Retirement Visa problem - New Rules

[Scuba+]

I am correct in presuming that this would not apply to someone who got their visa inside the country (decades ago)?

What visa do you have?

[ex-pat]

Just now, Scuba+ said:

What visa do you have?

Retirement NON-0 is what is stamped in my passport.

[fforest]

On 27/10/2019 at 17:46, Scuba+ said:

The insurance may well be a waste of money as conditions you are most likely to claim on will be exclusions, so it's money down the toilet. Immigration don't understand that or don't care. That money could be spent on hospital bills

 

 

I think the insurance situation is pretty clear....Helping people with their health is way down the list of priorities..Helping insurance company executives support their Mia-Noys in style is pretty much at the top of the list...

[Scuba+]

Retirement NON-0 is what is stamped in my passport.

insurance doesn't apply to non-imm O

[ex-pat]

7 minutes ago, Scuba+ said:

21 minutes ago, ex-pat said:

Retirement NON-0 is what is stamped in my passport.

insurance doesn't apply to non-imm O

Thanks! That's a relief. I should get more familiar with the terminology - never bothered before.

[Oukiva]

Hi. After 3 weeks insisting that this new Insurance rule was only for people getting an O-A Visa in their country, ThaiVisa admins today arrived at the conclusion that this should be also for retirement extensions for people initially on a Non O-A... 

See this post on Thaivisa by admin Maestro.

[usexpat46]

2 hours ago, Oukiva said:

Hi. After 3 weeks insisting that this new Insurance rule was only for people getting an O-A Visa in their country, ThaiVisa admins today arrived at the conclusion that this should be also for retirement extensions for people initially on a Non O-A... 

See this post on Thaivisa by admin Maestro.

Went down today to Jomtien Immigration to check on  this new insurance requirement and the new 90 day report for those that use the 800K in a Thai bank for the financial requirement.  Went to station #8 to get both questions answered and talked to the young lady behind the desk.  First ask her what type of proof do I need to show that I have health insurance in America that will cover me for emergencies outside of America.  She immediately wanted to see my passport to look at what type of visa I had and saw that I had a Non O and told me that there is no health insurance required for a Non O's and that only the Non O-A's issued by Thai Embassies in foreign countries were effected by this new health insurance requirement.  I then asked her about the new 90 day report requirement and did it have the same grace period both before and after the 90 day date like the 90 day report that we do for our residence and she told me no that I must report on the date stamped on the paper they give us when we do the retirement extension.  Ran into a friend while I was down there who was renewing his retirement extension who has the Non-O visa and he wasn't asked to provide any health insurance.

[Soi7]

7 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

Ran into a friend while I was down there who was renewing his retirement extension who has the Non-O visa and he wasn't asked to provide any health insurance.

It doesn't go into effect until the 31st

[Scuba+]

I wonder when people will get it into their heads that it doesn't apply to the non imm O. It's almost phobic, where all evidence is ignored and they keep asking the same question. Maybe an age thing

 

 

 

 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Soi7 said:

It doesn't go into effect until the 31st

And it ONLY applies to Non 0 visas issued outside of Thailand i.e. in your own country

[Soi7]

1 minute ago, petermik said:

And it ONLY applies to Non 0 visas issued outside of Thailand i.e. in your own country

I think you mean OA visas

[Ludhamlad]

33 minutes ago, Scuba+ said:

I wonder when people will get it into their heads that it doesn't apply to the non imm O. It's almost phobic, where all evidence is ignored and they keep asking the same question. Maybe an age thing.

I think they may as well stop issuing the O/A altogether but it's still available last time I checked the London website.  I've no plans to extend mine.

[Scuba+]

I think they may as well stop issuing the O/A altogether but it's still available last time I checked the London website.  I've no plans to extend mine.

Personally i think Immigration are just trying to deter people getting the O\A and pushing them to the O where they get more money via agents. I don't think they expect people to actually buy that rubbish 400k\40k insurance.

