Is it necessary to have both 800,000 Baht in the bank and 65,000 Baht monthly income for a Thai retirement visa, or can I use just one of these requirements?

Feb 13, 2021
4 years ago
Neil *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
For retirement VISA is it 800,000 B in the bank AND 65,000 B per month income or can it be EITHER of one of them.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
To satisfy the requirements for a Thai retirement visa, applicants can meet the financial criteria through either having 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account or proof of a monthly income of at least 65,000 Baht. Alternatively, they can combine both methods; for example, showing 400,000 Baht in savings plus 33,000 Baht in monthly income. However, immigration offices may have varying interpretations of these rules, so it's essential to check locally.
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Lynnette *******
I think americans can have less so depends on nationality.
Lynnette *******
I see. That's good you corrected this.
Janin ******
Either ONE of them!
Gary **********
I think there was comment on you tube recently about extension of visa needing a proof of living expenses as well. In other words, if you have 800,000 in the bank you cannot touch it so what are you living on? And that means monthly bank book entries or else you have to get a letter from the bank to prove that you are receiving funds from overseas for living expenses. Don’t know if having extra funds already in Thailand for living expenses counts. Probably does. But this is a new wrinkle that has been discussed.
Derek *******
@Gary *********
doesn’t it mean that you must have a minimum of 800k and you can touch it (take money out) as long as that 800k minimum is maintained?
Janin ******
@Derek ******
, yes, as long as you have 800.000 2 months before and 3 months after going to immigration
Steve **********
Either. And in many provinces, a combination of the 2 equaling those sums
Peter ********
Either one
Neil *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks for all advice
David *********
One or the other. Easier to have 800,000 BHT in your Thai bank account. 2 months before and 3 months after. Minimum balance 400,000 BHT. More work the other way but possible
Mark *********
800,000 in the bank for at least three months. I find this easy enough, just have to update bank book, far less paper work.
Mark *********
@Tod ********
So what has changed regarding needing 800.000 for three months. I think you should stop trying to give advice.
Tod *********
Here's a thought,
@Ma**
how about you don't comment on something you obviously don't know anything about? The stuff I posted are the rules FROM the immigration office
John ****************
@Tod ********
More meaningless blah blah blah - every IMM OFFICE is an independent franchise with its own rules...
Tod *********
@Jo**
I honestly don't know what got you so wound up. How about I just block you so I don't have to read your comments?
Paul ********
@Mark ********
800,000 3 months before and 2 months after so 5 months
Tod *********
@Paul *******
nope, one last time it's 2 months before you apply AND then it stays in the account for 3 months after you get the extension and then the balance can't go below 400K baht for the rest of the year
Paul ********
@Tod ********
I did mine in August and had a date in October to go back
Tod *********
@Paul *******
right, SOME immigration offices give you a paper with a date 3 months out stamped on it telling you to go back and show your bank balance that date to make sure it was still at 800K baht.

Only a couple offices do it, (Jomtien is one) most look at the transaction history the next time you apply for an extension to see that you've followed the rule.

The paper saying come back in 3 months from Jomtien looks like this
Paolo ************
What happen if you get the year extension, but soon after spend all money and the balance go under 400 k?
Tod *********
@Paolo ***********
you don't get a yearly extension the next year AND by rights the immigration office is totally free to say you failed to meet the requirements for your previous yearly extension on xxx date (the date your balance fell below 400K) and that cancelled your previous extension on that date and you're on overstay since then.
John ****************
@Tod ********
BS - stop impersonating a bad solicitor/lawyer... he is fee to use that money outside the 5 month restrictive period...
Tod *********
@John *******
he is free to use it as long as the balance doesn't go below the seasoning threshold of 400K baht

That money can't EVER move out of the account.

Any more asinine comments or you wanna stop while you're behind?
Nigel ***********************
@John *******
lol no worries
John ****************
Sorry - I don't know either...
Nigel ***********************
@John *******
I don't know why you've tagged me in this post?
Tod *********
@Mark ********
it is NOT 800K baht in the bank for 3 months anymore..

that changed and it's exactly what I said it was if you use banked money;

800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you get your extension, the money stays IN the account for 3 months after the extension is granted and then you can't let the balance go below 400K baht the rest of the year.

IF you used banked money method last year, when you go for your new extension this year you also need a full year of transaction/balance history printed out by the bank in addition to your bank letter because that's how the immigration officer sees if you met last years requirements (kept the money in for 3 months after and never let the balance go below 400K the rest of the year)
JD ********
In any number of immigration offices - it doesn't matter what the actual Police Orders say - they do what they want to do. And there is nothing the average guy can do about it without making a permanent enemy of the I/O or the whole fricken office.
JD ********
It doesn't matter what you can do to fix an injustice in an immigration office - TOD you are not the Average Guy - you have years and years of insider experience... The rest of us just want to avoid making someone in an immigration office mad... I am sorry you cannot identify with that. In Texas we didn't go around pissing on the County Sheriff everytime one of his deputies exceeded his authority. We had to continue to live there... plain and simple
JD ********
@Tod ********
No I rely on countless discrepancies... I cannot countermand what goes on in my local Immigration office that is blatantly wrong. If I do I will be Blackballed forever.. And I do not want to move from my province
Tod *********
There are three ways to meet the proof of funds to get a "retirement visa" inside thailand.

