Ask question

This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Can a Non-O Immigration Visa Be Converted to a Retirement Visa in Thailand While in the Country?

Non-O Visa Retirement Visa Visa Conversion Visa Documentation Hua Hin Immigration Rules in Thailand Financial Requirements for Visa Extension of Stay

Nov 23, 2025

2 days ago

Debra ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Good day, my husband and i plan to retire in Hua Hin. We will be coming on a non o immigration visa and convert to a retirement Visa. I would like to enquire, is this possible to do whilst in the country and if so what documention would i need to submit to immigration? I know the financial requirements, just want to know if its possible to convert? TIA

1,712

views

5

likes

56

all likes

29

replies

2

images

10

users

TLDR : Answer Summary

Yes, you can convert your Non-O visa to an extension of stay based on retirement while in Thailand. You will need to ensure that you meet the financial requirements, which typically involve maintaining at least 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account (1.6 million THB for couples). This process involves applying for an extension at your local immigration office before your current visa expires. It's also important to note that while you are not technically converting the visa, you are extending your stay under retirement grounds.

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.

Pelle Eriksson

Pelle Eriksson★★★★★

Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...

recently on Facebook

Luca G.

Luca G.★★★★★

I used this agency for my DTV Visa...

recently on Google

Trusted Retirement Visa Agent

OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED

#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND

Holger **************

If you manage to get an Bank Account and put

*****

0 inside yes If you are a couple two bank Accounts and 1.6 Million

Like

Reply

Walter *******

Yes.

Like

Reply

Lloyd ********

The initial extension is based on the visa, in no way is it an extension of it. Subsequent extension could well be for a different reason than your initial visa was issued.

Like

Reply

Greg ***********

"based on the visa-class" I would say, not only "on the visa". And the rest of your comment is 100% correct

Like

Reply

Reply to

Greg ***********

Reply

Russell ********

The ' retirement visa' is not a conversion, its an extension of the visa you already have.

Like

Reply

Lloyd ********

@Russell *******

Nope, it is a totally different and separate permission of stay.

Like

Reply

Russell ********

seems im repeating what Tod is also saying here. The non O Visa is a 3 month visa: your retirement visa ( so called) is a 12 month extension of that visa.

Like

Reply

Greg ***********

@Russell *******

wrong. The 12-months extension is the 1-year extension of the 90-days stay permit you got stamped into your passport when you entered Thailand using a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa. You don't have a "visa" any more after you got stamped into Thailand . . . . .On Immigration you show them your originally issued Non-Imm-O Visa, and they will issue a "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit" . . that's what the EoS stamp says. Many people here don't understand the difference between a visa and a stay permit, that's why you read so much utter nonsense in the Facebook groups . . this is what you wrongly call "visa extension" . . . WHERE is there ANY mentioning that this thing is a "visa" ?

Like

Reply

Russell ********

@Greg **********

as Tod has explained here, its widely regarded as a visa. I've never heard it called a permit, and as it acts as a visa would, I really dont care about the semantics of it, even in capital letters. Immigration refer to it as a visa, it gives me leave to stay as a visa would, everyone calls it a visa, thats good enough for me.

Like

Reply

Lloyd ********

@Russell *******

Tod doesn't say that.

Like

Reply

Russell ********

'that IS the retirement visa'

Like

Reply

Dennis **********

@Russell *******

NO SUCH THING AS RETIREMENT VISA. TRUTH is Non-O visa Based On Over 50 or Based Married to Thai or Based On Staying with Family or Based on Volunteering or "performing specific duties". Everytime you ask an IO for something that doesn't exist like retirement visa you are demonstrating to them that you don't care about their country to educate yourself. Show a little Respect to our Host.

Like

Reply

Russell ********

@Dennis *********

do you understand the meaning of ' inverted commas' ?. How embarrassing.

