Mandatory health insurance for Non O-A visa effective from 31 October

[Marcosteffano]

And there was me thinking if I have to get insurance I would just get a 12 month backpackers insurance that would easily cover my health plus lots of other benefits.from the U.K. It would cost 18,000b.

[kopkei]

it clearly states (page 11 paragraph 3)first year foreign insurances allowed , extensions only Thai based ..,at least that is what i understood of it ?...

[sometimewoodworker]

Thanks and perhaps my wording was incorrect and confusing when saying invalid, I understood entry could be made on the visa and the visa only lasts as long as the insurance is valid. Timing of the start date of the insurance is crucial, but I would assume that once you renew your insurance for a 2nd 12 months and filling out another foreign Insurance certificate things are honky dory. I havnt checked yet but who do you provide the Foreign Insurance Certificate to. IO on arrival or send it in to the contact emails on the certificate?
The other confusion I had from some posters who were asking or advising that the insurance must be procured from a Thai insurer seems to be incorrect.

You are confusing the Visa and your permission to stay.

To the best of my knowledge the visa term of 1 year (OA) is unaffected by the term of your insurance. Though I would think that many people will arrange for the insurance to start on the date of application for the visa. You would have to ask that question to the embassy or consulate issuing the visa for a definitive answer.

Your permission to stay [given on entry ] is limited to the shorter of: 1) the term of your insurance or 2) 1 year.

To get your Visa your foreign insurance is accepted.

The police order requirement for entry after the foreign insurance finishes is that you have Thai issued insurance.

There is a form that may, or may not, be accepted for non Thai issued insurance. The police order requirement is for Thai insurance. On that point you should go into immigration with your foreign insurance and certificate and ask if you can renew that insurance and still be allowed to enter. It it quite possible that it may be accepted

You will certainly need to present all your insurance papers including the certificate to the immigration officer at your port of entry

[Chuchi]

https://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory ... -73376.php

[sometimewoodworker]

https://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory ... -73376.php

That report is rather confused as there are things in it that can’t happen.

Once you actually straighten out the mistakes it does suggest that as I have been saying

At the moment the best choice for most people who have had an OA that has been extended is to leave THAILAND at a convenient time before renewal without a reentry permit to the nearest or most convenient embassy/consulate then get a Non-O and extended that either on the basis of marriage (if married) or retirement if not.

if you already have a reentry permit then you need to take your trip so you will arrive at the consulate or embassy after your current extension finishes.

It may be best for anyone who is coming to the end of the 2nd year of the OA to also follow the above suggestion.

It could also make financial sense given the cost of insurance to forget the possible 2nd year you can get with an OA specially if you already have insurance (if immigration will not accept that insurance as valid)


I am only talking about the situation as it is now. I do not speculate on possible future police orders on extensions from other visas. There is no point in working yourself up over something that may not happen.

[semperfiguy]

So, if I'm understanding all this correctly, one who came to Thailand on a Non-Immigrant O-A and has extended their 12 month stay for several years on the basis of retirement, that person can apply for a change of visa to Non-Immigrant O at the time of their extension renewal and be granted a 90 day permission to stay. Somewhere around 60 days into that new permission to stay one can go back to their local immigration office and convert that to a 12 month extension of stay based on retirement or marriage. If that be the case does the applicant have to now provide a police clearance and a medical certificate in addition to meeting the financial requirements just as he did when he applied for the Non-Immigrant O-A in his home country?

[sometimewoodworker]

So, if I'm understanding all this correctly, one who came to Thailand on a Non-Immigrant O-A and has extended their 12 month stay for several years on the basis of retirement, that person can apply for a change of visa to Non-Immigrant O at the time of their extension renewal and be granted a 90 day permission to stay. Somewhere around 60 days into that new permission to stay one can go back to their local immigration office and convert that to a 12 month extension of stay based on retirement or marriage. If that be the case does the applicant have to now provide a police clearance and a medical certificate in addition to meeting the financial requirements just as he did when he applied for the Non-Immigrant O-A in his home country?

No you can not do that. (To the best of my knowledge despite the reports) Immigration will not issue a Non-O to someone who already has a 1 year extension. It is only available to someone on a visa on entry, a visa exempt, and a tourist visa. It may also be possible for someone on a transit visa. It is a requirement for a 1 year extension but as you already have one of those you are not eligible.


As I said the news report is confused and claims things are possible which are not.

At the moment the best choice for most people who have had an OA that has been extended is to leave THAILAND at a convenient time before renewal without a reentry permit to the nearest or most convenient embassy/consulate then get a Non-O and extended that either on the basis of marriage (if married) or retirement if not.

if you already have a reentry permit then you need to take your trip so you will arrive at the consulate or embassy after your current extension finishes.

[sometimewoodworker]

Duplicate

[DuiDui49]

Mandatory health insurance for retirees falls flat as ‘Non-Imm O’ visa loophole exposed

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113087 ... paign=news

*********************************************************************************************************************************

Translation from Thinglish to English:



========

"However, Phuket Immigration Chief Lt Col Kathathorn Kumthieng confirmed to The Phuket News this week, “People applying under the Non-Immigrant O visa do not need health insurance, but people applying for permits to stay under different visas will get the different benefits of the visa they are applying under.

