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

[noosard]

your O-A visa would be invalid once the O visa has been obtained

Do you reckon they would give me a refund on the Re-entry Permit.

Not sure how re entry permits work as I only use multiple

[noosard]

They only do marriage visas in Savannaket and you must have Non O visa also.
They will not do it on 30 day visa.

Not sure you need a Non O visa as when I changed passports, I only had a 30 day tourist entry

[sgt]

OK, I've read through it several times, still aren't sure what it says. But it appears to say all extensions of stay for Non O-A or rather extension of stay based on retirement. A friend in Nong Khai has been to their office and talked with the high up and they confirm all extension of stay, not just 1st. application.

Like I said, typical of Thai law, especially immigration, not clear. But, sure doesn't look good. Add to all, my health care is free back in the states and is partially covered by VA Foreign Medical Program here. It must be Thai insurance only. I smell a scam and more effort to drive the western farang out.

[sometimewoodworker]

OK, I've read through it several times, still aren't sure what it says. But it appears to say all extensions of stay for Non O-A or rather extension of stay based on retirement.

The wording is that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-OA need insurance issued in Thailand. There is a document that may be accepted for foreign issued insurance.

It does not say that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-O need insurance.

Immigration officials may ask for insurance for all extensions of stay (for retirement) but that is not what is stated in the English translation.

[semperfiguy]

The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC, USA now has the updated insurance requirement in their details pertaining to the issuance of Non-Immigrant O-A Visas. The next to last sentence on the page says "A one-year extension of stay shall be granted at the discretion of the immigration officer to the foreigner as long as he or she meets the above requirements".

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services ... tegory-oa/

[pipoz4444]

OK, I've read through it several times, still aren't sure what it says. But it appears to say all extensions of stay for Non O-A or rather extension of stay based on retirement.

The wording is that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-OA need insurance issued in Thailand. There is a document that may be accepted for foreign issued insurance.

It does not say that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-O need insurance.

Immigration officials may ask for insurance for all extensions of stay (for retirement) but that is not what is stated in the English translation.

So, if one is currently on an existing Non Imm O-A Visa, where the 12 months runs out in February 2020,
Q1. Does this latest revelation from them indicate or suggest that I will need to take out a Thai based Insurance on 01 November 2019
Q2. Or does it indicate or suggest that I will need to take out a Thai bases Insurance before February 2020, i.e. before I attempt to extend my Non Imm O-A Visa (in January 2020) for a second/another 12 months

I should say that I already have in place International Insurance Cover, current until 30 June 2020, but they (the Tahi Immigration) will probably ignore that .

pipoz4444

[sometimewoodworker]

OK, I've read through it several times, still aren't sure what it says. But it appears to say all extensions of stay for Non O-A or rather extension of stay based on retirement.

The wording is that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-OA need insurance issued in Thailand. There is a document that may be accepted for foreign issued insurance.

It does not say that extensions of stay (for retirement) where the original visa entry was a Non-O need insurance.

Immigration officials may ask for insurance for all extensions of stay (for retirement) but that is not what is stated in the English translation.

So, if one is currently on an existing Non Imm O-A Visa, where the 12 months runs out in February 2020,
Q1. Does this latest revelation from them indicate or suggest that I will need to take out a Thai based Insurance on 01 November 2019
Q2. Or does it indicate or suggest that I will need to take out a Thai bases Insurance before February 2020, i.e. before I attempt to extend my Non Imm O-A Visa (in January 2020) for a second/another 12 months

I should say that I already have in place International Insurance Cover, current until 30 June 2020, but they (the Tahi Immigration) will probably ignore that .

pipoz4444

A 1. If you do not intend to travel outside Thailand before February 2020 you do not need insurance until just before your trip. Immigration officials are extremely unlikely to do anything until you need to extend a permission to stay.

A 2. The wording is that, YES you must have insurance when you reenter Thailand with a current OA Visa after October 31
Also even if you can get the form signed that validates your foreign insurance you would NOT get a 1 year permission to stay it would expire on the same day as your insurance 30 June 2020 not the expected January/February 2021

FWIW you can never extend a visa, you can exist before the multiple entry visa expires and get a new permission to stay.

