Jump to content

NON O RETIREMENT VISA EXTENSIONS WITH A RE ENTRY PERMIT


Recommended Posts

Hey guys I have been doing advice helping people return to Thailand on some Facebook groups. Today I found out the latest about people being allowed entry. It may help some of you probably not many but if you have a re entry permit and a current extension of stay based on retirement (Retirement Visa) you may find it useful. Quarantine is still required.

 

NON O RETIREMENT VISA EXTENSIONS WITH A RE ENTRY PERMIT

 

Holders of Non O retirement extensions being allowed back into Thailand, I have been given clarification by Kun Wichaya of the RTE London. I have summarised her response below. Note this only applies to the RTE London at this time.

• There has been a debate about this. People with re-entry permits for extensions of stay based on a Non-O who meet the SAME REQUIREMENTS that apply to a Non O-A visa can now apply for a COE. However, It is up to the discretion of an immigration officer if entry to Thailand will be allowed.

• So to be safe, it is better to apply for the NON O-A visa.

• The RTE London are not allowed to issue new Non-O retirement visa to those who re-entry permit has expired.

• For people with valid re-entry permit (Non-O), they have to submit (1) updated Thai bank statement (saving account) in the last 3 months that the balance is at least 800,000 baht and (2) health insurance that covers all medical expenses in Thailand, for any diseases including COVID-19, both in and out patient patient, at least 100,000 USD for the whole period they will stay in Thailand or at least for the remaining of their re-entry permit.

Edited by jimn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Jimn,

 

well, thats very interesting, as i would meet exactly those requirements. 

I do have an extension of stay based on my Non O Visa that was issued for reason of retirement until July 2021. And i have a ME Re-Entry permit.

 

I did just apply for the required health insurance and i do have already the confirmation of my existing health insurance that they cover the COVID19 Thai requirements of min. 100.000US$.

 

All other documents are on hand or on request. So i am ready anyway to apply for a Non O-A. However, if they just request that additional health insurance, that would speed up things a lot...

 

I really hope this is the way things are developing. Please keep us informed of any news on that!

 

Thanks again,

 

John

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, jimn said:

For people with valid re-entry permit (Non-O), they have to submit (1) updated Thai bank statement (saving account) in the last 3 months that the balance is at least 800,000 baht and (2) health insurance that covers all medical expenses in Thailand, for any diseases including COVID-19, both in and out patient patient, at least 100,000 USD for the whole period they will stay in Thailand or at least for the remaining of their re-entry permit.

This clause could be demanding, how would a person get their Thai bank book or statement updated within the last 3 months if they are not present in Thailand?

Unless the Embassy excepts printouts from online banking.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your post.

However, I think some aspects have been 'lost in translation' as points 1 and 4 don't make much sense.

1 - The requirements for a 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement are exactly the same based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa and an original Non Imm O Visa.  The ONLY difference being the mandatory Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy now required for 1-year extensions of stay applications based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement.

>> So that Embassy explanation implies that a holder of a Re-Entry permit from an extension for reason of retirement based on a Non Imm O Visa, would need to subscribe to such a Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy (just like Non Imm O-A Visa holders have to do).

4 - If you have a valid Re-Entry permit (from an extension for reason of retirement based on your Non Imm O Visa) why would you also need to meet the financial requirements that are imposed on applicants for a Non Imm O-A Visa?

 

>> In conclusion - Why go through the trouble of subscribing to the Non Imm O-A compliant health-insurance requirement, and proving that you meet the financial requirements for a Non Imm O-A Visa application, just to have your Non Imm O Visa based Re-Entry Permit approved for re-entry to Thailand?

When you need to meet those 2 MAIN criteria already, it would be little effort to get hold of the few additional documents needed to apply directly for the Non Imm O-A Visa (and enjoy the substantial benefits a Non Imm O-A Visa will provide you during almost two years).

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, how does this affect people presently in Thailand with non O-A retirement visas obtained from abroad, who have not gone out of the country yet to receive their additional allotted year, but have not been able to do so because of border closures? Would we be able to leave and re-enter the LoS (and, thereby, avoid having to park ฿800k in the bank) as long as we did the quarantine and bought an accepted COVID health insurance policy?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Mattd said:

This clause could be demanding, how would a person get their Thai bank book or statement updated within the last 3 months if they are not present in Thailand?

Unless the Embassy excepts printouts from online banking.

