Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Here is where we will consolidate all information about Thai visas and work permits (as they are closely related to the type and availability of your visa).
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AlexO
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by AlexO » December 19, 2019, 4:26 pm

the-monk wrote:
April 27, 2019, 9:52 pm
Thanks a lot Wise man.
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
True very true.



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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by the-monk » December 19, 2019, 4:42 pm

Thanks a lot. Great info. So it seems that all retirement extension renewals will require medical insurance. Did you have the choice where ( which hospital ) to pass the medical tests ? I just had most tests done at the military hospital a month ago and my renewal is in September. Thanks again.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by Manxlad » December 19, 2019, 5:07 pm

the-monk wrote:
December 19, 2019, 4:42 pm
Thanks a lot. Great info. So it seems that all retirement extension renewals will require medical insurance. Did you have the choice where ( which hospital ) to pass the medical tests ? I just had most tests done at the military hospital a month ago and my renewal is in September. Thanks again.
Hi monk
Frazee info is excellent for his situation but he has applied for O-A extension.
So in reply to your comment..ALL retirement extension do not need medical insurance etc, only O -A
I’ve just done my annual renewal under Non Imm O and did not need any of the medical coverage only the required seasoned finances in my thai bank account
Hope this helps

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by FrazeeDK » December 19, 2019, 5:58 pm

Yes, my extension was based on my original O-A visa so required health insurance. Realistically I don't see how there will not be additional changes that include all other retirement categories at some point in the future. I honestly don't see the logic in applying the insurance requirement only to O-A visas. On the health exam the insurance company I used did not specify any particular hospital. They told me they'd reimburse me up to 10% of the cost.. I guess you could get the relevant tests done at any hospital or clinic so long as they filled the insurance company's form out with all the appropriate stamps and signatures along with the lab slips.. Now, mind you, this is what the insurance provider I ended up using asked for.. It could be different for other "approved" companies..
Dave

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rickfarang
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by rickfarang » December 20, 2019, 4:55 am

Wow! 10%...well that actually good compared to what I had, and that is why I discontinued my insurance.

The situation here is hopeless.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by gghh » December 20, 2019, 5:31 am


Manxlad wrote:
the-monk wrote:
December 19, 2019, 4:42 pm
Thanks a lot. Great info. So it seems that all retirement extension renewals will require medical insurance. Did you have the choice where ( which hospital ) to pass the medical tests ? I just had most tests done at the military hospital a month ago and my renewal is in September. Thanks again.
I’ve just done my annual renewal under Non Imm O and did not need any of the medical coverage only the required seasoned finances in my thai bank account
Hope this helps
Same for me on dec 04 in HuaHin.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by the-monk » December 20, 2019, 9:45 am

Thanks everyone for your valuable input. Have a nice safe day.

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Bread Man
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by Bread Man » December 20, 2019, 12:24 pm

Hello, this maybe a stupid question but I have a marriage visa renewable yearly like retirement.
Having lived here some 13 years do I need medical insurance at my nest renewal as it will be
virtually impossible for me to get. Thank you..

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by sometimewoodworker » December 20, 2019, 12:36 pm

Bread Man wrote:
December 20, 2019, 12:24 pm
Hello, this maybe a stupid question but I have a marriage visa renewable yearly like retirement.
Having lived here some 13 years do I need medical insurance at my nest renewal as it will be
virtually impossible for me to get. Thank you..
Few questions are stupid.

You don’t have a marriage Visa, the visa is long dead, but an extension of stay based on marriage, but the good news is that no you do not need insurance to extend your permission to stay.
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Bread Man
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by Bread Man » December 21, 2019, 8:57 am

Understood, thank you.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by pf-flyer » December 21, 2019, 10:54 am

I have posted this reply on another thread. I just wanted to share what My wife and I were told when we visited our local IO. Several weeks ago my wife and I went to our local Immigration at Udon Thani to ask about the required Health Insurance. I handed my passport to the immigration officer and she took a moment and looked through it. The supervisor that was sitting behind her asked her what kind of Visas I had and she told him “ O-A”. That was before she started to talk to us. She pointed to my current extension based on retirement and started explaining to my wife and I the procedure to apply for an extension based on marriage. She showed us an extension based on the marriage application that she just finished processing. She gave a handout as a reference for the list materials that we would need to apply for our next extension based on marriage. The supervisor that was sitting behind her listened in to our entire conversation and interacted with her from time to time the entire time she was talking to us.
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by FrazeeDK » December 21, 2019, 4:32 pm

