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Do I need health insurance or a medical certificate when renewing my retirement visa in Thailand?

Retirement Visa Visa Renewal Health Insurance Requirement Non-OA Visa Thailand Immigration Rules

Sep 3, 2022

2 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

First retirement visa renewal coming up. 

Question: 

One does not need health insurance or medical certificate when renewing inside Thailand? 

I hear conflicting things from google about this requirement being implemented but no official sites show this as a requirement.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The requirement for health insurance or a medical certificate when renewing a retirement visa in Thailand primarily depends on the type of visa originally acquired. If the individual entered with a Non-OA visa, there is no insurance requirement for renewal. However, those who originally held an OA visa must have insurance to extend their visas, and it is a lifelong requirement once established.

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James ***********

Nice to have if you're not to old or too many exclusions.

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Brandon ************

Did you originally enter Thailand with a non-OA visa?

That's the only way your extension would require insurance. The OA visa has an insurance requirement and that insurance requirement is about to go up.

If you extend inside of Thailand from an OA you will get an O extension but require insurance forever.

If you didn't start from an OA and started from the non-O originally, then no insurance requirement.

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Meno *****

@Brandon ***********

... Ok.. I used the wrong terminology. 🙏

Basically, I'm planning on reentering Thailand with the 45 days stay on my Canadian passport...

& I don't see the point of getting the 60 day tourist visa instead

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Brandon ************

then that will work fine

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Brandon ************

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Meno *****

Brandon Thurkettle ... You seem to be very informed 👍

I'm on an OA Visa obtained in Canada, which i entered Thailand with on July 2018 & currently on my 1st OA Visa extension.

If I leave Thailand, return on a transit visa, can I apply for a retirement O-visa? ...I believe, after applying for a 90 day Non-O Immigrant visa & then an extension for 1 year?

And if I can, will it need at any point a health insurance package to extend the non-O visa?

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Brandon ************

I assume you mean tourist visa and not transit visa. Yes if you enter on a tourist visa you can apply for a 90 day non-O and then a 1 year extension, neither of which require insurance

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Meno *****

@Brandon ***********

... Would you have a link or list of documents required to apply for the non-o retirement Visa please?

It seems so straightforward, but so difficult to search on the internet for reliable information 🙄

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Meno *****

@Brandon ***********

I do mean transit... From My understanding:

Tourist visa is for 60 days and only obtained from a Thai consulate or embassy for 1900 baht.

Transit Visa is similar to a visa on arrival, which has now changed for G7 countries to expire after 45 days...

Correct?

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Brandon ************

transit visa is only for transit. I don't think you can even leave the airport. You won't be able to convert a transit visa to something else.

If you're from a visa exempt country then just enter visa exempt.

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Brandon ************

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

thanks for the response. I just checked my stamp and it’s non-o. Interesting about non-oa requirment. I’m sure there is a reason but I can’t find explicitly why. Anyway; I’ll assume then I do not need a medical certificate either.

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James ***********

your okay no insurance required

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Brandon ************

the non-OA doesn't require you to keep money in Thailand, so you have to have insurance instead.

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Meno *****

@Brandon ***********

... But I believe the OA EXTENSION requires both 800K in bank AND health insurance with very high minimum coverage...

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Brook ********

@Brandon ***********

Not entirety true. Non OA requires ฿800,000 in Thai bank 2 months before requesting extension within Thailand.

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Brandon ************

I said no extension that I know of requires a medical certificate. Money has nothing to do with this question.

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Brook ********

@Brandon ***********

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Brandon ************

The Non-OA doesn't. The extension of a Non-OA is a Non-O which does. But what I said stands.

That was to explain why the OA required insurance but the Non-O doesn't.

I have zero idea why the extension from OA requires insurance, that one is TiT.

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi Brook. Would you know the reasoning why someone would choose to go OA vs just O?

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Brook ********

One reason someone would choose Non-O instead of OA is health insurance. Non-O gives you options to choose any insurer or self insure instead.

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

when you say self insure do you mean simply you don’t need insurance at all (pay as you go) or need proof you will pay cash for health care? I was clear until this comment which muddies the waters a little bit for me.

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Brook ********

The former.

Also, many high net worth individuals save money with what’s called a catastrophic policy.

Very inexpensive premiums, with a very high deductible. Day to day they pay out of pocket and save money. The policy would cover catastrophes such as cancer or a major heart issue.

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

yes major medical policies are awesome. They no longer offer them in the USA just Health Savings Accounts with high deductibles are the best you can get.

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Brook ********

Lloyds

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Shane *****

yep they are a great idea. Just can’t be used in USA

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Brook ********

Of course they can be used in USA.

Perhaps what you meant to say was that Lloyds doesn’t meet some requirements of the Affordable Health Care Act, or that your physician doesn’t accept them for direct payment… but I assure you they will write a catastrophe policy, and you can claim, and they will pay anywhere in the world, including the United States.

Not only that, but they have done so reliably for hundreds of years.

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

final question - since I confirmed it’s non-o as well I assume I don’t need medical certificate either when I go to immigration for renewal?

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Brandon ************

no extension that I know of requires that

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

thanks much

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

boom! That solves a mystery I always wondered about.

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Chris ****

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Brandon ************

we need to know the original visa not the stamp. Because OA extends to O and you could have an O for 10 years and still require insurance.

When you came to Thailand did you apply for a non-OA from the consulate in your home country and have to show insurance, proof of 800,000 in baht or a bank account at home, get a criminal history check and medical clearance?

If you didn't do that then you didn't enter non-OA.

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

checked the original and it’s definitely non-o

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Chris ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

I didn’t have to do that. Ironically due to Thailand Pass I had to get insurance for Covid but no background check, etc. I seeded the money when I got here.

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Chris ****

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