Ask question
This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Do I have to buy a return plane ticket to live in Thailand, or can I do a one-way ticket?

Oct 4, 2025
7 months ago
Paul *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm coming to Thailand to live, do I have to buy a return plane ticket, or can I do a one way
6,459
views
174
all likes
50
replies
17
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
The question pertains to the necessity of a return or onward flight ticket when traveling to Thailand, especially related to obtaining a Non-O visa. Comments clarify that while a return ticket might not be strictly required, filling out the TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) does require providing flight information, which could be interpreted as needing a flight out of Thailand. It’s recommended to check with the airline about policies concerning boarding without a visa.
Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

WARNING: Only trust Thai government websites with .go.th domains or Thai agent websites with .co.th or .in.th domains, as these require verified Thai registration and cannot be registered anonymously.

The official TDAC form is available at tdac.immigration.go.th, which uses the official .go.th government domain.

The services by AGENTS CO., LTD. does NOT charge any fees for arrivals within 72 hours. If you need to book more than 72 hours in advance, there is a service fee of $8.

Do not trust other sites pretending to be a trustworthy agency. Pay attention to delivery time - the service operated by AGENTS CO., LTD. has 1 minute delivery time for arrivals within 72 hours.

Don't fall for sites pretending to be agents.co.th or the official government tdac.immigration.go.th website. Always double-check the exact domain in your browser.

Scam services may take days to process your application, others may not even do anything. With these TDAC scam services you also need to worry about double charges.

Please watch out for TDAC misinformation spread by fugitive Jesse Nickles and his many fake accounts on Quora, TripAdvisor, Reddit, and other platforms.

TRUSTED TDAC LINKS:

Official Government TDAC Form: tdac.immigration.go.th
Official TDAC form by AGENTS
Official TDAC information page by AGENTS (tdac.in.th)

Malcolm *********
You MUST apply for your non O Visa whilst in the UK. You cannot do it from Thailand. It should take around
***
weeks if you get all your paperwork in place. Look online to apply and get all your ducks in a row before starting. There is a checklist to follow, read it thoroughly twice and then apply! Good luck.
Like
Reply
Warren *************
@Malcolm ********
I got my non o visa in 4 working days online

All u need is 3 months bank statement (make sure you use the free adobe pdf program and merge all 3 months into 1 file as you can only send 1 file with proof of bank statement) with £1000 in it and showing your salary has gone into that bank account on the statement o am married to a Thai national so I had to show the wedding certificate a photo of myself easy to do on your mobile

Any problems they do come back to you via email and checking the website

Also remember when u do the o line form on the bottom of each page click on save as the website can crash once in a while and it will save you repeating yourself of it crashes

Good luck

Ohh I forgot if you do it in the UK the 1st non o visa is £60 and only apply 1 months before u leave and it’s valid for 3 months
Like
Reply
Graham ******
@Malcolm ********
RTE London approved most visa applications in 3-5 working days
Like
Reply
Malcolm *********
ive got mine and it took 3 weeks, I had to submit more docs. and that is through the official Thai embassy for my Non O Visa which I have. my LTRV is in process and hopefully I will collect in Bangkok when I get there.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Malcolm *********
Reply
Phil ******
@Paul ******
ask your airline as if flying to Thailand with no visa you maybe stopped from boarding
Like
Reply
Dora *******
No you do not just leave return flight blank
Like
Reply
Ulrik *************
You have visa or not?
Like
Reply
Craig *********
This doesnt seem like a very well thought out plan.
Like
Reply
Paul *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
guys thank you for coming back to me, I know all this, just wanted to know, can I have a one way ticket into the country
Like
Reply
Warren *************
@Paul ******
yes but some airlines don’t like you having a 1 way ticket but show them you non o visa document and u should be fine
Like
Reply
Graham ******
@Paul ******
With the correct visa you will not need proof of an onward flight as you've been told
Like
Reply
Paul *******
@Paul ******
sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Like
Reply
Brandon ************
@Paul ******
The legal requirement to enter Thailand as a tourist is to have proof of 20,000 baht or equivalent in another currency, proof that you'll be leaving Thailand in 60 days, and proof of where you'll be staying.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Brandon ************
Reply
Dharma *************
When you arrive in Thailand, you have to fill up the TDAC- Thailand digital arrival card. The TDAC requires you to fill your return flight information, duration of stay, purpose of stay, etc. No matter what visa you currently have, you need to fill out the TDAC every time you travel to Thailand. So, ideally you need to have a return flight ticket OR an onward flight ticket out of Thailand whenever you're traveling there.

