O-A multi-entry visa from UK insurance and bank balance oddities

[Seagull Sam]

Hello All.

 

65 yo 'gentleman' from UK looking for O-A e-visa from London Embassy

 

A few simple enough queries. Why do I need two insurance policies and what is the difference between the two? As is usual the information provided and paperwork required is confusing, problematic and as far as I can see largely unnecessary.

 

I already have an expensive insurance Thai insurance company which covers COVID and is well above the 3,000,000 THB quoted. It is an ongoing policy starting before today and covering my lifetime.

 

By 'foreign' I assume this means outside Thailand. What then does 'In case of using foreign insurance company' mean in relation to the  paragraph above it? 

 

Additional to this I have had no luck in getting any UK insurance company to sign the form no less than three times.

 

I have held  800,000B in Bangkok Bank for a few years. I'm not sure if this is important but I have turned my house upside down but can't find the bank book. 

 

And yes I have a long standing Thai gf so a Thai address is available.

 

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

'Seagull Sam'

 

Quote

 

1. Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and Health Insurance of Thailand, which must be completed, signed and stamped by the insurance company. The form can be downloaded from https://longstay.tgia.org
   - In case of using foreign insurance company, please download the given form and ask your respective insurer to fill out the given form with an official stamp. Failure to do so, your insurance will not be applicable to your visa application. 
    
2. Health Insurance issued by a Thai or foreign insurer for general illnesses, including COVID-19, with the insured sum of no less than 100,000 USD or 3,000,000 THB
   - Your duration of stay permit in Thailand (within the validity of your visa) will correspond with the duration of your health insurance.

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

Obtain a Non O retirement single entry eVisa. 

After arriving in Thailand you can obtain 12 month extension. 

To exit Thailand and "protect" that 12 month permission of stay buy a reentry permit.

This requires No Insurance and you can have your own insurance independently. 

[Seagull Sam]

Thank you Dr Jack.

With some difficulty I have succeeded in finding the correct page on the Thai Embassy website. It appears I can get a 90 day single entry visa with only a utility bill and a bank statement.

Do I need a return or onward flight? At my age I'm not in a hurry to return home and I'm not entirely sure when that will be. 

The question that remains is how I get a re-rentry permit. Is this simply by visiting an immigration office and if so when can I do that? 

I assume a downloaded bank statement will satisfy them.

Best

Sam

 

[DrJack54]

30 minutes ago, Seagull Sam said:

Do I need a return or onward flight?

Having a visa (Non O) you will not require onward flight.

 

30 minutes ago, Seagull Sam said:

The question that remains is how I get a re-rentry permit. Is this simply by visiting an immigration office and if so when can I do that? 

You can obtain a reentry permit at your immigration office or at airport on day of departure.

Very simple process.

1000b single reentry permit 

3800b multiple reentry permit.

At the airport they offer 200b "service fee" and they do all including photo. 

To do it at immigration use a TM8 form.

You obtain the reentry permit any time after obtaining the 12 month extension.

It's expiry is same as the extension.

 

Bank statement is fine. 

[DrJack54]

OP, be aware that extension to Non O has financial requirements.

800k in Thai bank account in your name only for 2 months prior to application and maintained for 3 months after application then not below 400k in other months.

 

While the Non O-A does not have this requirement be aware that after the Non O-A is expired you do ongoing extensions from the non O-A with same financial requirements + insurance requirement. 

[Seagull Sam]

Thanks but I'm not completely sure about your second reply.

I have resigned myself to  permanently leaving 800,000B in the Thai account solely in my name.

If I apply for Non O-A in Thailand what insurance will I need?

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

While the Non O-A does not have this requirement be aware that after the Non O-A is expired you do ongoing extensions from the non O-A with same financial requirements + insurance requirement. 

 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Seagull Sam said:

If I apply for Non O-A in Thailand what insurance will I need?

You cannot obtain a non O-A in Thailand.

If you just leave 800k in bank then that covers your financial requirements. 