PF Flyer, if you successfully change it to an extension based on marriage to a Thai national please let us know how it goes...
Dave

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by pf-flyer » December 22, 2019, 8:04 am

[quote=FrazeeDK post_id=561018 time=1576920747 user_id=594]
PF Flyer, if you successfully change it to an extension based on marriage to a Thai national please let us know how it goes...
[/quote]

I will.... I spent a lot of time fretting and worrying about this and I have decided to take it on one day at a time. My wife and I have decided to deal with whatever happens. My irony is that My wife and I currently have Health Insurance from Highmark Blue Cross Worldwide in the U.S. that does and has been reimbursing us for all of our medical expenses in Thailand. Highmark Insurance in the U.S. is not going to sign the Foreign Insurance form. I sent them an e-mail and they said so. I looked over the approved Health Insurance options. I have pre-existing conditions. I am not sure if I could get a policy. My Thai wife and I have been married for 46 years. We lived in the U.S. for 40 years. I love Thailand its culture and the Thai People. The people in the village where we live have made us feel as we are a part of the community. The thought of having to leave just makes us sad and sick.
"Life is like a tube of toothpaste. Outward pressure brings out the inward contents."

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by Zidane » December 22, 2019, 2:39 pm

If you get a Non Immigrant O Visa based on marriage there is currently no need for health insurance.
It's only for the O-A visa this applies.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by sometimewoodworker » December 22, 2019, 3:37 pm

Zidane wrote:
December 22, 2019, 2:39 pm
If you get a Non Immigrant O Visa based on marriage there is currently no need for health insurance.
It's only for the O-A visa this applies.
Any extension based on a Non-O has no insurance requirement.

An extension for retirement based on a Non-OA requires insurance.

An extension for other reasons based on a Non-OA in Udon will probably not need insurance.

So far there has been no report of anyone extending (in Udon) from a Non-OA for other reasons (wife, children, or other Thai family) so that is unclear at the moment.

Other immigration offices have said that all extensions based on a Non-OA must have insurance.

Best advice for anyone who is basing their extensions on a Non-OA, and not for retirement, is to go to renew 30 days before your current extension expires. Then if the situation has changed you have plenty of time to either get insurance if you want it or to arrange a visit another country so you can let your extension expire then get a Non-O
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by pf-flyer » December 23, 2019, 4:18 pm

I arrived in Thailand on a Non-O-A visa and have been doing extensions based on retirement. When my Thai wife and I inquired at Udon immigration several weeks ago in regards to making the change of extension based on retirement to an extension based on marriage so that I do not have to purchase the approved health insurance. She told me that I can apply for an extension based on marriage. She then told me that it will take 30 days to process because the paperwork has to be sent to Khon Khen before it is approved. I do not know what will happen after the paperwork is sent to Khon Khen. I will just take it one day at a time. This is Thailand. My Thai wife and I have already prepared our hearts to deal with whatever happens in the future.
"Life is like a tube of toothpaste. Outward pressure brings out the inward contents."

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by sometimewoodworker » December 23, 2019, 6:33 pm

pf-flyer wrote:
December 23, 2019, 4:18 pm
I arrived in Thailand on a Non-O-A visa and have been doing extensions based on retirement. When my Thai wife and I inquired at Udon immigration several weeks ago in regards to making the change of extension based on retirement to an extension based on marriage so that I do not have to purchase the approved health insurance. She told me that I can apply for an extension based on marriage. She then told me that it will take 30 days to process because the paperwork has to be sent to Khon Khen before it is approved. I do not know what will happen after the paperwork is sent to Khon Khen. I will just take it one day at a time. This is Thailand. My Thai wife and I have already prepared our hearts to deal with whatever happens in the future.
In general once the paperwork has been accepted, assuming it’s all OK and complete, there is not likely to be anything extra required. The 30 days is usual, it can go quite a bit longer, but that is no reason for concern it just means they are busy.

