Can I travel outside Thailand on a senior retirement visa?

You’ll need a re-entry permit stamped into y on passport. That’s good for one exit and re-entrance. You can also buy a multi entry stamp. If you don’t the second you step over the line at immigration on a boarder your retirement visa is null and void. I would highly recommend using an agency to secure your retirement visa.

How about doing some simple research

Mel, as kindly pointed out by another member I was in error. I was speaking from having applied in country and transitioning from a marriage visa after a divorce. My apologies for my misinformation

Yup. I applied when in country when I got the retirement visa. I transitioned from a marriage visa because of a divorce. I have since transitioned to an LTR pensioner visa. Thanks for taking time to correct my mistake. I do not want to put bad or wrong information out there Blessings to you and thanks again.

Apply for your retirement visa before you come to Thailand you can put your money in the Bangkok bank they have a branch in New York this is exactly what my mother did came in on her 1 year retirement visa can get a multi entry stamp which allows you to go in and out of Thailand as much as you want with in that year

Good question.

Visa related documentation for Thailand falls under the responsibility of Thailand’s Immigration Bureau, not Meta/FB.

It is suggested you contact the Thailand Embassy/Consulate in US for them to address your queries.

Myself and my husband both have the Retirement Visa and we come and go as we choose however, when you apply for your visa, ENSURE that you check the application box for MULTI-ENTRY! Good luck and I hope you join us in the beautiful Kingdom of Thailand.

Wording is important: you do not apply for the “retirement visa” on Immigration after you have entered Thailand on the “90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa” you obtained through the E-Visa online system outside of Thailand.

When you enter Thailand on the 90-days “Non-Imm-O retirement visa”, you get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit. The visa itself will become invalid or “used”. It cannot get “extended”. This is technically just not possible. Don’t fall for the wrong wording used by Thai Immigration, for whom a visa and a stay permit erroneously are the same thing.

I am talking about the most common misunderstanding regarding the rules for applying for the “retirement visa” and the subsequent “one-year extension of stay permit based on retirement”. Misunderstandings happen because a “retirement visa” can mean seven (!) different visas and stay permits, but please let’s remain on topic. The most erroneous wording is from people who call the 1-year extended stay permit a “retirement visa” – a mistake that always makes me cringe.

First, you need to learn the difference between a visa and a stay permit.

The whole process implied is not really difficult - if one understands the difference between a visa and a stay permit, and does not confuse both with each other.

*** You need a bank account in your home country for the visa, you need that VISA to get a Thai bank account opened so you can apply for the extended STAY PERMIT

*** to get the VISA, you can show money on your HOME BANK ACCOUNT or on any bank account anywhere in the World, as long as you show the account is in your sole name. Most Thai embassies will ask for the upload of three months bank statements into the E-Visa online application.

*** If you enter Thailand on a Non-Imm O retirement VISA, you can get a Thai bank account opened on this visa class.

*** to get the “1-year extension of STAY PERMIT based on retirement, on Immigration, you either need a minimum of 800,000 THB on your THAI bank account, or an affidavit of income over a minimum of monthly 65,000 THB

*** Handle the process like hundreds before you have it done: apply and get issued the 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement VISA in your own country before you wing your way to Thailand.

*** when you enter, you will get stamped in for a 90-days STAY PERMIT, and the VISA will become invalid.

*** Get TM30 registered in your accommodation, which can be a hotel or a rental apartment. Visit Immigration and ask them for a “certificate of residency” addressed to a specific bank, with the plea to get a bank account opened for you. Some banks accept if you show a long term rental contract. Further, you will need a Thai mobile SIM card and number registered in your name and passport number. I recommend either Kasikorn Bank or the Siam Commercial Bank.

*** Immediately transfer a minimum of 800,000 THB to your newly opened Thai bank account.

*** Wait until the deposit has been in your account for a minimum of 2 months. Visit Immigration with the “letter of guarantee” (in Thai: rab roong thanakan) from the bank that confirms this seasoning period, and apply for the 1-year extension of temporary stay permit. Immigration calls this wrongly “visa extension”, however you do not have a visa anymore which could be “extended”. They simply extend your stay permit.

***The E-Visa fee for the 90-days Non-Imm-O Visa online application is around 80 USD.

The fee for the bank letter should be something like 200 Baht.

The fee for the application to the 1-year extension of the stay permit is 1900 Baht.

*** Don’t forget to buy a re-entry permit for your one-year stay permit, on the day you get your 1-year extension stamped.

*** if you think that this is too difficult then you can use the service of an agent to do everything for you. Using your own funds, such a service would cost around 12,000 THB.

In case you have no own funds, it will cost significantly more to get around the existing law, like up from 34,000 THB, and if you entered on a tourist visa instead on a Non-Imm visa class, you can expect an agent fee up from 60,000 THB.

Since October 2023, the Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa is only available as a 90-days single entry visa. When you enter Thailand, you get stamped in for a 90-days admitted stay.

For the 1-year Extension of Temporary Stay Permit out of this 90-days stay permit, one can obtain a multiple entry permit on Immigration. This re-entry permit allows you to exit and re-enter Thailand during the 1-year stay permit as many times as you wish.

*** The alternative would be the 365-days multiple entry Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa.

This visa however comes with a mandatory health insurance, a police record check and a medical health certificate.

And you need a financial proof of a minimum of 800,000 THB equivalent in US Dollars in your home bank account.

The only advantage is that within the first 2 years, you can leave the financial proof of 800K in your home bank account. But as soon as you switch to the annual 1-year Extension of the Stay Permit, the financial proof must be made inside Thailand. From the extension onward, the insurance must be a tgia-listed private Thai health insurance (you could argue the true value of such contracts).

*** The 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa has no mandatory health insurance requirement, and no such police and medical checks requirements.

It only requires you to get a Thai bank account opened ASAP after entering Thailand, and transfer a minimum of 800,000 THB into it, because you need proof this money has been sitting in your account for 2 months in order to apply for the 1-year Extension of Stay Permit Based on Retirement (at least in the first year)

*** For people who wish to relocate for a planned Longstay in Thailand, I recommend to start on the Non-O (without the “A”) Visa, because on this visa you keep your freedom of choice regarding the health insurance

You would get a multiple entry visa or you would get an re-entry permit every time you leave.

Non-O visa multi entry

When you apply do so for w multiple entry visas sa. It costs s a bit much re but then there are no issues with going in and out for f the country

Don’t get a none OA visa!

Retirement none O visa is the best one to get and with a multi re entry can come and go as you please.

Get the non-O before you leave, then you can open a bank account. Deposit the required funds. Go get the 12 month Extension ( get the re-entry permit so you can travel ). . Which you can repeat every year.

Get your visa before leaving the US. Makes things a lot easier and yes, you may come and go as you please with the correct visa and documentation. Good luck.

Get a non o retirement visa with multi entry

Not sure what you mean?. If you want to retire in thailand then you need to apply for a non 0 over 50 retirement visa that is valid for 90 days. Enter thailand and then you need to open a bank account ( need tm30 , sim card and what ever the bank requires), you then need to deposit 800kbaht into the account and leave for 60 days, after 60 days go to immigration check what they need and apply for a 12month extension of stay at the same time get a multi entry pass so you can come and go and not loose your extension of stay

If you are referring to the Non-OA visa which you obtain in your home country before travelling to Thailand it is a multiple entry 12 month visa, which means you can enter and leave Thailand as often as you wish during the validity of the visa and every entry gets you stamped in for 12 months or the validity of your insurance, whichever comes soonest

You need to get a re-entry permit (either single or multiple). If you don’t you visa becomes invalid once you leave the country.