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Do I need 800,000 baht in a bank account or a steady pension to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand?
retirement visavisa applicationThai immigration rulesbank account requirementmonthly pension requirement
Aug 19, 2022
4 years ago
Ronan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERHi
If applying for a retirement visa do I need
A......800K baht in a bank account
OR
B.....Have a steady retirement monthly payment ( letter to back this up )
OR
BOTH
TIA
If applying for a retirement visa do I need
A......800K baht in a bank account
OR
B.....Have a steady retirement monthly payment ( letter to back this up )
OR
BOTH
TIA
TLDR : Answer Summary
To apply for a retirement visa in Thailand, you need either 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account or a monthly income of 65,000 baht, with documentation to support this. It's not necessary to have both. A letter from your embassy confirming your pension can replace the bank requirement as long as you meet the monthly income condition. Experiences shared by users indicate variations in requirements at different immigration offices, emphasizing the importance of having the correct documents, as some officials may give conflicting information.
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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William *********
Yes
Ivana ******
What if I have 800,000 tbt in the bank, but social security pays only 1,500 USD?
Ivana ******
Great, thanks!
Matt *******
@Ivana *****
If you can prove 800,000 Baht then you don't need to show 65,000/mo. It's one or the other.Reply to
Matt *******
Reply
Steve *******
One or the other for an extention of stay. Only money in the bank for a visa.
Kevin *********
I live in Bang Saray and have only used my monthly pension to get a visa for the last 9 years. This year I was in Bangkok and decided to renew it up there. The lady in charge insisted that I needed to have both the monthly income and a bank account. I had to go back to Bang Saray to have it done in Jomtien with no trouble. But because of the idiot in Bangkok, I was late and had to pay a fine.
Wat *************
จำเป็นต้องมี เพื่อต่อวีซ่าเกษียณ
Stuart *********
Are you trying to apply for a visa in Ireland (via the UK embassy) or are you applying in Thailand for one?
Ronan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERReply to
Ronan *******
Reply
Steve ********
It's one or the other. WARNING. Beware of visa agents saying "if you need retirement visa contact me". They will charge you 30,000 baht upwards for a dodgy visa. Don't risk it!
Christine *******
@Steve *******
failed?Steve ********
@Christine ******
Sorry to hear that. How did you fail?Reply to
Steve ********
Reply
Ronan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERSteve ********
@Ronan ******
Good man. I've lived in Thailand for 12 years on retirement visa and have not paid one cent to a visa agent. They're there for those who failed to make arrangements for their retirement!Steve ********
Robert Curtis Totally agree with you. It's surprising how so many people manage to struggle through life with university, marriage, car, having kids, mortgage on a house, and then fall apart when they have to produce a few documents (which you can get on a list anyway) and filling in a form. I just wonder how these people made it through life! What I was referring in not preparing for retirement is that so many retirees don't have the equivalent of 800,000 baht in savings or a 65,000 baht transfer each month (yeah go figure!) and they're happy to pay an agent upwards of 25,000 baht to pay a bribe to an immigration officer to "overlook" this requirement. It's quite sad actually. Good on you for going nearly quarter of a century without paying a cent to a visa agent! 👍
Nick ************
@Steve *******
you have no idea how difficult some offices can be. They give you the requirements and then change them when you go back. They string you along for so long that in the end you have to use an alternative. I expected them to give me full and valid information and they simply did not. It is much easier to deal with immigration in areas where there are many foreigners but not so easy out in the sticks.Steve ********
@Nick ***********
Can't talk of provincial immigration offices, I only have experience with Bangkok, but I find that if you get the current list and present this with the ticks next to each criterion, there's never a problem (not for me or the handful of old codgers I've helped out). Thai immigration is very anal, and I've found that if you have everything presented in the right order, with one copy of each original document, it often elicits slight smiles (not full blown ones) when the officer is going through the stack of papers. Fortunately (for this instance) I'm a little OCD so it helps that I must have everything in order anyway. The other thing in my favour, is my complete anti-visa agent stance. I simply cannot justify throwing money away!Nick ************
@Steve *******
come extension time in Feb I will try again at local IO. I will have had the full amount of baht in my account for 18 months! The problem stems from them giving me dud information regarding non o 3 month Visa in the first place and now I have a Visa extension from Bangkok they will find some reason not to extend it again for me. It might be better to let my existing extension lapse while I am abroad and start all over again. I could have done that by not getting a re entry permit when I came back to the UK last month. But I did!Reply to
Nick ************
Reply
Steve ********
@Todd ********
It's not me selling the dodgy visas!Todd *********
@Steve *******
if you still need the money, I will pay you 1000 baht to stand in line for me. I can always use good staffReply to
Todd *********
Reply
Bobby ********
If your Embassy is willing to give you an affidavit which confirms a minimum of
*****
baht per month pension, you don't need the 800,000 baht in the bank account. You most certainly DO NOT NEED BOTH, it's one or the otherRonan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERReply to
Ronan *******
Reply
Michael *******
Pretty sure it’s both
Steve *******
@Michael ******
One or the other for the extention of stay. Only money in the bank for the visaBobby ********
@Michael ******
WrongBobby ********
@Michael ******
Yes it says ANY of the following, which means take your pick! 😆Ron ******************
@Bobby *******
in the past some immigration offices did accept a combination of funds in the bank and monthly income. Best as always to speak to the local office.Bobby ********
@Ron *****************
A combination yes, but the topic here is does an applicant need 800,000 in a bank account PLUS 65,000 per month. The answer to this is no.Ron ******************
@Bobby *******
with that I agree. You either need B 800k or B 65k or where allowed a combination.Reply to
Ron ******************
Reply
Stuart *********
What’s your nationality?
Stuart *********
God Dieux no. No insurance needed for an O visa issued in country. Some consulates may insist when applying from abroad.
Michael ******
@Stuart ********
Sorry to butt in, but I have a question about this affidavit. I am an Austrian citizen on Non O A yearly extensions backed up by a certificate of income (monthly pension). Now, for the first time in years, Kanchanaburi Immigration asks for "legalization" of that certificate by the Thai foreign ministry. I think that this is not legal (I know that "legal" in Thailand depends on many things, .....). Do you know a central Immigration authority I could contact to get reliable info (I know that "reliable" in Thailand .....)? Would greatly appreciate your advice.Darren *********
@Michael *****
join the Thai visa group - you’ll get a definitive answer there.Stuart *********
@Michael *****
sorry but I don’t know that info.Michael ******
Mai bpenh rai, it probably will be teamoney again. By the way, I often read your posts and think they are a great help for every Farang here. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Reply to
Michael ******
Reply
Ronan *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stuart ********
irishStuart *********
@Ronan ******
in that case then yes you’ll need 800k in a Thai bank for a non O visa (applying in Thailand). If applying in Ireland via the UK you can use funds in your local bank.Reply to
Stuart *********
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