“For example, a foreigner who has Non- Immigrant O-A visa will get a one-year year extension,” he said.

Yet Col Kathathorn would not confirm that one-year permits to stay would no longer be approved for those applying under “Non-Immigrant O’ visa status. Under immigration regulations, that option is still available.

=======

[dunroaming]

As usual clear as mud

[kopkei]

the best way to know is straight of a recent applicant at Udon immigration , as to all other regions (Phuket...) is not relevant for us ...we will have to wait some good soul post his experience with this ....
(we did have one already )

[DuiDui49]

As usual clear as mud

Thanks for the laugh DR..Clear as mud it is..Have a good day everyone..

[semperfiguy]

So, if I'm understanding all this correctly, one who came to Thailand on a Non-Immigrant O-A and has extended their 12 month stay for several years on the basis of retirement, that person can apply for a change of visa to Non-Immigrant O at the time of their extension renewal and be granted a 90 day permission to stay. Somewhere around 60 days into that new permission to stay one can go back to their local immigration office and convert that to a 12 month extension of stay based on retirement or marriage. If that be the case does the applicant have to now provide a police clearance and a medical certificate in addition to meeting the financial requirements just as he did when he applied for the Non-Immigrant O-A in his home country?

No you can not do that. (To the best of my knowledge despite the reports) Immigration will not issue a Non-O to someone who already has a 1 year extension. It is only available to someone on a visa on entry, a visa exempt, and a tourist visa. It may also be possible for someone on a transit visa. It is a requirement for a 1 year extension but as you already have one of those you are not eligible.


As I said the news report is confused and claims things are possible which are not.

At the moment the best choice for most people who have had an OA that has been extended is to leave THAILAND at a convenient time before renewal without a reentry permit to the nearest or most convenient embassy/consulate then get a Non-O and extended that either on the basis of marriage (if married) or retirement if not.

if you already have a reentry permit then you need to take your trip so you will arrive at the consulate or embassy after your current extension finishes.

Sometimewoodworker, that all sounds pretty risky to me. What if in a worst case scenario the applicant is denied a Non-Imm O Visa at say Vientiane for some unexplained reason. What is the next step to getting back in the country and finding a pathway back to having a 12 month extension?

[tamada]

^ Depending on their nationality, they could get a 15-day visa-exempt entry at Mukdahan or Nongkhai? Otherwise they could re-apply at the Embassy or Consulate General for a SETV.

Although I haven't seen any recent noise about being asked to show proof of onward travel, ie. a confirmed flight out of Thailand within the 15 days and NOT an open ticket, it is a published requirement so it may be a good idea to have that, just in case? There's also that 20,000 baht cash (or equivalent) that the Bangkok airport IO's are supposed to ask to see but seem to avoid so they can reject travelers on the 12.2 violation. I don't recall any people crossing from Laos being asked for that but not unknown on Malaysian border crossings.

[ladda3904]

I have AETNA coverage in the US. They will be announcing a package for Expats on Oct. 31. This information came to me via email from their office in UD town.

[sometimewoodworker]

^ Depending on their nationality, they could get a 15-day visa-exempt entry at Mukdahan or Nongkhai? Otherwise they could re-apply at the Embassy or Consulate General for a SETV.

Although I haven't seen any recent noise about being asked to show proof of onward travel, ie. a confirmed flight out of Thailand within the 15 days and NOT an open ticket, it is a published requirement so it may be a good idea to have that, just in case? There's also that 20,000 baht cash (or equivalent) that the Bangkok airport IO's are supposed to ask to see but seem to avoid so they can reject travelers on the 12.2 violation. I don't recall any people crossing from Laos being asked for that but not unknown on Malaysian border crossings.

The 15 day visa exempt entry at land borders stopped around 3 years ago when the 2 entries per calendar year limit was introduced. Now virtually everyone gets 30 days.

[tamada]

The 15 day visa exempt entry at land borders stopped around 3 years ago when the 2 entries per calendar yer limit was introduced. Now virtually everyone gets 30 days.

Thanks for that clarification. I've never border hopped and lost track of the realities of what's in vogue with all the panic merchants and stress monkeys posting on the big forum after increasingly getting shown the door at regional embassies and consulates.

[mech_401]

nice little earner for thai ins companies. im waiting for figures on what this gonna cost ballpark
and sympathetic to those with pre exist cond.

[sometimewoodworker]

nice little earner for thai ins companies. im waiting for figures on what this gonna cost ballpark
and sympathetic to those with pre exist cond.

65~70 years old ฿65,000 per anum and most probably they will listen sympathetically to you while refusing to cover anything you currently have or know about.

[mech_401]

thank-you for that. i saw a £1,000 number
for a 35 yr old and then on up from there
who doesnt have ailments inthe 50+ club