Extension OA Retirement based on income

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, lykes2fly said:

When I extended 23 December 2024 I still had the 800K in the bank, properly seasoned in case my proof of income wasn't adequate for them. But I also showed the IO my bank statement with 12 consecutive deposits of > 65K baht

Excellent.

Was good idea to cover both money in bank and income method.

Covering all bases..

[oldcpu]

On 12/24/2024 at 11:36 AM, mfd101 said:

You always take this line, but fail to consider the rationale - as the OP states - for staying with OA, namely the insurance requirement is fine & accepted. In my case, at age 75 I need decent health insurance anyway so there's no advantage in changing to another visa type.

 

I believe there IS an advantage to Type-O if your health insurance is NOT from the Thai branch of a health insurance company.

 

One issue with the type-OA health insurance requirement that I encountered (some years back), was for a one-year extension (for reason of retirement), immigration required that the Health Insurance had to come from the Thai branch of a health insurance company. 

 

I had (and still have) subsidized Health Insurance from Europe that exceeds the Thai requirements, but it was unacceptable for Phuket immigration (as it was not on their list of acceptable Thai branches of insurance company ).

 

So for one year 1 actually purchased DOUBLE health insurance (ie kept my far superior European health insurance AND I purchased less capable Thai health insurance).  The next year when I went for an extension (on the type-OA) I went for reason of marriage (and hence I did not need to purchase DOUBLE health insurance via the Thai branch of a health insurance company).

 

The year after that, I exited Thailand without a re-entry permit, to invalidate my Type-OA and re-entered visa exempt, and applied for and obtained a Type-O visa (which has no requirements for Health Insurance), per the very salient (in my view) observation of DrJack54. ( I did keep my European Health insurance - but that European Health Insurance is irrelevant from a Thai immigration perspective).

 

It is not relevant to me anymore (my being on an LTR visa now) but I concede I do read these threads with interest. I wonder 'HAS ANYONE' on a Type-OA visa, when applying for a 1-year extension for reason of retirement,  been successful in getting their local Thai immigration office to accept Health Insurance from a NON-THAI branch of a Health Insurance company?

.

 

[mfd101]

23 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

It is not relevant to me anymore (my being on an LTR visa now) but I concede I do read these threads with interest. I wonder 'HAS ANYONE' on a Type-OA visa, when applying for a 1-year extension for reason of retirement,  been successful in getting their local Thai immigration office to accept Health Insurance from a NON-THAI branch of a Health Insurance company?

My understanding -  but others may know better than me - is that the requirement for a THAI insurance cover no longer exists.

[oldcpu]

19 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

My understanding -  but others may know better than me - is that the requirement for a THAI insurance cover no longer exists.

 

Interesting.  Are you certain you are not thinking of COVID health insurance no longer required?

 

I believe health insurance from the Thai branch of a Health Insurance company (for annual extensions for reason of retirement) for type-OA visa is still required - and that Health insurance must equal or exceed a certain immigration specified coverage.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

My understanding -  but others may know better than me - is that the requirement for a THAI insurance cover no longer exists.

Think you are correct.

My point earlier was that having a Non O cuts ties for extensions to insurance.

Having a Non O you can choose the exact amount of insurance along with company or self insure. 

 

Of course if doing extensions from a Non O-A and based on marriage then no insurance is required.

 

Attached is recent thread that was discussing possible changes to insurance requirements. 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1339513-any-news-on-the-inurance-requirment-for-oa-visa/

 

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I believe health insurance from the Thai branch of a Health Insurance company (for annual extensions for reason of retirement) for type-OA visa is still required - and that Health insurance must equal or exceed a certain immigration specified coverage.

Didn't they allow foreign insurance policy unless ....

"The applicant must submit a completed, signed, and stamped Foreign Insurance Certificate" 

 

This possible catch 22 if foreign company will not provide same. 

[oldcpu]

37 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Didn't they allow foreign insurance policy unless ....

"The applicant must submit a completed, signed, and stamped Foreign Insurance Certificate" 

 

This possible catch 22 if foreign company will not provide same. 

 

Possibly I am out of date here. 

 

I recall there was a blank (to be filled in) Thai form for one to certify their foreign health insurance, but it was only for the initial application of one's Type-OA visa.  That form (that I recall) was not acceptable for the 1 year extensions (of the Type-OA) for reason of retirement (or at least it was not accepted in Phuket immigration). 

