Immi insist on 3,000,000 baht health cover for renewal today

[poppysdad]

Went to Kamphaeng Phet immigration this morning to do my annual extension for OA retirement but they categorically refused my 800,000 health insurance insisting I have to have the 3 million one. I explained that that doesn’t come into effect until 1st September but they would not accept it. I showed them on my phone the rules from a website but they insisted on the paper they had in Thai I assume from higher up. The officer did accept that if I could show him that on the Thai government website he would accept it, but I cannot find it. I asked them to contact the head office for clarification but they refused to do so. Anyone point me to it. 

[richard_smith237]

Play them at their own game... Edit the Cert of Cover from 800,000 to 3,000,000 baht - give them their ‘check box tick’.... 

[DrJack54]

OP, bit left field but might be good time (with permit ending) to rip the band-aid exit Thailand at a border crossing, kill off your non O-A and reenter visa exempt.

Obtain non O retirement and subsequent extension.

Bye bye insurance.

Alternatively you could do a change address to office that is operating according to the rules and obtain extension there (messy) 

Edited May 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[EVENKEEL]

I'd get rid of OA, If you really want to keep it use an agent. I extended my OA once and used an agent. Cost of Insurance policy was 3,000thb on top of his basic fees.

[poppysdad]

Hopefully got it sorted as I said to my girlfriend how quickly can we get married in front of all these officers to which they laughed. I’ll be back on Thursday with my marriage certificate after getting married at 9:00 am and then the bank to get new bank letter and then off to immigration. 
We were intending to get married quite soon anyway and now it will be very soon. 
16 years in Hua Hin and never ever one problem no matter what I was there for. 4 visits in 5 months here and hassles every time. 
And yes I had thought of registering in another province as my wife to be has a home in Chaiyaphum province but let’s just hope this time I’m successful. 

[DrJack54]

27 minutes ago, poppysdad said:

I’ll be back on Thursday with my marriage certificate after getting married at 9:00 am and then the bank to get new bank letter and then off to immigration.

Please report back. 

There is more than just marriage certificate required for extension based on marriage.

I have often wondered the shortest turn around time from marriage to obtaining an extension is possible. 

[poppysdad]

Dr. Jack. Yes I’ll be happy to report back if successful and tomorrow I’ll be taking some photos of us outside and inside the house. Already have many photos of us together and about to print them out now. Do they need to be in colour or will b and w suffice. 
In case I get further rejection I  have 2 alternatives, waste more money on getting the 3 million baht insurance for the least outlay or leaving the country and return on a tourist visa then reapply for simple O extension which was what one of the friendlier officers suggested. 
My lady says we could simply pop over the border at Laos and just come straight back in, what are the current requirements to do that if needed. Thanks for some help Dr Jack. 
16 years of obeying the rules with no problems and this crowd here seem to delight in making life difficult. 

 

 

[Pmbkk]

1 hour ago, poppysdad said:

Hopefully got it sorted as I said to my girlfriend how quickly can we get married in front of all these officers to which they laughed. I’ll be back on Thursday with my marriage certificate after getting married at 9:00 am and then the bank to get new bank letter and then off to immigration. 
We were intending to get married quite soon anyway and now it will be very soon. 
16 years in Hua Hin and never ever one problem no matter what I was there for. 4 visits in 5 months here and hassles every time. 
And yes I had thought of registering in another province as my wife to be has a home in Chaiyaphum province but let’s just hope this time I’m successful. 

 

You're seriously going to get married to override an insurance issue ????

 

We got married in Bangkok and the whole thing took less than 30 mins - but we had been together for 5 years and we had planned it ahead of time with all the docs to hand ????

 

Good luck - I'd take 10 and see whether this is the best solution to the problem or there were alternatives.

[freedomnow]

I think generally for long-stay across majority of visas, it's probably not too far away in being expanded without exception...medical body/insurers will be lobbying for it.

 

Costa Rica..something like $50-$100 a month for their decent national health service and done...

[poppysdad]

PMbkk. Please read carefully what people write, 

2 hours ago, poppysdad said:

We were intending to get married quite soon anyway and now it will be very soon.

We have all our required documents to do so, it was just a case of when we could get friends together and then set a date, immi is now setting the date for us.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Please report back. 

There is more than just marriage certificate required for extension based on marriage.

I have often wondered the shortest turn around time from marriage to obtaining an extension is possible. 

Apart from the 4 photos (usually required to be in colour) often 1 or 2 local witnesses (in my area it’s 2 the first time then 1 each application) the KR 2 & KR 3 marriage documents & maybe KR5 name change (I don’t need that one as we got married before they were available & think it’s that number ) there is nothing more than the retirement already requires. So if they been living together for a while before going to the Amper I would think that since he already has the paperwork for the retirement it shouldn’t need more than 1 day with friendly neighbours, and photo copier.

You get all the documents when you get married, though the name change one depends on your choice.

