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What are the best visa options for moving to Thailand permanently, particularly for Education, Retirement, and DTV visas?

Visa OptionsEducation VisaDTV VisaRetirement VisaTourist VisaLong-term StayExpat LifeThailand Immigration
Apr 11, 2025
24 days ago
Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hey all!

I’m planning on moving to Thailand permanently from the US in 2-3 months and starting to think about which visa is the best to get.

I’ve been thinking about the Education Visa. Has anybody here done that? I heard it’s possible they might not let me extend it to a different visa after that year is up. True/false?

DTV visa - pros/cons?

Retirement visa - I am not pulling social security yet so I don’t have passive income. Is this still even an option? (I’m 50 years old.)

Tourist visa runs every 60/90 days. Is this really sustainable over years?

Thank you so much for any insight!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is planning to move permanently to Thailand and is exploring visa options including the Education Visa, DTV (Digital Nomad Visa), and Retirement Visa. They seek feedback on the feasibility and pros/cons of these visas, especially regarding the ability to switch visas after an Education Visa, and the requirements for the Retirement Visa given their current financial status (no passive income and under social security). The conversation touches on the sustainability of using a Tourist Visa for long-term stays, with many commenters providing insights and personal experiences with various visa types.
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Wannikea *********
DTV with a soft power scheme such as Muay Thai. The colloquial "retirement" visa has nothing to do with retirement, it's criteria definition is 50 years of age or older.
22 days ago
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Daryl *****
I have my drivers license and bank account w/ DTV. You need to have a certificate of residency to get a driver license in Thailand. You get that once you take your lease to immigration!
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Daryl ****
 so you went on a tourist visa and then got the DTV while in Thailand?
23 days ago
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Daryl *****
@Michael *******
 negative. I applied for my DTV in the states. I’m a remote worker.

****************************
check here for best option…. It’s really dependent on individual situation.
23 days ago
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Daryl *****
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Daryl *****
DTV all day.
23 days ago
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Hans *********
I'm doing DTV it's 400 us in Cambodia,another 4-500 for Muay Thai classes 5 years unlimited entries,bargain ,relatively easy to get with the soft activities.doing it in Chiang mai ,they allow you to do it over the 5 years.you can't get bank account,drivers license with DTV though
23 days ago
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Daryl *****
@Hans ********
 incorrect information.
23 days ago
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Hans *********
@Daryl ****
 how so? Tell us why?
23 days ago
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Hans *********
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Hans ********
 this sounds very interesting. It sounds like a cross between the education Visa, the 5 year elite and a DTV visa.
23 days ago
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Hans *********
@Michael *******
 Its dtv, but it's under soft activities just have show a 3 month bank balance , I'm going to Cambodia sunday, I've got 6 months of balances. With soft activities you don't have to prove income just get a letter from school. Can do cooking school as well. Those are the two I've seen that are sponsored by govt most likely to work
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Hans ********
 thank you Hans 🙏
23 days ago
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Hans *********
@Michael *******
 Welcome , good luck
23 days ago
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Hans *********
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Dan *****
****************************
check here for best option…. It’s really dependent on individual situation.
23 days ago
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Hoffman ******
Good to see more Americans moving to Thailand after the price of everything will go up with all these tariffs
23 days ago
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William ******
@Hoffman *****
 not another one.....
23 days ago
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Joan ********
@William *****
 Rude
22 days ago
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Joan ********
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Hoffman *****
 this move was happening regardless honestly
23 days ago
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Hoffman ******
@Michael *******
 I think once you’re here you need a hobby to keep yourself occupied.
23 days ago
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Hoffman ******
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Andi ***********
50 and over can get the retirement visa. DTV is a great option to work online for a non Thai firm
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andi **********
 I’m in between wanting to fully retire and thinking I might get bored in a few years and might want to work for a foreign (US) company.
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 You cannot work in Thailand on any of the “retirement” visas. You could always switch visas later on.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 I considered potentially working in a year or two if I get bored. So maybe it might be best to start with the DTV visa for a couple of years and then switch to the immigrant O retirement visa when I know I’m truly done working
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 I retired at 55 in the US. I moved to Thailand when I was 60. I never got bored but it is something to consider.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 do you mind if I send you a message Marty?
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Yes you can message me but my visas don’t seem to be the visas you are going for.
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 I sent you a message. Thank you 🙏
23 days ago
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Michael ********
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Andi ***********
@Mic****
 Swaine, DTV needs 500K THB or equivalent currency in a personal account. Need to show you work online for a non Thai firm via contracts, CV, portfolio etc. You should check the main DTV group on Facebook, lots of tips on how to apply. You can get USD income while in Thailand with the DTV which is great way to save some of your retirement funds
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
It seems like the requirements are similar for the DTV and Non immigrant O visa - 800k baht in a Thai bank and some forms.
24 days ago
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Anna *********
@Michael *******
 A simple view but basically true The only variable is that all embassies and immigration officers do seem to take a different view on the day with the DTV. It may be worth joining the DTV group to see the huge number of variables
24 days ago
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Anna *********
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Anna *********
You need to do some more research s there are so many options and you seem to be a little confused about the details. "retirement" and DTV require savings in a bank account not passive income. Tourist
*****
days are not sustainable and already immigration are clamping down on consistent use of these tourist visa
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Anna ********
 Not entirely confused . . . the pensioner LTR visa (my current visa) requires $80,000/yr of passive income.
24 days ago
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Anna *********
@Marty ********
 The LTR wasn't mentioned by the OP so I wasn't responding to that visa as more confusion was not going to be helpful
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Anna ********
 The LTR would fall under the “retirement visas” category and he did mention “passive income” so he did hear something somewhere. Since the LTR is not mentioned on Thai embassy websites (I think) I decided to mention it . . . plus that is my current visa.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anna ********
 I didn’t know about the LTR visa actually.

