O retirement visa: Still no insurance requirement?

[eboy]

I am planning to switch from an OA to an O retirement visa in order to dump the health insurance requirement. Before proceeding I want to double-check that the O visa still does not have a health insurance requirement. Any up-to-date info will be greatly appreciated.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

30 minutes ago, eboy said:

I am planning to switch from an OA to an O retirement visa in order to dump the health insurance requirement. Before proceeding I want to double-check that the O visa still does not have a health insurance requirement. Any up-to-date info will be greatly appreciated.

The Non-O has no insurance requirement for the extension of stay issued after entry.

to transfer you must exit Thailand then get the visa either from outside Thailand or after having entered visa exempt get one from immigration.

[eboy]

Is there a minimum amount of time I will need to stay out of the country before returning as a tourist?

[gargamon]

13 minutes ago, eboy said:

Is there a minimum amount of time I will need to stay out of the country before returning as a tourist?

No. Make sure you do not have a valid reentry stamp for your current visa or you'd have to leave twice to terminate your current visa. 

[eboy]

47 minutes ago, gargamon said:

No. Make sure you do not have a valid reentry stamp for your current visa or you'd have to leave twice to terminate your current visa. 

I assume that if I haven't specifically applied for a reentry permit or stamp, then I don't have one. Is that right?

[gargamon]

11 minutes ago, eboy said:

I assume that if I haven't specifically applied for a reentry permit or stamp, then I don't have one. Is that right?

If you don't know, you don't need to ask. It takes effort on your part to get one (or more) so if you had one, you should know. 

[Yeah rightio]

27 minutes ago, eboy said:

I assume that if I haven't specifically applied for a reentry permit or stamp, then I don't have one. Is that right?

O-A visas have multiple entry up until expiry. Eg. If you leave and return in the last days of a valid O-A you will get stamped in for a second year; which will require Health Insurance.

So your question depends on whether your O-A has expired and you're now on an Extension of Stay based on an O-A. If that's the case do your border hop and return visa exempt. i.e. Don't apply for a Re-entry permit.

Otherwise if your O-A is still valid; do your border hop and return after its validity runs out to come back visa exempt.

Then change to non O at immigration.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Yeah rightio
Clarification

[Andrew Dwyer]

25 minutes ago, eboy said:

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Andrew Dwyer

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, gargamon said:

If you don't know, you don't need to ask. It takes effort on your part to get one (or more) so if you had one, you should know. 

Not so, OP said he's on an O-A visa which is multi-entry in first year so no need to get a re-entry permit.

 

It would help if OP indicated if he's in first year of O-A?

[eboy]

1 minute ago, Pattaya57 said:

Not so, OP said he's on an O-A visa which is multi-entry in first year so no need to get a re-entry permit.

 

It would help if OP indicated if he's in first year of O-A?

I'm in the 6th year of my O-A visa. So no automatic re-entry permit after the first year would apply in my case, right?

[itsallmine68]

For the full answer go to Immigration and ask.

[eboy]

I just called the Immigration Bureau hotline at 1178. The rep told me that if I have not formally applied for a re-entry permit, if I leave the country and re-enter my O-A visa is cancelled and I must re-enter as a tourist.

 

He also told me there's no specific time I need to stay out of the country. I can exit, turn around, and return.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

14 hours ago, eboy said:

I'm in the 6th year of my O-A visa. So no automatic re-entry permit after the first year would apply in my case, right?

You do not now have visa. You have not had a visa for 4 years.

Unfortunately you are demonstrating exactly why people stating they have a visa when they have an extension of stay get wrong information.

 

It is not your fault that it seems that you don’t understand the difference, many people are equally misinformed.

36 minutes ago, eboy said:

if I leave the country and re-enter my O-A visa is cancelled and I must re-enter as a tourist.

That is only partially true. 
1) you don’t have an OA visa so it can’t be cancelled 

2) you have an extension of stay based on an OA

3)you can enter as a tourist once your extension is cancelled 

4) you almost certainly can go to one of the embassy’s or consulate’s in the correct nearby country and get a Non-O visa

but note that if you choose that route you have to research which ones will issue them. Some do some don’t for example Singapore doesn’t 

[flexomike]

59 minutes ago, eboy said:

I just called the Immigration Bureau hotline at 1178. The rep told me that if I have not formally applied for a re-entry permit, if I leave the country and re-enter my O-A visa is cancelled and I must re-enter as a tourist.

 

He also told me there's no specific time I need to stay out of the country. I can exit, turn around, and return.

 

That is what I did, just make sure you have at least 15 days left on your 30 day entry permit. Some offices require 20 days. I did mine on the same day is I crossed the border.

[Ben Zioner]

21 hours ago, eboy said:

Before proceeding I want to double-check that the O visa still does not have a health insurance requirement. Any up-to-date info will be greatly appreciated.

Not yet, but anytime soon, as it makes sense totally. The only thing that's wrong with the OA requirement is that the enforce rubbish Thai based insurances.

[sometimewoodworker]

55 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

The only thing that's wrong with the OA requirement is that the enforce rubbish Thai based insurances.

It is totally reasonable for there to be a requirement for an extension of stay requiring a that based insurance. It only too easy to get or make fake insurance documents that are difficult to prove as fake from a “foreign insurance company”, with the requirement for a Thai insurance company checking is reasonably easy. 

 

A way to avoid this could be to implement a 30 wait with a rise in fees for documentation checking. That however would be resisted vigorously by the very ones complaining of the current requirements.
 

That the insurance is “rubbish” is rather subjective. Pay little, get little. That the insurance is “expensive” again is subjective. The risk to the insurance company from geriatric clients is significant, the insurance is real, the risk of having to payout is real.