Check for more info on TDAC here:
*****************************************************************


Hope it helps
Like
Reply
Warren *************
@Dharma ************
no need to fill in ur living fate there is no * where it says return flight if you have a non o visa got through last Friday no questions asked
Like
Reply
Phil ******
@Dharma ************
not need to fill in.
Like
Reply
Pete *******
@Dharma ************
the field for a return flight is not compulsory in the TDAC.
Like
Reply
Dharma *************
@Pete ******
oh really! I didn't know that. Every time I would buy a return ticket to fill all the fields in the TDAC. I thought it won't let me proceed 😄😄😅. Thanks..
Like
Reply
Reply to
Dharma *************
Reply
Marianne ********
Unless you already have a Thai bank account or come from a country where your Embassy in Thailand offer a Income Affidavit...

Get the Non-O from your country before you leave.

Your life will be much easier.
Like
Reply
Dora *******
You do not need health insurance with non o visa
Like
Reply
Robert *********
@Dora ******
or a medical exam.
Like
Reply
Warren *************
@Robert ********
you do if u want a Thai driving license but took them less than 10 minutes by asking questions height and weight ,blood pressure and a chart with coloured numbers ohh I forgot and 100 baht 😂
Like
Reply
Robert *********
@Warren ************
I looked at getting an appointment to get a drivers license, mid December was first available
Like
Reply
Reply to
Robert *********
Reply
Phil ******
Like
Reply
Reply to
Phil ******
Reply
Paul *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
When I get to Thailand, applying for a retirement visa
Like
Reply
Bruce ********
@Paul ******
suggest you do more homework first,
Like
Reply
Michael ********
@Paul ******
if applying in Thailand you are arriving as tourist so officially need onward travel or return ticket. Get a Non O in uk and can use a one way ticket
Like
Reply
Jason ******
@Paul ******
go to thai embassy website in UK before you leave , and apply for 90 days retirement visa Non O and if over 50 only, when you arrive in thailand you got one month to sort a thai bank account and then leave 400k or 800k baht in there for 2 months, you then apply for extension of retirement visa, giving you longer stay, you also need health insurance and various medicals some testing for STD;s good luck
Like
Reply
Greg ***********
@Jason *****
a "1-year retirement extension" needs 800,000 THB in the account , not 400,000. The application for a 90-days Non-O doesn't require a health insurance. And it doesn't require a STD check. You have TOTALLY f...d up your advice, given totally wrong figures and statements. You should REFRAIN from handing out advice in this group
Like
Reply
Jason ******
@Greg **********
if u read it , I said I got the 90 days non o , retire , Which don't require the health insurance cover or the medical . Thats why I went for that one for now to start me off, once I am there , I been told buy a lawyer in thailand, to read up on the website of what type of visa I want to go forward once I am there , , which he said i can extend the retire visa if I wish to stay longer than my 90 days, he told me I got to have the medical and proof of health cover and have 800k in bank for 2 to 4 months , which depends on what bank all banks seem have different rules right now , but He said long as you follow the rules as on thai embassy rules, you will get what you want in the way of a visa required, , but he will advise me more when I am there , I am able to open bank account with the 90 day non O retirement, to get the ball rolling within the first month , then put a 400k in bank account if your married to thai going down the route of spouse visa, or 800k if you not married going down the retire route , anyway I will keep my mouth shut , and not help anyone no more , get on with it lol .

