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

The reason you are getting mixed information, is because some immigration offices, will issue the initial non O and some won't, and will suggest you leave Thailand, and apply at a thai embassy in a neighbouring country, then return and they will issue the 12 month retirement extension, so you will need to do that, or get an agent in somewhere like Pattaya, is usually the cheapest, you should also be able to open a bank account with a non O, if you do the visa, with your own finances through the agent, you should be able to do the extension yourself the following year.

You can use agent if it's difficult🙏

Hi

@Jeff ************

.. just going through the process myself and yesterday successfully crossed the “divide”. I have posted twice now on the recent 2 day visit and details of the steps taken. Happy to share my Khon Kaen experience

Call Baan Immigration Services.....they just did mine! Tell them I referred you, please 😊

Sorry to hear of your plight. You will also find poor information from "experts" on this site as well. I find a lot of good information on this site but still go to the Thai Embassy site to check.

Non-O ED sure but not a Non-O retirement. You can’t retire from visa on arrival or a tourist visa. Contact Thai Nexus for more info

You can do anything you want with Photoshop

Mot pattaya

Are you in Thailand on a 60 day stay Visa exempt? Or have you really a Visa in your Passport ..

But i think both you cannot Convert in 90 day non o

This you must apply outside thailand

Siam Legal. I just got my DTV 5 year snd Siam took care of everything, best money spent

We can assist you with opening a bank account in Thailand, whether you're here on a Tourist Visa, Exempt Entry, Non-O Visa, or Yearly Extension.

Please don’t rely on information from just one agency—many claim it can’t be done, but we successfully help clients with this process on a regular basis.

Feel free to contact our team via LINE for assistance:

>

Only follow directions from immigration. Not expert expats, and not Facebook people.

What's a tourist visa ? As a tourist he cannot open a bank account legally, he has no residence proof, he has no visa, etc.

Pdc agent

Onestop Services Pattaya Soi 6. Absolutely brilliant. Names Mark, will answer all your questions via WhatsApp. About £1000 in all but all the crap and problems sorted and you can always come back to Mark and ask him anything!

@https://www.facebook.*********************

I can certainly recommend this visa service. Came over 3 months ago to sort my retirement, bike and car visa/licence. Went back to the UK and came back last week with my non 0 retirement visa multi entry.

Jeff

@Jeff ************

The agent route is very complicated and very expensive. It consists of finding an agent who is willing to do the full process. There are a lot of steps which you will need to walk through. . . . You are better off by visiting a neighbour country and apply for the Non-O retirement visa through the E-Visa Online system while there. The agent route will let you get an Education Visa first, which means exiting and re-entering Thailand, then stay for 90 days and convert it to a Non-Imm-O based Extension of Stay later, after opening a bank account for you. Very expensive

Much simpler to apply for non/o in home country, enter Thailand with the visa , open the bank account and apply for extension within 3 months

Form TM86 or TM87 depending on the visa you needed to get into the country. Im going through the process myself now.

Please use service of the Thai agency company.

Siam legal

I tried 3 banks last week with my Thai daughter-in-law, a letter from my school and the schools government license. Have an ED visa. Denied at all 3 banks.

You are much better off returning stateside and getting a visa there. The thai consulate in Chicago is actually helpful. You can do it all electronically.

You meed to get a three month visa outside of Thailand! Then, after three months, you should be able to apply for a 1-year visa inside Thailand!

Following this

You can do it if your Embassy still does the income affidavit, if not it is almost impossible now unless you already have a Thai bank account

You asked how to do this in April and advice was open a bank account and deposit 800,00. Tbt. Did you do that?

You can do it if you already have a Thai bank account. If no thai bank account, you need to leave and get a visa outside Thailand.

@Jeff ************

have you been to Thailand on a previous visit and opened a Thai Bank Account in your name only?