 

[Hakuna Matata]

22 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The Non-O has no insurance requirement for the extension of stay ...

 

Oh, what a controversial rule! This is not fair.

 

But This Is Thailand anyway, 555

[Expat68]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It is totally reasonable for there to be a requirement for an extension of stay requiring a that based insurance. It only too easy to get or make fake insurance documents that are difficult to prove as fake from a “foreign insurance company”, with the requirement for a Thai insurance company checking is reasonably easy. 

 

A way to avoid this could be to implement a 30 wait with a rise in fees for documentation checking. That however would be resisted vigorously by the very ones complaining of the current requirements.
 

That the insurance is “rubbish” is rather subjective. Pay little, get little. That the insurance is “expensive” again is subjective. The risk to the insurance company from geriatric clients is significant, the insurance is real, the risk of having to payout is real.

 

Agree on the "rubbish" subjective on health insurance. Anyone at anytime could be faced with a massive bill. I am 70 year old and have just taken out health insurance, it is not perfect but I am covered until I am 99 year old, by which time I will be pushing up daisies, it suits my requirements, touch wood I am pretty healthy for a 70 year old. The proof of the pudding will be if I have to make a claim 

[CecilM]

Would anyone be so kind and explain the difference between Non-OA and Non-O? Much appreciated. Thank you. 

[Ben Zioner]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

A way to avoid this could be to implement a 30 wait with a rise in fees for documentation checking. That however would be resisted vigorously by the very ones complaining of the current requirements.
 

That the insurance is “rubbish” is rather subjective. Pay little, get little. That the insurance is “expensive” again is subjective. The risk to the insurance company from geriatric clients is significant, the insurance is real, the risk of having to payout is real.

Good  idea, they could  implement an Insurance certifying process, many would be glad to pay. It could be one of those Thai rubbish businesses who could endorse overseas covers.

 

These insurances are total rubbish in that people who have an excellent coverage here have to get another insurance, that can cause conflicts. And it is notorious that Thai insurances are highly unpredictable as soon as  sizeable claims come up.

 

Also my insurance has been accepted  by the sensible BOI people for a 10 years visa, while TI would reject it for a one year extension. Try to make sense...

[Ben Zioner]

6 minutes ago, CecilM said:

Would anyone be so kind and explain the difference between Non-OA and Non-O? Much appreciated. Thank you. 

Non-O doesn't require health insurance, yet, etc.

[Georgealbert]

10 minutes ago, CecilM said:

Would anyone be so kind and explain the difference between Non-OA and Non-O? Much appreciated. Thank you. 

Couple of threads that should answer any questions.

 

 

 

[Scouse123]

It can be confusing when even immigration officers refer to a retirement extension as a retirement visa. Hence, the confusion for some board members.

 

I am on retirement extension from a Non-O visa, however, I have and do pay for health insurance annually.

 

I believe it's vital to live here and a damn sight more important than drinking or hookers.

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, CecilM said:

Would anyone be so kind and explain the difference between Non-OA and Non-O? Much appreciated. Thank you. 

Non O-A is a multiple entry visa that gives permission to stay for one year from each entry.

Enter shortly before visa expires also gives another one year stay.

So quite easy to have two years from it.

But: health insurance needed and permission to stay not longer than validity of insurance.

 

Application only in your home country or country of residence.

Financial proof in your country equivalent to extension in Thailand but no money in Thai bank needed (keep money overseas). Some more hassle for application (police record).

Was popular in the past, now much avoided.

[sometimewoodworker]

6 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

I am on retirement extension from a Non-O visa, however, I have and do pay for health insurance annually.

It seems that you have a rogue immigration office (there maybe a few) as there is nothing in the regulations that requires it.

 

However the sensibility of having health insurance in some form is without question.

[oldcpu]

32 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It seems that you have a rogue immigration office (there maybe a few) as there is nothing in the regulations that requires it.

 

However the sensibility of having health insurance in some form is without question.

 

An issue a number of us with Type-OA visa's faced when going for an extension based on retirement, is that we already had superb international health insurance from outside of Thailand, that greatly exceeded the Thailand requirements, but it was not accepted by Thai immigration.  In the most part, Thai immigration would mostly only accept Health Insurance (for extensions based on the type-OA visa) from the Thai branch of a health insurance company.

 

In my case, my European (from Cigna) health insurance was heavily subsidized as part of my pension, and it was superior to the Thai requirements, but it was not accepted by Thai immigration. The Thai branch of Cigna refused to provide Thai immigration the needed information for my European based International Health insurance, but instead advised I had to buy double health insurance from their Thai branch of Cigna, for them to provide the information to Thai immigration that I met the Thai health insurance requirements.

 

There was no way I was going to (1) get rid of my superior subsidized international health insurance, nor was I going to (2) buy double health insurance.   Initially I obtained an extension based on marriage to a Thai but the amount of paperwork, and slow processing of the 1year annual extension based on marriage was a bit tiresome for me ( I know - others feel different) .  So on my next travel out of Thailand, I departed without a re-entry stamp so to invalidate my Type-OA visa extension, and I re-entered a month later visa exempt and applied for a Type-O visa.  I obtained the Type-O, and then a couple of months later I applied for a 1 year extension based on retirement - no health insurance needed.

 

I wish that the Type-OA visa accepted $100K US$ equivalent (anywhere in the world) in a bank account as Self Health Insurance ... (similar to what the LTR visa does) but that is not (as of yet) in the cards for the Type-OA visa extension (for reason of retirement) health insurance requirement.

Edited December 6, 2023 by oldcpu

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It seems that you have a rogue immigration office (there maybe a few) as there is nothing in the regulations that requires it.

 

However the sensibility of having health insurance in some form is without question.

 

No. I have health insurance by choice as I believe it to be sensible