OA Visa and medical certificates

[asianmike]

Question for anyone here on an OA Visa...

 

Coming from the USA...One of the requirements for an OA Visa is a medical certificate signed by a doctor stating I do not have Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, Addiction (Drug/Alcoholism), or Third Phase Syphilis. 

 

My doctor says they don't sign these forms. I asked a Thai friend, in Los Angeles CA, and her doctor said the same thing!

 

I know people have said to go on a tourist visa and convert to an O visa when there, but I want no risk of anything illegal or getting banned from Thailand. Who/where do I go to have this signed off on? Any help on where you went would be appreciated, hanks in advance.

[Kentucky Wildcat]

My General Practitioner in Kentucky signed our Medical form for the OA Visa with no problem.  I don't think he was an anomaly because many others from the States seem to find doctors that will sign this form.  

[Tom H]

tourist visa than agency for support than o visa. Done.

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, asianmike said:

I know people have said to go on a tourist visa and convert to an O visa when there, but I want no risk of anything illegal or getting banned from Thailand

The pathway to living in Thailand using a non O followed by extensions is completely legal and recommended by many.

 

Also recommended by many is to avoid obtaining a non O-A.

 

The non O can be obtained in Thailand having entered by visa exempt or tourist visa.

The non O can also be obtained in your country. 

 

A doctor will sign the form that you mentioned. You just went to wrong one. 

 

Depends also on your future plans.

Actually living in Thailand ongoing or just for ongoing visits. 

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by DrJack54

[bangkok19]

My Doc gave me a referral for the appropriate blood tests, the results were what we were expecting... 

She then signed and stamped the Medical Certificate. 

It's not a big deal. Try another doctor. 

[micmichd]

11 hours ago, Kentucky Wildcat said:

My General Practitioner in Kentucky signed our Medical form for the OA Visa with no problem.  I don't think he was an anomaly because many others from the States seem to find doctors that will sign this form.  

I'm in Thailand on an OA visa. Nobody ever asked me for a medical certificate (leprosy and the like) 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, micmichd said:

I'm in Thailand on an OA visa. Nobody ever asked me for a medical certificate (leprosy and the like) 

Only a Non-OA visa is issued by a embassy or official consulate and a medical certificate is required to apply for.

[Sheryl]

some people have reported getting the necessary certificate via online consultation with Medconsult Asia.

 

https://www.medconsultasia.com/services/

[The Hammer2021]

The OP seems to assume  the easiest, most practical  way of dealing with this issue is illegal. Rather than see an agent  as a facilitator of crime just regard them as a translator. I used an agent in Libya, Thailand,  Burma,  Saudi,  Kuwait  etc etc. Its normal where arcane rules that frequently  change and are in another language to get assistance from a professional.

When I had to get  medical  clearance, check ups  and certificates etc I left it all to an agent to arrange. Unfortunately  that isn't always possible.

In the UK to get 'fitness certificate' you probably  need to go  private not NHS. And in general  find a doctor  who is  offay in dealing with such travel related matters.

[ThailandRyan]

21 hours ago, micmichd said:

I'm in Thailand on an OA visa. Nobody ever asked me for a medical certificate (leprosy and the like) 

Did you apply and obtain your OA Visai from outside of the country. It is a requirement to have one. It is on the consulate websites as well as having a police clearance. Just as Ubon Joe said.

Edited June 5, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[ukrules]

On 6/4/2022 at 5:35 AM, asianmike said:

Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, Addiction (Drug/Alcoholism), or Third Phase Syphilis.

The list is a bit arbitrary isn't it. I doubt too many have leprosy or elephantitis and if you're going to contract TB you have a lot more chance of getting it here than in the western world, but then again these same requirements are going to be applied in countries where these conditions do exist.

 

As for alcoholism, I'm sure there's a whole load of people who are addicated to alcohol without knowing it and there's no way their doctors will know either unless they're at the extreme end of the scale.