As confused as I started, I’m piecing things together and really appreciate everybody’s input! 🙏
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 The details about the LTR visa can be found on the Thailand Board of Investment website. Google BOI LTR. It is really passive income required. For example I meet the requirements using my work pension. They also accept certain investment passive incomes but I don’t know the details on that. They don’t consider earned income or savings.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 got it. Thank you Marty! That rules out that visa for me. That narrows it down to the DTV and non immigrant O. If I’m considering the possibility that I might want to work in a year or two when I’m bored, I’m leaning towards the DTV and can shift it to the O visa when I know I’m truly done working.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I think that’s the plan based on what I’ve learned here

And the education Visa just doesn’t sound right at all since nobody commented on that and it’s only for a year
24 days ago
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Michael ********
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 80k usd?
24 days ago
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Michael ********
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anna ********
 I am confused about the details for sure. I’m hoping to build a little foundation of knowledge here to help guide me to the best option for me.
24 days ago
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Anna *********
@Michael *******
 For example Andi Traveller is correct but does not mention the 800K THB or 500KTHB required to apply for these visas and that is an important point with both these visas. Nor does he mention the "soft power" available for the DTV This is all outlined on the official site
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anna ********
 soft power?

I think I’ll head to their website next to see what I need for both. It sounds like the education Visa is not likely the best one and that I should shops e between the DTV and non immigrant retirement O visa.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
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Anna *********
FB is very much based on individual experience so you could end up even more confused. I learnt a great deal by reading and understanding the Thai visa official websites before taking advice from FB
24 days ago
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Anna *********
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Marty *********
If you are over 50 years old the typical visa used by retirees is the non immigrant O visa. As an American you must be able to deposit 800,000 (about $24,000) baht in a Thai bank account. There are more details to this but over 50 and 800k are the basic requirements. If you don’t have the 800k then you might consider using a visa agent (which was never my choice).