Like

Reply

Tod *********

@Dennis *********

easy now, the immigration officers call the yearly extension a "retirement visa" so, so much for your "educate yourself and show respect" mantra😕

The 90 day Non-O visa issued based on being over 50 IS for all practical purposes the "retirement visa" because that's what starts the whole process of getting a yearly extension of stay based on 'being over 50 (retirement).

Like

Reply

Dennis **********

Chonburi doesn't they insist on proper terms. My daughter has a school mate who's father is an IO and personally told me that in general the office finds that and other little things such as No Sa Wat Dee or whey they find disrespectful. Chonburi tends to be strict on little things that CW ignored. Such as 2 years at CW I printed documents in color they accepted the documents. I printed the exact same for Chonburi they refused the documents and I had to reprint in black and white. I told an IO I needed to renew my Married visa and was corrected straight away. So as you say every office is different.

Like

Reply

Colin *********

@Russell *******

Tod was referring to the original Visa that the OP would enter Thailand on. It's a 90 day Visa, that expires after 90 days and then becomes invalid, no longer exists. Further stay in the country requires applying for an "Extension of Stay", which replaces the original Visa.

Like

Reply

Reply to

Colin *********

Reply

Ant ***********

As long as you can get a Non-O 90 day approval in your home country then you’ve done a lot of the hard work already

Like

Reply

Tod *********

You aren't converting anything 🙁

You're coming into the country on a 90 day Non-O visa you got from the consulate in your country before you came here based on retirement <- That IS a retirement visa 🙂

Once you're here, you'll bank the funds, wait for it to season the 2 months and until you have 30 days or less left on your 90 day entry stamp. Then you'll go to your immigration office and apply for a yearly "extension of stay" on that Non-O visa. It's 1900 baht and they issue the extension on the spot.

After that you're good to stay for the year the extension is valid.

This is a general list of requirements for an extension based on retirement, it is NOT office specific and you should go to your immigration office and get the hand out listing the requirements for that office and in Hua Hin go to the main office not the Blueport Mall one 🙂

Like

Reply

Matthew *********

be advised not to use bangkok bank. They are not farang friendly. You won't get the necessary documents from them

Like

Reply

Tod *********

@Matthew ********

you WILL get the documents from them but they have implemented a new policy where you need to sign a paper stating you'll leave the funds in the bank for 4 months or they won't give you the documents you need. It's a bangkok bank policy not an immigration one.

Not much you can really do if you need the paperwork from them 😕

Like

Reply

Reply to

Tod *********

Reply

Jack ********

you can go up to 45 days before in Hua Hin

Like

Reply

Colin *********

the original Non-O is 90 days and if the OP were to go to try to apply for the first extension of stay any more than 30 days before that original Visa expires, their money in a Thai bank account wouldn't have been 'seasoned' for the required minimum of two months. For the second and subsequent extensions applying up to 45 days before would be fine.

Like

Reply

Greg ***********

@Colin ********

" if the OP were to go to try to apply for the first extension of stay any more than 30 days before that original Visa expires" . . . . . this is wrong. It is 30 days before the 90-days admitted STAY PERMIT expires, which he got stamped when he entered Thailand, not "before the visa expires". Because the visa already "expired" i.e. it became used and void when he entered Thailand on it. Why people always confuse the visa validity with the lenght of the stay permit stamped, it's out of my range of understanding, mainly because almost every Thai Embassy website is mentioning the difference so you can avoid this mistake

Like

Reply

Colin *********

@Greg **********

ok, so I technically, my wording was not correct, but I think that most would have understood what I meant. It's not like the mistake that many make in confusing Visa Exempt and Tourist Visas, which I do understand. Thank you for correcting me, but I think that "total hogwash" is a little bit rude, considering that I haven't been rude to you or anyone else. Enjoy the rest of your day

Like

Reply

Greg ***********

@Colin ********

thank you, I shall enjoy

Like

Reply

Jack ********

@Colin ********

they might already have a bank account

Like

Reply

Reply to

Jack ********

Reply

Debra ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

thank you so much. Appreciated

Like

Reply

Tod *********

@Debra *******************

sorry I forgot to attach the list 😮

here it is

Like

Reply

Debra ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

this helps alot, thank you

Like

Reply

Reply to

Debra ********************

Reply

Thai Visa Advice

... members · 40% approval rate

The Thai Visa Advice group is a specialized Q&A forum for visa-related topics in Thailand, ensuring detailed responses.

