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Do I need a retirement visa to lease a condo in Thailand for 12 months?
Jun 26, 2024
2 years ago
Philip ********
ORIGINAL POSTERDo I need a retirement visa to lease a condo for 12 months?
Thanks
Thanks
TLDR : Answer Summary
You do not need a retirement visa to lease a condo for 12 months in Thailand. Many expats have successfully leased condos on tourist visas or other non-retirement visas. However, a lease may be beneficial later if you decide to apply for a retirement visa, as some immigration offices require a rental contract for that application. Most landlords will happily rent to anyone with a valid visa, and it's common practice to lease while on a tourist visa.
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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Jo **********
No
Andy **********
What is a Visa?
Jeff ********
Yep
Steve **********
Nope.
Florian ************
No
Mark **********
No, but you will need to get a visa for your years stay
Geo ******
No you need 3 months rent 2 of which is your deposit.........also make sure you do a 90 day report. Your landlord should also report you as staying there
Bunny *****
Even if you are a real tourist just looking to travel monthly and don't wanna pay for hotel. They still would rent.
Gregor **********
Philip Connor . . . it is rather the other way around: in order to apply for the "change of visa type" from a tourist visa to a "90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa" on Immigration, a one-year lease if very helpful, because a rental contract is one of the requirements for this application (here, Chiang Mai immigration)
Angelo ***********
No. The Condo owner might ask, and have his own dreams about what visa you should be on. But there is no "legal" requirement for any visa.
Martin *********
No
Colin ********
No
Stephen *******
Can you do retirement visa in surin please
Bart **************
No
James *******
Yes everyone on an education visa is homeless.
Mike ******
@James ******
huh?James *******
@Mike *****
because they can't rent condos due to not being retired.Reply to
James *******
Reply
Alan ******
You only need money
Duncan ********
No
Dave **********
No
Gray *******
The people, who say yes obviously don’t have a lease. NOOO. You can get one later. I am on a 30 day now; however, you do need a lease or have to buy for a visa.
John **********
No you don't but your challenge will be how to stay long enough to take advantage of your lease
Philip ********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *********
good response, I'm hoping the new 60+ 30 trip to Cambodia and return will do the trick.John **********
@Philip *******
60+30 requires a trip to a consulate to get a visa. A border crossing is only 30 days so 30+30. But in any case that's not sustainable for a year. I don't know how old you are but if 50 or over I'd suggest applying for a retirement visaSingleton **********
@John *********
what if you don’t have 800,000 baht but can show a monthly income of $2500, will that work or do you have to have both?John **********
@Singleton *********
you're American I think which means your embassy won't issue an income certificate. So the only option for you for the non-o visa is the 800k method. If you are still in your home country you could look at the non-oa visa which doesn't require any money in a Thai bank.Philip ********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *********
Hi John I was hoping to avoid the Aust. $32,000 and put my monthly pension into a Thai bank. My pension is a bit short of the required amount, so I thought it would be of the top it up from my savings account.John **********
@Philip *******
you're in a similar position. Your embassy won't issue an income certificate. As you are already inside Thailand your only option to apply for the non-o visa is to transfer 800k baht into a Thai bank account from overseas, you also need that for the first extension of stay based on retirement. During that period you can transfer into your thai bank a minimum of 65k baht per month every month for a full 12 months from overseas prior to applying for the 2nd extension of stay. The 65k can be spent but you also need to honour the terms of the 1st extension. It doesn't matter what your pension amount is, you just need to meet the 65k per month so you can top your transfers up from savings or whateverRuth *******
@John *********
or, they can hire an agent.Philip ********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *********
thanks John I'll print this. CheersSingleton **********
@John *********
ok thank you for the informationReply to
Singleton **********
Reply
Tony ***********
Just lease it ?
Troy ******
You need a lease to get a retirement visa at some immigration offices
Sean **********
No, did my 1st with the 90 day non-o visa
Jozef *********
No
Wade **********
No
Rob **********
No you do not.
