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What visa type should my fiancé apply for to avoid health insurance in Thailand?

Visa typesThailand immigrationOA retirement visaNon-O visaHealth insurance requirementsVisa application process
Oct 23, 2023
a year ago
Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone!

My fiancé and I have been living in Thailand for almost 3 years now. My fiancé is on OA retirement visa and he has to pay for health insurance as part of OA visa requirements. We have been advised to leave the country and apply for a new visa type to avoid health insurance. We aren’t sure what type of visa that my fiancé should apply for. Do we need to make an appointment with the Thai Embassy? How long does it take for visa approval? All advices would be much appreciated. Thank you so much 🙏🏼
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster is seeking advice on visa options for their fiancé, who is currently on an OA retirement visa in Thailand and is looking to avoid mandatory health insurance. The discussion includes alternatives like converting to a non-O visa and necessary financial requirements, such as maintaining a certain amount in a Thai bank account. Several comments also provide insights on visa application processes, insurance options, and the possibility of applying for a new visa after a temporary departure from Thailand.
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.
Philip ***********
You could also take a very cheap insurance, starts around 9.000 thb a year if I'm not wrong ( with high deductible of about 200.000 thb with OP cover that qualifies for the non OA but in fact is useless ) and take another good insurance to use for real need Then you can keep the non OA without the 800.000 in account. Or switch tot non o as said before For the cheap oa insurance, and all others you can take a look at
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They have offices in Phuket, Hua Hun, BKK and Pattaya
a year ago
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Marty *********
@Philip **********
 The insurance and financial requirements are separate requirements. Find an insurance policy that qualifies but you still either have to deposit the 800,000 baht or work your way into the monthly income requirement of 65,000 baht/month.
a year ago
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Philip ***********
@Marty ********
 if I'm not wrong, you don't need the 800 for non OA, only for non o And sure no insurance for non o
a year ago
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Marty *********
@Philip **********
 I had an OA from 2017- Jan 2023. I used the Bangkok Immigration office. Both the O and OA 1 year visa extensions have identical financial requirements. The OA also requires a health insurance certificate.
a year ago
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Marty *********
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Mike ******
Based on retirement
a year ago
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Michelly ******
@Mike *****
 Yes
a year ago
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Michelly ******
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Mike ******
Just asking...can you change a oa visa to o visa at phuket immigration
a year ago
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Michelly ******
@Mike *****
 No, you can’t do it in the country. You must leave Thailand first, and then come back with a Tourist visa before you apply for a visa O.
a year ago
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Mike ******
Can you change an extension of stay due to retirement to a extension of stay due to marriage at phuket immigration
a year ago
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Mike ******
@Michelly *****
 thank you
a year ago
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Mike ******
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Golden ******
Hi is visa OA need 800 k on bank account also? Same O
a year ago
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Marty *********
@Golden *****
 You buy an OA visa in your home country using funds in your home country bank account. At some point many or most OA visa holders have to extend that OA visa at a Thai immigration office in Thailand. At that point to will need to have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. That is only strictly true for citizens of the US, Uk, and Australia. Citizens from other countries can try to qualify for the 1 year extension by getting an income affidavit from their home country embassy stating that they have an income of at least 65,000 baht/month.

The requirements to extend an O or OA visa are similar. Only those with an OA visa are required to have health insurance.
a year ago
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Golden ******
@Marty ********
 thx you
a year ago
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Golden ******
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Marty *********
It sounds like he is on a 1 year extension of an OA visa. If he also bought a multiple re-entry permit then he must wait until that ends. If he didn’t buy a re-entry permit then he just has to leave the country without a re-entry and that will end his 1 year extension of stay. After he re-enters as a tourist he can apply for a 90 day O visa and at the end of the 90 days he can apply for a 1 year extension as a retiree. It is the same as the 1 year extension for an OA but it doesn’t have the insurance requirement.

I had an OA for 6 years. I now have a 10 year pensioner LTR
a year ago
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Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 They do require return ticket from outside the country for Tourist Visa, right?
a year ago
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Marty *********
@Mayuree *******
 Sorry. I don’t know about entering Thailand as a tourist these days. I haven’t done that since 2015-2016.
a year ago
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Marty *********
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Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 Is it possible that a general tourist visa holder able to apply for a retirement visa once in the country? Is it that simple?
a year ago
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Marty *********
@Mayuree *******
 Yes. A tourist can apply for a non- immigrant O visa while they are in Thailand on a tourist entry. Luckily he has a Thai bank account already. There is some tricky timing regarding what to do and when. I’m not the expert on that. You want to ask Tod Daniels in this group or the Thai visa advice Facebook group.
a year ago
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Marty *********
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Mike ******
With oa visa..you need to take out patient cover
a year ago
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Mike ******
Many people only wish impatient cover
a year ago
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Mike ******
Can you change non oa visa to o visa for retirement in phuket..
a year ago
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Martin *****
Smart thinking living here with no health insurance 😂
a year ago
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Frank **********
Out of curiosity how have you been able to stay here for three years, lol? Retirement visa also?
a year ago
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Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Frank *********
 OA retirement visa.
a year ago
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Mayuree ********
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Frank **********
Depending oh exactly how old he is he may want to keep his insurance in the event he needs a doctor or hospital.
a year ago
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Braulio *********
Why give up health insurance?
a year ago
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Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Braulio ********
 We have alternative health plans.
a year ago
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Mayuree ********
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Brandon ************
What country passport does he have? It's probably easier for him to leave after the OA visa expires and then return on visa exempt if his passport qualifies. Then he can apply for a non-O visa conversion at immigration with 800,000 baht in his thai bank account
a year ago
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Shirden ************
@Brandon ***********
 this says the
*****
0 is optional
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Shirden ***********
 they are specifically asking about NOT the OA visa but the O visa. And proof of funds is not optional. You must use one of the methods and the 800,000 is the easiest and most straightforward
a year ago
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Brandon ************
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Mayuree ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 Thank you. He has American passport.
a year ago
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Brown ********
@Mayuree *******
 this is my advice too
a year ago
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Brown ********
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Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
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