 

This visa is a bit of a joke but it does get the job done, the requirments appear to be such that they would discourage people from applying for it.

 

The proof of this is that you can simply get an extension based on retirement inside Thailand without any of the hassle and paperwork or buy an Elite visa and all the paperwork you need to supply is the application form and the fee.....the requirements simply vanish for some reason on the other visa types.

 

[asianmike]

Thank you all for the advise and comments. So it seems a Non-O visa is easier. One question I have now is that a Non-O requires proof of residency. Does that mean I am going to sign a one year rental agreement before I actually even receive my visa?

 

Thanks again...Mike

[wijipa]

6 hours ago, asianmike said:

Thank you all for the advise and comments. So it seems a Non-O visa is easier. One question I have now is that a Non-O requires proof of residency. Does that mean I am going to sign a one year rental agreement before I actually even receive my visa?

 

Thanks again...Mike

Quick question, what is the cost of applying for a Covid extension. Cheers

[flexomike]

27 minutes ago, wijipa said:

Quick question, what is the cost of applying for a Covid extension. Cheers

1900 baht

 

[Peterw42]

7 hours ago, asianmike said:

Thank you all for the advise and comments. So it seems a Non-O visa is easier. One question I have now is that a Non-O requires proof of residency. Does that mean I am going to sign a one year rental agreement before I actually even receive my visa?

 

Thanks again...Mike

There is no "proof of residency" requirement. You just need an address, depending on immigration office, a TM30 receipt, a friends blue book, a lease document, a rental receipt etc, in theory you can be staying in a hotel. 

[Wake Up]

OP

 

my first O-A visa in 2015 I had the same problem as you. My doctor of 30 years refused to sign the form because he said it made no sense. Another doctor friend of mine said the same thing. I finally found a “quick clinic” in the states and the doctor said he would sign it for 200  dollars. Rip off but I did it. 
 

what you are experiencing is not unusual. Some people have a doctor that sign it no problem but most doctors I went to did not want to sign the form.  
 

Best advice is to follow Sheryl’s  advice commented earlier or find a “doc in the box “ clinic and ask them. 
 

now I have found a doctor that will sign it much cheaper but he is located in Dallas Texas. 
 

 

[Onerak]

O-A visa has lost its charms. I used to get O-A visa for five years (10 years total stay on O-A). Getting a doctor certificate also easy for me and my insurance paid for it. I made an appointment with an immigration doctor (doctors certified by US immigration to give health clearance certificate for green card applicants). I explained to the doctor that it is not for US immigration but for leaving US and live in Thailand. It is just a health check certificate and visual inspection for the diseases will suffice. He agreed and issued me certificates five times (for a total stay of 10 years on O-A visa).

Then the useless insurance requirements were imposed. I contacted an agent in Pattaya and paid him 15K to obtain my extension. I kept my 800K invested in the US that returned me more than agent fees I paid. The agent fees I paid also helped the agents, his staff and their families. It also helped the IOs obtain fancy cars. send their children to expensive schools and keep their mia nois happy. It helped a host of people who were not fortunate enough be born in a Western country and earn dollars. It's a win win situations for all parties involved. I got a better returns from my money, ease of extension without any paper works (no 90-day, TM30, or insurance and a five minute visit to immigration office)  and people who took my fees enjoyed finer things in life. 

 

I continued agent assisted extensions for two years and then came back to USA. Not sure if I will ever stay full time in Thailand or not. May be for 6-months in a year with three months in each visit. So, a tourist visa will suffice for now. Going in July on a tourist visa. 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Onerak

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, Onerak said:

O-A visa has lost its charms. I used to get O-A visa for five years (10 years total stay on O-A). Getting a doctor certificate also easy for me and my insurance paid for it. I made an appointment with an immigration doctor (doctors certified by US immigration to give health clearance certificate for prospective green card applicants). I explained to the doctor that it is not for US immigration but for leaving US and live in Thailand. It is just a health check certificate and visual inspection for the diseases will suffice. He agreed and issued me certificates five times (for a total stay of 10 years on O-A visa).