Everyone should just bin the O\A and move to the O or find another way

[Ludhamlad]

 

[Scuba+]

Sounds like he's guessing what's going to happen with the O. I've not read or seen that anywhere else

[KhunChang]

I am sorry i am not concerned (yet) therefore haven't done any research BUT i have a friend on O-A currently in France for a month.

I remember he told me he got rid of his Thai insurance after being disappointed by the reimbursement and did not take any in replacement.

Is he going to have any trouble coming back or not?

Thx

Edited November 10, 2019 by KhunChang

[Scuba+]

I am sorry i am not concerned (yet) therefore haven't done any research BUT i have a friend on O-A currently in France for a month.
I remember he told me he got rid of his Thai insurance after being disappointed by the reimbursement and did not take any in replacement.
Is he going to have any trouble coming back or not?
Thx

I'd say 50\50 based on anecdotal info so far. I guess worse case he can't enter on a O-A instead he gets a visa exempt on entry and can apply for a non O once entered

[Garzan]

1 hour ago, Scuba+ said:

Sounds like he's guessing what's going to happen with the O. I've not read or seen that anywhere else

Yes, it seems to still be a wait and see. From a purely selfish point of view, I don't have to renew until August of 2020, so it ~ought~ to be clear what is going on by then. However now seems to still be people guessing and hoping. 

I'll add that going to the website referenced in the US Embassy STEP email http://longstay.tgia.org/ that does specifically reference "O-X" and "O-A" visas. 

Edited November 10, 2019 by Garzan

[Scuba+]

Yes, it seems to still be a wait and see. From a purely selfish point of view, I don't have to renew until August of 2020, so it ~ought~ to be clear what is going on by then. However now seems to still be people guessing and hoping. 
I'll add that going to the website referenced in the US Embassy STEP email http://longstay.tgia.org/ that does specifically reference "O-X" and "O-A" visas. 

the guy in the YouTube video above is saying they will bin the availability of new non imm O from Thailand instead all new retirees will have to start with an O\A out of country, get insurance and go from there so existing non imm O holders are excluded from the health insurance requirement......sounds like a dream he had rather than based on facts

[Soi7]

1 minute ago, Scuba+ said:

19 minutes ago, Garzan said:

Yes, it seems to still be a wait and see. From a purely selfish point of view, I don't have to renew until August of 2020, so it ~ought~ to be clear what is going on by then. However now seems to still be people guessing and hoping. 
I'll add that going to the website referenced in the US Embassy STEP email http://longstay.tgia.org/ that does specifically reference "O-X" and "O-A" visas. 

Read more  

the guy in the YouTube video above is saying they will bin the availability of new non imm O from Thailand instead all new retirees will have to start with an O\A out of country, get insurance and go from there so existing non imm O holders are excluded from the health insurance requirement......sounds like a dream he had rather than based on facts

Well no one knows for sure yet but I don't think that's so far-fetched. If they don't allow anyone to come in on an O Visa anymore then of course the OA is the only option and they can monitor them to have insurance. By not making the non-immigrant 0 extenders of retirement in this country it would grandfather them in. I can understand what he's saying and I can understand them doing this with the exception of the grandfathering them in while I hope that would happen I just don't think it will.

[Oukiva]

59 minutes ago, Soi7 said:

If they don't allow anyone to come in on an O Visa anymore then of course the OA is the only option and they can monitor them to have insurance.

I doubt they do that. Pure speculation from a YouTuber without any beginning of proof...

I also really hope that they don't, because it would be impossible for me to get a Non O-A!  The Thai Embassy in France is one of the worse, and among the many requirements they added, one requirement for a  Non O-A is a proof of residence in France... 

[davidge]

Things are still to fully settle down but looking increasingly like entering on a current O-A or with a re-entry permit without insurance will not be a problem - though some questions are still being asked by IOs. So, if you are in the first or second year of your O-A then you should be ok.

