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What Challenges Did You Face Getting Your Non OA Visa From New Zealand?

Non-OA Visa Insurance Issues Chiang Mai Immigration

Nov 26, 2019

6 years ago

Andrew ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Had a bit of trouble getting my Non OA in New Zealand. The embassy wanted my Thai insurance company to fill in the Non Thai Insurance form saying their non Thai insurance was the same as if they were a Thai Insurance company. This resulted in a phone yelling match as I attempted to explain that the form is for folks who got their insurance in their home country but in the end the Thai Agent filled in the form and emailed it to the embassy. I also got from the Medical Services dept their operation procedure which I sent to the Thai embassy in NZ pointing out they did not need this form if I had Thai Insurance. As a side note this information also included embassy login details to check for insurance. So it seems any embassy has the ability to check if your insurance is registered.

Coming back through Chiang Mai immigration they wanted to see my insurance details. I said that you can not get an OA visa now without insurance so why do they need to see them?. In the end the insurance card was accepted and through immigration without a photo or finger prints (only I think because the machine on that booth was broken). 

All in all this was alot of effort to avoid having 800k in a Thai bank (which I do have in the bank). I had spent several wasted days in Thailand getting hospital checkups for the insurance, visits to various government departments to ensure I knew as much as I can (only to have the Thai embassy not know how to process the OA).  I had arranged getting all this for a Non OA 4 months ago when a long term deposit in NZ would make having the 800k at home worthwhile for the interest and no insurance was required.  But the world interest rates has changed and it seems all currency is losing against the Thai baht, so any delays in bringing that Foreign money over is just throwing away money in my mind.

But done and dusted. I now have a Non OA, which I will change to a Non O instead of renewing the insurance and OA extension and just go with the Non O which is much much easier and cheaper

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user shared their experience of obtaining a Non OA visa in New Zealand, detailing challenges with Thai insurance requirements and embassy procedures. They had to argue with the embassy about the necessity of a specific insurance form, and ultimately resolved the issue with the help of a Thai insurance agent. Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, immigration officers requested to see insurance details despite insurance being a prerequisite for obtaining the visa. After navigating through several bureaucratic hurdles, the user successfully acquired the Non OA visa but plans to switch to a Non O visa for an easier and cheaper process in the future.

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Tod *********

@And***

your best bet would be to wring the 2 years of stay out of this visa by using it effectively.

Then when the second year entry stamp is winding down, (and seeing as you're in Chiang Mai) bounce out and back in at Mae Sai -Tachiliek border with Myanmar to get a 30 day visa exempt entry. IMMEDIATELY after you get that 30 day visa exempt entry go to the Chiang Mai immigration office and apply for an IN COUNTRY 90 day Non-O visa (based on having the required funds in a thai bank in your name), it will go under review for 21 days then you go back and get the Non-O visa, and a 90 day entry stamp inked into your passport. THEN you wait until you have 45 days or less left on that stamp and go back and apply for a yearly extension.

That is the way you need to do it, BUT you're a couple years away from that IF you work the current O-A visa you have correctly

6 years ago

Andrew ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Ok ok Todd. In two years I will hit you up on the latest. I am being lazy in my response. I am aware it's a different visa, and the old need to be cancelled for the new. My point was I can do it easier and cheaper than getting insurance and extending the OA. Although I assuming with my 2nd year on the reentry they will check to see if my insurance covers the extra year and since I am not doing insurance again it might only be good for a year. Will wait and see :)

6 years ago

Andrew ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

yep. That is exactly the plan. Except I will do in country swap of the OA to an O

6 years ago

Reply to

Andrew ********

Tod *********

Wring the almost 2 years of stay you can get out of this visa and THEN (in two years) worry about how you're going to get a new Non-O visa and a yearly extension.

6 years ago

Tod *********

News flash there

@And***

, you can't change an O-A visa to an O visa. a 90 day Non-O visa

6 years ago

Andrew ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

yes then with the year extension based on funds. No problem going to Laos is easier than going to NZ (who don't actually do Non O for retirement)

6 years ago

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