ELITE VISA QUESTIONS

[HerewardtheWake]

One bit of good news about the Elite appears to be  that apart from the health insurance requirement now needed for entry, subsequent renewals don't call for health insurance. Obtaining health insurance when one is over 75 is a problem, so for such people Elite may be a solution.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, HerewardtheWake said:

BritTim, I know about the $100,000 health insurance requirement to enable entry. But how long does the insurance have to be effective? Does it have to be a one year policy or say, a 3 month policy would do? There seems to be some ambiguity about the period of the policy?

My original assumption was that the intention was to cover you against the costs that could be incurred for critical care due to Covid-19. If that was the case, three months travel insurance would be sufficient. When tourism resumes, that will likely be so for short term tourists. However, what I have read since suggests a move towards foreigners having a comprehensive health insurance in case they fall sick at any time during their residence in Thailand. It is known that some in high places want something like this. Currently, those already in Thailand are (mostly) exempt from this requirement. 

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, HerewardtheWake said:

One bit of good news about the Elite appears to be  that apart from the health insurance requirement now needed for entry, subsequent renewals don't call for health insurance. Obtaining health insurance when one is over 75 is a problem, so for such people Elite may be a solution.

Is it really a wise thing to stay in Thailand as a senior (anyone really) and NOT have health insurance?

 

I couldn't sleep properly in such a situation. I'm 36 now and health insurance was the first thing I got when I moved to Thailand back in 2013. Too many horror stories of people ending up destitute after being ripped off and most importantly not being treated immediately until payment is secured. Sure if you're wealthy enough that you can say worst case I pay $100k out of pocket that's fine.

 

The renewals don't require the insurance but I'd say each entry for the foreseeable future does and the discussion about mandatory insurance for foreigners was already discussed in the last few years before Covid was even an issue.

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

There's no mention of the period of insurance required.

I would suggest checking with Thailand Elite to see what they say about this.

 

 

The pdf makes no sense. How can you provide a fit for fly at the time you apply for the COE. It says "issued 72 hours before departure" but the application has to be lodged well in advance. Then this appears again on the list of documents that you have to present at the airport.

 

Yet another document that was put together by someone who doesn't have a brain.

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by FlyingThai

[HerewardtheWake]

FlyingThai is correct that living here without adequate, or at least adequate for catastrophic incidents, is prudent. 

[unsubscribe]

So only a certain number of EV holders are permitted each day... and we are only allowed on repatriation flights which are like 3 per month here in the usa... so how long a wait is it? And how much are the tickets that EV holders must pay for these flights?

 

[CANSIAM]

Just received email from Thai Elite, you can get an Elite visa outside Thailand with a valid Non O Retirement. Members with elite visas in passport have been granted entry. New members will be shortly approved and their visas will be sent to your respective Thai Embassy abroad and affixed in your passport and be allowed entry on repatriation flights shortly.

[Peter Denis]

55 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Just received email from Thai Elite, you can get an Elite visa outside Thailand with a valid Non O Retirement. Members with elite visas in passport have been granted entry. New members will be shortly approved and their visas will be sent to your respective Thai Embassy abroad and affixed in your passport and be allowed entry on repatriation flights shortly.

Next step > also allowing those with a 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa to return...

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Next step > also allowing those with a 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa to return...

And extensions of stay based upon retirement with a valid re-entry permit.

[Berti]

3 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Just received email from Thai Elite, you can get an Elite visa outside Thailand with a valid Non O Retirement. Members with elite visas in passport have been granted entry. New members will be shortly approved and their visas will be sent to your respective Thai Embassy abroad and affixed in your passport and be allowed entry on repatriation flights shortly.

In what country are you?

Or they told you it is worldwide?

[RickBradford]

A couple of tips for Elite Visa holders inside Thailand which may be of use, gathered during an unusually tense 90-day renewal in Sriracha this morning.

 

1) Even if your Elite visa has expired, you are permitted to remain in Thailand until the end of the 'stay until' date stamped by the Immigration Officer on entry into Thailand. This may not be news to most people, but I had not seen it confirmed anywhere.

 

2) The onus on you is to check that the I.O. has stamped you in correctly on arrival. It was that which caused the drama this morning.

 

What happened is that my Elite expired in April, but I last entered Thailand in February, with a stamp by the I.O, giving me permission to stay until Feb. 2021.

 

Imagine my surprise when the officer at Sriracha angrily informed me that the amnesty had expired on July 26 and that I should have reported in immediately, since overstay costs 500 baht per day. I said I had permission to remain until Feb. 2021, which was stamped in my passport.

 

She then pointed to a written code just above that, reading พ.30, which means 'maximum 30-day stay'. We were eventually able to agree that the I.O. at Suwannaphuum had made an error in writing that พ.30 code, and that I did have permission to stay until next year, but she said she could not issue a 90-day extension - I would have to go to airport immigration and have them change พ.30 to the correct code, which is 'PE', and then return for a 90-day report.

