COVID-19 cover needed for long-stay O-A visas in Thailand

Foreign nationals with the non-immigrant O-A visa will in the future have to prove they have insurance coverage of at least 100,000 USD (about 3 million THB) against COVID-19.

Thursday, June 17, 2021 10:16

COVID-19 cover needed for long-stay O-A visas in Thailand ảnh 1

Holders of O-A (retirement) visas will need COVID-19 insurance of at least 3 million THB. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Bangkok (VNA) - Foreign nationals with the non-immigrant O-A visa willin the future have to prove they have insurance coverage of at least 100,000 USD(about 3 million THB) against COVID-19.

Traisuree Taisaranakul, deputy spokeswoman for the government, said theproposal was approved in principle by the cabinet and it would apply to allholders of the one-year visa.

The extra COVID-19 insurance coverage regulation does not apply to othernon-immigrant visa categories: marriage, business, educational and media, amongothers.

The new rule follows an amendment to the regulations approved by the cabinet inApril last year.

At present, holders of the non-immigrant O-A visa must be insured to the tuneof just 40,000 THB for out-patient treatment and 400,000 THB for in-patienttreatment at a hospital.

Future non-immigrant O-A visa applicants must produce proof they have taken outthe far higher insurance against COVID-19 and if they are eligible forstate-sponsored welfare or insurance, the same minimum coverage applies.

Those seeking to renew their non-immigrant O-A visas are free to buy theinsurance from abroad.

Traisuree said the current non-immigrant O-A visa regulations were flawed asexpats aged over 70 could not buy insurance in Thailand, causing them to bedisqualified from extending their stay in the kingdom.om remaining long-term inthe country./.

VNA

#non-immigrant O-A visa #COVID-19 #Traisuree Taisaranakul #one-year visa #Vietnam #VietnamPlus #Vietnam news

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