For my visa they accepted print outs from online banking, in my online banking app theres a menu item "request statement" it then gives you a statement for any month you like, instantly, by email.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Isaanman said:

So, how does this affect people presently in Thailand with non O-A retirement visas obtained from abroad, who have not gone out of the country yet to receive their additional allotted year, but have not been able to do so because of border closures? Would we be able to leave and re-enter the LoS (and, thereby, avoid having to park ฿800k in the bank) as long as we did the quarantine and bought an accepted COVID health insurance policy?

Unfortunately a border-hop just before expiry of the 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa validity, in order to be stamped in again for a full year permission to year, is currently not possible. 

And there are currently only two options for those in that situation.

1 - Apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on their original Non Imm O-A Visa at their local IO.  This has to be done from 30 days before till last day of their current permission to stay date (as stamped in their passport when they last entered Thailand on that Non Imm O-A Visa). 

Indeed for many that will mean they will lose part of even the full 2nd year they could have gotten when being able to do a border-run.

They also need to be aware that on application

- they would need to have a Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy to meet the Non Imm O-A extension health-insurance requirement (when applying for the 1-year extension for reason of RETIREMENT, when applying for a different reason such insurance is not required)[

- when using the funds-in-bank method to meet the financial requirements for their Non Imm O-A extension application, they need to ensure 800K THB has been seasoned for at least two months on their personal Thai bank account (a joint one is not accepted by IO) at the moment of application. 

2 - Exiting Thailand before the permission to stay of their current Non Imm O-A Visa expires.  Exiting Thailand is not a big problem, but they would of course have to comply with the requirements for entry of the country they are going to.  And returning to Thailand would of course be far more difficult, having to meet the criteria to be eligible for return and meeting the CoE requirements.

>> When there is no compelling reason to visit your home-country (or another country) and you like to stay in Thailand (or return there as quick as possible), applying for the 1-year extension of stay is currently the most sensible option.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have Non O retirement, with reentry expires December.

Funds are presently low in Thai Account,

Sufficient 800,000 in UK account,  have the insurance in place,

 

To gain COE  on the Non O what are the chances of using UK details? 

If going for new O-A how long does the money have to have been in account? 

 

Tough times eh, i have a 7 week old daughter i ve not met yet.

 

 

Edited by Chokdi
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Chokdi said:

I have Non O retirement, with reentry expires December.

Funds are presently low in Thai Account,

Sufficient 800,000 in UK account,  have the insurance in place,

 

To gain COE  on the Non O what are the chances of using UK details? 

If going for new O-A how long does the money have to have been in account? 

 

Tough times eh, i have a 7 week old daughter i ve not met yet.

If you are married to a Thai national or have Thai dependent children, you are eligible for the CoE.

Apart and on top of that you would need a Visa to be allowed entry to Thailand.

Your current re-entry permit based on the retirement extension of your original Non Imm O Visa would be accepted based on the fact that you are married to a Thai national or have Thai dependent children.

If for one reason or another the Re-Entry permit is not accepted you could apply for a new Non Imm O for reason of marriage/dependent children or when +50 year also a Non Imm O for reason of retirement or a Non Imm O-A Visa would be accepted.

Note: You wrote 'have insurance in place' - I presume that you are referring to the mandatory insurance requirement as addressed in the CoE for everybody wanting to return to Thailand, i.e.

100.000 US $ covering medical expenses in Thailand including covid-19.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Chokdi said:

...my wife is Khamer not Thai , that was my first major hurdle months back,  i have 3 Thai step kids - but no legal connection as of yet -

Hi Chokdi, that means that you cannot apply for family reasons.

And currently your only option for returning to Thailand would be to apply for a Non Imm O-A Visa to put you in the eligible category.

And then apply for the CoE.

Re the insurance I would recommend:

> for Non Imm O-A compliant insurance > LMG Insurance Plan-1 with 200K deductible _ cheapest and easiest Thai IO-approved insurance for this purpose with the additional benefit that it does not require a medical and hence can be subscribed to while abroad

> for 100.000 US $ coverage of medical expenses when in Thailand including covid-19 > SafetyWing travel-insurance _ available on the fly and when under 69 years of age - far better coverage and at lower fees than the ridiculous Thai insurance policies (often with small print/conditions that actually make them unusable)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Chokdi said:

Thanks Peter for the replies- 

So you reckon it ll be a non stater trying to get back on my O visa if i only have funds back in UK account?

Your permission to stay (which needs to be protected by a Re-Entry Permit otherwise it will be void) based on the retirement extension of your original Non Imm O Visa, will expire in December.

