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Can you apply for a retirement visa in Thailand from a country other than your home country?
Retirement VisaNon-O VisaThai ImmigrationVisa Application ProcessBank Account RequirementsPolice Report for VisaThai Visa Types
Jun 9, 2025
a year ago
Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTERI understand that you must be out of the country when you apply for a retirement visa, but does it have to be your home country, or can it be from any other country? Thank you.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original question was about whether one must apply for a retirement visa from their home country. Several commenters clarified that it is possible to apply for a Non-O retirement visa while being in Thailand, as long as the applicant meets certain requirements. Some shared personal experiences about applying from other countries like Cambodia and Nepal, indicating that an applicant does not necessarily need to be in their home country to complete the process. However, obtaining necessary documents like a police report may depend on the applicant's specific circumstances.
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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Doug ********
No you can't.....the non o 90 Day has to be out of Thailand. The non o Extension can be done in Thailand
Tony **********
@Doug *******
wrong. A non-o can be done in Thailand but the cavaet is that you have to already have the 800k in a Thai bank account.Doug ********
@Tony *********
but you can't get a bank account without a non o ...which is why you get a non o 90 Day visa before arriving in Thailand. Then you should be able to get a bank account to enable you to get t he non o extended for a year.Tony **********
@Doug *******
All true. But your statement that you can't get a non-o in Thailand is false. Possible that someone was here before and already has a bank account.Doug ********
@Tony *********
but the original poster appears to have no idea, so obviously I was replying from that situation...Reply to
Doug ********
Reply
John *********
I went and did mine in Cambodia. I ended up having to stay there for two weeks.
Doug ********
@Andy ***********
he said retirement visa...which is a non OAndy ************
@Doug *******
There are three retirement visas. O, OA and OX. It seems you have a lot to learn about Thai visas!Doug ********
And the fact he has no idea suggests this is his first time applying for ,so not an extension,so how can he have a thai bank account ?
Doug ********
@Andy ***********
lol.....I did...just went to 3 banks today...with a 90 day non O ...as advise by immigration the bank will open an account in order that I can deposit the 800k and extend another year. Guess what ..all three refused...Bangkok bank, kbank. SBC.... Krungsri...open the account for me.So tbh.....no matter whether you understand the rules or not.....they sometimes mean nothing.......research done........by doing it.....not just reading and spouting facts and rules......Guess you need to learn a lot about the reality
Andy ************
@Doug *******
I'm talking about retirement visas - you've gone off at a tangent. Put the pipe down manReply to
Andy ************
Reply
Ruth *******
@John ********
Did you need to use a visa agent in Cambodia? Thanks 😊John *********
@Ruth ******
no it was a simple process to do onlineReply to
John *********
Reply
Ruth *******
@John ********
I would like to do this. It says that I need a police report from Canada. How did you get the police report from your home country if you were in Cambodia?John *********
@Ruth ******
I did not need any police report. I filled out the very simple form for the E visa with the Thai embassy in CambodiaDoug ********
@Ruth ******
you don't need a police reportAndy ************
@Doug *******
If you apply for an OA visa (to avoid the 800k baht transfer into a Thai bank account) you need a police report. It's from the country of your passportDoug ********
Andy Waterstonethe op didn't say OA...said Non O...I just got one...no police report needed
Andy ************
@Doug *******
My eyesight must be fading. Can you show me the bit where he said non-O? Cheers!Reply to
Andy ************
Reply
Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Ruth ******
To add on to this, how would you get a police report in general? In the US, you have local and state police, and since I don’t have a record, what would I do—request a letter indicating that I’ve never been arrested? And from each of the jurisdictions I’ve lived in (quite a few)? It’s all mind-boggling to me.Andy ************
@Mark ********
The police report comes from the country of your passport. If you've never been in trouble, the police report will state thisMark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Andy ***********
But which jurisdiction? I’ve lived in many. Do I have to try to obtain one from each?Andy ************
@Mark ********
Let's try it again. "The Country of your Passport". Are you getting it now?Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Andy ***********
No, not really. Police are jurisdictional, not national. So, in order to get an accurate record of any criminal record I might have (I don’t have one, but I’d have to prove that I don’t), I would have to contact the police departments in each of the six jurisdictions I’ve lived in since age 18 to get reports from each. And I am skeptical that the departments where I lived from 1980-2000 would have any record that I even lived there by now. I could try the FBI, but I don’t know if they have records of anything other than federal crimes. Anyway, I’ll cross these bridges when I come to them. Just trying to glean some info while I await word from the Thai government re: my retirement visa application. Thank you.Andy ************
@Mark ********
If you have a UK passport which you will use for your visa application, your police report will be from the UK. It seems you're trying hard to complicate this matter. I've lived in five different countries but when asked for police report I use Australia as that's the passport I use for visa purposes in Thailand.Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Andy ***********
I have a US passport. At any rate, I’ll figure out what to do when I reach that point, if I ever do the way it’s going. I have a 10-yr visa in India so I can stay there long-term if needed.Andy ************
@Mark ********
For someone who's lived around the world, you sure believe in making your life difficult! Good luck in your endeavours! 👍👍Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Andy ***********
Oh no, I want to make it as seamless as possible. 😆 🙏 Thank you!Ruth *******
@Mark ********
I think for Americans it’s from the FBI.Reply to
Ruth *******
Reply
Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ********
Thank you! I submitted mine while in Nepal.Reply to
Mark *********
Reply
Pete *******
You can apply for a retirement visa whilst residing in Thailand provided you meet the requirements.
Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
Thank you!Reply to
Mark *********
Reply
Stuart ***********
Opening a bank account in Thailand without a long term visa is virtually impossible. That is why people advise getting the non O before coming to Thailand. Do you already have a Thai bank account?
Mark *********
@Stuart **********
I disagree, I opened a bank account with an agent. Some agents can open bank accounts with a residency certificate and a tourist visa. Others cannot. Get on google maps, search for visa agents until you find one who says they can open an account now and get the priceMark *********
I completed the paperwork for the long term visa in a couple weeks and now have a long term visa that does not require health insurance. The choice is yours 😊
Stuart ***********
@Mark ********
I said 'virtually impossible ' not 'impossible'. I personally would worry about using an agent that offers to open an account on a tourist visa when the banks are closing the accounts of people that only have tourist visas, but it's up to you.Reply to
Stuart ***********
Reply
Mark *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stuart **********
No, but I have applied for a retirement visa, which I submitted while traveling in a nearby country.Stuart ***********
@Mark ********
okay, that's good.Reply to
Stuart ***********
Reply
Garrett ***********
You understand incorrectly. You can apply for a Non-O at any immigration office inside Thailand.
Reply to
Garrett ***********
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