Answered7 years ago

What Are the Requirements for the O-A Visa When Entering Thailand?

Non-OA Visa Immigration Health Insurance

Athena *********

asked Nov 16, 2019

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Hi All, received brand new OA visa from Canberra in mid October. Arrived Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday. 

IO asked for insurance. We advised him we had travel insurance to cover our planned stay of 89 days. He sought advice from senior IO, who told him to stamp us in, but told us that 'next time' we must have insurance. 

We signed a note added to our TM6 and were both stamped in for 12 months. 

Before anyone asks, I am unsure as to what 'next time' means! 

I realise this post probably adds to the confusion, but hope it helps establish a pattern of what is happening in these early days. 

Cheers, and thanks to Tod and all the other admins who do such a mighty job.☺️

Answer summary

A user recently shared their experience upon arrival in Thailand with a new Non-Immigrant OA visa. They were questioned about their travel insurance by an immigration officer who advised that on future entries, proof of insurance covering the full stay would be necessary. Despite this, they were stamped in for 12 months without immediate proof of insurance, raising questions about the implications for subsequent entries.

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Robert *******

just to clear, you have the Non Immigrant O-A visa and got stamped in for 1 year. Who is the other person and what kind of visa did he/she use and why did you sign a note together as every entry is handled one by one?

7 years ago

Athena *********

@Robert ******

the 'we' is my husband and I. He has OA visa (we applied for them at the same time). We went through immigration individually (one behind the other, so we each got the same IO). We were each told the same thing. We each signed the note that the IO added to our individual TM6 forms. Hope that makes things a bit clearer.

7 years ago

Bo ******

Once the O-A visa and also any retirement extensions are approved with the mandatory health insurance, they should be in immigration’s data base, shouldn’t they? If not, we need to carry around the health certificate with us when we enter Thailand.

7 years ago

Chris ****

I asked yesterday my agent, she is from an approved thaicompany, and she said, " just show your insurance card", THIS is for sure wrong, and i recognized that she has no idea about the new regulations.

7 years ago

Chris ****

the question is : if you have an extension already, leave here for one week and come back again, will they ask for the insurance or not ?

7 years ago

Joaquin ***********

As moderators say it´s still soon.There are different experiences and therefore not consensus between departments involved in how to procedure on this matter.Another point it´s not only to show insurance proof ,but to show insurance proof in a determined certified...I mean you could have insurance coverage, but your company could deny to fill in the certificated that you download from

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7 years ago

Bernd ***********

For issuing a O-A you can use a foreign insurance during the 1st year and you should be stamped in accordingly . In that case it should have been 89 days ... 🧐

7 years ago

Tod *********

no one knows how it will really work out, there isn't enough verifiable feedback from O-A visa holders yet.. I mean the rule just came into effect 16 days ago. It's gonna take a while to know how it affects people

7 years ago

Tod *********

it means the next time you enter the country on that O-A visa you will need to show proof of insurance for the year you're to be stamped in for OR you will only get stamped in for the duration of your insurance OR you will not get stamped in on the O-A at all and instead get a 30 day visa exempt entry and be told to buy insurance from one of the 12 thai providers come back to the airport and get your stamp adjusted giving you the year entry on the O-A

7 years ago

Athena *********

Thanks Tod, that clarifies it for us.

7 years ago