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What are the advantages of a retirement visa compared to a tourist visa and its extensions in Thailand?

retirement visatourist visavisa extensionsThailand immigrationlong-term stayvisa benefitsbank accounthealth insurancepeace of mind
Jul 24, 2024
4 months ago
Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
What are the benefits of a retirement visa over tourist visa and extensions?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A retirement visa offers numerous benefits over a tourist visa, particularly for those wishing to stay in Thailand long-term. Advantages include reduced risk of denial of entry, the ability to open a local bank account, peace of mind from not worrying about visa renewals, and compliance with Thai law which can prevent arbitrary immigration issues. It also allows for longer stays without the constant need for visa extensions or trips to immigration. Additionally, having a retirement visa is viewed positively by immigration authorities, potentially aiding future retirement plans in Thailand.
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.
Dave ********
What are the financial requirements for an LTR?
4 months ago
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Terry ********
Drivers license, bank account, yellow book. Legal.
4 months ago
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Glyn **********
@Terry *******
 you can get a drivers license and a bank account on a tourist visa.
4 months ago
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Glyn **********
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Bob **********
The time your allowed to stay in the kingdom
4 months ago
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Michael *******
folks will help you cross the road 🤔
4 months ago
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Roy *********
I thought that was obvious
4 months ago
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JD *******
@Roy ********
 My Your Smart !
4 months ago
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JD *******
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Albert *******
Because in the future if you decide to actually retire in Thailand, you would have already built up an honest history with the immigration authorities. THATS the best reason. And they like that.
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Albert ******
 They are paper pushing bueruaecrats