1 - All banked money method; <- bank 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for your yearly extension. Keep the money in the account for 3 months after the extension is granted and then don't let the balance go below 400K baht the rest of the year

2 - Monthly income method <- get an affidavit of income from abroad notary paper from your consulate here in Thailand if you can (NOTE: the US, UK and Australian consulates no longer issue them) OR transfer in to a thai bank account in your name only a minimum of 65K baht a month from abroad, each month, every month for the preceding 12 months before you apply for your extension.

3 - Combination method <- use a combination of banked money (seasoning requirements are in effect) and monthly income to hit a total of 800K baht for the year

This image is the combo method spelled out in the currently in effect police order
Tony ******
@Tod ********
Tod,

Quick question on #3.

The seasoning part for two months I understand however the monthly deposits to bring the total be amount to 800k...must that still be over 12 monthly deposits or can it be done over a lesser number of deposits?
Tod *********
@Anthony *****
it's still 12 months of deposits AND on the combination method they'll take the month with the lowest deposit and use that as the monthly incoming amount for the year. :O
Terry **********
@Tod ********
thanks for that bud. I was merely stating what was said at KK immigration at the time of asking. I totally appreciate what is stated in the police order, and will keep that for reference in future. However as we all know, with any official authority over here, there are inconsistencies with interpretation of the rules unfortunately. Stay safe
Terry **********
Cannot mix and match at Khon Kaen immigration. I asked the question directly just over a year ago.
Tod *********
@Terry *********
being TOLD by some immigration officer in a too tight of uniform that you can't and the real RULES about whether you can use the combination method to meet the prof of funds are two totally different things.

The combination method IS a valid way to meet the proof of funds. It's in the current police order listing the requirements as a way to do it
Terry **********
@Tod ********
I know that bud.
Garrett ***********
Either one or the other. You can also mix and match, 400k plus 33k a month.
Paolo ************
Paul prior, I just talked ironically, that income is difficult to get even in europe or usa or rich countries, another step of the thai government for limit tourism or people from abroad in thailand
Mark ********
So, for a couple would it be 130,000 income?
Garrett ***********
@Ma**
There are no couples retirement visas.
Will ******
@Garrett **********
Actually there is a "follow visa" where you provide notarized statement and copy of marriage certificate. Income for both is
*****
. At least Chiang mai imm offers this. Been on it 2 years already.
Mark ********
@Will *****
*****
combined or
*****
each? Just clarifying.
Garrett ***********
@Will *****
No, that's a dependency visa and you can't obtain a dependency visa from someone on a retirement visa.
Tod *********
you are partially correct
@Gar****
;) (y) You cannot get a 90 day in country Non-O visa issued based on being the foreign spouse of someone here on a retirement visa/extension. For some reason that's just not a valid reason for the immigration offices to issue one :( . You either pull the Non-O before you come here, OR you get your own visa/extension for another reason.
Tod *********
@Gar****
what
@Wi**
is talking about is a "trailing spouse" yearly extension where one person meets the requirements for the retirement extension and their foreign spouse "piggybacks" onto their extension based on being married to someone who has a long term extension here

The financial requirements need to be met ONLY by the person on the retirement visa the trailing spouse doesn't show any.

I know a LOT of married foreign couples here where one has the retirement visa/extension and the other piggy backs their extension off it.
Jeff **********
@Tod ********
like me.
Oliver *************
@Garrett **********
You Can Mix and Match Really ?
Paul *****************
@Oliver ************
canot Sure Fake news
Garrett ***********
@Oli***
Historically you always have been able to. The difficulty was getting an income affidavit as most embassies have stopped issuing them.
Hans ******
@Garrett **********
in the past yes. But unfortunately several immigrations don't accept this no longer.
Paolo ************
*****
baht per month, the same medium income of thay people
Simon **********
@Pa***
mean, median or mode medium income?
*****
THB per month would be far more than the majority of Thai workers could dream of earning. Basic wage is 300THB a day.
Paul *******
@Paolo ***********
You think they get 65,000 Baht a month thai people
Johnny ******
@Paul ******
I get more than that as do many of my Thai friends
Paul *******
@Johnny *****
You might , but on average most thai between 12,000 to 20,000 that’s the normal.
John ****************
@Paul ******
'normal' ??? Thai normal = oxymoron
David ****************
@Paul ******
correct.
Garrett ***********
@Pa**
What does that have to do with anything?
Paul *******
@Garrett **********
Because paolo said 65,000 Baht was the same medium income of thai people? So I was questioning that amount
David ******************
Garrett ***********
@Da***
That is my name.
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