Do I need a medical certificate and police check for a retirement visa in Thailand when applying from Australia?

Sep 4, 2021
3 years ago
In regard to retirement visa, is the medical certificate and police check a necessary requirement? Want to apply in Thailand and need know what I need to do in Oz prior to departure. TIA
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TLDR : Answer Summary
When applying for a retirement visa in Thailand, the requirements vary depending on where the application is made. If you apply for the multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) visa from a Thai consulate in Australia, you will need a medical certificate and a police check. However, if you enter Thailand on a tourist or visa exempt status and then apply for a Non-O visa in Thailand, these documents are not required. Some users suggest avoiding the O-A visa to prevent future insurance requirements and instead recommend applying for a Non-O visa in Thailand.
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.
Marlene ******
You have to prove no less than 3 million Thai baht IN A THAI BANK ACCOUNT with an OX visa right? Too much money in foreign bank…
Acharaporn *************
@Marlene *****
400,000THB for marriage or dependent visa, 800,000THB for retirement visa, no need bank guarantees for volunteers visa
Gerry ***********
I had to do both,
Thomas ******
Why don’t you just apply for a Thai Elite Visa? The simple way of getting in.
George *************
@Thomas *****
Stay in Thailand for over a year on an elite visa and don't visit immigration to get an extension of stay and let me know what happens to you. ;-)
Thomas ******
You envy me,dont you? No immigration,airport pickup and of course no paperwork.
Thierry *********
@Thomas *****
why don’t you buy a Ferrari? So simple
Terry ********
Go for an O not an OA unless u only want in out in out for 2 years. Thats literally not metaphorically...555.
Terry ********
@Tod ********
Sorry. I misread it as saying insurance requirements are the same.
Tod *********
@Terry *******
You did read that I was talking about an O-A visa right?
Terry ********
@Tod ********
Insurance is not required to extend an O visa.
Steve *******
@Terry *******
The OA is great visa for people that come and go. No hassle or money tied up for 2 years. Not so easy since covid, still a good visa
Stuart *********
@Nick ******
you have to leave Thailand and come back in again just before the visa expires, so you get another year stamp (if you have insurance for that time). Super easy to do before Covid with a quick border bounce. Nowadays not so easy.
Nick *******
Hi
@T**
, how do you get 2 years out of an OA?
Tod *********
@Terry *******
there's no problem applying for a yearly extension AFTER you've gotten 2 years of stay out of an O-A visa. Other than you showing the
******
mandatory health insurance the requirements are the same as getting a yearly extension from an O visa
Stephen *******
Look at the O-X at the Sydney consulate if you do not want to put your money in Thailand. You are stamped in for 5 years. You can also show your super money as proof of funds.
Eric ********
@Stephen ******
have you arrived/lived TL on this ?
Eric ********
@Stephen ******
that’s where I got mine .. lovely staff .. I left thinking my OZ money would be good 👍🏻.. but the Thai based staff needed the cash (or a difficult to get, proof of income) in the bank in TL.
Stephen *******
@Eric *******
Sydney consulate.
Stephen *******
@Eric *******
it's only at the Sydney consulate
Eric ********
David Broadfoot yes, I also thought money in Australia would suffice .. but the Thai immigration staff insisted on money in a local account 3mill first year 1.5mill second year.
Eric ********
Eric ********
@Stephen ******
I found it difficult to use ‘Super money’ or money not in a Thai bank for this visa. Happy to chat about my experience with getting and keeping an OX.
Jeff **********
@Stephen ******
what's "super money?"
Janin ******
No medical check
Richard *********
If get O here and not OA in US you avoid insurance requirements in future. Just keep
*****
0 baht in back. I am facing problems because I have OA visa.
George *************
@Marlene *****
Has anybody applied for a Non-O visa in the US *for purpose of being 50 years or over* (not for marriage) and if so which embassy/consulate?
Marlene ******
@Richard ********
hope it is true. So much easier…anyone on here applied for non o in America and which embassy?
Steve *******
@Richard ********
Why wouldnt you be able to get it.
Richard *********
David Broadfoot You can really get Non-O in Americs. Good news to me if true.
David *******
@Justin ********
The Non O ‘for Retirement’ is not available in Australia. So to avoid the extra checks etc enter on a TR and convert to a Non O in Thailand.

You can always get ‘help’ inside Thailand to do this if you really don’t want to do it yourself.
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Richard ********
argh okay. Cheers
Cambodia **************
Thanks for the information that's good to know going to be such a hassle God bless everybody
Tod *********
IF you are going to get the "retirement visa" IN thailand after you come here there is no medical certificate OR police background check.

Those things are required ONLY if you're buying the year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) visa from the thai consulate BEFORE you wing your way here.