....not relatives
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
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JD *******
A Retirement Visa "Erases" The Gray Area And Definitely Reduces The STRESS Of Never-Ending Trips To Immigration...Also Takes Away The "Immigration Officers Ability To Arbitrarily Deny Entry.
4 months ago
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Chris ***********
Interesting question and answers thank you. I have a follow up. What if I were to spend alternate 3 month slots in Malaysia and Thailand as a tourist in both places? So enter Thailand (and Malaysia) twice a year. Would that be acceptable to immigration? My home is Malaysia, but the MM2H scheme is fraught with problems currently.
4 months ago
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Mike *******
@Chris **********
 there is no answer to this as it’s down to immigration to accept or decline your entry on the day. If they think you’re using tourist visas to stay here in Thailand, you will be spoken to and could be denied entry.
4 months ago
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Chris ***********
Thanks Mike.
4 months ago
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Chris ***********
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Rini *********
but if you have a long-term Visa, what effect does that have on the assets you have? How much tax do you pay in Thailand?
4 months ago
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Magnus ***********
@Rini ********
 Get a LTR Visa if you can or avoid staying 180 days or more the year you sell your house. The following channel have some good videos about Thai taxes and DTA's too though, listen to some of them:
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4 months ago
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Brian ********
@Rini ********
 the same amount as if you stayed 180 days in any year on a tourist visa. It isn't the visa type that triggers taxes, it's the 180 days.
4 months ago
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Magnus ***********
@Brian *******
 Actually there is a difference, the LTR visa have an explicit tex exempt for foreign based incomes. See
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4 months ago
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Brian ********
@Magnus **********
 I assumed he was talking about any long term visa. Sorry, I forgot about the LTR.
4 months ago
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Brian ********
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Rini *********
@Brian *******
 so if i understand it well, i can take a long term visa but stays 179 days in Thailand and i dont pay income tax. Than i have to take a multi entree long term visa. ? Is this correct.? I want to pay tax but if you will sell your house and the cash money on your bank i have to pay very lot of tax. Is this correct
4 months ago
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Brian ********
@Rini ********
 I wouldn't cut it that close, but yes. You also have to check to see if there is a dual tax agreement with your home country if you pay taxes there.
4 months ago
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Rini *********
@Brian *******
 yes they have a agreement thanks Brain 💪
4 months ago
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Rini *********
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Mark *******
No stress worrying if you will or won't get in, peace of mind, and it's the law, not worth the risk. Love my retirement visa, health insurance, thai bank, feels great to be 'Legal'
4 months ago
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Bart **************
It allows you to stay long term, and the conditions for instance on entering Thailand are better suited to your circumstances (onward ticket, etc.). It also allows you to open a bank account.
4 months ago
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Henrik *****
Cannot stay long term on a tourist visa, sooner or later the Immigration will have a serious talk with you.
4 months ago
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Lee ***********
Alot of choice 👌
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@LTR **************************
 good for ten years, multiple entry, yearly check in vs 90 days, etc.
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Pascal *******
 don’t be a hater 😉
4 months ago
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Pascal ********
@Jim *******
 bey bey
4 months ago
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Pascal ********
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Duncanc **********
None
4 months ago
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Craig ********
length of stay
4 months ago
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Tim **********
Thai bank account no atm fees
4 months ago
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Prince******
@Tim *********
 that’s handy sure but RV requires local Thai health insurance & I have my own better one already 😢
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Tim *********
 easy to obtain with an agent anyway
4 months ago
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Marcel *******
@Jim *******
 with a TV, not with the 60 day stamp
4 months ago
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Steve *******
@Marcel ******
 Easy with any stamp if you use an agent
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Steve ******
 and add about 3-5000 bht to the mix instead of 300 bht you wouldnpay for issuing a debit by the bank so yea no thanks
4 months ago
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Steve *******
@Dror ********
 Depends how badly you need the account, almost impossible with a tourist visa or visa exemption.
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Steve ******
 if you use agent and pay 5k better go open it yourself abd buy the insurance from the bank at least you get a lil something in return
4 months ago
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Steve *******
@Dror ********
 Like I said pretty much impossible to open a bank account on a tourist visa or visa exemption WITHOUT using an agent.
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Marcel ******
 don’t need a visa at all to open a bank with an agent. Visa exempt stamp is fine. I can’t speak for every agent but 2 I use in Pattaya don’t require a visa
4 months ago
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Marcel *******
@Jim *******
 ok, I don't know that . For my agent in Pattaya I need a TV to open an bank account and the 2 driving licenses
4 months ago
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Jim ********
@Marcel ******
 Absolutely anything can be achieved with an agent and cash 😂
4 months ago
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Jim ********
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Henk *********
@Tim *********
 But also no interest on your savings account.
4 months ago
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Paul ********
@Henk ********
 Depends where you are from. Some countries can get an affidavit of income from their embassy/consulate in Thailand instead of transferring $ for the Non-O retirement extension. Canada is an example of a country still doing this. US, UK and OZ stopped it a few years ago.
4 months ago
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Paul ********
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John **********
Before too long your going to get refused entry if you try and live inside Thailand on tourist visas
4 months ago
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Manfred **********
Peace of mind
4 months ago
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Pascal ********
Why want a tourist visa when you get 60 days visa exempt?
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
Eventually the IO will say no if they think you come to often with out proper visa so retirement visa reduces the risk of the big No and go home
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 when that happens I will get a retirement visa...or go to another place.
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Jimmy ********
 That's of course another option. I did 2 weeks into Thailand every month for about 5 years and never got questioned but always had return flight booked. One never knows when they will say enough
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 ...why would they say enough though? They are desperate for any foreign income they can get.
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Jimmy ********
 because they can and do
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 rarely...never to me...usually to undesirables.
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Jimmy ********
 correct rarely but they can and do. I arrived every 2 weeks exempt and did for about 6 years never stopped on arrival but decided to go the 5 plus 5 visa to be safe
4 months ago
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Jimmy *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 you were named after John Wayne?
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Jimmy ********
 Suzuki Jimmy ?
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Jimmy ********
 what ?

Where you name after Jimmy the little car ?
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 he asked retirement VS the other kinds ie extensions.

So it is not entierly true. If you have a work permitno IO will ask questions and even if they do just know what you should and done
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 he will not have a work permit. Where did you pluck that from ? As I said with the retirement 0 visa risk is less. Coming in with our a proper visa the IO can ask eventually. No mention of any Work Permit you made that up
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 "what is the advantage between retirment visa to the other visas"

That includes work permit and such
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 read the last bit. Can not work
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 it doesnt metter he was asking in general i didnt think you can work on retirment visa anyway
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 but you stated it was one advantage of retirement was a work permit so you did think you could obviously.
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 no you said that ALL other visas IO will be asking after few times you generalised all other visas in same space with TV and such so no i def disnt thi k retirment visa allows work thank you
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 you can not read I said if you come without a proper visa NO mention of ALL. Again your making up words I did not say. It's correct they can ask on exempt they can ask on a TV if you come to often so a retirement visa reduces the risk of being asked anything
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 yea ok i cant read good day sir
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 Wayne Roberts "what is the advantage between retirment visa to the other visas"

That includes work permit and such
4 months ago
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Dror *********
@Wayne ********
 exactly and your answer was generalised that on other visas IO will ask and on retirment he wouldnt. Anyway no beed to argue maybe misunderstanding
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 go and read what YOU wrote
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 I have the.retirement visa it does not allow a work permit
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
@Dror ********
 retirement visa does not mean work permit
4 months ago
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Wayne *********
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