Then the useless insurance requirements were imposed. I contacted an agent in Pattaya and paid him 15K to obtain my extension. I kept my 800K invested in the US that returned me more than agent fees I paid. The agent fees I paid also helped the agents, his staff and their families. It also helped the IOs obtain fancy cars. send their children to expensive schools and keep their mia nois happy. It helped a host of people who were not fortunate enough be born in a Western country and earn dollars. It's a win win situations for all parties involved. I got a better returns from my money, ease of extension without any paper works (no 90-day, TM30, or insurance and a five minute visit to immigration office)  and people who took my fees enjoyed finer things in life. 

 

I continued agent assisted extensions for two years and then came back to USA. Not sure if I will ever stay full time in Thailand or not. May be for 6-months in a year with three months break between my stay in Thailand. So, a tourist visa will suffice for now. Going in July on a tourist visa. 

That is the original way I used my O-A visa ME's for many years after a divorce here in Thailand.  I would fly back and forth 4 times a year, and then return just before the end of my first year to get my 2nd year stamped into the passport at which time I would go to the immigration desk and buy a ME re-entry permit.  However, when covid hit I stayed put and converted it to an extension of stay and have ever since continued with the extension.  Luckily I have always had Thai insurance thru PCH, well for the past 10 years at least, so that was a non issue when they mandated it for the O-A in October of 2019.  If and when I can get my GF her Visa to the US we will then return to going and coming as before.  Never used an agent however, as it is so easy to do, and yes the 800k is tied up in a fixed deposit account, but then I have other assets that make up that loss of interest income.

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, Onerak said:

. I contacted an agent in Pattaya and paid him 15K to obtain my extension. I kept my 800K invested in the US that returned me more than agent fees I paid. The agent fees I paid also helped the agents, his staff and their families

You mention this in many threads.

Verbatim.

I cannot see where the OP has even asked for advice of agent option.

OP, use of an agent is an option.

Be aware that obtaining a non O in USA or here in Thailand is a very simple process, as is the 12 month extension using money in the bank method. 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by DrJack54

[OJAS]

19 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

In the UK to get 'fitness certificate' you probably  need to go  private not NHS. And in general  find a doctor  who is  offay in dealing with such travel related matters.

It strikes me that this is more a problematical issue in the USA than in the UK. Certainly my NHS GP had no hesitation in signing the non-OA medical certificate after giving me a thorough medical examination which consisted of her eyes moving from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Did have to pay £10, though.

 

[CANSIAM]

Unfortunately I had to apply for an OA visa a few years back to return. I went into a 'walk in' medical clinic with that O-A medical certificate questionaire - elephantitis, Leprocy, Tb, alcohol / drug abuse, Syphilis etc, I told the doctor what it was for, he read it laughed a little, looked at me and said "you won't be getting sick on me from now until you arrive will you" and signed it, I was out the door in 5 minutes, then off to the police station for the CRC, and then some papers notarized......don't get the OA..... 

[cardinalblue]

One,

 

here is the problem with your strategy…thru corruption you obtained your visa…..you are not here legally and could get booted out by an immigration officer who sees a red flag in your status…

 

let’s make a visit to that Thai local bank having your 800,000 baht in your name….he says….within his right to do….

[RickFarang]

I would not take such important advice from a bunch of strangers over the internet, even though some have a lot of experience and a great batting record when I can easily contact the Immigration office or Consulate that will process the application.  That saves a lot of worry and doubt provided that the advice from Immigration or the Consulate makes sense...

[ThailandRyan]

40 minutes ago, RickFarang said:

I would not take such important advice from a bunch of strangers over the internet, even though some have a lot of experience and a great batting record when I can easily contact the Immigration office or Consulate that will process the application.  That saves a lot of worry and doubt provided that the advice from Immigration or the Consulate makes sense...

This information being given for the most part is great Info. This is also why the original form known as Thai Visa was started