Thai Visa Advice

View the Conversation

Thai Visa Advice

Can you convert a tourist visa to a retirement visa in Thailand?

11 comments

7 days ago

Can I convert a tourist visa to a Non-O retirement visa in Thailand, and what are the steps involved?

176 comments

4 months ago

Can I switch from a tourist visa to a retirement visa while in Thailand?

36 comments

6 months ago

Can a Non-O visa based on retirement be converted to a Non-O visa based on marriage without leaving Thailand?

5 comments

9 months ago

How do I change my 90-day NON-O visa to a retirement visa in Thailand and where should I go for this?

12 comments

2 years ago

Do you need to convert a tourist visa to a non-O visa before applying for a retirement visa in Thailand?

12 comments

2 years ago

Can an American convert a Tourist Visa to a Non-Immigrant O Retirement Visa in Thailand without exiting the country?

8 comments

3 years ago

Can I convert a visa on arrival or tourist visa to a Non-O visa while in Thailand, especially for retirement?

9 comments

3 years ago

Can I convert a 30-day tourist visa to a retirement visa in Thailand without leaving the country?

6 comments

4 years ago

How can I change a Non-Immigrant O Visa to a Non-Immigrant Retirement Visa in Thailand?

46 comments

4 years ago

Can I convert my Non-Immigrant O visa extension to Non-Immigrant O based on retirement while in Thailand, and what are the requirements?

14 comments

4 years ago

Can I convert my Non-Immigrant 'O' visa extension to a retirement visa while in Thailand?

4 comments

4 years ago

Can I transfer from a Non-Immigrant O for marriage visa to a retirement extension in Thailand?

11 comments

4 years ago

What do I need to apply for an extension of stay based on retirement with a Non-O visa in Thailand?

7 comments

4 years ago

How can I convert a 60-day tourist visa to a Non-O visa based on retirement in Thailand?

10 comments

4 years ago

Can I convert my tourist visa to a Non Immigrant O visa based on retirement while in Thailand?

9 comments

4 years ago

Can you convert a tourist visa to a Non-O visa in Thailand?

11 comments

5 years ago

Can we convert a tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa in Thailand without leaving the country?

3 comments

5 years ago

Can I convert a 60-day tourist visa to a retirement visa in Thailand?

10 comments

5 years ago

Can I transition from a marriage O visa to a retirement visa in Thailand?

31 comments

5 years ago

Can You Convert a Tourist Visa to a Non-O Visa (Married to a Thai) in Thailand?

2 comments

5 years ago

How can I change from an OA visa to an O visa based on retirement in Thailand?

11 comments

6 years ago

Can I convert a tourist visa to a Non-Imm O visa for retirement extension while in Thailand?

0 comments

7 years ago

Can I change my Non-O visa to a Retirement visa while in Thailand?

9 comments

8 years ago

Can I apply for a Non-O retirement Visa while in Thailand?

12 comments

8 years ago

What is the best cannabis dispensary in Bangkok?

7 comments

a month ago

Where can I find the best cannabis dispensary in Chon Buri?

9 comments

a month ago

What are the best dispensaries in Phuket?

21 comments

a month ago

What is the best cannabis dispensary in Surat Thani?

16 comments

a month ago

Where can I find the best weed in Chiang Mai?

8 comments

a month ago

Data protection policy Terms and conditions Disclaimer Privacy policy Refund policy

The asq:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.