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Do Long-Stay Visa Applicants in Thailand Need Health Insurance?

Long-Stay VisaHealth InsuranceO-A Visa
November 8, 2019
5 years ago
George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I just received an email from the US embassy in Bangkok advising me that effective October 31, 2019, all long-stay (O-A and O-X) visa applicants must have health insurance.

We had all heard that something like this was coming; I raised this issue a couple of months ago but I was advised that this did not apply to people renewing their visa. Nevertheless, my wife and I, at ages 69 and 72, are not eligible for insurance with any carriers that I am aware of, and our current visa renewals will expire in four months.

If this is true, we will have to reconsider our plans going forward. Can anybody provide any intelligent comment on this?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Following the US embassy's notification about mandatory health insurance for long-stay (O-A and O-X) visa applicants effective October 31, 2019, many expats express concerns regarding eligibility and costs. Discussions highlight mixed signals about insurance requirements and coverage options for elderly applicants, particularly those aged 70 and above. Several users share experiences with different insurance providers and emphasize the importance of clarifying visa classifications and requirements through local immigration offices.
Robert *******
As there are now several post open with the same discussions going on, i close them and leave 1 post open to get an overview of opinions and we can also see other questions without scrolling down a long list of comments. Please use this link to join in about the Non Immigrant O-A visa
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5 years ago
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Paul ********
Somebody else posted today saying you have to buy from one of two thai insurance companies only. So they must cover all ages otherwise many retirees could no longer stay and the cost was about 35 ,000 for just 4O0k of cover which would not cover any serious problem. As per normal another ill thought out policy designed to remove longstayers
5 years ago
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Michael ********
So in your post you state that insurance is needed for an OA and ask about it, and then in the comments you state that you have a NON O. Why ask about insurance for an OA if you don't have one??
5 years ago
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ChrissyAlbagaipo *******
Michael Lucken lol..there's confusion on my husband's part..we have no clue if he has O or O-A...we've checked 10x all the pages of his old&new passports we only see non-Re/retirement..&the concern is he's 75. He has insurance (international) from his country not from thailand. Anyways, we're heading to immigration this month. Will post update.
5 years ago
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ChrissyAlbagaipo *******
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Ian ***********
Ok fair play
5 years ago
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Ian ***********
Brown envelopes are not necessarily illegal activity. Just. Thainess
5 years ago
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James ********
@Ian **********
 thank you😉
5 years ago
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James ********
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James ********
I removed a comment advising paying agents to get immigration stamps. We do not condone illegal activity.
5 years ago
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ChrissyAlbagaipo *******
Following.. my husband is 75yo🙏
5 years ago
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James ********
@Christy ******
 thank you. Please do update us.
5 years ago
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ChrissyAlbagaipo *******
@James *******
 yes, we're planning to go inquire this month to confirm.. Because are due to renew 5th of jan2020 but planning to do renewal/extension early next month (im dependent to his visa)...i'll post here the update🙏
5 years ago
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James ********
@Christy ******
 then most likely was a Non O. Therefore...NO HEALTH INSURANCE required at next Extension of Stay. Only way to confirm this is to ASK at local immigration office.
5 years ago
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ChrissyAlbagaipo *******
James Miller i dont see any O-A on his passport, i only see non-Re written on the Type of Visa...so might be O? Checked his old passports, i only see non-Re / retirement
5 years ago
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James ********
@Christy ******
 is he on an O-A visa or extension of stay from an O-A Visa?
5 years ago
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James ********
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James ********
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5 years ago
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David ********
Dalat....?
5 years ago
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Luis ***********
@David *******
 Dalat, Viet Nam.
5 years ago
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David ********
@James *******
 I'm 72 and wife 72 , Chiang Rai too much smoke for too long , 5 months this year , like many others off to Dalat !
5 years ago
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James ********
@David *******
 what is Dalat?
5 years ago
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James ********
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Marty *********
You have four months to look into continuing with a non-O visa and then a 1 year extension of stay.
5 years ago
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James ********
@Marty ********
 OK...thanks
5 years ago
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James ********
@Marty ********
 who has four months?
5 years ago
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James ********
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Joe ***********
The O-X Visa required insurance when it was first created a few years ago. This is not an "add on".
5 years ago
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James ********
@Joe **********
 You are correct.
5 years ago
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James ********
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Bobby ********
There's no visa renewal. You mean extension, or new visa? According to one of the insurers on the thaivisa website you need insurance when you apply for the OA visa. Whether this will also apply to extensions remains to be seen. Insurance is available to 70+ but is expensive. You may need to compare costs with the elite visa, or look at the Non-O visa.
5 years ago
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James ********
As you can see...mixed signals reported as this new requirement is enacted.

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5 years ago
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James ********
Bobby Howard it does apply to extensions if you originally on an O-A visa.
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
You're right. It's an extension, not a renewal.
5 years ago
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George ********
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Peter *******
Pacific Cross will insure you but premium will be an issue
5 years ago
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James ********
Peter Glynn aTIP:

seek quote on the Pacific Cross basic policy which meets the O-A requirements. Issued up to age 75. And ask for quotes of up to 300,000 Thai baht deductible. That will reduce the annual premium by approx 50%.

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5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Of course, at our age a lot of companies won't provide a new policy.
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'd rather avoid it entirely. I've self insured here so far, and I can afford to continue.
5 years ago
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Chris *****
@Peter ******
 Yes
5 years ago
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Chris *****
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
They refer the reader to the Thai Embassy in Washington, where they state it pretty clearly.
5 years ago
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Ivan ************
They state O-A and O-X. O is different and this does not apply to O.
5 years ago
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Ivan ************
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Michael ********
Only if you got your original visa in your home country.
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay, thanks!
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
A Non-O Retirement Visa issued in Chiangmai in February 2018. On last renewal, my wife switched to a spousal visa.
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Meaning what? Renewals don't count?
5 years ago
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George ********
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Benjamin ******
I'd ignore what the US Embassy in Bangkok says. The US Embassy, as much as I love those people, don't have any direct knowledge about Thai immigration; since Thai immigration can not legally talk to the US embassy.

There is a thread here about insurance, have you read it?
5 years ago
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Ivan ************
There is no legal prohibition on immigration talking to the embassies and they do this. They had a meeting with the various embassies before over the whole income letter thing.

Now they don't necessarily know or are 100% on everything, certainly, but it's not like they have no communications either.
5 years ago
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George ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'll do that now.
5 years ago
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George ********
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