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How difficult is it to withdraw funds from a Thai bank after obtaining a Non-O retirement visa?
Non-O VisaRetirement VisaBank TransfersMoney Transfer RegulationsFinancial Rules for Expats in ThailandThai Banking SystemExpat Financial PlanningVisa RequirementsEmergency Funds
Apr 11, 2025
a year ago
Michelle *********
ORIGINAL POSTERNon O retirement visa requires 800,000 baht in a Thai bank. How difficult (or not) is it getting your money out and back to their home country if they decide to return home? Is it just a matter of a bank transfer? Any penalties?
TLDR : Answer Summary
Transferring money out of Thailand after securing a Non-O retirement visa is generally manageable but can vary in complexity. While many users report successful bank transfers using services like Bangkok Bank with modest fees, caution is advised as some have experienced complications and paperwork requirements, especially if they do not maintain the requisite balance in their Thai accounts. Notably, funds must remain intact to sustain visa status, and emergency access to these funds could be hindered under certain circumstances. Most users recommend using the SWIFT system for efficient transfers, though it's essential to document the source of the funds for compliance with Thai banking regulations.
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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Steve *********
U never touch the 800K, you open a 2nd account for daily use.
Holger **************
Maybe better Just spent the Money 🥳
Ken *******
I transfered 800k from my US bank to Bangkok Bank a couple years ago over several transfers using Wise, just in case of screw ups I kept it under 10k, recently transferred most back using Bangkok bank transfer and it was around 1000 baht per transfer no matter the amount and it was in my account in the US that night. As I am getting older I thought it better to have most of my money in the USA for my beneficiaries to have easier access in case.
Ken *******
Oh I forgot to mention that I used Bangkok Bank transfer on the app as Wise cannot transfer out of Thailand, at least on my Wise App.
Ken ********
@Ken ******
wow, I didn't know you could transfer from Bangkok bank InternationalReply to
Ken ********
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Beverly **********
Forgive me for asking a silly question, but just wondering:
If you took it out again in small amounts, could you avoid any paperwork? Granted, you'd have to be planning ahead to do enough daily withdrawals to successfully remove your funds....
If you took it out again in small amounts, could you avoid any paperwork? Granted, you'd have to be planning ahead to do enough daily withdrawals to successfully remove your funds....
Michael ******
I leave a million baht in my Bangkok bank account for when needed for visa to stay Thailand and also l self-insure and this one million covers all emergency treatment backed up by a barclays credit card with £8000 if needed.
Kevin *********
I dunno why peeps are talking as if Thailand is NK. You can always use bank transfers from 1 country to another. Just pay the service fee
Mark **********
Difficulty Level 1-10 is 0. Unless you're not the sharpest pencil in the box.
John ********
No problems with Bangkok bank
Jeff *********
I’m taking the cash
Jesper *******
It's not that difficult u just use the swift system and transfer it to your home bank and of course u will pay some service fees to the bank and I also tried the crypto method buying some odd coins with low gas fee and send them back home I have tried in small amount by both methods and it's workable
Alan **********
Agent MANEERAT
Alan **********
Use Agent better no money in bank
Andrew ********
When did it goto 800k ?? I have a friend just did it and only need 500k and my thai friends that do visa for immigrants said 500k .. can you please link me to where it says 800k.
I'm respectfully asking for info please not questioning you
I'm respectfully asking for info please not questioning you
Dianne *****
@Andrew *******
it went to 800K in 2018Graham ******
@Andrew *******
The same as for the Extension but no seasoning for the initial Visa (unless you apply in Jomtien).Andy **********
@Andrew *******
if you're talking about the retirement visa, it has always been ฿800k, marriage or dependant visa is ฿400k, DTV visa is ฿500k, have a look at the Embassy website of you're home country, there is lots of information on there.Eddie **********
@Andrew *******
Send the mony into your account in Thailand…..Never to somebody Else. Be sure that that account never be closed. Otherweise you never get the mony out with banksystem.
It same if you open account in a other bank
To keep the visa mony in
You need to have 3-4000 bath in the first account you open. Think you need to like
Put in or withdraw500-1000 bath
One time per
Year so account is active. Otherweise bank close
Your account and you never get mony out ( 9999 euro or usd cach every time you leave Thailand is ok….