Some folk have a dedicated "extension" bank account and just park the 800k. 

 

To put the Non O-A into perspective....prior to insurance requirement it was a ripper Visa.

You could obtain almost 2 year stay prior to requiring extension.

The big benefit was no requirement to have money in a Thai bank account.

That doesn't seem a concern to you so go the Non O single entry path.

[Seagull Sam]

Thank you. Getting a TM8 extension at Immigration Office sounds like the easiest option then.

Is this 90 days each visit (or visa run style departure) or is one year extension also available?

I am daily surprised at the illogical, confusing and plain difficult methods employed by the Thai government to stop you spending your hard earned cash in the LoS. Odd

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, Seagull Sam said:

Is this 90 days each visit (or visa run style departure) or is one year extension also available?

The Non O retirement eVisa that you obtain in UK is a single entry visa granting 90 day stamp.

The visa is gone (used) one you enter.

Prior to the expiry of the 90 day stamp you will obtain a 12 month extension. 

 

With that permission of stay there is no need to exit Thailand every 90 days.

 

You can travel out of Thailand and keep your permission of stay valid by buying reentry permit.

 

Think you are mixing things up slightly.

Previously there was a multi entry Non O that some folk obtained from home country or country close to Thailand. With that visa you had to exit every 90 days (visa run).¹

Laos (Savannakhet) being popular.

That is no longer available in UK or Thai embassies/consulates. 

[Lite Beer]

1 hour ago, Seagull Sam said:

Thank you. Getting a TM8 extension at Immigration Office sounds like the easiest option then.

Is this 90 days each visit (or visa run style departure) or is one year extension also available?

I am daily surprised at the illogical, confusing and plain difficult methods employed by the Thai government to stop you spending your hard earned cash in the LoS. Odd

The form you need is TM7 for the 12 month extension.

TM8 is for the re entry permit.

Once you get your 12 month extension you have to report to Immigration every 90 days of continuous stay with a TM47 form.

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, Seagull Sam said:

Thank you. Getting a TM8 extension at Immigration Office sounds like the easiest option then.

Is this 90 days each visit (or visa run style departure) or is one year extension also available?

I am daily surprised at the illogical, confusing and plain difficult methods employed by the Thai government to stop you spending your hard earned cash in the LoS. Odd

Hi Sam, you're definitely confused.

 

Best option is to apply for the Non Imm O visa based on retirement from the Thai Embassy, London.

That visa is valid to enter Thailand for 3 months from the date of issue.

On entry, you will be granted a temporary stay of 90 days.

 

After 60 days, you can then apply to extend that permission of stay for a further 12 months based on retirement at your local Immigration office. (Form TM7).
Requires 800K THB in a Thai bank account in your sole name for 2 months to apply (which you already have).

Repeat every year.

[Seagull Sam]

👍 Thanks to you all I might be stepping off the plane in 2 or 3 weeks hand in hand with my new love the simple Non-O.  😀

 

[UKresonant]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

To put the Non O-A into perspective....prior to insurance requirement it was a ripper Visa.

You could obtain almost 2 year stay prior to requiring extension.

The big benefit was no requirement to have money in a Thai bank account.

Yes the OA was what I thought would be an easy multi-entry visa, after June 2019, when the non-O Multi was discontinued, with eVisa system.

Then the insurance came along Oct 2019, option gone.

The problem with many Thai insurance, policies is you have to be in Thailand for 6 months out of 12. So for a newbie who does not check the health insurance policy, thay may have a policy but no actual cover for.the first 6 months!

Sadly it scuppered the O-A usefulness from my point of view.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

Sadly it scuppered the O-A usefulness from my point of view.

Along with many others. 

 

[Seagull Sam]

O-A doesn't seem to make sense. Why two insurance policies? A very small list of their buddies on the make for one policy. 

Their website is full of irrelevant twaddle about the very excellent king (who we all love BTW), a message from the ambassador etc.

Do they actually want us to come to Thailand? It makes you wonder 🤔