[pipoz4444]

Does it indicate anywhere what level of Insurance one must have if re-entering on an NON IMM O A Visa - Opps read it and found it

Has anyone over 60 on a Non Imm O-A Visa, obtained their quotation yet? I ent into the long stay Link and many of the participation Insurance Companies are in Thai. You would have thought that given they are talking about Insurance for Aliens, that these participation Insurance Companies would have got their act together and made their web sites, easier for the Aliens that do not read Thai

pipoz4444

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Has anyone over 60 on a Non Imm O-A Visa, obtained their quotation yet? I ent into the long stay Link and many of the participation Insurance Companies are in Thai. You would have thought that given they are talking about Insurance for Aliens, that these participation Insurance Companies would have got their act together and made their web sites, easier for the Aliens that do not read Thaipipoz4444

It is entirely possible and reasonable for the Thai government to think that anyone wanting to live in this happy land would obviously learn how to communicate in the Thai language. Migrants from, say, Myanmar, Cambodia, China and Malaysia seem to understand this well.

[papafarang]

Has anyone over 60 on a Non Imm O-A Visa, obtained their quotation yet? I ent into the long stay Link and many of the participation Insurance Companies are in Thai. You would have thought that given they are talking about Insurance for Aliens, that these participation Insurance Companies would have got their act together and made their web sites, easier for the Aliens that do not read Thaipipoz4444

It is entirely possible and reasonable for the Thai government to think that anyone wanting to live in this happy land would obviously learn how to communicate in the Thai language. Migrants from, say, Myanmar, Cambodia, China and Malaysia seem to understand this well.

That would make sense except most of the farang come here Are on the older side and unlike Burmese Cambodians ect we are not migrants looking for work. I do agree that if I wanted to sell insurance to the Thai population it would be best to learn Thai.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Good point although I am not so sure that all of the farang who have set up a business here can communicate effectively in Thai.

[pf-flyer]

[quote=semperfiguy post_id=556984 time=1572086590 user_id=20643]
The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC, USA now has the updated insurance requirement in their details pertaining to the issuance of Non-Immigrant O-A Visas. The next to last sentence on the page says "A one-year extension of stay shall be granted at the discretion of the immigration officer to the foreigner as long as he or she meets the above requirements".

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services ... tegory-oa/
[/quote]

I have health insurance from the U.S. that reimburses me for my expenses. I read through this several times and I am still not sure how this will be implemented/interpreted at our local IO if or when they start to enforce this requirement at the discretion of the IO. It gives me cause for concern when I observe the real estates that are up for sale. I always thought that was what the 800,000 bath was for.

[Stantheman]

The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC, USA now has the updated insurance requirement in their details pertaining to the issuance of Non-Immigrant O-A Visas. The next to last sentence on the page says "A one-year extension of stay shall be granted at the discretion of the immigration officer to the foreigner as long as he or she meets the above requirements".

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services ... tegory-oa/

they already said Tricare is

I have health insurance from the U.S. that reimburses me for my expenses. I read through this several times and I am still not sure how this will be implemented/interpreted at our local IO if or when they start to enforce this requirement at the discretion of the IO. It gives me cause for concern when I observe the real estates that are up for sale. I always thought that was what the 800,000 bath was for.

Based on everything said and the fact that IO's have already said that TRICARE, which reimburses after the fact, is not accepted, then any reimbursement insurance will not be accepted.

[kopkei]

a lot water has already flown under the bridge about this , and to add , a friend of mine whom is on a non OA went to his io in ayutthaya and the head immigration officer there told that some where next year it will be obliged for all non O ..not only non OA , what would give a problem to many , also me , as not about the insurance itself but being forced to take one as this should be our own choice ,so if this happens i will have have a problem too as i want to decide myself what ever i spend my money on ...simple...we will have to wait and see how this will evolve ...
all this is also happening because of many insurance brokers trying to push this at several immigration instances ...
big bucks made here... ,will not be from me though..

[Hoopoe]

Sorry to throw in more confusion,but during a conversation with an OA retiree here , the conversation came onto the insurance issue ,he asked if through the haze of all the requirements "would he have to still get the insurance as he's married to a teacher therefore covered under her insurance scheme , Yes he could change it to an extension for reasons of marriage , but that would not change the initial OA
I couldn't answer him , and have briefly scanned through some requirement docs ,as of yet still have no answers , i've suggested to go into Udon IO and ask the question ,

[kopkei]

theoretically (?) nothing changes , if fe she drops dead tomorrow his joint insurance is gone but not his extension...

