O_A Visa made in USA

[aj 62]

Just finished O_A visa done in Chicago. Had the Thai wife call to make sure of documents.

Be forewarned for those doing O-A visa here you have to prove health insurance. A copy of blue cross/shield card front and back

sufficed to pass requirements. I post this for the 2 USA expats (and others) that i read their posts. It is still very easy and

fast mail on one Friday get back next Friday. 30 min total all in. to post office and walk to mail box. Have read other post of it starting in Thailand it has started here.

Mod feel free to relocate this not really sure where to post.

[jacko 8,814]

All O-A Visas are requiring health insurance now since Oct 31st. But it does not end there. On arrival you would normally be stamped in for a year, now it is expected you will only get a Permission to Stay up to the expiration of your insurance. As the O-A is a multiple entry, this also means you would expect to be stamped in only until that same date, when the insurance cover ends on subsequent entries (previously you would get another full year if Visa still valid). The previous benefits of an O-A, that you could stay in Thailand up to 2 years, and leave your money at home, seem to have been defeated.

And worse, it is reported that those seeking retirement extensions at Pattaya Immigration, whose initial  permit to stay stemmed from an entry on an O-A, are also being asked to show medical insurance of minimum 400,000 baht cover and 40,000 baht out patient. This is all quite new and we may be in a state of flux wrt the retirement extensions. Extensions originating from other Non-Imm Visas (eg O or B )  are not required to have insurance and marriage extensions are not affected. 

 

Please do not take my post as verbatim, it is simply gleaned from Thai Visa site. 

Edited November 2, 2019 by jacko

[js007 795]

A copy of Blue Cross Blue Shield, front and back?  That's easy , but could it be that simple? 

[forcebwithu 4,853]

3 hours ago, jacko said:

All O-A Visas are requiring health insurance now since Oct 31st. But it does not end there. On arrival you would normally be stamped in for a year, now it is expected you will only get a Permission to Stay up to the expiration of your insurance. As the O-A is a multiple entry, this also means you would expect to be stamped in only until that same date, when the insurance cover ends on subsequent entries (previously you would get another full year if Visa still valid). The previous benefits of an O-A, that you could stay in Thailand up to 2 years, and leave your money at home, seem to have been defeated.

And worse, it is reported that those seeking retirement extensions at Pattaya Immigration, whose initial  permit to stay stemmed from an entry on an O-A, are also being asked to show medical insurance of minimum 400,000 baht cover and 40,000 baht out patient. This is all quite new and we may be in a state of flux wrt the retirement extensions. Extensions originating from other Non-Imm Visas (eg O or B )  are not required to have insurance and marriage extensions are not affected. 

 

Please do not take my post as verbatim, it is simply gleaned from Thai Visa site. 

Can you not get another re-entry permit that would be good up to the expiration date of visa?

As for the more onerous requirements for extension to stay, after nine years of doing it myself I used an agent for the first time last week. If immigration's goal is to push more people to using agents, it worked in my case.

[jacko 8,814]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

Can you not get another re-entry permit that would be good up to the expiration date of visa?

As for the more onerous requirements for extension to stay, after nine years of doing it myself I used an agent for the first time last week. If immigration's goal is to push more people to using agents, it worked in my case.

Re-entry permits are based on your Permitted to Stay date, not the visa validity.

I am quite convinced the  previous changes to keeping the money in the bank (retirement extensions), were a bit more about pushing people towards agents than really making evasion of requirements tougher. I could only imagine it stopped people borrowing money for 3 months, or a few guys circulating the same money. In your case, you got 800,000 baht released I expect, and less effort. This new O-A requirement is likely to seriously reduce applications for the visa. As to those on O-A based retirement extensions , I guess they need to change to a regular 'O', or a married extension, or get insurance if they can.

Scaremongering here,( so far not required) are we testing the ground for future obligatory insurance for all retirees?

[jacko 8,814]

1 hour ago, js007 said:

A copy of Blue Cross Blue Shield, front and back?  That's easy , but could it be that simple? 

I thought Insurances had to come from an approved list , and Thai companies, I believe. You would need to check your own Embassy website. Blue Cross / Blue Shield copies seems easy and I can only bow to the OP's experience.

Here is what the London Embassy States.

Copy of evidence stating that applicants have insurance as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and health insurance of Thailand which has insurance coverage for outpatient not less than 40,000 Baht and for inpatient not less than 400,000 Baht. Please check < http://longstay.tgia.org> for more information regarding the insurance requirement.

Edited November 3, 2019 by jacko

[jacko 8,814]

Moving to Expat Issues.

[sailingbill 1,032]

i just obtained the O-A in Washington l last month. Thought good for 2 years now the health insurance is required even for reentry. Cancelled my trip to the PI in December . Good that the OP was able to use his BCBS card . I have the same but that is not how the rule reads. With overseas coverage a health insurance form needs to be completed. Will BCBS do this?. I have a friend who is an agent in Bangkok and used to joke i"ll not need your service. I was surprised he was familiar with the Health Insurance requirement as it woudnt normally affect his clients. But he claims it will be a general requirement after Feb.   He will obtain one for me but i dont need it until a trip to the PI next Sept. and hopefully stamped in for another year. 

OT but of similar interest . I want Direct Deposit of my SS. The form requires a bank official signature. The bank refused , i called the main office in Bangkok and they said it was the policy only to sign BB forms.  Any suggestions.?  Im using transferwise but no Guarantee it will show as an overseas transfer every month.