[nickmondo]

cant believe i am reading this post.

just leave the country and do the O visa

jeezzzzzzzzzzzzz

its not rocket science

[SunsetT]

6 hours ago, Pmbkk said:

 

You're seriously going to get married to override an insurance issue ????

 

We got married in Bangkok and the whole thing took less than 30 mins - but we had been together for 5 years and we had planned it ahead of time with all the docs to hand ????

 

Good luck - I'd take 10 and see whether this is the best solution to the problem or there were alternatives.

Yes, future extensions based on marriage will be much more hassle than an 'O' based on retirement, especially if the immigration office likes to make it as difficult as possible for you as some take delight in doing.

[Boomer6969]

30 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Yes, future extensions based on marriage will be much more hassle than an 'O' based on retirement

Why do people keep saying that. I am on my seventh extension without any hassle to speak of. Be organised and follow the rules, let your brand new wife run the show and it becomes a piece of cake.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Hopefully got it sorted as I said to my girlfriend how quickly can we get married in front of all these officers to which they laughed. I’ll be back on Thursday with my marriage certificate after getting married at 9:00 am and then the bank to get new bank letter and then off to immigration. 

Thursday?  Have you got your Affirmation of Freedom to Marry and certification  of passport done?  Have you had them translated and the translations certified by the MFA?  If you haven't - I don't think you'll be back on Thursday.

 

Note also - some Amphurs no longer register marriages involving foreigners as 'walk in's' - you could need an appointment.

 

In addition to the documents already mentioned, I believe you need a had drawn map of your home location.

Edited May 17, 2022 by KhaoYai

[Andycoops]

4 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Why do people keep saying that. I am on my seventh extension without any hassle to speak of. Be organised and follow the rules, let your brand new wife run the show and it becomes a piece of cake.

I agree. Why do people say that, presumably with no experience.

I've done 13 non O marriage extensions without any hassles or problems whatsoever.

[4MyEgo]

13 hours ago, poppysdad said:

I  have 2 alternatives, waste more money on getting the 3 million baht insurance for the least outlay or leaving the country and return on a tourist visa then reapply for simple O extension which was what one of the friendlier officers suggested. 

As I have been on the marriage extension for 5 years, I will be changing to the retirement extension, when next due.

 

When I first came here in 2015 applied for retirement extension, immigration pushed hard to get me on the retirement extension making all sorts of excuses, the clincher was can get it today, marriage extension takes a month and you will need more documents, so I complied, but wasn't happy with that because I went for milk and came back with bread so to speak.

 

Next year applied for marriage extension and got it, but there were sour grapes at immigration and every year when I applied they wanted extra things, fortunately for me, I had extra things with me, except for one time when I forgot the photos and my option was to return with them, which was not worth the hassle, to far to drive or pay 500 baht and LINE the photos to them, so I chose the latter, I considered it better this way, wife didn't, but it worked out.

 

The straw that broke the camels back was when I went to pick it up last time, on the date they said, the reply was not have, don't call us, we will call you, more or less, and as soon as I got back from the 3 hour round trip, the mobile rang, have now, so went back, and as I said, next time will apply for the retirement extension, why, because these bozzo's are lazy when it comes to doing their jobs.

 

My advice to you would be, get married if you want to but, to save you years of potential hassles, get the non O retirement extension as the friendlier immigration officer and Dr Jack suggested above.

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by 4MyEgo

[JohnOFphon]

11 hours ago, nickmondo said:

cant believe i am reading this post.

just leave the country and do the O visa

jeezzzzzzzzzzzzz

its not rocket science

I don't know if I am 100% correct or not: I have a Non OA from years ago. I buy the insurance,,7000? baht...once a year.

I can show 65,000 per month coming in from abroad. Get a one year statement from Bangkok Bank to show immigration.

If I cancel my Non OA by exiting and coming back on a tourist visa. Then change that to a Non O...I will have to show 800,000 being transferred from abroad to begin the Non O.

And.....not sure...but that 800,000 has to be used every time to extend after that. No more 65,000 per month as I do now.

I don't have 800,000, So extending the Non OA is the only way. 7,000 a year for the insurance isn't that big a deal. My girlfriend spends that much on shoes every month.

 

[poppysdad]

Khaoyai.

Why do you suggest I’m stupid. I have all the documents, yes all of them and yes we do have an appointment to be married and confirmed by the officer in the district office where we will get married at 9:00am tomorrow, would you like to come as a witness. 

I’m still of the opinion that at this moment in time is not a good time to leave the country to come back in again with the current covid requirements. I know the requirements are being eased but not quick enough for me. If it was like before covid I would have done it certainly in the past year or so. My fear is going to somewhere like Laos and not being able to get back in unless someone can convince me it’s easy and how to do it. It would be a better option to go back to the uk for a few weeks and see family I’ve not seen in 10 years and then return when re entering is relatively easy but not a good way to start married life being apart for a few weeks. 