 

A bit more wheedling, and she looked in her computer, found the code PE, and decided that she could alter it on the spot, and even issue the 90-day extension.

 

Lessons learned:

 

1) *Always* check your immigration stamp thoroughly - date of entry, code (PE), date of permitted stay. Your Elite service person may be well groomed and even speak some English, but that does not imply competence or concentration. The onus is on you.

 

2) You can remain in Thailand on an Elite visa, even when it is past the expiry date on the visa. It is the permitted date stamped in the passport that is the important part.

 

3) Don't give up too quickly at obstacles in Immigration. Stick around for a while, especially if you can speak a certain amount of Thai, and they are more likely to try to find ways to solve the situation.

 

I also at one point suggested calling in her 'manager', making the point that the error originated within the Immigration Police and maybe that helped to get her motivated.

 

I hope this may be helpful.

Edited August 25, 2020 by RickBradford
Spelling

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, RickBradford said:

A bit more wheedling, and she looked in her computer, found the code PE, and decided that she could alter it on the spot, and even issue the 90-day extension.

A report of staying longer than 90 days in the country is not a extension of your stay.

[RickBradford]

28 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A report of staying longer than 90 days in the country is not a extension of your stay.

Yes, badly phrased perhaps, but you know what I mean.

 

A 90-day report, meaning I am now in compliance with all Thai immigration procedures for another 3 months.

Edited August 25, 2020 by RickBradford

[leicesterguyuk]

8 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Just received email from Thai Elite, you can get an Elite visa outside Thailand with a valid Non O Retirement. Members with elite visas in passport have been granted entry. New members will be shortly approved and their visas will be sent to your respective Thai Embassy abroad and affixed in your passport and be allowed entry on repatriation flights shortly.

Embassies around the world seem to know nothing about any of this and still say that Elite holders, existing and new, are not allowed entry. I hope they get the memo soon. 

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, leicesterguyuk said:

Embassies around the world seem to know nothing about any of this and still say that Elite holders, existing and new, are not allowed entry. I hope they get the memo soon. 

This will all be arranged through TE and the Foreign Ministry which in turn will notify the respective Embassy.

[CANSIAM]

8 hours ago, Berti said:

In what country are you?

Or they told you it is worldwide?

Its worldwide I assume, email stated New member visas will be sent to 'perspective Thai Embassy abroad'.  British Columbia, Canada.

[CANSIAM]

4 hours ago, leicesterguyuk said:

Embassies around the world seem to know nothing about any of this and still say that Elite holders, existing and new, are not allowed entry. I hope they get the memo soon. 

That does seem odd..

[FlyingThai]

51 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Its worldwide I assume, email stated New member visas will be sent to 'perspective Thai Embassy abroad'.  British Columbia, Canada.

The Thai Consulate down at the Sheraton in Vancouver is very small and not open much. Not surprised that they don't have up to date information. Contact the Embassy in Ottawa if you need something really urgent!

[CANSIAM]

5 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

The Thai Consulate down at the Sheraton in Vancouver is very small and not open much. Not surprised that they don't have up to date information. Contact the Embassy in Ottawa if you need something really urgent!

Thank you, yes I've noticed the Ottawa Embassy website has much more to read than Vancouver. Also calls to Vancouver seem to be one word answers not much help. I have 150 days left on Non O, nothing  really urgent yet to consider the Elite route. 

[FlyingThai]

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Thank you, yes I've noticed the Ottawa Embassy website has much more to read than Vancouver. Also calls to Vancouver seem to be one word answers not much help. I have 150 days left on Non O, nothing  really urgent yet to consider the Elite route. 

If my condo in Vancouver wasn't rented until spring of next year I'd have no problem spending some time back in Canada right now. I'd be very careful when it comes to investing 500k for Thailand Elite at the moment while staying abroad. In the very least pay with a credit card in case something funny is going on later.

[CANSIAM]

6 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

If my condo in Vancouver wasn't rented until spring of next year I'd have no problem spending some time back in Canada right now. I'd be very careful when it comes to investing 500k for Thailand Elite at the moment while staying abroad. In the very least pay with a credit card in case something funny is going on later.

Cheers, yes pay for the elite abroad and who the hell knows maybe still can't get there for many months. You would leave Thailand now ???  I've got 150 days left on my Non O retirement, waiting with hope.  I'm 5 hours drive from Vancouver, I'll rent it from you! lol  Love Van. 

[FlyingThai]

3 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Cheers, yes pay for the elite abroad and who the hell knows maybe still can't get there for many months. You would leave Thailand now ???  I've got 150 days left on my Non O retirement, waiting with hope.  I'm 5 hours drive from Vancouver, I'll rent it from you! lol  Love Van. 

I've been here since February so quite frankly it's getting old. I got myself an Elite Visa as well while already in country so no problems regarding COE or quarantine requirement. Just payment directly at their office and a trip to immigration.

 

I'm sure I would regret going back to YVR in November at the latest. Only upside is that with one month of rental income I can live in Thailand for 4 months. And BC killed the cruise ship season this year so no Alaska cruises.