[forcebwithu 4,853]

42 minutes ago, jacko said:

Scaremongering here,( so far not required) are we testing the ground for future obligatory insurance for all retirees?

I'm surprised they didn't already extend the insurance requirement to those on extension to stay. From a govt perspective it makes sense to require aliens in their country to provide proof of insurance so as not to be financial burden on their health care system. But in Thailand's case it's pretty clear they want to feed that business to their own insurance companies, but the Thai insurance companies are offering overpriced policies with limits that are, IMHO, inadequate.

As sailingbill just posted, you can opt to use a non-Thai insurance company, but documentation required is over the top. IIRC, you need to provide the original insurance policy and have the insurance company sign off on a Thai provided form. One more reason to use an agent, as the one I used said they can handle the proof of insurance requirement.

[jacko 8,814]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

One more reason to use an agent, as the one I used said they can handle the proof of insurance requirement.

Good feedback.... agent fees expected to rise!

[forcebwithu 4,853]

29 minutes ago, jacko said:

Good feedback.... agent fees expected to rise!

I wouldn't expect any rise in fees as a proof of insurance letter shouldn't be hard to obtain, if you get my drift.

[sailingbill 1,032]

Having Thanksgiving dinner with friends in Bangkok. Will publish here the fee schedule of an agent.  But agree with Force, i dont expect the Insurance form to be difficult or expensive. I do worry what happens if agents go away?.  When Big Joke came back to  Imm he was going to target agents , we see how that went . But remember years ago when there was a Visa run Kiosk and Van on every Soi.  All gone overnight. I am in compliance with income and health insurance.  But good luck proving it. I prefer not to use an Agent but ready to give up.

Moderator Jacko,  before we get specific is this a protected or public forum?

[jacko 8,814]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

I wouldn't expect any rise in fees as a proof of insurance letter shouldn't be hard to obtain, if you get my drift.

Well, if more people have to show insurance, and at this time not so, for non-imm-o based retirement extensions, I would certainly expect agent demand to increase.....and with that price. But who knows, many people might decide enough.

[jacko 8,814]

1 hour ago, sailingbill said:

Having Thanksgiving dinner with friends in Bangkok. Will publish here the fee schedule of an agent.  But agree with Force, i dont expect the Insurance form to be difficult or expensive.

If someone using this then did a runner on a hospital bill or two....

It is public here.

[js007 795]

9 hours ago, sailingbill said:

OT but of similar interest . I want Direct Deposit of my SS. The form requires a bank official signature. The bank refused , i called the main office in Bangkok and they said it was the policy only to sign BB forms.  Any suggestions.?  Im using transferwise but no Guarantee it will show as an overseas transfer every month.

That all seems stupid, right?  Certainly the Thai banks must have had some input into the decision to allow for Social Security direct deposits in Thailand.  Why go to all the trouble of allowing for the deposits and then not sign the required form?  I would image that the issue will be resolved at some point.  

[aj 62]

I will be wheels down December 15 so will know for sure then.

My bcbs card is on file at Bangkok Pattaya and they do all

the filling for money. I pay percentage if not fully covered. bsbc web

site shows all the hospitals and Doctors in Thailand. They are all over the country.

this could explain why it was so easy here. AT 1200 USD a month there is probably

Cheaper in Thailand.bsbc geo is less per month but it is monthly. I am covered to age 65 then have to

get coverage for what medicare will not cover. Going to check my bank for direct deposit too. its not Bangkok bank.

May make no difference

[nkped 1,208]

11 hours ago, aj said:

I will be wheels down December 15 so will know for sure then.

My bcbs card is on file at Bangkok Pattaya and they do all

the filling for money. I pay percentage if not fully covered. bsbc web

site shows all the hospitals and Doctors in Thailand. They are all over the country.

this could explain why it was so easy here. AT 1200 USD a month there is probably

Cheaper in Thailand.bsbc geo is less per month but it is monthly. I am covered to age 65 then have to

get coverage for what medicare will not cover. Going to check my bank for direct deposit too. its not Bangkok bank.

May make no difference

My experience with bcbs and Bangkok Hospital is that they bill directly for inpatient care.  Outpatient, you pay and file a claim on line.  Works reasonably well, but with the demise of the internet cafe, you definitely need your own computer and scanner.

[nkped 1,208]

21 hours ago, sailingbill said:

i just obtained the O-A in Washington l last month. Thought good for 2 years now the health insurance is required even for reentry. Cancelled my trip to the PI in December . Good that the OP was able to use his BCBS card . I have the same but that is not how the rule reads. With overseas coverage a health insurance form needs to be completed. Will BCBS do this?. I have a friend who is an agent in Bangkok and used to joke i"ll not need your service. I was surprised he was familiar with the Health Insurance requirement as it woudnt normally affect his clients. But he claims it will be a general requirement after Feb.   He will obtain one for me but i dont need it until a trip to the PI next Sept. and hopefully stamped in for another year. 

OT but of similar interest . I want Direct Deposit of my SS. The form requires a bank official signature. The bank refused , i called the main office in Bangkok and they said it was the policy only to sign BB forms.  Any suggestions.?  Im using transferwise but no Guarantee it will show as an overseas transfer every month.

Earlier this year, the kind young lady at the BB office at Soi 7 was quite familiar with the direct deposit form and happy to sign it.

[sailingbill 1,032]

nkped, excellent information, ill give it a try Thanks.  Reminds me when i first tried to get a bank account, the manager at the then Big C mall waved his arms , "No Farang"  A BM here advised me not to try in a tourist area. Go up Klang and they will open an account for you.