 days more with a stamp on your passport.

As said in above DrJack54 post he applies for a non immigrant O visa at Immigration for retirement extension of stay using funds already on deposit within the first 15 days after arrival. Cost is 2,000 baht. Later he applies from non O visa for one year extension of stay for retirement at 1,900 baht.

Edited January 17, 2022 by lopburi3

NoshowJones · January 17, 2022

On 1/16/2022 at 8:57 AM, ubonjoe said:

1. What you wrote about it the test & go scheme that no longer exists.

There are the sandboxes available for few southern Thailand locations.

For Chiang Mai there are not lot of options to do the 7 day quarantine if fully vaccinated due to number of direct flights available for there.

Look here for the options for entry https://tp.consular.go.th/

If entering the country with a visa that requires medical insurance you age does not affect you being able to apply for the $50,000 medical insurance needed. See: https://covid19.tgia.org/

You both could enter the country visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for non-o visas at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the non-o visa you could apply for extension of stay based upon retirment.

Sorry for butting in here, but it could be to the OP's advantage. with the OP being 80 years old, and I know the $50.000 insurance will be fine.

I wonder if the OP will get charged a lot more because of his age.

DogNo1 · January 17, 2022

90-day visa first, then one-year extension of stay.

About the 50,000 insurance upon entry - it will just be required for the duration of the visa-exempt stay, right? The 90-day non-O and one-year extension of stay don’t require insurance coverage do they?

elgenon · January 19, 2022

On 1/16/2022 at 2:27 AM, factseeker said:

Hi Ubonjoe,

Great comments from everyone - as usual - thank you.

The 'How to' - for ultimate target - Retirement Visa etc - I have pretty much a 'handle' on in particular thnxs to a Thai Visa Lady - NancyL at the start out.

I checked a while ago and heard that my 'route' as you outline above is still a 'go'.

So it looks like a Sandbox' session ( not been there for a long time ) followed by flight to our 'beloved' Moonmuang Rd, Chiang Mai.

Then back to the Gym - I know all Thai friends still there - been in frequent contact.

Thnxs All or all.

Best Rgds

Is that the NancyL who is a member here?

factseeker · January 20, 2022

On 1/19/2022 at 1:37 AM, elgenon said:

Is that the NancyL who is a member here?

Hi,

Yes that's the Lady - very very helpful - when you are a newbee - all can be quite confusing.

All best.

factseeker · January 20, 2022

On 1/17/2022 at 3:30 AM, lopburi3 said:

That was two years ago it seems - so well expired.

As said in above DrJack54 post he applies for a non immigrant O visa at Immigration for retirement extension of stay using funds already on deposit within the first 15 days after arrival. Cost is 2,000 baht. Later he applies from non O visa for one year extension of stay for retirement at 1,900 baht.

Hi All,

Will have to 'shift' a bit if I use the 'Sandbox' entry method ( seems a good idea) - but if have to make extension application within 15 days of arrival.

7 days x SandBox + " PCR tests I believe - then a day or so travel to Chiang Mai + get to Bank for letters Confirmation of Funds (They always need a day for that) + set up all Application Forms + get to Immi Office ( bound to be a weekend somewhere in between all that?).

Am I wrong??

Best Rgds

factseeker · January 20, 2022

On 1/17/2022 at 7:18 AM, possum1931 said:

Sorry for butting in here, but it could be to the OP's advantage. with the OP being 80 years old, and I know the $50.000 insurance will be fine.

I wonder if the OP will get charged a lot more because of his age.

Hi,

Charged by who - for what??

Insurance looks Ok - do you mean for any quarantine?

Best Rgds

richard_smith237 · January 20, 2022

2 hours ago, factseeker said:

Hi,

Charged by who - for what??

Insurance looks Ok - do you mean for any quarantine?

Best Rgds

I think he means charged a higher premium for the insurance.

Note: Regulations have now changed:

From 1st Feb you can apply for 1 night (+5th) Test & Go on Thailand Pass.

Stay 1 night at an SHA Plus+ hotel in Bangkok, PCR test on arrival at hotel and be released the next day... travel up to Chiang Mai and stay at home or in normal accommodation.

Stay 5th night at SHA Plus+ hotel taking another PCR test and be released the next day.

Those regulations were announced by the CCSA on 20th Jan.

NoshowJones · January 21, 2022

6 hours ago, factseeker said:

Hi,

Charged by who - for what??

Insurance looks Ok - do you mean for any quarantine?

Best Rgds

To answer this I would need to see the question again, I get so many replies to my posts and this one is a few days old.

ubonjoe · January 21, 2022

6 hours ago, factseeker said:

Will have to 'shift' a bit if I use the 'Sandbox' entry method ( seems a good idea) - but if have to make extension application within 15 days of arrival.

That is to apply for the non-o visa.

If you enter visa exempt you can apply for a 30 day extension at immigration to get more time to do it. Many offices will do the 30 day extension and visa application during the same trip to immigration.

factseeker · January 21, 2022

16 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is to apply for the non-o visa.

If you enter visa exempt you can apply for a 30 day extension at immigration to get more time to do it. Many offices will do the 30 day extension and visa application during the same trip to immigration.

Sounds good - thnxs - I presume Immi still out by CNX Airport? - for a while they were out at a Shopping Mall other direction.

Best Rgds

factseeker · January 21, 2022

16 hours ago, possum1931 said:

To answer this I would need to see the question again, I get so many replies to my posts and this one is a few days old.

I can imagine - all us 'lost souls' out there.

I will get back with bit more detail - sorry.

Best.

factseeker · January 21, 2022

20 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think he means charged a higher premium for the insurance.

Note: Regulations have now changed:

From 1st Feb you can apply for 1 night (+5th) Test & Go on Thailand Pass.

Stay 1 night at an SHA Plus+ hotel in Bangkok, PCR test on arrival at hotel and be released the next day... travel up to Chiang Mai and stay at home or in normal accommodation.

Stay 5th night at SHA Plus+ hotel taking another PCR test and be released the next day.

Those regulations were announced by the CCSA on 20th Jan.

Thnxs - the 'complications never seem to stop.

I think my best bet is Sandbox and then CM here we come.

I can see all manner of pitfalls starting with flight booking and then finding PCR test failing just before flight etc.

factseeker · January 21, 2022

On 1/17/2022 at 3:01 AM, superal said:

Factseeker , Have your retirement visas expired because you say " we had 12 month retirement visas "

Yep - had since 2011 - then 2020 Feb 'wipe out' - could not get back.

Stuck in Portugal - no Ferries - all cancelled - finallly 'limped out' July.

A mess.

BLACKJACK2 · January 26, 2022

On 1/17/2022 at 7:57 AM, ubonjoe said:

That is false and outdated info. That has probably been on their website since before a 30 day extension of a visa exempt has been allowied since 2014.

Embassies and consulates do no know anything about visa exempt entries.

Are you sure about that ubonjoe, I've just started applying for the Thailand Pass and on the Thai Embassy London website it still says that is for applicants after 11 Jan 2022. Thanks.

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