How soon should I check in with immigration for a retirement visa after arriving on a Non-O visa?

Allow 6 weeks to get your first retirement visa.

What is everybody talking about the 800K? Look for a good agency. They manage the money issues for you and you pay them 15 to 25K.

here is what chat told me

Since you’re planning to retire in Thailand and live in Chiang Mai for several years, the simplest path for you is usually:

1. Enter Thailand on a 90-day retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O) from the U.S.

2. Open a Thai bank account.

3. Transfer the required funds.

4. Apply for a one-year retirement extension while in Thailand. 

Main visa options for retirees

• Visa Exemption – U.S. citizens can currently enter Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days for tourism. This is intended for tourism, not retirement. 

• Non-Immigrant O (Retirement) – For people age 50+. Usually issued for 90 days and is the most common starting point for retirees. After arriving, you can extend it for one year inside Thailand. 

• Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay) – Applied for in the U.S. before departure. It grants a one-year stay but requires additional paperwork such as a police clearance and medical certificate. It also has health insurance requirements. 

• Non-Immigrant O-X – A long-term retirement visa (up to 10 years) with much higher financial requirements. Most retirees do not choose this route. 

What I would recommend for you

Because you’re moving long-term and are already planning on opening a bank account, I would recommend:

Apply in the U.S. for a Non-Immigrant O (Retirement) visa shortly before you leave. The Thai embassy now issues visas electronically through the eVisa system. Apply about 1-2 months before your planned departure. 

Can you go over first, open a bank account, and then apply for retirement status there?

Yes, many retirees do exactly that. Once in Thailand, you can open a Thai bank account, transfer money, and then apply for a one-year retirement extension at immigration. Generally, you must be at least 50 years old and meet one of these financial requirements:

• ฿800,000 in a Thai bank account, or

• monthly income of at least ฿65,000, or

• a combination of savings and income totaling ฿800,000 annually. 

One caution: rules about converting from tourist status to retirement status have changed over time and can vary by immigration office. Many experts recommend arriving with a Non-Immigrant O visa rather than relying on converting from visa-exempt tourist status after arrival. 

For your situation, I would do this:

1. Apply online in California for a Non-Immigrant O visa about 30-60 days before departure.

2. Fly to Thailand.

3. Open a bank account during your first week.

4. Transfer at least ฿800,000 (about US$24,000 at current exchange rates).

5. Apply for your one-year retirement extension before your initial 90-day stay expires.

Should have your bank account opened Bruce and ฿800,000 in it

Look Vietnam will answer and solve all your problems. Got my new 90 day multiple entry visa. No nonsense attached. Totally renewable. I’m going to stop posting this. Too many people are discovering this. Agoda has spiked room prices. Hotel have me a month with what I just paid two weeks for on arrival. Totally serious here.

Just get the list of requirements from your local immigration office. Nothing random about it.

Get going with it if you go to immagration they will tell you exactly what you need that's ghe best way

It should be done in practice as soon as you can. Get that 800,000 baht in the bank as quickly as possible.

The best way is go to YOUR immigration office and ask what is necessary in your case, some offices have differents requirements....

As soon as possible

Vous devez ouvrir un compte bancaire et déposer 0bath sur ce compte. Avant la fin des 90 jours Demander le TM30 au propriétaire de votre logement et vous pouvez aller à l'immigration pour le visa 1 an.

Different immigration policies according to the province you are in. Go check with yours. But the 800K must be in your Thai account for 60 days before applying. Hope this helps info helps you

Best and easiest way to get it done is have a agency do it for you less headaches get your bank account drivers license and visa in 2 weeks

As fast as possible you need a certifikatet of recidence to open a bank akaunt and to land office to get a driver license if you have that this is okey with to copy you need 1 to bank and 2 to your driver licence if you have car and mc .Dont forgot to fix a international driving permit from your country before you go.

PS, don't open an account at Bangkok Bank

You have to open an account and deposit 800,000 Bhat within the first month as it has to mature for 2 months before you can apply for the 12 month extension of stay and the O-visa only gives you a total of 3 months (90 days) from arrival. If you have done that then as soon as it has been in the account for 2 months you can go to Immigration and make the application, not before.

Well I'm guessing you got a 90 day stamp if you want to stay in Thailand get yourself organized, go visit an immigration office and ask what is required.

You can go there and ask them directly what type of documents will you need to submit concerning the retirements visa in Thailand before your visa expire.

Bruce Macdonald . . so, you arrived 2 weeks ago. I hope that you used these 2 weeks period to get your ducks in a row? Did you get a Thai bank account opened and did you transfer a minimum of 800,000 THB into it? Because if you want to apply for the 1-year Extension based on Retirement, on the day you apply, you need to prove this +800,000 Thai Baht deposit has been in your account for a minimum of 2 months. This means you must have applied a week or two BEFORE your 90-days stay permit expires

you do not apply for a retirement visa. You ALREADY had a 90-days Non-O Retirement Visa and you entered Thailand on it, got stamped in for a 90-days stay permit and the visa became invalid. All you apply for is a "1-year extension of (the) temporary stay permit based on retirement". You do NOT apply for any visa. You apply to get your STAY PERMIT extended

800,000 baht in a bank account. What is the total cost and requirements for a retirement visa

Go to your local immigration office and ask for a written list of requirements for a one year, ฿1,900 extension of stay, based on retirement.

In the interim, you will need to open a Thai bank account (I recommend a separate, fixed deposit account that earns a little interest) and deposit a minimum of ฿800,000 for two full months, before you submit your extension application.

Optionally, you can hire an agent to assist you the first time and make copies of everything so you can do it yourself next time. ฿8,000 - ฿15,000

Don’t forget to consider adding a multi-entry stamp to preserve your visa if you ever leave Thailand. It’s often well worth the ฿3,900 additional fee.

If you don’t already have a bank account you will need to open one fairly soon otherwise the money won’t season in time

You normally can apply 30 (45) days before your current stay expires and until the very last day. It’s recommended to visit the specific immigration and get a handout to prepare for the application.

Not a visa but an extension of stay based on retirement. Your first step has to be opening a bank account. For that you will need a residence certificate from immigration and a Thai SIM registered against your passport. While you are at immigration get their list of requirements. Your money has to be in a Thai bank account for 2 months before you can apply for the extension