Its
*****
0Or
*****
0Married visa
But married not easy to do. Mony must stay in bank 3 month after you got visa
Then during 6 month never under
*****
0.3 month before you like to apply for extensions1 more year it have to be
*****
0 again. Half mony regarding marige visaThink you can get a fixed account with abt 2%
Intrest.
All this are on thai webpage.
Many here
Write wrong
Info.
Sylvia ********
@Andrew *******
I lived here 24 years and it was 800,000 even back then in 2001Charles ********
@Sylvia *******
I've lived here since 2002.Marriage extension was 200k and retirement 400k.
It changed circa 2005.
Marriage 400k retirement 800k.
Only difference being, grandad rights for retirement.
If you already had it and didn't break the cycle, you could keep using the 400k.
Reply to
Charles ********
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Tony **********
@Andrew *******
500 for marriage, 800 for retirementSpencer *******
@Tony *********
400k for marriage 500 I believe is for DTV visaTony **********
@Spencer ******
my bad...Reply to
Tony **********
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Scott ******
Can you just wire it and eat the costs?
Laurence **********
@Scott *****
Yes it is quite easy. I did it on the Siam Bank app. Up to 1.5 million. Rate is not the best, but acceptable. Took a day.Reply to
Laurence **********
Reply
Jake *********
in a crisis or general emergency ypu will not get your money back. happened 10 years ago
Joseph *******
There are rules for transferring money out of Thailand, even for Thai nationals. When my Thai wife & I sold our house in Udon Thani in 2011, Bangkok Bank permitted her to wire money to my USAA account. But she had to select one of three reasons, which in our case, was to support family (me) in the U.S. I think one of the other reasons was to support a biological child’s higher education, but I don’t remember the third reason.
I do recall I, as a farang, could also wire money out. But it was more complicated, involved paperwork that had to be approved by Bangkok Bank main office, & show proof of source. Additionally, the amount could not exceed the amount I brought in. Considering the amount we did transfer to the U.S., I’m not sure I transferred in enough to even consider this option.
I do recall I, as a farang, could also wire money out. But it was more complicated, involved paperwork that had to be approved by Bangkok Bank main office, & show proof of source. Additionally, the amount could not exceed the amount I brought in. Considering the amount we did transfer to the U.S., I’m not sure I transferred in enough to even consider this option.
Graham *****
@Joseph ******
I use Wise to transfer to Bangkok BankI persume I can transfer let's say the
*****
0 bht back to wise then hopefully wise will transfer in £ back to my UK Accounts
Richard ********
Reply to
Richard ********
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JP ********
I guess you don't incur interest on that money?
Richard ********
@JP *******
you can put it in a term deposit, annual interest is about 1.2%.Robert ********
@Richard *******
Can elaborate on this please?I’m looking for a savings account for our daughter. Money will stay there at least 3-5 years.
Haven’t seen anything above a very few %.
Richard ********
@Robert *******
well, yep. As I posted, all you will get is just above 1%, which also is taxed, although you can claim the tax back.All the banks publish interest rates on their websites.
Reply to
Richard ********
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Jesper *******
@JP *******
yes u do earn interest twice a year....for my 800k acct the interest earned is more than enough to cover the annual fees for the debit card and insurance hope this helpsGeorge *******
@Jesper ******
Annual fee for debit card 😂😂😂 was 100 a year when I had a Thai bank account. OMG, what I could do with all that money 😂😂😂😂😂😂Jesper *******
@George ******
well the saying goes 100baht is different for everyone....some spend it on coffee alone some can have meals for the whole day...some can feed the whole family...Reply to
Jesper *******
Reply
Ray *******
@Jesper ******
Which bank is that please?Jesper *******
@Ray ******
bkk bankReply to
Jesper *******
Reply
Darren *********
@JP *******
depending on the bank you do, but it is very little. And with the yearly fees etc basically 0 if you only keep the minimum in there.Reply to
Darren *********
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Chris ******
This is issue I put to a agent regarding putting money in a Thai bank account I've got it want to know I will be keeping it without any issues but they say need for the retirement visa
Loretta *******
It's not difficult but not simplw...a lot of paperwork
Richard ********
Loretta *******
@Richard *******
we just left Thailand after 7 years there..back to the US...Bangkok Bank.....tons of paperwork and really they didn't want to let the money go...So for my experience.."yes a lot of paperwork "Richard ********
@Loretta ******
If you had the Bangkok Bank app installed, you could have just initiated a SWIFT transfer. I think the limit is 1.5 or 2m Baht before it triggers officialdom.However, as you are from the US maybe different rules apply. I dunno. Possibly the US is more aggressive in knowing where the $$$ come from.