If you have that, that's great, as it's become just about impossible to open A Thai Bank Account as a foreigner this year. If you're in Nakhon Sawan, you could try enquiring about opening an account (From my knowledge, there's very few foreigners living in that Province, so who knows if it will be easy or impossible). It would depend on if the Banks strictly follow their headquarters rules and policies. If this is the case, then from many comments I've read over the past, almost three years, it's not too hard to do the Visa application yourself without paying an Agent to do it for you. All you would need to do is go into the Immigration Office in Nakhon Sawan, which I believe from my search is part of the Royal Thailand Police Office precinct. Ask them for the list of requirements for applying for that visa, gathering the required documents and presenting them, along with the completed application form and fees.

If you don't already have A Thai Bank account, it's not quite as simple. In this case, you would be best to go to a neighbouring country of Thailand, such as Malaysia, Laos or Vietnam (wouldn't recommend Myanmar or Cambodia due to conflict issues) and apply for the Visa through the eVisa system of the Thai Embassy or Consulate there. Then, once you have the Visa, you can re-enter Thailand on that Visa and quite easily open a bank account with that. If you're already in Thailand in a tourist visa, you may not want to fly back to your home country (USA, it seems), so a short holiday in one of the countries I've mentioned, while waiting for the Visa to be approved, might be best.

Please note: I'm not currently living in Thailand, but the information I've given is based on knowledge built up over almost three years of reading posts by others in this and a couple of other Fb grouped, and a little bit of personal research also.

I am keen to know how you go and maybe keep in contact, because I have a Thai lady in Nakhon Sawan who I intend to marry as soon as I can get things sorted out at home (Australia). Feel welcome to contact me in Facebook Messenger if you want to.

Firstly not all immigration offices can do it, secondly you need at least 15 days left on your current stamp. Other than that you need to have a Thai bank account with the required finances in the bank

@Jeff ************

you need to have a Thai bank account in your sole name with a minimum of 800,000 THB sitting in it, to be able to "change of visa type" from a tourist visa to a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa. And you would need a rental contract. And a minimum of 15 days left on your tourist visa. These are the requirements, click onto number 9 on this listing of the Immigration website. If you don't have a Thai bank account yet, you can forget your plan. Go back to your home country or to any other country, apply for the 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa in the E-Visa online system, enter on this visa, get a bank account opened and transfer 800,000 THB onto it. . here, check number 9 . . .

You were given out of date advice. The problem is opening a bank account inside Thailand, as this is a requirement. It used to be possible, but it seems even agents are unable to open accounts now. You therefore have two options. 1. Fly to a neighbouring country and apply online at the Thai Embassy for that country for the non O based on being over 50, using proof of funds in your home country. 2. Use an agent, but they will likely have to get you an Education Visa first and then convert it to non O later, after opening a bank account for you. The second option is likely to be expensive, as they have a lot of steps to complete.

Gather all required documents. Make an appointment at an embassy in a border country. Get it done then return

So I was told yesterday by a visa agent that they called all the banks and all said no for the account for me and I’d have to leave the country to apply for non o

Thai Visa Centre

If you have the 800K in a Thai bank it's a no brainer. So do you?

Go to an agent. Wasting your precious time. They will sort out everything for you.

You can easily convert a tourist visa into a retirement visa inside Thailand at most Immigration Offices provided you meet the requirements.

Right now

A lot are trying to do this

But finding it difficult

Easiest way fly home

Apply for Non-O in your home country

Once approved come back to Thailand & get your 12 month extension

You have thai bank account with 800k in it? If so border bounce then apply when back O visa

It USED to be reasonably easy to do, but it's become much more difficult to open a Thai bank account on a tourist visa, which you need in order to meet the deposit requirements.

You’ll need an agent, as in Thailand, but check them out thoroughly. Where in Thailand are you?

If Pattaya, my friend could recommend the agent she used,

@Fiona ********

, who did you use?

Fiona is also on Tik tok, offers great advice.

Why don’t you google

….retirement visa requirements if applying in Thailand …..

you’ll get plenty of information there

Or

Look up Thai immigration

Retirement visa requirements if

Simple stuff to do

If you are already in Thailand you will need use an agent otherwise I think it is 2 month outside of Thailand to apply using agent is more expensive