[semperfiguy]

Sorry to throw in more confusion,but during a conversation with an OA retiree here , the conversation came onto the insurance issue ,he asked if through the haze of all the requirements "would he have to still get the insurance as he's married to a teacher therefore covered under her insurance scheme , Yes he could change it to an extension for reasons of marriage , but that would not change the initial OA
I couldn't answer him , and have briefly scanned through some requirement docs ,as of yet still have no answers , i've suggested to go into Udon IO and ask the question ,

Please let us know what you find out Hoopoe! I am here on an O-A and retirement extension of stay and plan to change to the Marriage basis next June, but it's my understanding that the mandatory health insurance is only a requirement for extension of stay based on retirement. It's pretty clear in the latest Police Order.

[Barney]

I have been looking at what I require in the future to have a long stay visa to Thailand. Either a non imm O or non imm O-A visa.
Might just hit em up for another 6 month Tourist visa in the interim. Even this 6 month visa requires 200,000 funds.

Although it appears the medical insurance when applying for a non O-A according to the Sydney Thailand Embassy website can be taken out with Australian medical insurance or the Thai medical insurance as per below. Last line of the section states 12 months or the validity of the insurance. Does this mean the visa is invalid if the insurance runs out at say 11 months?
http://www.thaiembassy.org/sydney/en/ot ... -VISA.html
Website info
5. Non-Immigrant Visa type "O-A" (For Retirement long stay)
Purpose of Visit:
This type of visa is issued to the applicant who is an Australian national or a permanent resident currently residing in Australia whose age is 50 years or over. The applicant for this type of visa will be permitted to enter and stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 1 year. Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Additional required documents:
The following documents must be provided in 2 sets (1 original set and 1 copy set):
· Passport or travel document with minimum validity of 18 months. Applicant must be an.
• Download and complete Retirement Visa application form/personal data form/medical certificate form
• A bank statement in the past six months showing a deposit account with the minimum fund of THB 800,000, or an income statement with a monthly salary of THB 65,000 or a deposit account plus monthly income of THB 800,000 a year.
• A police name-check certificate issued no longer than 3 months prior to date of the application.
• A medical certificate indicating that the applicant has no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535 (1993) issued no longer than 3 months prior to the date of application with signature of the doctor and seal of the hospital/clinic on the certificate to confirm its authenticity
• An original copy of the health insurance policy from an Australian insurance company OR an original or a copy of the health insurance company from one of the participating Thai insurance companies listed in https://longstay.tgia.org which covers the whole period of stay in Thailand with a minimum coverage of THB 400,000 (in-patient) and THB 40,000 (out-patient)
• Download and complete Foreign Insurance Certificate

The validity of a Visa
The validity of a visa is 12 months with multiple entries
Period of Stay
Travelers will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 12 months and in accordance with the validity of the health insurance (if less than 12 months)

https://longstay.tgia.org
Then just fill out the Foreign Insurance Certificate.
https://longstay.tgia.org/document/over ... ficate.pdf

[sometimewoodworker]

Although it appears the medical insurance when applying for a non O-A according to the Sydney Thailand Embassy website can be taken out with Australian medical insurance or the Thai medical insurance as per below. Last line of the section states 12 months or the validity of the insurance. Does this mean the visa is invalid if the insurance runs out at say 11 months?

No. The visa is still valid for entry to Thailand however if your insurance runs out 9 months after the date you want to enter Thailand then the permission to stay will be given for 9 months not 12 months. Also if your insurance has run out even though you have a Visa that is in date you should be refused entry, as that is a requirement to enter Thailand.

So the permission to stay when entering with a valid OA Visa is either 12 months or until the insurance ends which ever is shorter.

All of the above is from the police order, it is certainly possible that a particular IO may give 12 months and ignore the insurance finish date but I would not bank on that happening.

[Barney]

Although it appears the medical insurance when applying for a non O-A according to the Sydney Thailand Embassy website can be taken out with Australian medical insurance or the Thai medical insurance as per below. Last line of the section states 12 months or the validity of the insurance. Does this mean the visa is invalid if the insurance runs out at say 11 months?

No. The visa is still valid for entry to Thailand however if your insurance runs out 9 months after the date you want to enter Thailand then the permission to stay will be given for 9 months not 12 months. Also if your insurance has run out even though you have a Visa that is in date you should be refused entry, as that is a requirement to enter Thailand.

So the permission to stay when entering with a valid OA Visa is either 12 months or until the insurance ends which ever is shorter.

All of the above is from the police order, it is certainly possible that a particular IO may give 12 months and ignore the insurance finish date but I would not bank on that happening.

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.