I've transferred 700,000 without getting any paperwork.
A decade or so ago there was paperwork that was sent to the head office, but no longer.
All online.
Reply to
Richard ********
Reply
Jim ***********
I used Deemoney while ago. Wouldn't recommend them now.
Dave ********
@Jim **********
dee money has stopped tradingJim ***********
@Dave *******
good news that. Knew was gona happen and people would get burnt.Dave ********
@Jim **********
, to transfer money to my bank in the UK, I buy crypto (xrp) via bitkub, send it to my uphold wallet, and then sell and transfer the money to my uk bank account.It's a bit longwinded, but it only costs me 0.2 cents for each transfer
Jim ***********
@Dave *******
I was tempted buy gold ,decided use Deemoney send back UK. Big mistakeDave ********
@J**
, don't do that, Thai gold is worth a lot less in the UK compared to what it costs hereJim ***********
Dave Knight I live Thailand. Was a store of wealth looking do.
Reply to
Jim ***********
Reply
David *******
@Jim **********
🤔 I’m going to retry using it with a small amount / see how it goes. (I’ve never used it, but I set up the account last year. 🤷♂️)Jim ***********
@David ******
good luck. They promised me everything and delivered nothing.David *******
@Jim **********
ok. The DeeMoney app doesn’t work for me past the login. The app still has an old notice from 2024. No bank options are available on the Home Screen pull down. Searching for recipients doesn’t return any results (or an explanation why). I checked the app version. My DeeMoney app is the latest. 🤔I tried without VPN (and with). Same results. 🤷♂️ I guess I’ll use Remitly. Thanks!
Jim ***********
@David ******
very wise decision. Someone's gona get burnt big time with them.Reply to
Jim ***********
Reply
Ken ********
@Jim **********
why wouldn't you recommend dee money Jim ?Wannikea *********
@Ken *******
they're not in the transfer business anymore, strictly foreign exchange these days. They died off last SeptemberJim ***********
@Ken *******
read recent reviews and they Facebook page. My last transaction they told me couldn't guarantee go thru best choice was cancel then HOPE for refund.....they had massive problems then, best be safe and avoidKen ********
@Jim **********
wow, is it still operational. I used it a few times a couple of years ago, I had no issues whatsoever, maybe I was lucky.Jim ***********
@Ken *******
I reckon I was lucky also. No idea if still trading but I wouldn't go near ever again. Was tempted at time buy Gold store in safety box. Wished had done that nowReply to
Jim ***********
Reply
Brandon ************
If it's the same bank account or bank that you transferred the money into, should be as simple as a transfer out. If you've changed banks, you'll likely need to show them the source of the money when you transferred it into Thailand.
Peter ****************
@Brandon ***********
And how does it work "year extension wise" ? Because the 800k฿ is allowed on forehand for the current year extension. The moment he does not have the *******
k฿ in his account, his year extension is in principle invalid. I don't know if the imm. officer at the airport can see this.Graham *****
@Peter ***************
I thought you can go into the *****
0 when you get your retirement visa That's what it's there for to spend live in Thailand
When it comes for renewal then you top it back up I think
3 months before renewal.
Brandon ************
@Graham ****
the money is not for living in Thailand. The money is for you to show you can take care of yourself in the event of an emergency so you won't become the Thai government's problem.Graham *****
@Brandon ***********
Marty Pollard as just answered my queryMarty *********
@Graham ****
You can’t let the balance fall below 400,000 bahtReply to
Marty *********
Reply
Jesper *******
@Peter ***************
when u don't have the 800k/400k in the acct it means you can't get a extension and that's about it just leave the country and no problem.....someone post that if you do apply for a extension without the 800k/400k they(the immigration can cancel your visa and charge u for overstay the moment u hit lower den 400k but the officer told him to leave and did not charge him cos he was only making equiry enquiry and did not actually apply for extensions hope this helpsBrandon ************
@Peter ***************
Since he asked the question in regards to leaving Thailand and returning home, it is irrelevant. There won't be a next extension application and that's when the problem with the money being gone would become apparent.Reply to
Brandon ************
Reply
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