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What are my options for renewing my O-A visa in Thailand and dealing with health insurance?

O-A VisaNon O VisaVisa RunHealth InsuranceImmigration RulesRetirement VisaMarriage VisaLong-Term Residency Visa (LTR)Financial Requirements
Aug 12, 2024
4 months ago
Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am a Kiwi living here on an O-A visa coming up to its 12th month. I will be doing a border run just before it expires and receiving a second year on my return back into Thailand. My first years health insurance will expire as well so I am discussing with myself weather to purchase another 12 months worth OR flag it and apply for an O visa instead. The cost of insurance has skyrocketed ..and they can't be trusted anyway at claim time so bugger them. Another option could be the auto 60 day on arrival and extend by a month..rinse and repeat or marry my Thai sweetheart. Righto ..throw me your thoughts!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is considering options for renewing their O-A visa in Thailand, which is expiring soon. They are contemplating a border run to extend their stay, purchasing new health insurance due to high costs, or switching to a Non O visa. Various comments suggest checking options like the DTV visa and ensuring they meet financial requirements, as well as discussing the implications of the marriage visa. There are debates about health insurance necessity, visa regulations concerning exit and re-entry, and the ease of organizing document requirements for a marriage visa.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Bob **********
You’ll need the 800k in a Thai bank to switch but I’ve heard of some immigration offices accepting monthly transfers I needed the 800k at Jomtien
4 months ago
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Scott **********************
Being a person who has had an accident in Thailand, anyone who takes a chance not having Health Insurance is a fool. You can take a chance but don’t complain if something goes wrong or you have an accident. Lucky at the time I had travel insurance otherwise I would have been out of pocket 2 million baht. Just my thoughts 💭
4 months ago
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Lena *******
I am married to an expert in risk management so he's thoughtfully run the numbers and given he is in his late sixties and I am six year;s younger we factored in all possible variables and could not justify the high cost of health insurance. So we will wear the risk and, obviously, not ride motorbikes as too much to go wrong.
4 months ago
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John ********
@Lena ******
 You can get insurance for motorbikes and or car that cover you for hospitalisation if you get injured. You don't need health insurance
4 months ago
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John ********
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John ********
@Scott *********************
 Thankyou dad for that.
4 months ago
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John ********
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you all. Great information. Really appreciate it.🙏🙏
4 months ago
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Terary **********
I would discourage the marriage visa. It's a real pain in the neck. I have talked to a few fellows who have a Thai wife but meet other visa requirements and they prefer go with the other option over the marriage visa option. I talked to a couple of agents and they wanted $$ to do a retirement visa but $$$$ for a marriage visa.

I have been doing visa runs for several years now. You can do it that way if you want, but there are some risks involved so maybe not the best option (still better than the married visa option).
4 months ago
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Rob **********
@Terary *********
 the Non O based on marriage is pretty easy to do, if you are organised have been on this for many years and have never found it a pain at all.
4 months ago
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Colin *********
@Rob *********
 I've seen several comments over the past 18 months as this has been of interest to me, some saying the same as Terry, others same as you. I haven't gone looking into too much detail yet, as the time for me is probably going to be delayed.

Each Immigration office has their own requirements, such as a list of required documents. I've seen a comment that it's easy if you keep copies of documents for the next year(s) where a fresh one isn't required. Is that part of what makes it easy for you?
4 months ago
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Rob **********
@Colin ********
 exactly right Colin, I keep multiple copies of things to make sure I have everything in order for my yearly extension, so when the time comes around again you basically only need to do a few things. That is why I said it’s easy if you are organized and prepared.
4 months ago
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Colin *********
@Rob *********
 thought so, thanks
4 months ago
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Colin *********
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Jan ******************
If you can meet the financial requirements of 65K baht a month, the NZ embassy still offers to provide affidavit letters to confirm your income/pension as I understand. You’ll therefore don’t need to prove 800K baht in a thai bank to apply for a 90 days Non O in country. So if you plan to stay or live in Thailand you best option might be to leave short time before your Non O-A expires, stay a couple of days in a nearby country until it’s expired, re-enter on a 60 days visa exemption and apply for regular a Non O in country with a affidavit letter from your embassy.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
I believe they are planning to reduce the insurance coverage requirement back to 400,000 baht. Possibly in September . . . if that helps.
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 yeah I did see that Marty. My flight out and back in is September 11 so I've got a little time to get organised and decide what to do. Hey thanks mate I appreciate your help.
4 months ago
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Mark ********
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jan *****************
 What would happen if I arrived back from my visa run before the current OA expires? Would they still stamp me in for another 12 months...without health insurance or would they say "you have no health insurance we can only stamp you in for 60 days". Then I extend for another 30 giving me 90.
4 months ago
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Jan ******************
@Mark *******
 I’m not quite sure, the visa would still be valid but they probably won’t approve your entry as the insurance isn’t updated. You normally can’t have an active visa and enter on a visa exemption either. Personally I would just wait to the last day before I’d leave and re-entered to be sure.
4 months ago
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Jan ******************
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Michael *******
@Jan *****************
 it actually expires the Moment you leave the country without a re-entry permit….as some have discovered to their cost
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@Michael ******
 An OA is a 1 year multiple entering visa.
4 months ago
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Jan ******************
@Michael ******
 No this is not correct. Non O-A visa itself is a multiple entries visa and you don’t need to purchase any re-entry permits.

