How complicated is it to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand?

Easy to very easy

So simple if you meet the requirements 800k in the bank !! The rest is super easy and straightforward

Tough, hard work

Call an agent and hear your options - you might be surprised what can be done if you are 50+ just go for it!!

I'd say it's complicated. Could I figure it out and do it myself? Sure, but retirement means you stop taking on new time intensive and stressful projects! Instead outsource to those that know the latest rules and can get it done properly. I use my agent for anything immigration related.

It depends on the meaning of in. Do you mean get one when you are in Thailand, which can be done through an agent like Thai Visa Centre, or can be done on your own when you are outside of the country by following the instructions of the other responders.

I’m finding it impossible! Been told I have to wait another 15 years!

Easy if you have 0 thb sir

Agent..Agent..Agent

I'd recommend another type of Non O visa, same price thb per 13 month

There is no such thing as a retirement visa, you can apply in your home country for a 3 month non O visa if you qualify, then you can travel to Thailand and extend it for 1 year, provided you have the documentation, and extend it every year going forward, it is easy just stick to the rules.

If you have a Thai bank account , that’s is a bonus

If not

It can all be done for a price

If you already have a Thai bank account (or your Embassy still issues the income affidavit) and your Immigration Office allows the conversion from a tourist entry stamp to a Non-O based on retirement it is easy to do by meeting the requirements.

You need to apply for the 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa through the E-Visa online system of the Thai embassy in your home country or elsewhere in the World, before you fly to Thailand.

After you entered Thailand, you need to get registered in your accommodation per TM30 within 24 hours of arrival in the premises. If you rent or live in a friend’s accommodation, the landlord or the friend has to register you.

Immigration will only service you if you are properly registered in your accommodation by the TM30.

Every landlord, friend or hotel needs to register you within 24 hours of your arrival in the premises. While hotels do this automatically online, many landlords and friends are not aware of this or haven’t registered their house or rooms in the system. It is your responsibility to ensure that you got properly TM30 registered by your landlord or the hotel.

On arrival, you will get stamped in for an admitted stay of 90 days. Within the 90-days stay permit period, you have plenty of time to arrange for the application to the “1-year extended stay permit based on retirement” (which people wrongly refer to as a “retirement visa”- actually, this thing is not a visa. It is an extended stay permit)

In order to apply for the “90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa” through the online E-visa system at the Royal Thai Embassy of your home country, you can use the proof of income of a monthly minimum of equivalent of 65,000 THB, by using your original pension statements or other income documentation.

Or you use a deposit of a minimum of 800,000 THB or the equivalent in your home country currency, or on your home bank account, or on a Thai bank, or just anywhere in the World – as long as the account is in your sole name

However, for the application inside Thailand for the “1-year extension of stay permit” out of the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, if you are a citizen of a country, whose embassy in Thailand does not issue the “income affidavit” any more (which are the embassies of the USA, UK and Australia, Norway and Canada - AFAIK)

you would need proof by a “12 months bank statement”, showing that for the past 12 months, you have been transferring from abroad to your Thai bank account, month for month, not missing one single month, a minimum of 65,000 THB. The transfers must be coded in your bankbook as foreign transfers coming in from abroad

If your embassy still issues a legalized affidavit of income, you can use this method for the financial proof, as long as you can show a monthly income or pension of a minimum of 65,000 THB.

Some Immigrations have started to require that you at least have a Thai bank account and SOME money gets transferred into it from abroad – and they might also ask you for the source of the income.

For above mentioned citizens, in the first year there is no other way around than depositing a minimum of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account and use this deposit for the financial proof.

For the application to the “one year extension of stay permit based on being over 50/retired” you need to show a minimum of 800,000 THB in your account, and on the day you apply, the funds must have been sitting in the account for a minimum of 2 months, and you got the “bank letter of guarantee” that confirms this.

NOTE: It is income method OR deposit method.

And there is a third method, called the “combination method”:

A combination, a mix of income and deposit.

Some immigrations don’t allow the combination method in the first year. And some Immigration want the deposit part to exceed 400,000 THB. The combination method means that the sum of the deposit AND the monthly income exceeds 800,000 THB in one year.

But let’s continue with the “normal method” (visa issued in your home country, followed by the application to the Extension inside Thailand):

On the day of application to the 1-year extension, the 800,000 THB must have “seasoned” in your account for two months, and this has to be proven with the “bank letter of guarantee” (rab roong thanakan).

What else do you need on Immigration?

*** Immigration might ask you to present your updated bankbook, and a receipt of a small sum withdrawal at an ATM of the same day.

*** a copy (and original) of your passport detail page signed in blue ink

*** a copy (and original) of the .pdf visa document signed in blue ink

*** a copy (and original) of the printed TDAC (if applicable) signed in blue ink

*** 1900 THB in cash

*** the TM7 form you can fill out at the Immigration

*** Immigration will ask you to sing several “exclusion of responsibility” forms (STM)

*** some Immigrations have started to ask applicants for a rental contract (Hua Hin is known to ask)

*** some also ask for a screenshot or printout of your TM30

You should visit Immigration ASAP after you have entered and ask them for the handout list of requirements. This is important, because some Immigrations use their own approach to the official rules.

After been issued the “1-year Extension of Stay”, the 800,000 THB need to remain in the account for 3 more months. After these 3 months, the deposit shall never go under 400,000 THB. Before your annual application for the next “1-year Extension of Stay”, a minimum of 800,000 THB must have seasoned in the account for two months, again

When you get issued the “1-year extension of stay”, you should always buy a re-entry permit for it.

A re-entry permit will keep your 1-year stay permit alive in case you exit Thailand before the expiry of the 1-year stay permit.

A single re-entry permit is 1000 THB on Immigration. A multi re-entry is 3800 THB.

With a multi re-entry permit, you can exit and re-enter as many times as you wish during the whole 1-year stay permit period.

Good Luck and a great time in Thailand

If you have the money to put in the bank, it's fairly easy.

Very easy. Best option is LTR visa if you qualify. Or 800k baht in a Thai bank. Or use an agent

Meet the requirements and follow process - the amount of paper will be determined which way you go - savings or monthly deposit of 65,000 baht or combination of both

It's recommended to start the process by applying for the Non-O based on retirement ( being 50+ ) before you travel to Thailand.

This is done on the eVisa application portal. The requirements are listed on this page with retirement options. Most people go for the top one.

Simple enough if you meet the requirements and follow the process