Any new O-A application requires insurance. It’s possible, at least in some Embassies, to use foreign Health Insurance and not just those on the official list. Could depend on getting the form signed by your insurers though.

It’s also looking like Extensions of Stay where the original visa was an O-A (however long ago) WILL require insurance and only from one of the companies on the official list.

As I said, things still not completely clear (so don’t kill me) but I thought I’d update how I see things.

[sulu]

3 hours ago, davidge said:

Things are still to fully settle down but looking increasingly like entering on a current O-A or with a re-entry permit without insurance will not be a problem - though some questions are still being asked by IOs. So, if you are in the first or second year of your O-A then you should be ok.

Any new O-A application requires insurance. It’s possible, at least in some Embassies, to use foreign Health Insurance and not just those on the official list. Could depend on getting the form signed by your insurers though.

It’s also looking like Extensions of Stay where the original visa was an O-A (however long ago) WILL require insurance and only from one of the companies on the official list.

As I said, things still not completely clear (so don’t kill me) but I thought I’d update how I see things.

Thanks for the updates.

Just to be clear, by "current" you mean "existing" O-A prior to Oct 31 ?

And by "new" it would be any O-A after Oct 31 ?

And those dates would be entry into Thailand, NOT the date of issue ?

The extensions requiring a company on the Thai list is a bit worrisome, especially if the retiree feels his homeland insurance provides better coverage and he doesn't want to give it up.

Also there could be a bit of a "donut hole" if the retiree has foreign insurance and then turns 75 before the extension as I believe the Thai companies won't issue new policies after age 75 (looked at a few but not all of them). 

[davidge]

15 minutes ago, sulu said:

Thanks for the updates.

Just to be clear, by "current" you mean "existing" O-A prior to Oct 31 ?

And by "new" it would be any O-A after Oct 31 ?

And those dates would be entry into Thailand, NOT the date of issue ?

The extensions requiring a company on the Thai list is a bit worrisome, especially if the retiree feels his homeland insurance provides better coverage and he doesn't want to give it up.

Also there could be a bit of a "donut hole" if the retiree has foreign insurance and then turns 75 before the extension as I believe the Thai companies won't issue new policies after age 75 (looked at a few but not all of them). 

None of this is definite. As usual when a new ‘rule’ is brought in we have to judge from reports on the ground what is actually happening.

If you apply for a new O-A (anytime since 31 October) then the various Thai Embassies won’t issue one without insurance. So, if you don’t already have an O-A you can’t get one without insurance.

If you already had an O-A before 31 October then insurance wasn’t required. For the first few days people entering using one were asked to show insurance at airports. That now seems to have stopped - though there’s no guarantee that will be universal as TiT. So, for now, those people don’t need insurance. For the initial 12 months of the visa they should be fine to come and go. Those on the final entry from the visa can get a re-entry permit and come and go until the end of that permission to stay - again without insurance. 
 

The authorities seem to have decided NOT to check insurance on entry.

 

That just leaves those already at the end of the permission of stay from the initial visa who have to get an annual Extension of Stay. The first hand reports are still quite scarce but the ‘perceived consensus’ is that the Immigration Offices will require Insurance and they will insist on it being one of the approved policies.

Yes, some older people who may have been living in Thailand for many years will be unable to get insurance. I think 2 companies accept new clients up to 75. 

The solution is to switch to a Non-O Visa, either by getting one in a nearby country or home country where available, or by using an agent.

If they ever expand the insurance requirement to Non-O visas then a lot of people are going to have problems.

[davidge]

One thing for our American BMs:

There is no mention of a Non-O on the basis of retirement being available on either the Thai Embassy in Washington’s website or the Chicago Consulate. That rules out one possible option for those caught by the insurance requirement.

The non-O is still available (at least for now) in Consulates in Savannakhet and Penang. Otherwise, it’s the agent route I’m afraid.