Although there are rumors that it might happen, chances are slim that the Non Imm O Visa category for those over 50 years of age, will be added to the current categories eligible for the CoE anytime soon.

In your shoes I would start preparing to meet the criteria for a Non Imm O-A Visa application, which you seem to have already researched.  With 800K on a UK bank-account and the option to subscribe to the cheap and easy mandatory Non Imm O-A compliant health-insurance policy offered by LMG Insurance (Plan-1 with 200K deductible), that would be the fast track to get back to Thailand and join your family there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your post.

However, I think some aspects have been 'lost in translation' as points 1 and 4 don't make much sense.

1 - The requirements for a 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement are exactly the same based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa and an original Non Imm O Visa.  The ONLY difference being the mandatory Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy now required for 1-year extensions of stay applications based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement.

>> So that Embassy explanation implies that a holder of a Re-Entry permit from an extension for reason of retirement based on a Non Imm O Visa, would need to subscribe to such a Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy (just like Non Imm O-A Visa holders have to do).

4 - If you have a valid Re-Entry permit (from an extension for reason of retirement based on your Non Imm O Visa) why would you also need to meet the financial requirements that are imposed on applicants for a Non Imm O-A Visa?

 

>> In conclusion - Why go through the trouble of subscribing to the Non Imm O-A compliant health-insurance requirement, and proving that you meet the financial requirements for a Non Imm O-A Visa application, just to have your Non Imm O Visa based Re-Entry Permit approved for re-entry to Thailand?

When you need to meet those 2 MAIN criteria already, it would be little effort to get hold of the few additional documents needed to apply directly for the Non Imm O-A Visa (and enjoy the substantial benefits a Non Imm O-A Visa will provide you during almost two years).

 

No Peter you are slightly missing the point. They are saying in the first point that currently people with an extension of stay based on a Non OA with a re entry permit are allowed to apply for a COE to enter Thailand. Now those people with an extension of stay based on a Non O with a re entry permit are also allowed to apply for a COE to enter Thailand. The diffence being here is that people do not have to meet the insurance requirement of a Non OA. They do however need to meet the other financial requirements I quoted and the insurance requirement is not that of an OA but the $100,000 to get the COE.

I hope that explaination makes sence.

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Piscis said:

Hi Jimn,

 

well, thats very interesting, as i would meet exactly those requirements. 

I do have an extension of stay based on my Non O Visa that was issued for reason of retirement until July 2021. And i have a ME Re-Entry permit.

 

I did just apply for the required health insurance and i do have already the confirmation of my existing health insurance that they cover the COVID19 Thai requirements of min. 100.000US$.

 

All other documents are on hand or on request. So i am ready anyway to apply for a Non O-A. However, if they just request that additional health insurance, that would speed up things a lot...

 

I really hope this is the way things are developing. Please keep us informed of any news on that!

 

Thanks again,

 

John

 

John if you apply for the COE in the UK just apply online and you use the section Foreigners under a special arrangement to proceed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Isaanman said:

So, how does this affect people presently in Thailand with non O-A retirement visas obtained from abroad, who have not gone out of the country yet to receive their additional allotted year, but have not been able to do so because of border closures? Would we be able to leave and re-enter the LoS (and, thereby, avoid having to park ฿800k in the bank) as long as we did the quarantine and bought an accepted COVID health insurance policy?

If you went back to the UK and have a re entry permit and meet the COE requirements and prepared to do quarantine then yes on entry into Thailand the IO will stamp you in for the 2nd year. However as its based on a Non OA the IO may want to see the OA insurance requirement for the 2nd year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Jimn. Unfortunatelly i will apply in Germany at the Consulate in Munich.

 

I really hope they will adopt those procedures from the UK...

 

So far, communication is a bit slow. Not sure if it is because i am asking stupid questions or because they have a ton of work to do at the moment. I am collecting all documents together wich i need for the Non O-A. However, if they accept my Non O extension of stay and ME Re-entry permit, i will take that. Whatever i can finish first.

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Chokdi said:

I have Non O retirement, with reentry expires December.

Funds are presently low in Thai Account,

Sufficient 800,000 in UK account,  have the insurance in place,

 

To gain COE  on the Non O what are the chances of using UK details? 

If going for new O-A how long does the money have to have been in account? 

 

Tough times eh, i have a 7 week old daughter i ve not met yet.

 

 

In this instance because you already have the extension of stay based on money in a Thai bank, money in a UK bank account is not acceptable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Piscis said:

Thanks Jimn. Unfortunatelly i will apply in Germany at the Consulate in Munich.