If you come here on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry and do the in country Non-O visa then a year extension there is no medical or back ground check
George *************
@Marlene *****
You can get annual extensions of stay every year without leaving the country.
Nick ************
@Marlene *****
I am not certain but some money transfers are done to a thai bank and that bank transfers the money to your bank thus it does not appear to have come from overseas. Get some advice from immigration as to what they want to see and make sure your money transfer service provides it.
Tod *********
@Marlene *****
to get the O-A VISA in your country BEFORE you come here there's no problem doing it

However if you're going to get a year extension inside the country based on monthly income method and are an american you can ONLY transfer into the country in a thai bank account in your name a minimum of 65K baht a month each month every month for the preceding 12 months.
Marlene ******
@Nick ***********
make sense. How do I prove social security income above
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baht?
Marlene ******
@Tod ********
do you have to leave the country with non o every year with extensions?
Stuart *********
@Nick ***********
you are correct that a non OA can only be applied for in your home country ( or country of residence) however you are incorrect in thinking that a non O can only be applied for in Thailand. It can be applied for in any country at any embassy. Not all embassies sell non Os for being over 50 but as there’s numerous reasons for applying for that visa it doesn’t mean it can only be got in Thailand. Oh and by the way you don’t get a “retirement” extension when applying for a year extension off an non O (or non OA) you get a year extension based on being over 50. Regardless of whether the immigration officer incorrectly writes “retirement” on that stamp.
Stuart *********
@Nick ***********
I’ve edited my initial reply to remove mention of a retirement visa as you correctly state that can lead to confusion. However you stated that Non O and Non OA can be based on a number of considerations. I merely pointed out that yes the non O can be but the non OA is for one specific purpose. Why you made the specific comment in the first place remains a mystery - which is why I questioned if you were replying to the correct person.
Nick ************
@Stuart ********
you claimed that you had no clue what i was saying. I tried to clarify for you. Unless there are two of you with the same name I was replying to you. When things are referred to with the wrong name it causes confusion. Like when you see an elephant and claim it is a sheep.
Stuart *********
@Nick ***********
you seem to be preaching to the converted here. Are you replying to the right person? You are correct that there is no such thing as a retirement visa but it is often mistakenly referred to that so that’s why I used the term.
Nick ************
@Stuart ********
there is no such thing as a retirement Visa. You get a retirement extension to a Visa. An OA Visa is applied for in your home country and involves insurance, a background check and proof of funds. A non o Visa is applied for from within Thailand and is for 90 days to give you time to get the required funds seasoned in a thai bank. You then get a 12 month extension. There is no background check or insurance requirement. If that has changed then it has only done so quite recently. Its easier to get to Thailand on whatever and apply for non O in country.
Stuart *********
@Nick ***********
sorry I have no clue what you’re saying here. A non O can be for many reasons. A non OA is for one specific reason - bring over 50 - [edited. Removed reference to “retirement visa” to avoid any confusion]
Nick ************
@Stuart ********
it's a non O OR an OA all of which can be based on a number of situations.
Nick ************
@Tod ********
Nakhon Phanom. In the end I didnt even require the seasoning for the 12 month extension once I had flown to Bangkok! Got the 15 months all in one go and a week in Phuket as well. The bank was helpful. Next time I went to NP for 90 day my passport was inspected with great care and interest but no problems.
Tod *********
@Nick ***********
sorry you didn't have the experience I am relating BUT I can say with 100% accuracy that in BANGKOK at Chaengwattana in Section C-1 <- the section that issues ALL Non-Immigrant visas there you do NOT need the money seasoned even one day, you can transfer it in to a thai bank account in your name only and immediately apply for the 90 day Non-O, it's only the year extension that requires the 2 month seasoning (and you'll have your money in there that length of time by then)

Sorry you didn't have that experience. What office was it?
Nick ************
@Tod ********
sorry Todd but that was not my personal experience. On first application I was told that I had to show
*****
0 baht in Thai account for 2 months for them to process the 90 day Visa leading to 12 month extension. As I did not have 2 months before my current extension expired they told me I had a problem. I had to go away and find a way around the problem. The same problem is approaching but I hope I have found an alternative and cheaper way around it this time.

It us possible that things have changed. I now believe it is possible to apply for the non o Visa in your home country but have no need to put that to the test.
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
David Broadfoot good point David.
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Tod *********
@Justin ********
Come in on the single entry tourist visa (which means you need the 100K USD covid insurance for 60 days), get your funds moved over here into a thai bank account in your name only, go to your immigration office, apply for the 90 day Non-O visa for 2000baht, wait the under consideration period (14 to 20 days depending on the office) go back and get the Non-O visa and a new 90 day stamped inked into your passport. WAIT until your 800K baht is in the account for 2 months then apply for the yearly extension for 1900baht.
Tod *********
@Nick ***********
not correct 😕

To apply for the 90 day non-O visa in thailand based on retirement there is NO seasoning of the funds. You only show that it was transferred in from abroad.

It's the year extension AFTER you have the 90 day Non-O visa that requires the 800k baht to be seasoned the 2 months
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ***********
great,cheers
Nick ************
@Justin ********
yes.
*****
0 baht must be in Thai bank account for at least 2 months in order to get the retirement extension. You will need a certificate from the bank. After that you should always have a balance of at least
*****
0 baht but mine has never been checked on 90 day reporting.
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ***********
can i apply for that 90 non o in Thailand?
Stuart *********
@Bill ********
you can’t apply for a non OA in Thailand.
Nick ************
@Justin ********
you apply for 90 day non o which gives you time to line up the ducks then you get a 12 month extension for 1900 baht. That was how it was this time last year anyway.
Bill *********
except if u apply for o a visa in thailand u need to put 800k in thai bank whearas if u apply out of country you can keep your money in foreign accct
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
Thailand Embassy Canberra approved a 60 TR which I hope to extend 30 to line ducks up....bank etc.
Tod *********
@Justin ********
what entry stamp are you coming into thailand on?
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
tod, so apart from the $$ and insurance, is there anything urgent I need from Australia before departure, as I read conflicting information.
Justin *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
thankyou for the clarification, very appreciated.
Benjamin ******
Yes it is. For the medical certificate, the Thai government is only interested in the tests for TB, and are willing to accept written acknowledgement that you don't have drug problems or Elephantiasis.
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