Ron *********
No. I got my 12 month lease in Thailand under my tourist visa and then I proceeded with my retirement visa afterwards.
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
The 30-day extension of the stay permit from a tourist visa or a visa-exempt 30-day stay permit:To do this, you have to visit the immigration office that is responsible for your place of stay.
Thai Immigration always talks about “visa extension”. They make no distinction between “visa” and “stay permit”, even though they are two different things. Technically, a visa cannot get extended. Only stay permit will get extended.
What do you need for the 30 day “tourist extension”?
Most immigration offices allow an extension if there are still 30 days left on your stay permit stamp
However, many immigration officers will tell you to come back a week before the stay permit expires. NOTE: You will not lose a single day by going early
To extend your stay permit by 30 days you need:
- Passport
- Copy of passport page with personal information
- Copy of the stamp/visa page
- Copy of the departure card TM6 (has been discontinued by air)
- Completed TM7 form (extension application) The TM7 form is available at immigration
- two passport size photographs (many immigration offices now do this digitally)
-1,900 Thai Baht, preferably the exact amount, because you don't get any change at most immigrations
It might occur that the officer also wants to see a TM30.
TM30 is the completed registration of your accommodation provider/hotel/guesthouse/resort, which must be done within 24 hours of your arrival at the residence of stay
However this is usually not asked, because if the officer, when he is entering your personal data on his computer, he will see that you were registered by the hotel using TM30
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
with regards and thanks to Robert Lagas, who wrote this! Another example of yourv wrong wording and confusion. PLEASE learn to use your brain and eat a portion of logic!Once more, because people try to give advice based on what they think is a "Retirement Visa"
First of all, you DO not have to be retired to apply for this visa.
Second is that all options have DIFFERENT rules, regulations and requirements.
So please read and try not to give incorrect advice by using the requirements for a different type of visa or extension of stay.
What is a retirement visa?
It is a phrase used by foreigners and Immigration and it could be 6 different types of visa or stay permits, with different rules, regulations and requirements
OR
it could even be an 1 year Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand.
It is easy to type “retirement visa”, but very difficult to understand which option the person refers to
Options are:
1. Single Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age
2. Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age
3. Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age without entry by conversion at local immigration office
4. Non Immigrant O-A visa (Long Stay)
5. Non Immigrant O-X visa
6. Long Term Residency (LTR) visa
7. Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand (stamp from Immigration, which is not a visa)
ONLY for options 3, 5 and 7 the applicant needs a bank account in Thailand or a Certificate of Income from their Embassy.
Option 2 becomes a rare visa as most Thai Consulates take it out of the program.
Option 3 is applied for by conversion of your Visa Exempt Entry or Tourist Visa at your local Immigration Office inside Thailand.
Option 6 is applied for with support of BOI Thailand
Option 7 is applied for at your local Immigration Office AFTER you used a Non-Immigrant visa.
Other options are applied for at a Thai Consulate OR for those countries who are legit, on-line.
Thanks for reading this long explanation.
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
Actually the question is wrong – because a „visa“ cannot be extended and will never get “extended”Even when the paper pushing stamps stomping officers on Thai Immigration call it “visa extension”, all they do is extending a simple “stay permit”
As a “visa” is meant for use when ENTERING their beautiful country, it becomes invalid the moment you used it, so logically, it cannot be extended any more. A "visa" is for entering, and a "stay permit" is for staying in a country.
What you get stamped into your passport at the border, is an “admitted until” stamp, in simple words: “a stay permit”. It is NOT a “visa”
Now let’s assume that 95% of the people who answered you on Facebook, used the wrong wording as well and believe in “visa extensions” . . . . it sometimes makes you wonder if you can ever receive a thumb solid information in a Facebook Group.