 

I really hope they will adopt those procedures from the UK...

 

So far, communication is a bit slow. Not sure if it is because i am asking stupid questions or because they have a ton of work to do at the moment. I am collecting all documents together wich i need for the Non O-A. However, if they accept my Non O extension of stay and ME Re-entry permit, i will take that. Whatever i can finish first.

 

John

They may well be doing it, but because I only have the confirmation from the UK, I really cannot confirm the policy of the German RTE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Chokdi said:

 

Cheers Jimn 

 

Therefore i have to apply for O-A with UK account , 

 

 

Yes thats correct and get the required OA insurance. Many people are using this one, but you may need a one year cover

FB_IMG_1603885371766.jpg

Edited by jimn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, jimn said:

No Peter you are slightly missing the point. They are saying in the first point that currently people with an extension of stay based on a Non OA with a re entry permit are allowed to apply for a COE to enter Thailand. Now those people with an extension of stay based on a Non O with a re entry permit are also allowed to apply for a COE to enter Thailand. The diffence being here is that people do not have to meet the insurance requirement of a Non OA. They do however need to meet the other financial requirements I quoted and the insurance requirement is not that of an OA but the $100,000 to get the COE.

I hope that explaination makes sence.

If I understand this correctly the bottom-line is that when you have a valid re-entry permit based on the 1-year permission to stay you were granted when applying for the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement based on your original Non Imm O Visa, that you ARE eligible for the CoE (but that you would need to provide evidence of meeting the same financial requirements as required for a Non Imm O-A Visa application).

Or in short you are eligible for the CoE wheb on a Non Imm O Visa extended for reason of retirement (even if you are not married to a Thai national), but you need to meet the financial requirements normally imposed on those applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My small twist on the topic is that I'm assembling documents to apply for the O A from inside the USA, where I've been holed up since March. I've had several O extensions from within but timing seems good to get the O A in place.

 

I'm in no hurry to beat against the door at immigration until quarantines and airplanes ease up. If I am able to get the visa issued here, how long would I have to arrive in the Kingdom?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

If I understand this correctly the bottom-line is that when you have a valid re-entry permit based on the 1-year permission to stay you were granted when applying for the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement based on your original Non Imm O Visa, that you ARE eligible for the CoE (but that you would need to provide evidence of meeting the same financial requirements as required for a Non Imm O-A Visa application).

Or in short you are eligible for the CoE wheb on a Non Imm O Visa extended for reason of retirement (even if you are not married to a Thai national), but you need to meet the financial requirements normally imposed on those applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa.

Peter yes thats correct and they have to get additional Covid insurance of $100,000 if their existing insurance they have for the OA does not cover it. This is an important part of a COE application being granted

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, justmaybe said:

My small twist on the topic is that I'm assembling documents to apply for the O A from inside the USA, where I've been holed up since March. I've had several O extensions from within but timing seems good to get the O A in place.

 

I'm in no hurry to beat against the door at immigration until quarantines and airplanes ease up. If I am able to get the visa issued here, how long would I have to arrive in the Kingdom?

Your visa would be valid for 12 months, as long as you enter before the expiry date, you would be stamped in for 12 months. No need to rush getting a visa until you are ready to travel otherwise you are wasting some of tge visa validity. If used correctly you can get once the borders are fully open, 2 years on a Non OA visa

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like there is a change on procederes here in Germany regarding the COE.

 

Until yesterday i could apply for a COE at the Consulate/Embassy here in Germany. From November 1st. Germans has to use the same website as UK citizens and the people from the Netherlands already had to use... https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/

 

Basically that means i have to change procedure as well. I got all my Visa Non O A required Documents ready and on hand. Including all the COE required docs. Before,  i would apply for the O-A at the same time i would applied for the COE. All in one application process.

 

Now i have to apply first for the O-A Visa and, after i get it, apply for the COE on the MFA website...

 

Lets see how thing will come out now...

 

John

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today i was able to use the new website  https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/  to apply for a COE.

 

However, on the dropdown menu where you can choose the group of eligible people to apply, there is still not the option to choose "Non O". So i picked the "Non O A" and will see what will happen.

 

Parallel to that approach, i applied on Friday already for a Non O A Visa at the German consulate. I included all docs that are needed for the COE, as we are now in a transition phase to the new process on how to get the COE. Anyway, the MFA website seems to be just a new plattform that will forward the COA application  to the choosen embassy/consulate the applicant could opt for. 

 

So at the end i think the receiver of the COE request will be the same. pre and post new procedure.

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...