Should I select LTR (P) while applying for my E-visa to retire in Thailand?

@Dennis ********

what state are you applying from? I’m in Florida and the O-A is an awful lot of hoops to jump through. I finally gave up.

@Dennis ********

Gotcha. Best start by informing yourself good about the different ways to go. In a nutshell: You can go different routes: 1) Simple Non-O visa, from a consulate abroad for 90 days. Upon arrival in Thailand, you open a bank account and put 800k THB into it. Then you can do yearly expensions in Thailand. 2) You go for an OA or OX visa - here you don't need to transfer your money into Thailand, but will get a visa for 2 respectively 10 years. Down side: More requirements, like health insurance (which in my opinion everyone should have anyways). 3) LTR Visa: Comes with many perks, but you would need an above averagy pension / or passive income.

@Dennis ********

I think after a year of confirmed pension deposits, you can use that instead of keeping the 800k in the account. I think you can finagle the amount through out the year but it has to be that amount 2 months prior to renewal and 3 months after, or vice versa. Brandon can answer that better though.

@Eric *****

that's right. You would need 800,000 in the bank to get you first year

@Dennis ********

yes. It will give you a 90 day entry stamp. You then have 30 days to open your bank account and get your money transferred into it. Because when you apply for the 1-year extension you must have already had the money in your account for 2 full months, so you only have 30 days to get it all done and still have time to season the funds for the 2 months.

@Dennis ********

it will be impossible to open a bank account on a tourist visa. You need the money in the bank already to convert to the non-O visa. So your only option will be to pay an agent to get a bank account.

If you come on the 90 day non-O visa you should be able to open the bank account yourself.

@Dennis ********

yes

@Dennis ********

the OA means you don't have to show money in Thailand but you have to have health insurance, a background check and a health check.

Most people go for the non-O which is called the pensioner visa on the evisa system. This one will require you to open a bank account in Thailand and keep 800,000 baht in it for your annual extensions, but it doesn't require health insurance or much of anything for the visa itself.