If you leave on a Non O without re-entry permit, you’ll cancel your visa.
4 months ago
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Michael *******
I will leave it to the moderators to clarify I had one for 6 years maybe it’s changed recently and re-entry permit is no longer required - expensive mistake if wrong…….
4 months ago
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Jan ******************
@Michael ******
 No, the one year Non O-A has already multiple entries. Every time you get stamped in within the first year you get a year stay, even if it’s close to it expires. For your second year on a non O-A visa you’ll need to buy re-entry permits if you leave as the visa itself is expired and you just got a stamp or permission to stay for a year.

If you’re on a regular Non O visa or yearly extensions of stay you’ll always need to buy re-entry permits when you leave or else you’ll cancel your stay and need to apply from scratch again on a visa exemption when you re-enter.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@Michael ******
 No you are not wrong. The OP is in the first year of his OA. The OA is multiple entry the first year. After the first year you need a re-entry permit.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
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Marty *********
I assume you know that to get off the OA you must leave before the first year expires and return after it expires. So you don't want insurance . . . that is up to you. The next question you have to ask is what are the financial requirements you are willing to put up with? The O and OA are identical except for the insurance. I switched from my OA to a pensioner LTR and I am quite happy with that choice but there is a steep financial requirement. Or you can look at the DTV but regardless of it being a 5 years visa you are still basically a tourist. That may or may not fit your retirement lifestyle and yearly travel. I can't say it is a wise choice to come and go on 60 day visa exempt entries and extensions but if you are willing to live with that uncertainty then . . . again . . . up to you.

Marry her because you want to get married not because of the visa option.
4 months ago
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Michael *******
@Marty ********
 re OA - surely it expires if you leave without a re-entry permit ?
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael ******
 sorry I forgot to mention..my OA comes with multi entry attached.
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Mark *******
 All OA visas are multi entry
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim *******
 in New Zealand you have a choice. Single or multi.
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Mark *******
 You can choose, but you will always get Multi-entry
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim *******
 That would be nice however we get to tick a box on application ( unless that's changed in the last 12 months ) from memory single entry 60 bucks Tick or Multi entry 200 bucks Tick.
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Mark *******
 Most certainly has changed! Keep with the times! Try NZ$2000
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim *******
 😳 Holy F !! 😳
4 months ago
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Claude *******
@Mark *******
 First year all the OA comes with multi entry attached 😉
4 months ago
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Claude *******
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Conny **********
@Michael ******
 no. If he still has a multiple visa it will just start another year. If he comes back after the visa has expired its 60 days on extemption and he can convert that to a non o retirement. If he has his papers in order. I killed my own non oa that way last year myself. Easy process
4 months ago
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Michael *******
What’s a multiple visa ? Do you mean an OA visa with a multiple re-entry permit ?
4 months ago
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Graham ******
@Michael ******
 No, a Non-OA Visa is 12 month multi-entry so within that year you re-enter and get stamped in for 12 months up up to the expiry of your insurance if less than 12 months
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@Michael ******
 An OA is a one year multiple entry visa. When you leave and return during the first year you get stamped in for another year or up to the expiration date of your health insurance.
4 months ago
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Michael *******
The first year you are free to come and go, and if you leave on the 360th day you get another year, after that you get the OA from local immig then you are required to get a re-entry before leaving
4 months ago
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Michael *******
It’s permission to stay, had an O-A for 6 years - I had to get a re-entry permit each time I left the country or I would be screwed on return - perhaps one of the moderators can clarify before a cluster f**k happens
4 months ago
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Brett **********
@Michael ******
 the oa can be purchased as a single entry or multi entry for the first year. If you border bounce to get a second years use then you will need reentry permits if you wish to leave and return
4 months ago
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Mark ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brett *********
 What if you have multi attached to your OA visa and you return BEFORE your OA expires.🤔
4 months ago
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Brett **********
@Mark *******
 then you'll be stamped in for as long as you have insurance coverage, up to 12 months
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@Michael ******
 I got my OA in Feb 2017 before the insurance requirement. I went to Cambodia in Nov 2017 (no re-entry permit required) and when I returned I got a permission to stay stamp until Nov 2018. Between Feb 2018 and Nov 2018 I needed a re-entry permit if I wanted to leave/return in that time period. I did all my 1 year extensions from Nov 2018 and needed re-entry permits to travel and not kill the OA extension. In 2020 I was required to have health insurance. I synced my insurance policy dates to my OA extension dates.
4 months ago
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Conny **********
No . You have a visa the first year. After that you have an extension of stay based on non OA. And if you want to keep that extension alive you need a reentry for that.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@Michael ******
 I had an OA for 6 years too. The first year it is a multiple entry visa. After that first year you are on a permission to stay stamp or an extension and you do need to get a re-entry permit.

