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Is medical insurance mandatory for all retirement visa extensions in Thailand?
Nov 28, 2025
5 months ago
Richard ********
ORIGINAL POSTERIs medical insurance required for all retirement "visa" renewals now? TIA
TLDR : Answer Summary
The general consensus among the commenters is that medical insurance is not required for every extension of a retirement visa in Thailand. Instead of 'renewals,' expats apply for a new extension of stay each year. If a non-OA visa that requires insurance was initially obtained, subsequent extensions may also necessitate insurance.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
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James ******
OA
Stanley *******
Only problem I’m 75 gone insurance was quoted £7.000 pounds highest lowest £4.000 that was for 4 month 😩😩😩
John **********
Check WR Life.. they insure any age I believe although limits. A friend who is in their 70s was admitted to Bangkok Hospital for heart problems and they paid out.
Stanley *******
Thank 👍that was uk companies
Reply to
Stanley *******
Reply
จอห์นนี่ *********
No not at all
Patrick ********
No
Ralph *******
No. Depends on the visa.
Elías ********
Nope
Ant ***********
No
Todd *********
Definite no
Ron *******
Not required
Brandon ************
There's no such thing as a visa renewal.
Each year you can apply for a brand new extension of stay. You cannot renew anything.
If you applied for a 1-year non-OA visa from your Thai embassy which requires insurance as part of your application and then used that to enter Thailand, each extension afterwards will also require insurance.
Each year you can apply for a brand new extension of stay. You cannot renew anything.
If you applied for a 1-year non-OA visa from your Thai embassy which requires insurance as part of your application and then used that to enter Thailand, each extension afterwards will also require insurance.
Richard ********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
I got my original extension of stay from within Thailand approx 12 years ago and have "renewed" every year since without insuranceNongnuch ********
@Richard *******
if you did 12 years of extensions, and never needed an insurance, you obviously started out of a Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa. . . . this means, NOTHING has changed so far. There is no mandatory insurance for extensions of the stay permit out of former Non-Imm-O Retirement visasGraham ******
@Nongnuch *******
not necessarily as the health insurance was not added to the Non-OA until 2019 I believeNongnuch ********
@Graham *****
correct. . .some people on extensions out of former Non-OA visa were "grandfathered" for a period, after 2019 . . . .but AFAIK Immigration, at least in Phuket, as stated on the website of the Phuket Volunteers, the grandfathering was discontinued in 2024James ******
@Nongnuch *******
is insurance required for first 90 day non o for retirement?Nongnuch ********
@James *****
maybe some embassies have changed their requirements, and ask for a 90-days travel insurance for the first 90 days of a stay permit you get stamped in when you enter on this visa-class. If you have a valid link or a valid official mentioning, then PLEASE link it! . . . . For a 1-year extension of the stay permit based on retirement/over 50, there is no mandatory health insurance - that's a factJames ******
@Nongnuch *******
maybe...ok. I'll contact the embassy prior to applying and share the link if there is one. Thank you very much.Graham ******
@James *****
you should have already looked at the Embassy website to see their specific requirements for the visa you will be applying forRichard ********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Graham *****
I'm not applying for a visa. I need a further year's extension of stayReply to
Richard ********
Reply
Brandon ************
@Richard *******
Then nothing has changedJohn **********
@Richard *******
if you are on a Non-O visa there is no insurance requirementSue **********
@Richard *******
what kind of Visa do you have?Nongnuch ********
@Sue *********
he doesn't have a visa any more, he is on a "1-year extended stay permit"Reply to
Nongnuch ********
Reply
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