 

I actually tried to get European Cigna to fill in the 'Thai form' (which requests the signature of a director of the health insurance company certify they meet the Thai requirements per a Thai document) and European Cigna flatly refused - claiming they did not know and hence would not certify to Thai requirements.   I even attempted to provide them the Thai requirements, but they still refused.      ... That of course is a mute point - as Phuket immigration still would not have accepted such.

 

I then asked a Thai Cigna branch if they would certify my European Cigna health insurance (for a small nominal fee) for my annual extension (on the type-OA) and Thai Cigna refused. Thai branch of Cigna insisted I go for 100% insurance from their branch before they would certify Thai Health Insurance requirements met.

 

Foreign Health Insurance requirements for the LTR visa are more easy to prove as acceptable (to BoI), but that is off topic with regards to this thread.

 

AND as noted - I am possibly out of date ... I think that was 4 years ago when I went through this. 

 

 

[oldcpu]

2 hours ago, mfd101 said:

My understanding -  but others may know better than me - is that the requirement for a THAI insurance cover no longer exists.

 

With regard to the Type-OA visa ...

I was curious, so I checked the "Phuket Immigration Volunteers" web site, where it notes:
- - -

Quote

 

Medical Insurance : (Non-OA Specific)

An medical insurance is required for every retirement extension if it is based on a original Non-OA visa (Issued at the Thai Embassy in your home country)

 

Please use the following link https://longstay.tgia.org/ to get more information about the required health insurance or  here to see the list of the accepted health insurance companies.

 

If you require the health insurance but are not able to obtain it due to age, please discuss this with the immigration officer during application for a possible exemption.

 

If the retirement extension is based on a (single entry) Non-O visa or from a conversion from Non-B or based on marriage etc then the health insurance is NOT required for the extension based retirement application.  

 

- - -

So I went to the noted link https://longstay.tgia.org/ and it still lists the acceptable Thai branch of Health Insurance companies for type-OA visa.  Of course (like me) that web site too could be out of date.

 

I am curious to learn from current type-OA visa holders on annual retirement extensions.  Did you have to prove health insurance for your last extension?

 

[mfd101]

4 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I am curious to learn from current type-OA visa holders on annual retirement extensions.  Did you have to prove health insurance for your last extension?

Mmmm, well in my case I have a 3 million ฿ insurance with Pacific Cross. Expensive because taken out at age 72 or 73, but I'm happy with it and with the service they provide at annual renewal (polite & helpful). At age 75 I haven't made any claims as yet.

 

Submitted each year with OA renewal & passed by Immigration without comment each time.

 

(This last time in October I commented as they leafed through my financials that my 40-years-younger b/f is rich & I am poor. They laughed & said: Yes we noticed that from your bank book.)

[oldcpu]

12 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Mmmm, well in my case I have a 3 million ฿ insurance with Pacific Cross.  .... Submitted each year with OA renewal & passed by Immigration without comment each time.

 

 Thanks !

 

Am I correct in assuming this is from a Thai branch of Pacific Cross?

.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

 

With regard to the Type-OA visa ...

I was curious, so I checked the "Phuket Immigration Volunteers" web site, where it notes:
- - -

- - -

So I went to the noted link https://longstay.tgia.org/ and it still lists the acceptable Thai branch of Health Insurance companies for type-OA visa.  Of course (like me) that web site too could be out of date.

 

I am curious to learn from current type-OA visa holders on annual retirement extensions.  Did you have to prove health insurance for your last extension?

 

 

"An medical insurance is required for every retirement extension if it is based on a original Non-OA visa (Issued at the Thai Embassy in your home country)"

 

Does the above extract from your quote mean that Phuket are now enforcing the insurance requirement for retirees who originally entered Thailand on the basis of a non-OA visa issued before October 2019 (when this requirement was first introduced)? Thusfar they have been the only office who have not insisted on this requirement being complied with in these circumstances!

 

[mfd101]

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

 Thanks !

 

Am I correct in assuming this is from a Thai branch of Pacific Cross?

.

As far as I'm aware, Pacific Cross is a Thai company. I think it operates in other ASEAN countries, but I don't think it's a Thai branch of a non-Thai company.