PS there are different rules for for different country's, I am in England , UK , Great Britain, I just reading what the rules state on the new E-visa applications go to
****************************
it's easy to navigate have a good read up its all there . Maybe the rules are all different when your actually in thailand, like the medical and health cover maybe not required, however for me it's silly and stupid for any country to allow any Tom Dick and harry in without having health cover and medical, if a thai is coming to UK, they have to have exactly this and this is why it's not easy to get into UK any more unless you come buy boat of course lol , Maybe Thailand are tightning up there rules and regs for visa and can you blame them , westerner are going there acting like twats and getting drunk sponge-ing of there state mostly just costing thai govemrents money. So no wonder costs for visas are rising and introducing things like medicals is are a necessity now ,cos it's helping pay for the embarrassing western culture that's ruining there country. Unless of course someone pays a back hander to get a medical false, yes we all know that this probably goes on over there , But really is it right ?? And this is why there system has become much stricter , no correct visa, no thai bank account and now people are crying , well maybe they should follow the correct rules then to make it right . I will just do what the embassy tells me to do, yes if it cost money then so be it , at least I have done it correct way, and it's helping there thai economy , I rather give my money to them , than give it to UK government .
Like
Reply
Reply to
Jason ******
Reply
Kim *********
@Jason *****
no health insurrance medical tests - what std is I don't know - required for a non o. There is a difference between non o and non oa.
Like
Reply
Jason ******
@Kim ********
on uk thai embassy site, it's states if you want retirement visa over the 90 days , you got to have medical and health insurance, this why I only got the Non O 90 days retirement, cos then I donnt have to show those things which is just more cost. Says it all on this embassy visa applications, all Info there .
Like
Reply
Greg ***********
@Jason *****
"on uk thai embassy site, it's states if you want retirement visa over the 90 days , you got to have medical and health insurance" . . . . . this is complete and utter nonsense. Nothing such is required for the 1-year extension out of a former 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa. You could not be more wrong or you are unable to read properly
Like
Reply
Greg ***********
@Jason *****
you got your wires crossed more than we can afford here in this group. PLEASE stop handing out wrong advice. It is unbearable
Like
Reply
Kim *********
@Jason *****
well that information is wrong. Not the 1st time embassies have wrong or outdated info. Seen that from the Thai embassy in Denmark. If you are curious you can check Thai immigration official web site and see what they say about the non o. You will of course find the correct info there.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Kim *********
Reply
Kim ********
@Jason *****
the
*****
0 baht can I use or it has to be untouched
Like
Reply
Jason ******
@Kim *******
can use it but as long as 800k baht is in there 2 or 3 months before re-applying for next visa, I think?
Like
Reply
Kim *********
@Jason *****
and can't drop below 400k and 800k must be there 2 months I think it is after the application is approved. So both before and after.
Like
Reply
Ralph *******
@Jason *****
It mustn’t drop below 400k.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Ralph *******
Reply
Graham ******
@Jason *****
It's 800k for retirement, the 400k is marriage
Like
Reply
Belinda ******
You need to apply on line, need to show 3 months bank statement of 18k or more in a uk bank account, the cost for the non o visa is £60. When you arrive in Thailand use an agent, they will do everything for you, much easier.
Like
Reply
Mick **********
@Belinda *****
if you enter on a non o ,there is no need to engage an Agent
Like
Reply
Reply to
Mick **********
Reply
Lynnette *******
@Jason *****
don't think he requires health insurance for the extension of stay. But it's recommended for sure.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Lynnette *******
Reply
Belinda ******
@Paul ******
you should apply for a non o visa first, very hard to get a retirement visa without this
Like
Reply
Jack ********
@Belinda *****
a Non O is a retirement visa
Like
Reply
Kim *********
@Jack *******
no it's not. Non o is for retirement or married.
Like
Reply
Greg ***********
@Kim ********
but the 1-year Extensions out of these visas "retirement" or "married" are not Non-O's any more. They are simple stay permits
Like
Reply
Kim *********
@Greg **********
well the extension of the stay permit is dependent on the reason. If married we must show marriage certificate and 400k etc. Jack said the non o is a retirement visa - there is the marriage variation too.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Kim *********
Reply
Wannikea *********
@Belinda *****
a non O is/can be a retirement visa, what's hard is getting a Thai bank account without it to qualify for the yearly extension.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Wannikea *********
Reply
Brandon ************
How about you tell us what visa you're traveling on? Just saying you're coming to live doesn't give any information at all.
Like
Reply
Reply to
Brandon ************
Reply
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
... members · 60% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice And Everything Else group allows for a broad range of discussions on life in Thailand, beyond just visa inquiries.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.