Retirement Visa And Hiv+

[lookinToRT]

First let me say thanks in advance to those who might help in anyway.

I live in the USA now and in my 50's, I want to retire in Bangkok, I have been there several times but only on vacation. I know I need to do the live there for a while as a home to see if it is for me but I am having some problems getting information about how me being HIV+ is going to work out. I am in excellent health and on my medications. If anyone of you can help or point me in the right direction it would be of great help. Here are my questions.

Will I have a problem getting my Retirement Visa being HIV+ and renewing it as well?

Can I have my medications FedEX's to me monthly in Bangkok?

If I cannot have them sent to me and need to buy them in Bangkok will this be a problem with Thai Authorities.

I of course have many questions as to how I will be received in Bangkok by the Thia men when I disclose my HIV status, but that of course is always a issue anywhere, but any and all info is received with open arms. Thanks so much, Bob

PS you are welcome to send me personal emails about this.

[ChrisP]

Hi and welcome to our part of the world!

I think you might want to post this question on the Health Body and Medicine Forum.. You will probably get more responses..

I'm not aware that they ask for your HIV status when investigating the "Retirement Visa".. but ask on the Visa Forum "What medical checks do they ask for..?"

I am also in my 50's and planning my LOS Retirement too...

Good luck!

ChrisP

[TopChinese]

Perhaps you could look into the possibility of obtaining your medication in Thailand? I've heard they are a lot more inexpensive .. and health care is excellent in Bangkok. Plenty of world-class doctors in private practice there too.

I have a few HIV+ friends in Thailand who prefer the less rigourous regimes of extending their social visit passes. They are of course responsible with their serostatus and practise safe sex religiously. The HIV incidence rate in Thailand seems to be increasing too.

[Krub]

First let me say thanks in advance to those who might help in anyway.

I live in the USA now and in my 50's, I want to retire in Bangkok, I have been there several times but only on vacation. I know I need to do the live there for a while as a home to see if it is for me but I am having some problems getting information about how me being HIV+ is going to work out. I am in excellent health and on my medications. If anyone of you can help or point me in the right direction it would be of great help. Here are my questions.

Will I have a problem getting my Retirement Visa being HIV+ and renewing it as well?

Can I have my medications FedEX's to me monthly in Bangkok?

If I cannot have them sent to me and need to buy them in Bangkok will this be a problem with Thai Authorities.

I of course have many questions as to how I will be received in Bangkok by the Thia men when I disclose my HIV status, but that of course is always a issue anywhere, but any and all info is received with open arms. Thanks so much, Bob

PS you are welcome to send me personal emails about this.

When applying for extension of stay in Thailand on ground of retirement, you need a medical certificate.

Medical certificate must state you do not suffer from

1. Leprocy

2. Tuberculosis

3. Elephantiasis

4. Drug addiction

5. Third step of Syphilis

HIV status is not required.

There should not be any restriction on shippping prescriprion medecine for your personnal use but I am not sure what problems customs could make.

[lookinToRT]

First let me say, thanks you so much for your replies so far, I was really stressing out over this. From your postings and your personal PM’s I already feel so much better. I want so much to join you all in the LOS and be a contributing part of the community.

I think my question about the visa has been answered but the part about my medications being shipped to me is still a bit open. My insurance and income here in the USA qualify me to have my med’s be free of charge at this point. If I have to end up buying them in the LOS then that is want I will have to do but of course if I can have my friends ship them to me then my quality of life will be much better. So again any info in this area is greatly accepted. My heart and arms go out to you all for you help.

Bob

Edited March 27, 2006 by lookinToRT

[Digger]

HIV is not in itself a restriction in obtaining a visa of any description and this subject has been tackled at the highest levels of government - basically the official opinion is that a HIV applicant should not be refused a visa for the simple reason that HIV is considered so widespread in Thailand that there seems little point of refusing people entry who already have it. However Immigration themselves can interpret the rules differently. Suggest you do not make a big thing of it and certainly do not bring it to the attention of Immigration voluntarily. Its not a requirement as part of your medical so do not mention it. I would go as far as having your medical checkup done at a different hospital to where you go for routine HIV care.

Concerning meds - there is a risk that these will get impounded by customs and potential problems could be asked - if you have them shipped I would suggest you have them shipped to a Thai person to reduce liklihood of any difficult questions being posed. Otherwise bring a years supply with you in your luggage.

Having said that, Many of the medicines are available in Thailand. As an indication these are some of the monthly prices (approx) that I am aware off:

Combivir (original GSK version, made in Australia - consisting of AZT & 3TC, also called Combid in some countries) approx: 9,000 baht box

AZT (original GSK version adult doseage - sorry forget the size) approx: 4,000 baht

Generic AZT (made in Thailand under licence) approx: 2,000 baht

Generic 3TC (made in Thailand under licence) approx: 2,000 baht

Stockrin (original made by Merck also called Sustiva, distributed by BMS): 6,000 baht a month

Nevarapine (generic copy) approx: 3,000 baht month

DDI (original made by BMS) approx: 6,000 per month

D4T (original made by BMS) approx: 4,000 per month

Abacavir (original made by GSK) approx: 12,000 baht per month

Tenofivir is not currently available in Thailand

Many PI's are available in Thailand and are slightly more expensive than these medicines

As you can see from these prices, they are probably about 10% of the price charged in the West - it might therefore be easier just to buy them here if you can get the meds you are currently using.

