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Can the funds for a retirement visa in Thailand be invested, or must they remain in a savings account?
Retirement VisaThailand Visa RulesVisa RequirementsBank AccountInvestment RestrictionsExpat Financial Regulations
Mar 24, 2022
4 years ago
Banton *********
ORIGINAL POSTERThe money in the bank for retirement visa . . . can that be invested or must it stay in a savings account?
TLDR : Answer Summary
For obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand, the funds must be kept in a bank account that is immediately accessible, such as a savings or fixed deposit account. Investments like stocks or mutual funds are not allowed since the principal needs to be secure and should not be at risk of loss. The funds must remain in the account for at least 2 months before and 3 months after the visa application, maintaining a balance of at least 800,000 baht.
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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John *********
Or just pay agent ....and there's no need to have nothing much in your bank ....play them at there own game .....
Andy **********
@John ********
Pay an agent money you don't need to pay to break the law to obtain a visa you are not entitled to because you don't have the required funds ?Sure, loads do it but they do it because they are too poor and anyway, the returns on 800k wouldn't pay the visa agent fee anyway so you are better off just parking 800k and leaving it there.
John *********
@Andy *********
...I've been married to my thai wife now for 22 years......and lived here 19 years plus .....and your telling me that I have no right to live here lol .......let ne guse .....your from pattaya lol ......snob.....🙄🙄🙄Banton *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Andy *********
What are the returns on 800k after 5, 10, 20 years? I think folks like you who blow off returns don't really understand compound interest.Reply to
Banton *********
Reply
Steve *******
400k has to stay in all year
George *************
The money must be in a savings account or a fixed deposit account (as long as the only penalty for early withdrawal is loss of interest).
There are two requirements:
1) It must be immediately accessible. There can't be any sort of waiting period to withdraw your money.
2) The principal cannot be at risk for loss.
It's that second requirement that prevents other kinds of investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, etc. The principal is usually at risk in those types of investments.
There are two requirements:
1) It must be immediately accessible. There can't be any sort of waiting period to withdraw your money.
2) The principal cannot be at risk for loss.
It's that second requirement that prevents other kinds of investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, etc. The principal is usually at risk in those types of investments.
John *******
Don't forget it can be a combination of bank savings and monthly income if you have a pension coming to Thailand each month as long as the savings and monthly income exceeds 800.000 baht per annum 🤠
Nick **********
@Banton ********
investment portfolio is not accepted for your visa fund.Stan *******
The money must be in the account for at least 2 months before and 3 months after the visa starts, so there’s a 6 month window where you could use some but if you did, the balance must be at 800,000 three months before the retirement visa ‘anniversary’.
Best thing to do is just to leave the 800k in there untouched and forget all about it until you leave the country or die.
Best thing to do is just to leave the 800k in there untouched and forget all about it until you leave the country or die.
Steve *******
@Stan ******
You could still play with/invest 400k for 6 months of the year. That would be the best bet!Bobby ********
Stan Mould. Or do the sensible thing and go for the 65k per month method. It's a no-brainer
Scot *******
@Bobby *******
- the wife and I only spend about *****
baht a month and live quite well. If we each had to have 65k deposited that would leave 85k excess each month. That would add up fast. Now I suppose I could wire some back from each account a couple times a year, but I don't know what that costs from Krungsri bank. I suppose it's all moot as we are not really making any interest on the money back home anyway. 🤷♂️Stan *******
@Bobby *******
Too much hassle. Just leave the 800k in the bank and consider it dead money. No worrying about transfers or scrutiny by dim IOs. I once had to dip into it for 6 weeks to get bck to the UK when my mother died, but what a load of hassle explaining that later - show death certificates and all that bollocks.Bobby ********
Stan Mould. As I said, it's an individual choice. Making a monthly transfer is not a worry. It takes a few minutes. I have to transfer money to live on anyway, so it's a total no-brainer. I couldn't justify losing $2200 AUD in lost interest. It comfortably pays for a decent health insurance. But - as I say - each to their own!
Reply to
Bobby ********
Reply
John *********
@Bobby *******
🤔 Why is that Bobby? I'm quite happy with the lack of hassle having the dough in the bank.Bobby ********
John Russell. If it suits you, then it's all good. I just couldn't give up 800k baht which I can never touch, when I can do a simple transfer once a month and access the money the moment it hits my bank account. For me, it's a no-brainer, but for others it probably works. Each to their own!
Reply to
Bobby ********
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Philip **********
@Bobby *******
EXACTLYReply to
Philip **********
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Stuart *********
It must be in an account where you can access the funds “today”. Not in an account where you can’t access the funds for x months.
Banton *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stuart ********
Understood. Do you know if banks offer investment portfolios where you can actively deposit and withdraw funds while earning capital gains?Banton *********
ORIGINAL POSTER25k at 7% interest is almost 50k in ten years
Bobby ********
Banton Richard. The best you will get is 0.5%. Forget this 800k bulldust, and start on the 65k/month transfers. How anyway can tie up 800k for the rest of their lives leaves me gobsmacked
Ross ********
@Bobby *******
consider it your escape fund if sh*t hits the fan you need to get out quick with some cash to help resettle in your new locationBobby ********
Ross Dobson. It's one way of looking at it, but I'm not prepared to base financial decisions on the remote possibility of the "shit hitting the fan". I'm simply one of those people who believes in making their money work, and I cannot foresake 7-8% interest just in the off-chance of something going wrong!
Nick ************
@Bobby *******
where do you get 7 to 8% interest? Capital must be at risk.Bobby ********
Nick Cartwright. Superannuation fund in Australia. No risk
Bruce *****************
@Bobby *******
thats far from true, if theres a major stock market correction your funds disappear overnight......Bobby ********
Bruce Francis Taylor. Name one Australian super fund that has lost member's funds through "stock market corrections" over the last 40 years! 😆😆😆
Phil **********
@Bobby *******
depends on the circumstances of each individual!Bobby ********
Phil Spearing. Agreed. But every financial bone in my body tells me to invest 800k baht in an account earning virtually zero interest is financial lunacy, but each to their own
Reply to
Bobby ********
Reply
Will ************
@Banton ********
full amount must instantly accessibleJohn **********
@Banton ********
don't see how you can be earning what would be seen as capital gains and be instantly accessible. But there are some fixed interest accounts that are instantly accessible albeit you may lose interest earned for doing soReply to
John **********
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