It is like the roll of dice
And before I leave the discussion: Yes you can get your “visa” extended on immigration (sorry for using the wrong expression), just get up from your hocks and shuffle to the next immigration to listen to what they say
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
Visa and Stay Permit CONFUSION I almost quit reading further when I realized that you, like so many Western expats living in Thailand, call a one-year extended stay permit a ”one year retirement visa”
There is nothing such as a “one year retirement visa”
There only is a “1-year Extension of Stay” permit based on retirement, and this is what the stamp in your passport says.
Please understand the correct use of the terms visa & stay permit and note the differences:
A 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa becomes invalid for further use upon entry.
Upon entry, you receive a 90-days stay permit
The 1-year extension out of a former Non-Imm-O retirement visa, is an extension of the stay permit.
It is not an extension of a visa. The visa is already invalid and thus can't get extended
A visa is a permit to enter Thailand.
The length of the stay permit you will be allowed in, is determined by the visa class.
After you entered with a visa, you are staying in Thailand not on a visa, you are staying in Thailand on a stay permit.
The stamp you receive upon entering, is an “admitted until” stamp. This stamp is not a visa
I am fully aware that Immigration in their bad English, don't draw a difference between a stay permit and a visa. Thai Immigration calls the extension of a stay permit a "visa extension". They say “we extend your visa” regardless they are technically not extending any visa, but only extending your stay permit.
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
A 60-days single entry tourist visa becomes invalid for further use upon entry. When you ENTER with a 60 days tourist visa, you receive a 60-days stay permit, and the visa becomes invalid for further use.
The 30-days touristic extension is an extension of the stay permit.
It is not an extension of a visa.
The visa is invalid already and thus can't get extended
A visa is a permit to enter.
The length of the stay permit is determined by the visa class
After you entered with a visa, you are staying in Thailand not on a visa, you are staying in Thailand with a stay permit. The stamp you receive upon entering, is an “admitted stay stamp”. This stamp is not a visa
I am fully aware that Immigration in their bad English, don't draw a difference between a stay permit and a visa.
Thai Immigration calls the extension of a stay permit "visa extension".
This is just another example of WRONG use of English and the ignorance for the basics of understanding what they actually are doing.
Nongnuch ********
@Ron ********
you ENTER Thailand either with a visa, or without a visa. Upon entering and getting stamped in, in the case that you had a visa, it became invalid for further use. In the case you didn't show up with any visa, you still have no visa after you entered. You are in Thailand with a stay permit. It is so easy, you just have to use the right side of your brainNongnuch ********
@Ron ********
you ENTER Thailand either with a visa, or without a visa. Upon entering and getting stamped in, in the case that you had a visa, it became invalid for further use. In the case you didn't show up with any visa, you still have no visa after you entered. You are in Thailand with a stay permit. It is so easy, you just have to use the right side of your brainNongnuch ********
@Ron ********
you are totally confusing the facts. The "admitted until" and date stamp is just a stay permit stamp, not a visa. Actually, in the upper right corner under the "visaclass", the Immigration officer will enter "free 30" in Thai. Chinese citizens used to either need to apply for a tourist visa in their home country, or otherwise they had to buy a "visa-on-arrival" at the airport for 2000.- THB, and that gave them 15 days stay permit, not extendable! Chinese earlier this year had been granted a "visa-waiver programme", allowing the to enter visa-exempt for a 90 days stay permit. Same Same - a stay permit and DEFINITELY NOT A VISANongnuch ********
@Ron ********
you do NOT receive a 30-days tourist visa when you enter Thailand visa-exempt. There is nothing such as a 30-days tourist visa. You just receive a 30-days "admitted stay" stamp. It is NOT a visa. The 30-days stay permit can be extended once for a 1900.- THB fee on Immigration for 30 more daysJames ***********
@Ron ********
Mark (The new gent) above 🔼 what you got?Lynette ********
@Ron ********
how long did your retirement visa take?Martin *********
@Lynette *******
about 12 days with a agentRon *********
