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Answered6 months ago

Can I extend my Non OA visa by re-entering Thailand with new health insurance at Chiang Mai or Suvarnabhumi Airport?

Lonnie ********
asked Apr 12, 2026
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Looking for firsthand experience only, please.

I'm on a Non OA visa with a permission to stay expiring in June 2026. I'm considering the departure and re-entry method to extend my stay, arriving back into Thailand with a renewed health insurance policy valid through June 2027.

Has anyone personally done this through Chiang Mai Airport or Suvarnabhumi and been granted a new permission to stay matching the insurance expiry date? If so, which airport and how recently?

Not looking for general opinions on whether it should work, only interested in hearing from people who have actually done it. Thanks.
Answer summary
The discussion revolves around the experiences of expats on Non OA visas regarding the process of extending their permission to stay in Thailand through the departure and re-entry method, using renewed health insurance. Participants shared personal anecdotes about successfully re-entering Thailand via Chiang Mai and Suvarnabhumi airports after renewing their insurance, ensuring it met the requirements. Key points include that having valid mandatory health insurance upon re-entry is crucial, and different airports reportedly have similar procedures in handling such cases. It was also noted that immigration officers may request proof of insurance, regardless of prior submissions, and that 'throwaway' insurance policies can complicate the process.
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Sharon ********
Sharon ********
I did
Tod *********
Tod *********
And now I'm the one going off topic :O

BUT

People were mentioning the TGIA ( Thai General Insurance Association) website where the immigration offices can log in and view insurance (if it's a thai approved carrier)

This is what that looks like.

This is a print out of the proof of mandatory insurance for getting yearly extensions on an OA visa

You can see the change in coverage when they increased it from 440K to the 3.5M

I do not think that the passport control officers at the airport have access to that system thru the longstay website which is why they ask for the print out of your insurance
Tod *********
Tod *********
this has NOTHING to do with entering the country and getting stamped in for a new year with proof of insurance. As I said I don't even think passport control has access to this web-portal. It's looked at by thai immigrations when you get a year extension of stay
Mike *******
Mike *******
I did mine through Suvarnabhumi Airport, but for some reason, they would not accept the new information I had certificate for insurance and the original visa and I was about 45 days prior to it expiring, so there may be a day limit of when it can be done because they would not do my extension of stay when I went through 
Tod *********
Tod *********
@Mike ******
something is not right with that story. IF you had a OA visa that you got from your country before you came here, got stamped in for the first year, then exited/re-entered with new proof of a year mandatory insurance coverage before the VISA expired you would have gotten stamped in for a whole new year (or as long as your insurance was valid for up to a year)

Are you sure you were comin' back in before the visa itself expired? (The enter before or must be used by date on the PDF) and not before your entry stamp expired?

I messaged you about this comment too as I'd like to see the stamps and visa if possible
Lonnie ********
Lonnie ********
OP
One additional detail that may be relevant: I returned to Thailand in early March after a short trip, which was too early to renew my insurance. The IO at Chiang Mai Airport asked for proof of insurance, which made me wish that I had the "throwaway" policy for which I was rejected.
Tod *********
Tod *********
@Lonnie *******
strange they would have asked for proof of insurance seeing as it should be written on the PDF print out of your visa and it also should be written on your first entry stamp in Thai where it says allowed until insurance expiration.
Lonnie ********
Lonnie ********
OP
@Tod ********
There’s a remark in Thai on the PDF printout of my visa that I says "Health Insurance", but I’m pretty sure it tells the immigration officer to verify my insurance. Since I had already submitted proof of insurance when I applied for the visa, I thought it was a bit strange that when I first arrived in Chiang Mai, they asked to see proof of insurance again before allowing me to proceed.
Tod *********
Tod *********
i think they might have asked because they wanted to know IF you'd gotten a new policy and would get a new year stamp OR if they would just stamp you in for the old insurance expiration date
Ramon *********
Ramon *********
@Lonnie *******
I entered Thailand on 23 February 2026. My Non-OA visa was valid until 31 March 2026. I have renewed my insurance for the second year; it is valid from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2027. The Immigration Officer granted permission to stay until 31 January 2027 which is correct
Tod *********
Tod *********
We're getting off topic people, let's keep it on topic who has had an OA Visa, exited / reentered the country just before the Visa itself expired presenting a new years mandatory health insurance and gotten stamped in for another year.