The OP says he is in the first year of his OA visa.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
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William ******
DTV is sweet if you qualify and no changes

Unless they enforce taxes on stays over 180
4 months ago
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John **********
@William *****
 it's not a question of them enforcing anything. The law is clear. If you spend 180 days or more inside Thailand in a calendar year then you are a tax resident. If you bring overseas income into Thailand in that year then you are obliged to complete a Thai tax return and pay any tax due. The onus is on you to comply.
4 months ago
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John ********
@John *********
 It's only EARNED INCOME It has been said on here by several experts. So if that is true that means pensions, well at least State pensions wouldn't qualify for taxation. Thoughts please.?
4 months ago
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John **********
@John *******
 that's completely untrue. Pensions, salaries, capital gains, dividends, interest and so on all count as income. About the only thing that doesn't count as income is inheritance.
4 months ago
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John ********
@John *********
 John, if as you say inheritance doesn't count as income, that'd I presume because because it's not classed as earned income, if that is correct, then pensions are not classed as earned income. Will be interesting to find out which is correct. Probably won't find out until any expats comment on their dealings with Thai tax dept., or a tax consultant next year.
4 months ago
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John **********
@John *******
 nothing to do with it being unearned income. Thailand does not tax inheritance either for local residents or as overseas income. Time to stop looking for something that doesn't exist.
4 months ago
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John ********
@John *********
 I'm not looking for anything, just confirming that as you say inheritance is not classed as earned income, so why should pensions be. FFS
4 months ago
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John **********
@John *******
 it's nothing to do with whether it's earned income or not. Thailand simply doesn't have inheritance tax
4 months ago
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John ********
@John *********
 So if you know it all, can you definitely confirm that pension payments, whether private or State, are taxable income.
4 months ago
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John **********
@John *******
 that depends on where you are from and what the DTA between your country and Thailand says on the matter
4 months ago
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John ********
@John *********
 Well maybe your wrong because it states EARNED INCOME, which a state pension is not.
4 months ago
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John **********
@John *******
 where does it state that?
4 months ago
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John **********
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William ******
@John *********
 ok let’s stay you have retirement income and savings. How do they know the difference?

So let use around numbers:

You have $50,000 sitting in usd savings account and every month you get $3000. You don’t use a bank account in Thailand to live. You use atm withdraws for cash, credit cards for groceries and pay rent in cash or transfer. How do they track this? I know you suppose to file but if it says income from overseas would it be $0. The people on retirement using an agent don’t probably use money in a Thai account to live so they are living like I stated above. To me income vs money are two different things. Yes retirement is considered income but in USA I think only 50% is taxable if no offer income maybe less I forget. So, if on social security without other income you probably pay no taxes. How does that work
4 months ago
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Tim *********
If you stay 180 days or more, you're a tax resident. Cumulative in any calendar year, so a border bounce on day 179 doesn't help you. You (should) declare all the money you import to Thailand. It is assessible for tax. You show tax certificates in that tax year from home country, which is deducted from tax due in Thailand. Maybe you will be able to demonstrate that you transferred savings rather than income, but the mechanics for doing that are not clear so far. Maybe it would be as simple as showing a statement showing the funds leaving your home savings account.
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@William *****
 I for one am not going to live here full time on ATM withdrawals. I pay taxes in the US each year including tax on 85% of my Social Security benefits. I now have an LTR so money I bring into Thailand is not taxable.
4 months ago
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William ******
@Marty ********
 85% I don’t remember but you must have other income. I thought, maybe I’m wrong it started at 50%. Also probably depends on amount of SS to. I don’t suggest living on ATM but I know many retired people, not in Thailand that refuse to open a local bank account. They live on credit cards, ATMs and wise or western union. Some been doing it 10 years or more. But I understand each argument
4 months ago
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Marty *********
@William *****
 If you make less than $25,000/yr you don't pay tax on Social Security. I do have other income and I believe that I am paying the top tax rate on my SS of 85%. I don't know if there is a sliding tax rate in between.

One of the solutions to "fixing" Social Security in 1983 was to begin taxing SS.

In 2022 I bought a car and built a house in Thailand. I can't imagine doing that without having my Thai bank. I'm happy with my Thai bank.
4 months ago
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John **********
@William *****
 far too big a list of questions for here but very basically it is income that you bring in to Thailand that is taxed, it doesn't matter how you bring it in. Whether or not your income is taxable in Thailand is determined by the Dual Tax Agreement between your country and Thailand but you need to complete a Thai tax return to take advantage of that, so check the relevant agreement. I believe American SS is an example of income that is not taxable in Thailand due to the DTA but don't take my word for it. As to differentiating between savings and income you need to keep records, any income received prior to
*****
/2024 is exempt so that's a good starting point, savings accumulated prior to that date are easy but savings after that date must have come from somewhere (most likely income of some sort so the income counts)
4 months ago
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William ******
@John *********
 if you only had SS and it’s exempt you have to still file a return with no taxes due?
4 months ago
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John **********
@William *****
 correct. It's the only way to claim the relief available under the DTA. Plus the requirement to file a tax return is based on assessable income not whether you end up paying tax on that income or not.
4 months ago
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John **********
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Jim ***********
DTV visa looks good option if suitable
4 months ago
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Jim ***********
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