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New Visa-O rules on Health Insurance

Gypsyjoe
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Gypsyjoe Rookie Member

Gypsyjoe

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Hello expats.

I am wondering about the new rules in regards of the one year Visa-O. It seems to me there is still a lot of confusions as so many times here in Phuket immigration.

 

Someone I know from Australia just did the extension for another year and he did not had a health Insurance. Apparently they made him pay 30'000thb. to make it go away (basically making a health insurance in the office was my thought but don't know if this is true).

 

It says ( where to find this information is unknown to me) that the new Visas-O holders must have a health insurance covered 400'000 Thb. as a minimum coverage. Some say all expats must have an health insurance and some others say no, only if you arrive as a first time applicant to the visa -0. Another info I hear yesterday that some European citizens like Germany, Switzerland and Austria do not ned a health insurance, if they already have one and need to extend for another year.

 

I am really confused what is true and would be happy if the immigration or someone who really knows, can shed some light into this and post this on the Thai immigration website.

Edited by Gypsyjoe
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Martyp Rookie Member

Martyp

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Given how confused you are you need to study up on the differences between an O visa, an OA visa, and an extension of stay. No one on an OA visa is exempt from the insurance requirement. Whether an agent can make it go away wouldn’t know. However, when you are asking other people about their immigration experiences, you need to definitively know their visa/extension status and what immigration office they are using. Ultimately you should go to your Immigration office and ask about your specific needs.

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elviajero Ruby Member

elviajero

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1 hour ago, Gypsyjoe said:

It says ( where to find this information is unknown to me) that the new Visas-O holders must have a health insurance covered 400'000 Thb. as a minimum coverage.

That is only for Non O-A visa holders; NOT required for Non O visa holders.

 

The person concerned probably has a O-A visa. Either way — based on your report — they were a victim of extortion.

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david555 Ruby Member

david555

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5 hours ago, Gypsyjoe said:

Dear Ubonjoe.

May I ask, where you got this information from?

This can only be a real true newbie , asking Ubonjoe where he got the info from ….????

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mosan Senior Member

mosan

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The fact that he has been a member of ThaiVisa since November 2010 and doesn't know anything says a lot about this person--and anyone else who's been around this long and chooses to bury their head in the sand.

Edited by mosan
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KhunBENQ Star Member

KhunBENQ

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6 hours ago, Gypsyjoe said:

Dear Ubonjoe.

May I ask, where you got this information from?

Orders and plenty of reports in the forum. One of the hot topics of the last monts.

Maybe my last post may be of interest:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1136904-getting-rid-of-non-o-a-specific-case/?do=findComment&comment=14864241

And that's consistent with other reports.

Even the immigration officers suggest to get a standard Non O visa.

 

If you have 100% watertight proof that Phuket immigration required health insurance on a Non O, then post it.

 

Edited by KhunBENQ
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jacko45k Star Member

jacko45k

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17 minutes ago, MaxH said:

Hey everyone this is just another fake topic posted just for the purpose of confusing people

Dumb it down for me...For what purpose?    

Confusing people seems to be much effort without reason.

Edited by jacko45k
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ifmu Silver Member

ifmu

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19 hours ago, Martyp said:

Given how confused you are you need to study up on the differences between an O visa, an OA visa, and an extension of stay. No one on an OA visa is exempt from the insurance requirement. Whether an agent can make it go away wouldn’t know. However, when you are asking other people about their immigration experiences, you need to definitively know their visa/extension status and what immigration office they are using. Ultimately you should go to your Immigration office and ask about your specific needs.

i really understand how confusing this is for first timers .. when i went through it i was getting misinformation and or confusing information ... through this forum .... i finally found a thai website for usa in english and it straightened me right out .. ..now i only worry about the immigration not following or understanding the rules ....

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sletraveler Senior Member

sletraveler

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12 hours ago, mosan said:

The fact that he has been a member of ThaiVisa since November 2010 and doesn't know anything says a lot about this person--and anyone else who's been around this long and chooses to bury their head in the sand.

Or not log onto the site to catch the latest quips from the peanut gallery.  

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Peter Denis Platinum Member

Peter Denis

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26 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

so for a  twelve month multiple entry Non O you do not need health insurance?

This is how I understand it from the NZ Thai embassy but confusing as not all embassies are the same.

That's correct.

Thai-approven health-insurance is only required when applying for an OA (long-stay) Visa in your home-country or applying at a thai Immigration Office for an extension based on such a Visa for reason of retirement.

Since the introduction of the heatlh-insurance requirement the popularity of that Visa has plummeted dramatically, especially since there are several alternative options for staying long-term in Thailand that do not require the expensive and basically worthless thai-approven health-insurance.

 

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16 hours ago, david555 said:

This can only be a real true newbie , asking Ubonjoe where he got the info from ….????

Next we will be asking Bill Gates if he is SURE you can add number in Excel.

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cnxgary Explorer Member

cnxgary

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I"ve asked before and I"ll ask again can a holder of a OA doing extensions for retirement change to extensions for marriage without having to exit the Kingdom? Does a person with a OA-marriage require insurance? Anyone, Ubon Joe, Peter your input please?

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HHTel Silver Member

HHTel

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16 hours ago, mosan said:

The fact that he has been a member of ThaiVisa since November 2010 and doesn't know anything says a lot about this person--and anyone else who's been around this long and chooses to bury their head in the sand.

Well with 9 posts in 9 years (3 of them in the last day) he's hardly an active member!

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Suradit69 Diamond Member

Suradit69

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"And as far as I know is Non AO are obtained offshore and Non O are obtained in TH"

 

Visas are obtained outside Thailand at Thai embassies or consulates. Extensions of stay are obtained inside Thailand at immigrations. The O-A is obtained in your home country or country of legal residence. The non-Imm O may or may not be available for retirement in some countries.

 

The one exception is that you may be able to convert a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to a non-Imm O ENTRY at Immigrations in Thailand as a step leading to an extension of stay based on retirement.

 

At this point in time it's sort of surprising how many people haven't  grasped some very basic information that effects their continued stay in Thailand. There is some understandable confusion about some issues, but there is also some uncontested basic information.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Suradit69
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ubonjoe Legendary Member

ubonjoe

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24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Funny. My O visa was obtained in the U.S. Last time I checked, not in Thailand. 

How long ago was that?

The honorary consulates were doing them until about 3 years ago. The embassy in DC gave them instructions not to do them anymore at the same time they were told not to issue any multiple entry visas. Also mailed in applications could not be done anymore.

Houston consulate website. Nothing about retirement for non-o visas here. 

http://www.thaiconsulatehouston.com/nonimmigrantvisa.html

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jacko45k Star Member

jacko45k

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2 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

so for a  twelve month multiple entry Non O you do not need health insurance?

This is how I understand it from the NZ Thai embassy but confusing as not all embassies are the same.

Yes, quite a few no longer even support a ME Non-Imm-O Visa.

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Jingthing Legendary Member

Jingthing

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Just now, ubonjoe said:

How long ago was that?

The honorary consulates were doing them until about 3 years ago. The embassy in DC gave them instructions not to do them anymore at the same time they were told not to issue any multiple entry visas. Also mailed in applications could not be done anymore.

Houston consulate website. Nothing about retirement for non-o visas here. 

http://www.thaiconsulatehouston.com/nonimmigrantvisa.html

Yes of course. Well over a decade ago! But people do get O visas in neighboring countries still, yes? 

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