@Lynette *******
it’s pretty quick it takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks. I use an agent it’s a lot faster. You get the 30 day tourist visa upon arriving there’s rumors are supposed to go to 60 days but it’s still 30 days as of now and they may have to do one extension during the process but overall it’s pretty quick. David ****
@Ron ********
Hi. Can you recommend the agent you used please. I’ve read about some that close shop and disappear with peoples money/passport.Ron *********
@David ***
@Nan *********
she is absolutely amazing. I’ve been using her for three years highly recommend her. She has helped my family with everything from passport extensions, my wife’s education, visa, my retirement, visa, my entire families, drivers licenses, open up Thai bank account. highly recommended very friendly, very professional amazing rates she goes above and beyond. David ****
@Ron ********
Thank you for the helpful information. She’s in Bangkok I assume?Ron *********
@David ***
PattayaAmanda **********************
@Ron ********
I thought you have to be outside of Thailand to be able to apply for Tourist Visa?Nongnuch ********
@Amanda *********************
yes, you cannot get a tourist visa inside of ThailandRon *********
@Amanda *********************
no, you can get a tourist from your own home country. Typically those are longer visas. Don’t quote me but like 45 day or 60 day but you do have 30 day visa plan entry and other countries like China and Russia get 90 days visa upon entry and just before that Visa expires you can go to immigration and extend for another 30 days. After that you must leave the country most people do a border run and they have them set up. You can go in the van that goes right across the border into Cambodia or Laos or something like that the same day run there and back they stamp you out stamp you back in and then you start the process all over again, that’s only good for a few times and then immigration gonna stop in question you thinking you’re living here that you need a long-term visa as long as you move forward with the correct visa like retirement visa they even have education visa here you can learn Thai language, or even Muay Thai, and those are like visas. Lynette ********
@Ron ********
thank youDarren *********
@Ron ********
How long does the retirement VISA last before it has to be renewed?Ron *********
@Darren ********
the retirement visa is good for 15 months in Thailand. You just have to renew it approximately one month before it expires as well. You need to do 90 day reporting I use an agent to do everything as it’s very affordable.Nongnuch ********
@Darren ********
"How long does the retirement VISA last before it has to be renewed?" . . . . the initial "retirement visa" gives you 90 days of stay permit. It's the "extension of stay permit based on retirement", that gives you a one-year stay permit. NOTE: there is nothing such as a "one-year retirement visa". The "1-year Extension of Stay" is not a visaRon *********
@Nongnuch *******
OK that is correct. You initially get the 90 days Non O visa and once you fulfill the banking requirements, then you go back to immigration and you get the additional year, making it a total of 15 months altogetherNongnuch ********
@Darren ********
first you switch from the exempt entry or the tourist visa, to a 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa. Then from these 90-days stay permit, you switch to the "1-year extended stay permit". The "1-year stay permit based on retirement" must be applied for every year, fulfilling the requirementsRon *********
@Darren ********
it’s for 15months and you have to do reporting every 90 days which is kind of stupid just pop in. Let them know your status you’re still here and you can get multiple entry or single entry. I prefer multiple entry so you can come and go to Thailand as much as you want to no problems.Darren *********
@Ron ********
Thanks, RonPatrick *******
@Darren ********
depending on visa - there’s insurance as wellNigel **********
@Darren ********
1 yearReply to
Nigel **********
Reply
Brandon ************
They will gladly take your money on any visa.
William ******
@Brandon ***********
exactlyMark *********
@Brandon ***********
yup!James ***********
@Mark ********
you’re the only one in this thread so far that says yes… Could you tell us why? Or else excuse yourself from spreading false informationChappy ******
@James **********
I think he said yup to the comment about they will take your money on any visa, not the original question 😊James ***********
@Chappy *****
I see sorry about that. I was just trying to help out. Khap khun khap good Chap 🙏Chappy ******
Reply to
Chappy ******
Reply
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