CD4 tests cost approx: 1500 baht and Viral load approx: 5,000 baht a test

These prices are based on Bumrungrad hospitals charging. If medicine costs exceed 10,000 in any one time, they reduce the price by a further 10% - meds in hospitals (at least this one) are not loaded substantially - you could buy them from another source (pharmacy or clinic) however your then taking a potential risk as to authenticity of the product. Bumrungrad in BKK has about 6 specialists on staff and a very busy practice - they are very good and knowledgable, can recomend a Dr Mattana as being especially knowledgable - she is actually an infectious diseases teacher at Chulalongkorn University Med school (The leading med school in Thailand) and attends all the international conferences on HIV. Therefore she only works in the evenings. Website at www.bumrungrad.com and look up doctors for medicine - infectious diseases for the profiles of the doctors.

Hope this helps

[orchis]

I'd like to add the following

There is now a generic GOP-Z 250 which combines :

AZT, 3TC and Nevirapine costs 3600 thb for 60 pills,

so basic regimen of 1 pill in the morning and one in the evening;

this is available in Bangkok General so I suppose in the other hospitals as well.

Fedex and DHL don't accept medicine like this in shipments because according to Thai law

the addressee would need a license to import medicine.

[wowpow]

Thre is a requirement for the over 50 retirement visa for a doctor's certificate stating your health status. It seems to be a bit of a formality and most places you can go to a hospital, tell them that you are well and they give you one.

Most medications are available in Thailand and at reasonable prices. If you get free or cheap ones in the US then why not have them sent to you in Thailand but you would have to make arrangements in the States.

For advice try e-mailing Dr. Phillippe Seur who is based in Pattaya [email protected] he is very helpful and does immense amounts for HIV people in Thailand.

[Scott]

The physical exams here are usually very rudimentary. When I got my exam for a work permit, they took my temperature and blood pressure only. They then asked if I had:

AIDS

Tuberculosis

Mental Illness

Alcoholism

Drug Addiction

I replied no. the Dr. signed the certificate, charged me 100 Baht and I had my official certificate for a work permit. Generally, the question that is asked is about AIDS, not HIV status. And yes, the medication is quite affordable here. You would not want to have it shipped in. If there is a medication you can't get here, either bring along about a years supply or when you have friends coming over, have them bring it along. (If you will be going back for holidays you can get it).

Depending on where you live, it's a good idea to find a good and helpful Dr. here. One who is quite good is a Dr. Teerapong who is from Chulalongkhorn Hospital (I think). He works at Bangkok Christian Hospital on Thursday evenings. He is helpful to foreigners and can assist in getting the gov't medication.

[lookinToRT]

You all have been great help and thank you for all of you thoughts. Sence I get my meds through a goverment program they are all free at this point but I cannot get more that a month at a time so coming with a years supply would be a problem. I do have friends here that can send to me from US and can try shipping them the ways some of you suggested. I guess if this becomes a problem I will just have to buy them there. I am not going to let this get into my way of retiring in Thailand. Was hoping there was a simple answer but at this point it does not seem like there is just a simple answer. Please keep the info coming if anyone knows more.

Thanks, Bob

[ChrisP]

it does not seem like there is just a simple answer

Nope. Hardly ever.

You'll discover that in LOS, there's either a final "No, cannot" (we've never done it that way, not allowed, .. etc )

Or "Yes, but you must...".. and that's where the Thai LOVE of bureaucracy/procedure comes in.

Be PATIENT, smile a LOT. !

ChrisP

[Scott]

There is no problem with the meds coming if you have a prescription. If the prescription is with the medication, you shouldn't have trouble getting it in, but may get assessed a customs fee. Since the medication is free on your end and relatively cheap on this end, the fee would not be very high.

[lookinToRT]

Thanks Scott for this info, but when you say the prescription must be with the medication, I am not sure if I know what you mean. The Prescription is given to the pharmacy then filled with my name on it, my friend would pick it up for me and mail it to me in a simple brown small box with no real value declaired. Are you saying I need to have the pharmacy give me a copy of the precription to have my friend mail it with the package or do I need to have my Dr. give me a extra copy of the prescription to keep with me when I go get the package.

Thanks, Bob

[jdinasia]

Yes ... the assumption being that the pills are not actually medication ... you want the RX and the original pill bottle

[ChrisP]

I would say that you SHOULD put a copy of the original prescription in with the shipped meds. Thai customs will be VERY suspect of pills arriving without any "Official Proof" etc... The Pharmacy label on the bottle will probably not be enough understandable "Proof" for Customs. Don't forget Thai pharamcies don't dispense meds the same way we do in the states.

Let us all know if this works.. since Thai Customs are a law unto themselves. (Search elsewhere on TV for Customs stories...)

ChrisP

[ProThaiExpat]

With presicription drugs expensive here in Australia, especially when you factor in the cost of the doctor inorder to get the script, I was faced with how to get my prescription drugs from Thailand where no script is needed and the generic drugs are so inexpensive.

My Thai was on the way back from Thailand and had hundreds of my meds with him but knowing of the careful search conducted of him every time he goes through customs in Sydney, I had him mail them to me.

Each package had the Thai pharmacy plastic bag with the generic drug written on them and each package was opened by customs when entering Australia, but they came through without a hitch even though they were without a script, even though they are script drugs in Australia.

I suspect most drugs, clearly marked, will get through Thai customs, as I have even sent through Poppers, and the package was not even opened. I was called to airport customs office to establish the value of the contents, they still didn't ask me what was in the package.

I believe there are sniffer dogs available to distinguish between medications and illegal drugs and my bet is they are used regularly at mail custom points. I am sure drug dealers have tried packaging illegal drugs as medicine long ago and probably don't try that these days as they are easily identified by a sniffer dog.