Those are the people the O/P wants to hear from.
Philip *********
Philip *********
My only comment is that make sure you give enough time for the insurance company to enter it into the tgia system.

Although you must have a valid policy statement, immigration (in my experience) will not accept as proof. It must be in tgia.

I always remind my insurer when doing the renewal.
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
@Philip ********
my understanding is, that for the "second year" out of a Non-O/A visa, the health insurance can still be the original foreign insurance that was used for the visa application, it does not need to be a tgia-listed Thai private insurance. Printed documents of any foreign health insurance that show they cover the required amounts and have signed the F.I.C. will do
Marty *********
Marty *********
@Greg **********
For the 2nd year you can use the same insurer as the original Visa. Once you get to 1 year extensions then it has to be tgia insurers, same as extensions of the O.
Marty *********
Marty *********
@Greg **********
Yes, that is what I said originally. We agree.
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
@Marty ********
Yes, as soon as you go into the "1-year extension", you need a tgia-listed Thai insurance. But we were speaking of going into the second year by doing a border bounce. we did not mention applying for the extension. In order to get a second year stamped by doing the border run shortly before the expiration of the visa validity, one does NOT YET need a tgia-listed insurance. It can be the same insurance you used for the first year, or it can be any foreign insurance as long as it has the required coverage and has signed the F.I.C. Your assertion indicated that one needs a tgia-listed insurance if he/she wants to go into the second year - and THIS is definitely not true
Marty *********
Marty *********
@Greg **********
What I am saying is that for one year extensions of an OA you may not be able to use the same insurer as you did when you got the original OA in your home country. For 1 year extensions of an OA visa inside Thailand you will need a tgia insurer. The OA and O 1 year extensions are the same except for the insurance requirement for the OA. The additional document for OA extensions is the insurance certificate.

That difference in accepted insurers can get some people. There is a form you can get a non-tgia insurer to sign to qualify but I hear most insurers won't sign it but it is always worth a try.

I had an OA for 6 years and extended myself at Bangkok Immigration. I have Thai insurance.
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
@Marty ********
Which is what I am saying - for the second year you can keep using the foreign health insurance. . . . . . . . However, for extensions out of a former Non-O visa, there is no mandatory health insurance requirement
Tod *********
Tod *********
@Philip ********
unless I am mistaken, the passport control officers at the airport have no way to check that in that system.

You need to print out that your insurance carrier sends you showing your covered
Tod *********
Tod *********
We normally don't do those "how did it work for you" posts BUT I'll let this on the group.

To be completely honest, you don't need any first hand experience, the OA visa works exactly like your understanding of it. (y)

As long as you enter before the visa itself (the PDF) expires AND you have a new year of the mandatory 100K USD health insurance you will be stamped in for a new year or as long as your health insurance is valid for up to a year.

Print out the PDF of the visa and the insurance compliance form present those with your passport when you stamp in

Won't matter if you use BKK/DMK/CNX etc, all the officers at passport control at all the international arrival airports know how the OA visa works, believe me you're far from the first foreigner stamping in to get the 'free' second year of stay out of an OA visa valid for a year :) ;)

Also please check your message requests in Messenger

I had messaged you in July last year and then again in Oct and noticed that you never checked. :/

It'll be under message requests in spam most likely because we are not friends on f/b

Best of luck with it, I'll leave the post up for a while in case any OA people respond back
Lonnie ********
Lonnie ********
OP
@Tod ********
Thanks Tod, I appreciate you. Yes, I found the messages in the spam section which I didn't know existed until you mentioned it.
Wayne *******
Wayne *******
@Tod ********
you’re a wonderful man. Always strict,firm and knowledgeably accurate.

This time your response to the gentleman also displays your compassion as a human being.

You’re an absolute gem fella.

You and the crew… wow… quelled much grief and heartache for so many over a long period of time.

Apologies to the author for hijacking your post.
Michael *********
Michael *********
@Wayne ******
not always i returned mid year and was allowed to stay only to the original date which was one year from date of issue. Be careful.
Ellie *******
Ellie *******
@Michael ********
, which are you using, re-entry permit or an actual original visa from the Thai embassy/consulate?

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