Health insurance now mandatory for long-stay foreigners

[caller]

Can this be proved by any official immigration documents?

Have a look at the document posted by laser, above.

[Edmin]

The document posted by laser does not mention anything about extension to stay based on retirement. In my understanding Alien's Application for a Temporary Stay in the Kingdom is application for O-A visa. My understating could be wrong, English is not my first language.

[caller]

The document posted by laser does not mention anything about extension to stay based on retirement. In my understanding Alien's Application for a Temporary Stay in the Kingdom is application for O-A visa. My understating could be wrong, English is not my first language.

The whole document is about changes to the requirements needed to extend an AO (retirement) visa.

For most, the AO visa is applied for before arriving in Thailand. The visa is for one year and is then extended annually.

Insurance as previously discussed, is now required before applying for a further extension to the original visa, for any applications after 31 October 2019.

The AO (retirement) visa is mentioned twice in the document, at the end of the 2nd paragraph and again at the end of the document.

[Nereus]

The document posted by laser does not mention anything about extension to stay based on retirement. In my understanding Alien's Application for a Temporary Stay in the Kingdom is application for O-A visa. My understating could be wrong, English is not my first language.

The whole document is about changes to the requirements needed to extend an AO (retirement) visa.

For most, the AO visa is applied for before arriving in Thailand. The visa is for one year and is then extended annually.

Insurance as previously discussed, is now required before applying for a further extension to the original visa, for any applications after 31 October 2019.

The AO (retirement) visa is mentioned twice in the document, at the end of the 2nd paragraph and again at the end of the document.

Ah, sorry caller, but that is not strictly true, pedantic or otherwise.
The visa being discussed is an O-A (long stay), not retirement.

The question being asked, and the answer is not in the post that you refer to is: what happens after 1 year when the O-A visa expires.

Most of us are on a non-immigrant "O" visa, extended for one year on the basis of retirement. The new insurance requirement is not required for that extension, only the income / funds on deposit rules. And it is NOT a retirement visa, it is an extension of your original non-immigrant "O" visa.

[REEM]

^

That is my understanding. There is a UK forum for Thais, many with UK husbands and this subject is being discussed a lot. One UK passport holder on a retirement extension issued on a non-imm OA visa was stamped in for only 1 month at Suwannaphum last week, he had over 7 months left on his retirement extension. Under the 1 month entry stamp and written in Thai by the immigration officer was a note mentioning the new insurance requirement and he was told to arrange insurance and then go to his immigration office and have his stay extended.

[Edmin]

The question being asked, and the answer is not in the post that you refer to is: what happens after 1 year when the O-A visa expires.

Most of us are on a non-immigrant "O" visa, extended for one year on the basis of retirement. The new insurance requirement is not required for that extension, only the income / funds on deposit rules. And it is NOT a retirement visa, it is an extension of your original non-immigrant "O" visa.

Thank you Nereus for clarifying my mumbling. I'm just wondering if Ratsima's neighbor in Korat asked immigration officer if insurance is required for him or, it was officer who asked him to provide insurance certificate (or other proof). I think if you ask such question, answer always will be 'yes'.

My O-A visa will expire in March 2020 and, I have 400,00/40,000 insurance. When I go to immigration with my TM7 and everything else, I am not going to show it if not being asked. I will report results on this thread if it will not be all clear by then.

[Dannie Boy]

The question being asked, and the answer is not in the post that you refer to is: what happens after 1 year when the O-A visa expires.

Most of us are on a non-immigrant "O" visa, extended for one year on the basis of retirement. The new insurance requirement is not required for that extension, only the income / funds on deposit rules. And it is NOT a retirement visa, it is an extension of your original non-immigrant "O" visa.

Thank you Nereus for clarifying my mumbling. I'm just wondering if Ratsima's neighbor in Korat asked immigration officer if insurance is required for him or, it was officer who asked him to provide insurance certificate (or other proof). I think if you ask such question, answer always will be 'yes'.

My O-A visa will expire in March 2020 and, I have 400,00/40,000 insurance. When I go to immigration with my TM7 and everything else, I am not going to show it if not being asked. I will report results on this thread if it will not be all clear by then.

