Answereda year ago

Can I transfer my 800,000 baht back to my account after renewing my Non-O visa in February 2026?

Non-O Visa Retirement Visa Bank Deposit Requirements Visa Renewal Process Thai Immigration Law Monthly Income Method

Brian *********

asked Sep 2, 2025

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I have been on a Non-O retirement visa for over 4 years and have maintained an excess of 800,000 baht all along but would now like to switch to depositing at least 65,000 baht monthly.  The interest rate earned in Thailand is so low compared to my accounts in the States. My next renewal is February 2026 but my 65,000 baht deposit will commence this January 2026---or a month earlier if that's a safer option. My question is: AFTER my renewal is completed in February 2026, can I transfer the 800,000 back to my stateside account or is it necessary to keep the 800,000 baht minimum in my Thai bank until I've completed my 2027 renewal?  Thanks for any advice.

Answer summary

The user is currently on a Non-O retirement visa and wishes to switch from maintaining an 800,000 baht minimum deposit to a system of monthly deposits of at least 65,000 baht. They inquire if, post-renewal in February 2026, they can transfer the 800,000 baht back to the US or if it must remain in a Thai bank until their 2027 renewal. Comments suggest that while they can apply for their 2026 renewal using the 800,000 baht method, they will need to keep a minimum balance for three months post-renewal and maintain a lower balance for the rest of the year while transitioning to the monthly income method.

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Frank *****

a year ago

Brian *********

I recall that in the period from Nov 2021 through Feb 2022, when I first acquired my Non-O visa, that the immigration official gave me the following guidelines: 1) maintain the 800,000 baht minimum for the next 3 months, 2) maintain at least 400,000 thereafter BUT 3) bring the balance back up to at least 800,000 when I apply for my renewal/extention. Returning the balance to 800,000, through an international money transfer would qualify for the renewal using that method. However, in 2027, I will qualify under a different method but Tod's advice jibes nicely with the instructions from the immigration office all those years ago.

a year ago

Craig ********

i would do both for the transition year

a year ago

Brian *********

Thanks, but I was hoping I could avoid doing both during the transition year as that ties up the 800,000 in a Thai bank earning squat for that year. Is there any way around that?

a year ago

Brian *********

@Craig *******

a year ago

Martin *******

You have to pay 65kb monthly into your account and keep the 800kb in there, for the transition year.

a year ago

Albert *********

The easiest way is the deposit of 800k.

a year ago

Tod *********

So you're currently on an extension based on banked money method AND you're going to apply for a new yearly extension using the same proof of funds (banked money method) when your extension comes in Feb 2026.

BUT

In Jan you're going to start transferring in a minimum of 65K baht a month, each month, every month for the next 12 months so you can apply for the following year extension using monthly income by international transfer method.

So in that situation it will work like this

For the extension you will apply for in Jan/Feb 2026 using banked money method you will have to keep the 800K baht in the account for 3 months after that extension is granted and then for the remainder of the year you can't let the balance go below 400K baht because that is the seasoning requirements for banked money method

AND

you will need to be transferring in the 65K baht a month so you can use monthly income for the following year

a year ago

Brian *********

@Tod ********

Tod, thank you for that clarification. At least it means AFTER the 3 month period in 2026, I can move half of the 800,000 back to the states. That is a workable solution. Then, AFTER my extension in Jan/Feb 2027 is successful based upon the 65,000 monthly deposit method, I will no longer be required to maintain the 400,000 baht balance. I will be free to move that money out of the country.

a year ago

Tod *********

@Brian ********

right, that's when you'd be able to bring the balance of the account down to 400K and then once you got the following years extension using monthly income method you could empty the account as you'd be on an extension that used a different method of proof of funds.

a year ago

Tod *********

@Colin ********

As Nick Cartwright correctly stated (y) there is no requirement to keep any of the monthly transfers in your account once they post.

a year ago

Nick ************

@Colin ********

you can do what you like with the 65k monthly payments. Send them back to home account or spend them.

a year ago

Colin *********

@Tod ********

I've seen it mentioned in the past in this or another group, that once the monthly transfer for this purpose has shown up in one's bank account, that there is no requirement to keep it there. Am I correct, or does this only apply once an extension based on monthly transfers is granted? I'm just wondering if

@Brian ********

can follow what you said regarding the 800k/400k in that transition year, but transfer back to his USA bank any or all of the 65k monthly amounts, so there's not all of that money tied up in the Thai bank account.

a year ago