Answered2 years ago

Does U.S. Federal health insurance meet Thailand's retirement visa health insurance requirements?

Thailand retirement visa health insurance requirements NON-O visa NON-OA visa insurance regulations in Thailand expat health insurance

Bigd **********

asked Jun 25, 2024

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Health Insurance requirement? My US Federal health insurance (FEHB) that I will take into retirement has Bangkok Hospital contracted via Anthem BCBS (Bangkok, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket). Does this meet the requirements to carry health insurance on a retirement visa?

Answer summary

The discussion revolves around whether U.S. Federal health insurance (specifically FEHB with contracts through Anthem BCBS) fulfills the health insurance requirements for a retirement visa in Thailand. Users clarify that while the NON-O visa generally does not require health insurance, NON-OA and NON-OX visas do. Moreover, U.S. health insurance may be valid for the first two years of a NON-OA longstay visa, but for extensions, Thai government-approved insurance is necessary. The comments also reference the importance of using insurers listed by the Thai government.

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Peter ****************

Found it.

2 years ago

Peter ****************

I don't know if it's still valid, but there is/was a form that if your insurance company accept it to sign, there are imm. offices who accept that form.

2 years ago

Nongnuch ********

During the first two years out of a Non-Imm-O/A Longstay visa, the mandatory health insurance can be your U.S. insurance.

However, for the application to the “1-year Extension of stay Permit” before your last stay permit out of the O/A visa will expire, you need to take up one of the private Thai health insurances that are on the so called “tgia list of insurances”.

The link is below.

Your home insurance will not be accepted any more.

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2 years ago

Bigd **********

@Nongnuch *******

thank you!

2 years ago

Steve *******

No. Must be on the list of insurers approved by the Thai government. The list is on their website

2 years ago

Nongnuch ********

@Steve ******

for the first two years out of a Non-Imm-O/A Longstay visa, he can use any U.S. American based health insurance. The tgia-listed Thai insurance becomes mandatory only as soon as he applies for the "1-year Extension of Stay"

2 years ago

Steve *******

@Nongnuch *******

true but why bother. May as well get it out of the way rather than finding out all preexisting is excluded. My OA (obtained in origin country) required Thai insurance.

2 years ago

Nongnuch ********

@Steve ******

most expats avoid the Non-Imm-O/A entirely and get their "1-year EOS based on retirement" from out of a Non-Imm-O visa, which doesn't have a mandatory insurance requirement. On this EOS, they are free to choose a foreign health insurance that is worth the paper it is printed on, like BDAE or APRIL

2 years ago

Bigd **********

@Steve ******

thx

2 years ago

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

99% of people have a non-O or an extension from a non-O. This has no insurance requirement.

Only the non-OA and non-OX have an insurance requirement.

2 years ago