I’m in the same group having originally entered on an O-A visa, but with no health insurance. What I’m wondering is, if it is confirmed that medical insurance is required at renewal time, is another option open to convert to an “O” visa?

[HHTel]

If it's foreign insurance and if insurance is required, then there's a BS form that has to be filled out by your insurance company. Looking at the form, I can't see any company able to complete it. Apart from other info, it has to be signed by a director of the company.
The rule desigd to force people into buying Thai insurance.

[Nereus]

I’m in the same group having originally entered on an O-A visa, but with no health insurance. What I’m wondering is, if it is confirmed that medical insurance is required at renewal time, is another option open to convert to an “O” visa?

If it was me I would be inclined to let the bloody thing expire. Perhaps you can work it in with your upcoming trip?
Then obtain a 60 day tourist visa and convert it to a non-immigrant "0" in Thailand when you return. I doubt that Immigration would consider doing it otherwise.

[caller]

I think what I am saying is correct, apart from using AO instead of OA.

I have an O-A visa as evidenced by what is in my passport. It was issued by the Thai Embassy in London, specifically on my request to retire to Thailand. I extend it annually. At the top of my renewal stamp in my passport, is another stamp stating 'retirement'. If the Thai's aren't being pedantic, neither do I need to be!

Reem: I am a long standing member of the the same forum. When Thai's introduce new rules, there are all sorts of weird and wonderful interpretations until the dust settles.

I think the consensus is that immigration officer was wrong.

But based on that thread on that forum, I specifically asked about this scenario when I did my 90 day report at Bluport earlier this month. After consultation with the head honcho there, who then approached me personally, stating that I could come and go as I please based on my multi-entry without health insurance.

However, it was a requirement to have health insurance in place by the time I further extend my O-A visa next August. That advice is supported by the document laser posted here and is widely available on-line.

[Dannie Boy]

I’m in the same group having originally entered on an O-A visa, but with no health insurance. What I’m wondering is, if it is confirmed that medical insurance is required at renewal time, is another option open to convert to an “O” visa?

If it was me I would be inclined to let the bloody thing expire. Perhaps you can work it in with your upcoming trip?
Then obtain a 60 day tourist visa and convert it to a non-immigrant "0" in Thailand when you return. I doubt that Immigration would consider doing it otherwise.

I shall be leaving before the current extension of stay expires but returning afterwards, so that could be the best option, but as I have about 5 months before I travel it will hopefully be clarified one way or another before then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PeteC]

I'm a little surprised some hospital group, like Dusit-Bangkok, hasn't come up with a "Club" idea in that you pay your dues as a member and are covered for a certain amount, but only at their branches.

It's just insurance by another name and may qualify in the eyes of the Gov. It also locks people into using their facilities, so if they structure it properly it's a win-win if the dues are lower than other available health insurance.

[Gregjam]

I entered as visa exempt and obtained a non imm O at Hua Hin immigration based on income. Visa was stamped “retirement” and expires in February so one month before I will be extending it. As I don’t have time to run around getting insurance etc before I return to work I will visit Matt at AA and get some insurance that meets the requirements however when I extend will not produce the cert unless asked and will report how things went at the time. I do find the “retirement” category interesting particularly as I am not yet 60 and obviously still working.

[Dannie Boy]

I entered as visa exempt and obtained a non imm O at Hua Hin immigration based on income. Visa was stamped “retirement” and expires in February so one month before I will be extending it. As I don’t have time to run around getting insurance etc before I return to work I will visit Matt at AA and get some insurance that meets the requirements however when I extend will not produce the cert unless asked and will report how things went at the time. I do find the “retirement” category interesting particularly as I am not yet 60 and obviously still working.

I thought that everybody has been saying that you don’t need the insurance if you’re on an “O” visa?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GroveHillWanderer]

"Can this be proved by any official immigration documents?"

As far as I know, it can't.

Meanwhile, there are multiple first-hand accounts from contributors on the ThaiVisa forum stating that various different immigration offices around the country (including Hua Hin) are requiring proof of health insurance for extensions of stay, not just for new visa applicants. Also that they're not accepting overseas insurance policies, only ones from the TGIA website.