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Can I extend my Non-O-A retirement visa annually within Thailand?

Non-O-A Visa Retirement Visa Visa Extension Health Insurance Police Background Check Bank Balance Requirement

Terry *****

OP

asked Oct 10, 2025

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I and my wife(both over 50) want to apply for 1 year non-O-A retirement visa in home country(Hong Kong). I want to know that can we extend our non-O-A visa annually inside Thailand?   What is the requirement for application of the extension?

Thanks

Answer summary

The Non-O-A retirement visa allows for annual extensions within Thailand, but there are specific requirements to meet for the extension. Notably, mandatory health insurance is a prerequisite. An alternative, the Non-O visa, is available without the health insurance requirement and also permits yearly extensions. For both visas, you typically need a medical certificate, a police background check, and to show proof of adequate funds in a Thai bank account during the extension process.

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Bob **********

Bob **********

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Of the insurance you’ll need a police background check and a medical certificate you’ll be stamped in each time you return to Thailand for one year or as long as your insurance is good for during the validity of the visa after that you’ll be required to show the funds in a Thai bank to extend plus you’ll always be required to have insurance

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David *******

David *******

Will stand corrected but if married its 400k

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Dca *****

Dca *****

only if married to a Thai Spouse....in this particular case, the OP and his wife are both foreigners (Hong Kong Passports), thus not applicable and each would have to have 800k Baht each

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David *******

David *******

I wasn't picking up if they Australian living in Hong Kong?

But husband and wife he said.

My Australian friend has thai wife married.

But does married to thai visa.

400k in the bank

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Pete *******

Pete *******

a Thai wife doesn’t need any visa to enter Thailand so by implication that they both need visas means they both need retirement visas and that the wife is not Thai.

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Pete *******

Pete *******

the discussion is about retirement visa options not marriage visa requirements.

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Pete *******

Pete *******

Have you considered the Non-O visa instead of the Non-OA? Both get yearly extensions but there is no health insurance requirement with the Non-O.

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

But for the first year we apply inside our home country, there is only need to show 3 months 800k THB equivalent amount in local bank plus health insurance. Then we don't need to make 2*800k Thai bank deposit for the first year. If 800k deposit is required individually for non-O-A extension, then it seems non-O is better for on-going extension.

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

So I earn 2.8K USD per year by apply through non-O-A retirement visa

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Pete *******

Pete *******

you don’t need to keep the 1.6 million in a Thai bank continuously, just for the 1st year extension of stay, then you can swap to the 65k monthly method for your second year and repatriate your funds back home to a high interest account. It works out a lot cheaper than your suggested option.

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

If I apply through non-O-A, I don't need to transfer any money to Thailand. The health insurance for me and my wife cost around 25k THB(equivalent to 0.8K USD)

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

If I apply through non-O, both me and my wife need to deposit 800k(ie. totoally 1.6million)THB in Thai bank. The interest rate is very low which is below 1%. If I use this amount (1.6million THB equal to 51k USD) to purchase US stock with dividend rate 7%, then I can get 3.6K per year. That means I loss nearly 3.6k USD.

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

Hello Peter, for my case the non-O visa is more expensive. Let me explain :

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Pete *******

Pete *******

both require banked money for in country extensions so really the only difference (other than the insurance)is the timing when you bank the funds. It really depends on what is your focus, are you going to be retiring full time in Thailand or are you going to be living long term but bouncing back home every couple of years.

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Pete *******

Pete *******

correct, but I would question why you would want to do that as it would be more expensive overall.

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

Hello Peter, thanks very much for your explanation. If my focus is keep funds in my home country and don't mind to purchase health insurance for me and my wife, then is it more suitable for us to apply for non-O-A in home country to stay around 2 years in Thailand. Afterwards, we return to home country and apply for non-O-A again for another 2 years stays in Thailand. According to this arrangement, is it right that I don't need to transfer money to Thailand bank?

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Pete *******

Pete *******

Non-O: No insurance requirement, extension requires banked funds in a Thai bank account. Can live continuously inside Thailand without leaving with repeated 1 year extensions.

Non-OA: Health insurance and police records check. Only available from home country. Can use home country funds. Gives 1 year entry on every entry for the 12 month validity. Can get almost two years of stay out of the visa as long as you have health insurance coverage. After the two years you either extend in country with Thai banked funds and health insurance or you return to your home country and reapply with home country funds and health insurance.

Is your focus to live in Thailand or is your focus to keep your funds in your home country. That’s really what you need to decide.

1

Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

Could you explain in detail the difference between full time retire and living few years bouncing back to home country. I only see no health insurance for non-O visa. For my case, I'm not sure at this moment.

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Stuart *********

Stuart *********

The OA extension will require mandatory health insurance.

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Nongnuch ********

Nongnuch ********

@Stuart ********

like to say: "a mandatory Thai tgia-listed private health insurance". Foreign insurances will not be acknowledged by Thai Immigration as soon as one switches to yearly extension out of a former O/A visa. And starting from the extensions onward, there also must be a minimum of 800,000 THB on two separate Thai bank accounts, in the sole name of each applicant

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Terry *****

Terry *****

OP

Thanks for your information. If 800k THB deposit is required for both of us for the extension. Then non-O seems better because no health insurance is required. Is it correct ?

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Stuart *********

Stuart *********

Yes

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