[DrJack54]

57 minutes ago, poppysdad said:

I’m still of the opinion that at this moment in time is not a good time to leave the country to come back in again with the current covid requirements

For re-enter all that is required is Thailand Pass (very simple).

You do not require covid test if fully vaccinated. 

Test and Go is thing of the past.

You only require 10k covid insurance and 30 day cover. Some policies (while useless)  are as little as 650b. 

Not suggesting that this is the way to go just pointing out that exit and reentry not difficult now. 

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

I don't know if I am 100% correct or not: I have a Non OA from years ago. I buy the insurance,,7000? baht...once a year.

I can show 65,000 per month coming in from abroad. Get a one year statement from Bangkok Bank to show immigration.

If I cancel my Non OA by exiting and coming back on a tourist visa. Then change that to a Non O...I will have to show 800,000 being transferred from abroad to begin the Non O.

And.....not sure...but that 800,000 has to be used every time to extend after that. No more 65,000 per month as I do now.

I don't have 800,000, So extending the Non OA is the only way. 7,000 a year for the insurance isn't that big a deal. My girlfriend spends that much on shoes every month.

 

Yes, on O it is 800,000 in the bank with certain restrictions for use, or 65,000 coming into a Thai bank from abroad monthly, or a combination of the two, or a letter from the embassy. ( If still available)

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

I don't know if I am 100% correct or not: I have a Non OA from years ago. I buy the insurance,,7000? baht...once a year.

I can show 65,000 per month coming in from abroad. Get a one year statement from Bangkok Bank to show immigration.

If I cancel my Non OA by exiting and coming back on a tourist visa. Then change that to a Non O...I will have to show 800,000 being transferred from abroad to begin the Non O.

And.....not sure...but that 800,000 has to be used every time to extend after that. No more 65,000 per month as I do now.

I don't have 800,000, So extending the Non OA is the only way. 7,000 a year for the insurance isn't that big a deal. My girlfriend spends that much on shoes every month.

 

 

You can use 65,000 a month for a non O exactly same as for Non OA.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You can use 65,000 a month for a non O exactly same as for Non OA.

Transfers of 65k baht will not be accepted for a non-o visa application at immigration. They will only accept income proof from a embassy.

[Sheryl]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Transfers of 65k baht will not be accepted for a non-o visa application at immigration. They will only accept income proof from a embassy.

I see, sorry. I missed the part that he would be applying for the initial non-O  visa incountry.

 

But after that he can use 65,000 baht a  onth for extension, yes?

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

But after that he can use 65,000 baht a  onth for extension, yes?

Yes he can.

Immigration should really accept a year of transfers for the non-o visa application. A simple line in the rules stating a year of transfers would be allowed.

[KhaoYai]

8 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Khaoyai.

Why do you suggest I’m stupid. I have all the documents, yes all of them and yes we do have an appointment to be married and confirmed by the officer in the district office where we will get married at 9:00am tomorrow, would you like to come as a witness. 

I don't see anywhere where I suggest you are stupid - you may have taken it that way.  Quite a lot of people are not aware of the requirements for a foreigner to get married in Thailand - they often ask questions here. However, you posted on Tuesday morning saying that you will be back at immigration by Thursday.  That would normally include at least 2 trips to Bangkok and some embassies have an appointment system. All in all  such a process would normally be an impossibility without some serious 'help'.

 

The MFA process is not something that can (normally) be speeded up but I guess anything is possible in Thailand for a price.

 

However, in a later post you say that you already have all the documents ready - I hope they are no older than 3 months as some of them are time limited - again there may be 'ways around' that if its the case.

 

Again, I am not and never did suggest you are stupid - as someone who knows the Thai marriage process very well, what you originally posted would be incredulous for most people.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by KhaoYai

[paddypower]

5 hours ago, hansnl said:

Yes, on O it is 800,000 in the bank with certain restrictions for use, or 65,000 coming into a Thai bank from abroad monthly, or a combination of the two, or a letter from the embassy. ( If still available)

you mean the OA visa, right?

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, paddypower said:

you mean the OA visa, right?

Financial requirements for extensions retirement from a non O and non O-A are identical.

The only difference is that the extension from a non O-A based on retirement requires insurance.

For extension from non O-A based on marriage insurance is not required. 

[paddypower]

On 5/18/2022 at 6:16 PM, DrJack54 said:

Financial requirements for extensions retirement from a non O and non O-A are identical.

The only difference is that the extension from a non O-A based on retirement requires insurance.

For extension from non O-A based on marriage insurance is not required. 

can you ref. me, please. Ive had 800k ins. package for each of wife and I - for years and never considered this an issue. Is it?

[DrJack54]

On 5/18/2022 at 4:11 PM, KhaoYai said:

Quite a lot of people are not aware of the requirements for a foreigner to get married in Thailand - they often ask questions here

Good news from @poppysdad.

Hopefully full report later to assist others.