If this is you first extension for marriage you should expect a visit from immigration police, they will usually arrange a time before they visit.
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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by eagle » December 23, 2019, 7:40 pm

sometimewoodworker wrote:
December 23, 2019, 6:33 pm
pf-flyer wrote:
December 23, 2019, 4:18 pm
I arrived in Thailand on a Non-O-A visa and have been doing extensions based on retirement. When my Thai wife and I inquired at Udon immigration several weeks ago in regards to making the change of extension based on retirement to an extension based on marriage so that I do not have to purchase the approved health insurance. She told me that I can apply for an extension based on marriage. She then told me that it will take 30 days to process because the paperwork has to be sent to Khon Khen before it is approved. I do not know what will happen after the paperwork is sent to Khon Khen. I will just take it one day at a time. This is Thailand. My Thai wife and I have already prepared our hearts to deal with whatever happens in the future.
In general once the paperwork has been accepted, assuming it’s all OK and complete, there is not likely to be anything extra required. The 30 days is usual, it can go quite a bit longer, but that is no reason for concern it just means they are busy.

If this is you first extension for marriage you should expect a visit from immigration police, they will usually arrange a time before they visit.
I have been here in Udon using marriage extension all the time. Because of doing that so long time, some new attachments has been asked. 1st year that beautiful Marriage Certificate was ok. Then they wanted one from amphur. This year that had to be less that 2 weeks old. They want me to take family photos every year, which is a luck with my memory. At least some photos to save. Depending of using bank account or embassy letter procedure is different. 1st I used money in bank, then Embassy letter and now money in bank. It is 50/50 which one is more comfortable. I do count spending that required 400 000 thb during the year and waiting better currency rate to that also. If money in bank, they can ask proof that money is still in bank about two weeks after applications has been given.

There are some other documents in the list, but those are same in every year. I have all copies stored to one document file and it is easy to print double sheet of every page.

Many claim that paperwork is difficult. Take photos from family -yes. Get letter from Embassy or bank -no. Embassy means a trip to big city. Amphur visit takes 1-2 hours and is boring -most difficult.

OT. Alternative is to go out, get a NON-O visa based on RETIREMENT (a real retirement visa) and have same attachments than before. No need for insurance. NON-OA is called LONG STAY visa for over 50 years old. It is not actual retirement visa. If you have a NON-O visa, you can get much better insurance from Thailand and pay only half price. Most cheaper insurance for foreigners require that you have stayed in Thailand more than one year AND can still stay at least one year. With NON-OA it is not possible.

Please, do all remember that NON-O classification includes family matters, but also retirement in Thailand. Somehow most of the people have been using NON-OA, which is translated LONG STAY TOURIST VISA. Of course difference is that with NON-O one must have retirement pension. With NON-OA any income is ok. Still saving with both of those is ok.

I am sorry, but I have a bad flu and can not concentrate very well. I hope that at least part of the idea is written here. If something is not clear, I can update above.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by the-monk » December 23, 2019, 8:49 pm

[quote ]If you have a NON-O visa, you can get much better insurance from Thailand and pay only half price. Most cheaper insurance for foreigners require that you have stayed in Thailand more than one year AND can still stay at least one year. With NON-OA it is not possible.

Please, do all remember that NON-O classification includes family matters, but also retirement in Thailand. Somehow most of the people have been using NON-OA, which is translated LONG STAY TOURIST VISA. Of course difference is that with NON-O one must have retirement pension. With NON-OA any income is ok. Still saving with both of those is ok.

I am sorry, but I have a bad flu and can not concentrate very well. I hope that at least part of the idea is written here. If something is not clear, I can update above.
[/quote]
Few years ago i asked my sister-in-law- who works for a major Thai Insurance Company to look into the possibility of getting medical insurance with her company. She came back a week later saying , yes it could be possible but it would be expensive, but in fact the company was NOT interested in dealing with foreigners, therefore i am shocked by your statement claiming that it s cheap and easy for anyone on a NON-O to get insurance coverage.. I would greatly appreciate more details such as prices, coverage, company name etc.
Thanks take good care of your flu. Get well soon.

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Re: Udon Thani Retirement Extension - what do they need?

Post by sometimewoodworker » December 23, 2019, 10:37 pm

eagle wrote:
December 23, 2019, 7:40 pm

Please, do all remember that NON-O classification includes family matters, but also retirement in Thailand. Somehow most of the people have been using NON-OA, which is translated LONG STAY TOURIST VISA. Of course difference is that with NON-O one must have retirement pension. With NON-OA any income is ok. Still saving with both of those is ok.
The proof of money needed to get either a Non-O or a Non-OA. Is dependant on the embassy you use (Non-O) or have to use (Non-OA) so the above is not universally correct, you really need to confirm the requirements with the embassy or consulate you are going to use.
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