What are the current medical insurance requirements for renewing an O-A non-immigrant visa in Thailand?

Question

Does someone have an update on the medical insurance requirement (or not) for the renewal of a O-A non emigrant visa? A French friend of mine who is 79 yo, having lived in Chiangmai for 5 year on O-A was told that he needs to have a local insurance cover, despite his cover the the French Government insurance for French abroad. Problem is that the French insurance refuses to fill up the Thai immigration form and that local insurances either exclude old person or charge crazy premium for basically no cover, because of exclusion! We were told that best would be to convert his O-A visa to O visa in Hanoi. Any feedback on this option?

Ask Thailand · Answer

Recent updates indicate that holders of the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa are now required to have medical insurance that meets specific coverage minimums for visa renewal. This applies to both initial applications and extensions. Many insurance providers do not cover individuals over 75, forcing some expats to seek alternative visas like the O visa, which does not have insurance requirements. A French expat in Chiang Mai faced challenges obtaining local insurance and decided to convert his visa to avoid the constraints imposed by the O-A visa's new rules.

Nadus ********** · Answer

Triple verifications done with Thai immigration and 2 agents: O-A renewal requires a Thai medical insurance cover to be issued by one of the 14 companies listed in the official website! Contacted around 10 of those companies, of which 80 % do not deal with people being more then 75 y.o. Finally decided to fly to Hanoi (land border being too tiring for old person), and come back one day later with tourist visa exemption one month, so to apply for non O visa with agent at a cost of 18000 B! ...all about 💰

Keith ************* · Answer

If this is the case many thousands of older Farangs who cannot get insurance do too age will be thrown out of the country don't think so their is at least 10 Farangs who cannot get insurance .that's just a small village in Pattaya  times that by how many villages and that's a massive amount .. won't happen ...

Graeme ********** · Answer

November 14, 2019 Pattaya City Expats Club

NON-IMMIGRANT VISA – CATEGORY “O-A” – HEALTH INSURANCE

SUMMARY

New rules went into effect on 31 October 2019. These rules apply ONLY to a Thai Non-Immigrant Category O-

A Visa.

The new rules add a requirement for applicants and holder of the O-A Visa to have health insurance that meets the minimum requirement of providing 400,000 baht inpatient and 40,000 baht outpatient coverage. They appear to apply to (1) the application for the O-A Visa, (2) the permission to stay granted upon entering or re-entering Thailand using the O-A Visa, and (3) applications for extension of the permission to stay granted based on the O-A Visa.

At the request of the Ministry of Public Health (MofPH), the Thai Cabinet approved adding the requirement for health insurance for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa in April 2019. At that time, the MofPH announced the requirement and noted implementation would be forthcoming after coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MofFA) and the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau (IB). The MoFA establishes rules for the issuance of Thai Visas by their Embassies and Consulates. The IB establishes rules for how long a foreigner is permitted to stay in Thailand (initial permission to stay based on type of Visa or Visa Exempt & extensions of such permission of stay).

Graeme ********** · Answer

My understanding is that you need the Medical Insurance for your initial Long Stay OA visa and also for future 12 month extensions. If you google Long Stay Visa Medical Insurance Thailand you should find the relevant info. For example [url redacted]

Keith ************* · Answer

My understanding is that you only need medical insurance if you are applying for your first retirement visa in your own country of origin and doesn't apply for retirees on an O.A. already living in Thailand even renuing you visa .

Ivan ************ · Answer

I think that is the best option. Just go out and get a new non O, and renewing that won't need insurance. Go to Hanoi if he likes, although you could do a land run either for a visa exempt (at Mae Sai) and then convert that to a non-O in Chiang Mai.

What are the current medical insurance requirements for renewing an O-A non-immigrant visa in Thailand?

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