Answered6 years ago

Do I need health insurance for my retirement visa renewal in Thailand?

Retirement Visa Health Insurance Visa Renewal

asked Aug 6, 2020

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I have been on retirement visa for 5 years now and renew annually at my local office with no problem. My next renewal is in November. Will I need insurance?

Answer summary

If you hold a retirement visa (O Visa) and are renewing it, there is generally no requirement for health insurance. However, if your original visa was issued as an O-A visa in your home country, different rules may apply. In that case, you would typically need insurance unless you are applying for an extension based on marriage to a Thai national.

12 repliesnewest first

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Marty *********

If your original visa was an O-A you can get an extension of stay based on marriage without the need for insurance. Of course, you have to be married to a Thai to do this.

6 years ago

James ********

We can jawbone about this all day...but the only way the OP will know for sure is to visit his Thai Immigration office....apply for the Extension based on Marriage.

Then you will know.

Suggest you not wait til last days....go before within 30 days of extension end date...thereby giving you time to adjust or gather added documents if requested.

Good Luck...Stay Safe

Commenting closed.

6 years ago

Gregor **********

@Marty ********

a Non-Imm-O/A was never intended to be issued "based on marriage". An O/A ist purely based on being over 50 years old (retirement)

6 years ago

Marty *********

@Gregor *********

The OP is asking about extensions. A 1 year extension can be based on retirement or marriage. If your original visa was an O-A then you need insurance for an extension based on retirement but not for an extension based on marriage (or so the reports say).

You are correct that the visa, obtained outside of Thailand, is solely for those over 50 years old and they require insurance.

A visa is not an extension. It is the extension that the OP is asking about.

6 years ago

Tod *********

@Gregor *********

read the post. He said IF you apply for a yearly EXTENSION OF STAY from an O-A visa you can do it based on marriage to a thai rather than retirement and if you use the marriage to a thai reason you do not need insurance (even if the original visa was an O-A)

6 years ago

Greg *******

@Marty ********

At which office did you do this. All O-A extensions need the insurance

6 years ago

Tod *********

@Greg ******

there are reports that IF you go from an O-A visa to a yearly extension based on marriage to a thai that offices are not requiring the mandatory insurance because the reason for your extension is not based on retirement (which does require insurance from an O-A visa) but marriage (which doesn't require insurance)

6 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Greg ******

There is no insurance requirements for an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai national.

6 years ago

Greg *******

@Benjamin *****

Yes but I want to confirm about the insurance

6 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Greg ******

If you currently have an extension of stay based on marriage from an original O-A visa, you can still continue getting that extension of stay as normal.

6 years ago

Greg *******

So has anyone done this at khorat immigration? My extension is currently based on marriage from an original O-A visa.

6 years ago

James ********

There is NO REQUIREMENT for health insurance when you apply for another retirement extension of stay IF you initially obtained an O Visa for retirement.

The only time it IS REQUIRED is IF you originally obtained your first retirement visa in your home country...and an O-A visa was stamped into your passport.

6 years ago