Other visa options are the OA visa, Elite visa, pensioner LTR visa . . . possibly the DTV visa.

Don’t even think of staying long term on a tourist entry unless you’ve never been here and are you are coming to see what Thailand is all about.
24 days ago
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Tim **********
@Marty ********
 you can do a retirement visa without a Thai bank
23 days ago
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Marty *********
@Tim *********
 If you are referring to using an agent . . . well then that is a particular choice. Not my recommendation but plenty of people do this
23 days ago
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Marty *********
@Tim *********
 You can’t get a 1 year extension without a Thai bank account. An O visa is only 90 days. An OA visa is one year but that is not the best visa unless you really like its particular features.
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 so I could get the O while I’m stateside and then get the OA while I’m there after I open up a Thai account and transfer money into it. Is that about right?
23 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Forget about the OA
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 got it. Thank you.

Get the O here, go to Thailand, open an account and fund it, apply for the one year extension. Rinse and repeat annually with the account maintaining 800k+
23 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 No. you get an O in the US and extend the O for 1 year at immigration in Thailand.
23 days ago
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Marty *********
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 thank you Marty. This might be the best option. Do you know how long the O visa lasts for? Does it need to be annually renewed? If yes, is there an easy process as long as I maintained 800k baht in a Thai account?
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 You might want to say where in Thailand you plan to move to since this will help others give their advice. The immigration details can be a little different in each of the provinces.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 I plan on moving to Korat
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Try to get your bank account where you plan to live.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Easy bus ride to Bkk
24 days ago
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Michael ********
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Look into getting the O visa while in the US. Getting a Thai bank account, I hear, is much easier if you already have an O visa.
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 The O visa is a 90 day visa. You extend this visa annually. I kept the 800,000 baht in my Thai bank account year round. I found this to make the 1 year extension process, in Bangkok, to be very easy to do myself (1,900 baht fee annually).
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 so you start with 90 days on the O visa and then extend it for one year? Rinse and repeat annually for 1900b. Is that right?

And thank you Marty!
24 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Michael *******
 Yes, the non-O 90 day, extended annually with 800,000 in the bank is the "normal" way. It'll get you what you are looking for. There are more advanced things you can do such as switching to monthly bank transfers as proof of funds after your first year, but they require planning a year in advance and making sure you never miss a transfer.

Just make sure you get the non-O visa from the Thai embassy BEFORE you go to Thailand, or you won't be able to open a bank account. No bank account, no extensions.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 that’s good advice - get it before I get there. Do you know how long that process takes? And thank you!
24 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Michael *******
 1-3 weeks depending on the embassy. There are 4 in the US and the one you use is determined by where you live. The visa is valid for 90 days so you can apply for it anytime within 90 days of your trip, but normally 1-2 months early is plenty.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 thank you Brandon!
23 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Yes, you can extend an O indefinitely without leaving the country. Just meet the extension requirements each year.
24 days ago
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Marty *********
I came on an OA visa in 2017. I extended it 5x. I am now on a pensioner 10 year LTR visa ( the visa that requires $80k/yr passive income).
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 ah ok. I understand. I won’t have $80k in passive income. A 10 year visa sounds great though lol
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 thank you Marty 🙏 This might be the way to go.

I suppose if I get married one day, it might even get easier.
24 days ago
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Marty *********
@Michael *******
 Getting married makes the visa cheaper (400k vs 800k) but the process is a little more complicated.
24 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 if I get married one day, I’m going to look into starting the likely arduous citizenship process.
23 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Michael *******
 Citizenship is not an option for most people even if they are married to a Thai. You have to work in Thailand for multiple years while paying taxes to qualify, and then you must continue working the entire time the application is processing (more years).
23 days ago
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Michael ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 ah ok. Thank you 🙏
23 days ago
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Jack ********
@Michael *******
 you need to be working and paying taxes in Thailand not just get married
23 days ago
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Jack ********
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