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Can I return to Thailand on a visa exemption and convert to a retirement visa later?

Visa Exemption Retirement Visa NON-O Visa Visa Application Process Bank Account Regulations Hua Hin Expats

Feb 23, 2025

15 days ago

Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi, i am in Thailand at the moment but i am heading back to the uk for a couple of weeks at the end of the month. I own a condo here and have opened a Bangkok bank account already. When I go back I will send my 800000 baht to my account. My question is can I return on a visa exemption and then convert to a retirement visa inside Thailand. I am based in Hua Hin. 

Thanks

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is currently in Thailand with plans to return to the UK, where they will deposit funds in a Thai bank account. They inquire about returning to Thailand on a visa exemption and then converting to a retirement visa. Responses indicate that it’s significantly easier to obtain a 90-day NON-O visa from a UK embassy, which simplifies the process for applying for a retirement visa later. This approach is recommended over converting a visa exemption upon returning to Thailand. Additional advice includes ensuring that funds for the retirement visa account come from overseas to meet immigration requirements.

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.

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Frankie *******

Yes u can

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Rok ********

Much …much easier to get Non-O in UK through the Thai London Embassy website. At least this was my experience having investigated to obtain it within Thailand initially.

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Daniel **********

Get a non o visa why u back in uk very cheap will give 90 days and u will need it to get your retire visa cheaper and easier to do o visa in uk u don’t need all that money in thsi bank account to get retirement visa if u use agent they will do it for u and only cost about 1500 baht

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John ******

@Daniel *********

I think you still have to show 20 grand in Uk bank to get this 90 day 0 visa from Uk

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Brandon ************

@Daniel *********

The non-O IS the retirement visa. You use it to get the extension.

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Daniel **********

@Brandon ***********

I got my non o visa in uk then my retirement visa stamp on my passport in Thailand you not got a retirement visa by having a non o visa

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Steve *******

@Daniel *********

The Non Imm O IS the 'retirement visa'. The stamp you get in Thailand is the yearly 'extention of stay'

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Graham ******

@Daniel *********

Wrong, you apply while on a Non-O Retirement Visa for an Extension of Stay based on retirement, not a Visa

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Graham ******

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John ********

You need to fill in this

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Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

is this required for the Non-o visa

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John ********

@Stephen *******

No its if you apply for the Non-A-0 visa in England

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Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

thanks John

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Stephen ********

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John ********

If you are going to apply for an retirement visa in England you will need a criminal record check for the visa application

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Brandon ************

The criminal record check is only if applying for non-OA visa. The op can get a non-O from the embassy without all the strict requirements of the non-OA.

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John ********

@Brandon ***********

that's what I have told him in another message

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John ********

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Mike ******

Hi...can you convert 60 day entry stamp to non o at phuket immigration..thank you..

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Graham ******

yes, if you meet the requirements

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Mike ******

Thankyou

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Mike ******

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Steve *********

I did - no problems at all

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Robert ********

Yes

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Matthew ********

thai visas are a roller coaster,they give certain tourists 60 days,with the option to extend and make it harder for others.

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John ********

Yes, but as stated by Steve Greir, much easier to get non O for retirement 90 day visa in the UK. Super simple online application as long as you can show £20,000 funds in the UK

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Matthew ********

i would never put

*****

0 in a thai bank.easy to put in,but hard to get out.

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Sean **********

@Matthew *******

I have had mo problem whatsoever withdrawing

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Osian ********

@Matthew *******

ok i get you now, you mean to take back out of the country 🤦, why would you want to, the idea is to stay and spend the money.

But i sold a property for 10m back in 2013 and transferred it back yo uk, my wife had to sign a document to say it was funds for her kids education/living costs in uk, I was limited to something like $20,000 per month, so yes it took a long time to get it all back to uk

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Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Matthew *******

what other alternatives are available without using an agent to create fake money to obtain a visa . I’d be interested to know.

I’m talking about a non - o visa

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Matthew ********

@Stephen *******

i dont know,thats being honest.up in the air at the moment.

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Matthew ********

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Sylvia ********

@Matthew *******

not difficult to take out Matthew as long as you have clear transfer from overseas to show how it arrived here

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Matthew ********

@Sylvia *******

its a hell of a lot of money to leave in a thai account.ive held a kasikorn account for years.

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Abu ********

@Matthew *******

, exactly! Funny provision. Thank you.

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Michael ***********

@Matthew *******

Agreed. But for the renewal 1 year later, if transferring the equivalent of 65k baht/month for the past year, that evidence will get you the renewal and you no longer will need to have the 800k in the Thai bank. Also, during the 1st year, the 800k isn't untouchable. You can use up to 400k. And IF married, it's 400k not 800k and evidence of 1 year of transfers of 40k baht not 65k.

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Abu ********

@Michael **********

, I have got 1 year extension of NON IMM O visa ( Thai wife) keeping 400k for 2 months in my Thai account. Earlier, I obtained the same visa from my home country 4 times. That's very easy but the problem was 90-day visa run. Therefore, I obtained the extension here in Bangkok.

Could you explain please what is the evidence of 1 year of transfers of 40k?

Your kind help would be highly appreciated.

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Sylvia ********

@Matthew *******

but thousands of expats do it as necessary to get a visa, never heard of a problem

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Matthew ********

@Sylvia *******

ok thanks sylvia.im hearing the days of agents showing the money are over,but as yet i cant comfirm.

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Sylvia ********

@Matthew *******

there is currently a stumping block, but sure it be resolved soon

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Sylvia ********

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Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Matthew *******

hopefully it will stay there unused till I die. I will have a Thai will

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Stephen ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Matthew *******

why, have you experienced problems taking it out. I know people who have moved it no problem

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Stephen ********

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Steve *******

Much easier to get the Non Imm O visa in the UK. All done online and usually issued within 2-3 days. Save you a ton of paperwork and a day at Immigration in Thailand

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Jamie ********

Where do you go to get the medical certificate ? NHS doctor not interested

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Stuart *********

You don’t need a medical certificate for a Non O visa.

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Steve *******

No med cert needed for a Non Imm O visa

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Graham ******

No medical certificate is needed for a Non-O Visa

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Graham ******

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Tim ********

what does it save? You get 60 days both ways and have to extend for 30 days. Done it numerous times in UK online, 90 days gives you 60 and still have to extend for 30 days in Thailand. Less than 40 minutes in immigration, not a big issue.

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Stuart *********

It saves the step of getting a Non O in Thailand.

If they arrive with a Non O they’d get 90 days on arrival and when that’s winding down can extend for a year if they meet the requirements.

With a visa exempt or tourist visa (both 60 days on arrival) they’d first need to convert to the Non O and then get the year extension - hence the answer of saving a day at immigration. Some offices may take 40 minutes or so. Some way longer.

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Steve *******

Non Imm O gives you 90 days NOT 60 days and saves you converting to a Non Imm O in Thailand as you ALREADY have the visa from your home Country

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Sean **********

saves you 1 trip to immigration

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Russell *********

it saves u from having to convert to Non O .. coz u already got it ..

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Erik ***********

I know my non imm O visa saved me a trip to imm: I arrived Aug 24 and got stamped in for 90 days. First trip to Imm was when applying for the yearly extension.

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Erik ***********

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Miroslav *******

Much better to return with 90 day NON - O visa

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Stuart ***********

Yes, I did it this way.

You have done the difficult part already by opening a bank account.

Ensure your money when transferring is recorded as coming from overseas. If you use Wise I think the code is something like "funds for long term stay in Thailand ".

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Pierre *********

@Stuart **********

exactly

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Pierre *********

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Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else

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