[oldcpu]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

 

"An medical insurance is required for every retirement extension if it is based on a original Non-OA visa (Issued at the Thai Embassy in your home country)"

 

Does the above extract from your quote mean that Phuket are now enforcing the insurance requirement for retirees who originally entered Thailand on the basis of a non-OA visa issued before October 2019 (when this requirement was first introduced)? Thusfar they have been the only office who have not insisted on this requirement being complied with in these circumstances!

 

 

I wasn't intending to suggest that.

 

I don't know 1st hand Phuket immigration's current policy here in regards to providing (or not providing) a "grandfather" clause for those with a Type-OA issued prior to the implementation of the Thailand wide Type-OA health insurance requirement.

 

(A mute point, but i had thought the Phuket 'grandfather' implementation for not requiring Health Insurance under a Type-OA was for Visa  'valid-until' dates before Oct-2019  (ie for those already on extensions as before ~Oct-2020) - as my Type-OA was 28-March-2019 issue (with a 27-March-2020 valid until), and I was required to show Health Insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company for my 1st retirement extension in Feb-2021.  ie I was not grand fathered.

 

I did read a recent post on Asean now where someone claimed Phuket immigration was no longer implementing a grandfather clause for those whose 'valid-until' dates were before Oct-2020  - but they provided no details in regards to their visa issue date nor valid-until-date so its difficult to be certain if what they reported is indeed the case.

[OJAS]

13 hours ago, oldcpu said:

(A mute point, but i had thought the Phuket 'grandfather' implementation for not requiring Health Insurance under a Type-OA was for Visa  'valid-until' dates before Oct-2019  (ie for those already on extensions as before ~Oct-2020) - as my Type-OA was 28-March-2019 issue (with a 27-March-2020 valid until), and I was required to show Health Insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company for my 1st retirement extension in Feb-2021.  ie I was not grand fathered.)

 

Ah, so it looks like whether or not Phuket excused original non-OA visa holders from the insurance requirement depended on their visa's expiry ("use by"), rather than issuance, date.

[Jai Yen]

Hey  folks,  along the same lines as this thread --   I am currently here on a  60-day VOA  and just had it extended 30 days.

 

I have been reading all these threads,  seems as though a Bangkok Bank account is a must.  I'd like to start a retirement Visa using the 65K per month, my SS  from America will cover that.  I  read here that even the 800K in the bank here doesn't apply as long as the 65K is guaranteed each month.  Unfortunately some of the replies to questions go back 2 or 3 years and we know how fast things change here.   

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, Jai Yen said:

 I am currently here on a  60-day VOA 

You entered visa exempt and received 60 day stamp.

Now extended by 30 days.

11 minutes ago, Jai Yen said:

I have been reading all these threads,  seems as though a Bangkok Bank account is a must. 

It does not need to be Bangkok Bank (BBL) any Thai bank a/c in your name only will suffice.

Not easy to open on tourist status.

At minimum you will require a "certificate of residence" from immigration..

11 minutes ago, Jai Yen said:

I'd like to start a retirement Visa using the 65K per month, my SS  from America will cover that. 

That won't work..

You would initially obtain a Non O from your current permission of stay and that requires 800k in the bank on day of application.

Immigration will require 15 days remaining on permission of stay to apply for Non O retirement.

Some offices. CM, Phuket require longer. 

 

For first 12 month extension you would need to show 12 monthly transfers from abroad. Without embassy "income letter" (USA does not provide) so you  need to use "money in bank" method.

 

Over that 12 months start the transfer to change to income method in the second year. 

 

Where are you located. 

In other words which immigration office? 

 

[Jai Yen]

Chonburi,  at  Jomtien

 

That sounds  fine, my initial plan was to travel around the next  few  years so  don't *need*  to have one for here, would have been a nice convenience if I could but not a big deal.  I'll open a bank account and start the deposits  this month, Thank you

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, Jai Yen said:

Chonburi,  at  Jomtien

That's an issue. 

Previously Jomitien were requiring 800k in bank for 2 months prior to application.

That's incorrect (only required on day of application) but that's one hobby of Jomitien.

14 minutes ago, Jai Yen said:

I'll open a bank account and start the deposits  this month,

Good luck tis not simple.

Folk have obtained COR at Jomitien with tourist visa status

You could obtain the non O from outside of Thailand. It's all eVisa now.

With a Non O status you can open a bank account. 

 

You could consider using an agent to open bank account especially as you are located Pattaya.