What are the best visa options for moving to Thailand, the 90-day Non-O or 60-day Tourist Visa?

I am in the process of doing this myself. if you already have health insurance, by one of the approved insurance companies, I would apply at an embassy out of the country. The problem coming in with a tourist visa and then converting it to an OA is the opening of the bank account. some people say you can go to the immigration office, get your certificate of residency and open a bank account with this. I ended up hiring an agent and having to use a specific bank that charged me for insurance that I felt was a poor value. The total amount spent was about 10,000 baht or $300. Shop around as the costs for hiring an agent vary widely, with the money transferred to my bank account I then went to the immigration office and had their volunteers help me fill in all the paperwork which was turned in last week and accepted by my local immigration office. It appears as though I'm at the stage in the process by which we are taking the steps bringing the proper papers again and following directions of the immigration officers, pretty straightforward, good luck.

"I have a company with experts who can advise you on visas and other matters. You can try contacting them

@M ***********

Go to the embassy's website first. It's everything explained. Then decide. No agent required.

Checked with space union visa n thai visa center in bangkok n I was told just come on a normal non immigrant visa 60 days on arrival n contact them to open a bank of Bangok account n deposit $800,000baht in your name n let them process your retirement visa.i heard the money needs to be in your account for 2 months meanwhile get another 30 days extension on your visa n by then u will hve your retirement visa approved

Get non-O before going. It's pointless to come on the wrong visa if you already know that you want the non-O. The possibility to switch is there for those who change their plans later. In your case, the rules and conditions at various stages are better suited if you get the visa first. For instance you don't need a return flight when flying, and it will be easier to open a bank account.

Agents prefer that you come in visa exempt or other short term tourist visa. They know how difficult it will then be to open a bank account for the required 800k BEFORE you can apply in-country for a non-o. Applying via evisa before you arrive will provide you a Visa that makes it much easier to open an account on your own and will give you a month in country to find a place to live and open the account. It takes the agents out of the equation. You can still use one of you don't have the 800k but they become unnecessary.

I'm doing this right now

Others say I can come on the normal visa (60 day tourist visa) then once there I can convert to the non immigration O visa then convert to the 1 year retirement visa.

Step 1: get a 60 day TV

Step 2: come to Thailand

Step 3: contact

@Annie **************

(Buddy’s Visa Service)

i went with 60 day visa from thai embassy in USA, once here switched to education visa. after 14 months will have over 12 months of consistent deposits into the thai bank account and qualify for non immigrant O Visa. for me, best way. for you... you decide.

I am in a similar situation. Siam

Legal told us that you can ask for retirement visa online from your country. You have to have an income of at least AUD 3000 or have 0 on your bank account. They said at least initially you don't need to have a Thai bank account.

It’s all about the terminology, folks!

You can do everything by yourself, no agent needed

Do step-by-step

You can apply for a single entry 90 days Non-Imm-O retirement visa in your home country before you wing your way here.

You gonna enter Thailand on this visa and will get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit.

You must open a Thai bank account immediately after your entry. If you want to prevent “bank hunting”, use an agent to help you with opening a bank account in your sole name.

Once the account is set up, transfer a minimum of 800.000.- THB onto it.

From up to days before the 90-days stay permit expires, you can apply for the “1-year extension of the stay permit based on retirement”.

Thai Immigration calls this process “visa extension”, however this is just bad English – they are extending a stay permit. A so called “visa” can technically not get extended.

On the day of your application to the 1-year extension, a minimum of 800.000.- THB must have seasoned in your Thai bank account for two months, and you need the “bank letter of guarantee” (in Thai: rab roong thanakan) to prove it.

After being issued the “1-year Extension of Stay based on retirement”, a minimum of 800.000.- THB must remain in your account for at least three months.

After this, you could theoretically take out some of the deposited money, but it cannot go under 400.000 THB in the remainder of the year.

Two months before your next application to a new 1-year Extension of Stay Permit, a minimum of 800.000.- THB must be back in your account

Every year, you will need to apply for the next “1-year Extension of Stay”

NOTE:

When Immigration issues your extension, always buy a single re-entry permit for 1000.- THB on top of it. Bring at least two passport pictures for the application to the re-entry permit.

A re-entry permit keeps your stay permit alive, should you exit and re-enter Thailand during the validity of your stay permit.

Should you plan to exit Thailand more often than three times, buy a multi re-entry permit for 3800.- THB. It allows you unlimited re-entries into Thailand during the stay permit validity.

For the application to the “1-year extension of stay permit”, the following is required:

*** your passport

*** a copy of the passport detail page and a copy of the entry stamp

*** a copy of the previous extension of stay stamp

*** you need to sign all copies in blue ink

*** a few passport-size pictures

*** the “bank letter of guarantee”

*** an ATM receipt of a same-day withdrawal of a small amount of Thai Baht

*** your updated bankbook

*** 1900.- THB fee for the application to the extension

*** you might be asked for a screenshot or printout of your up-to-date TM30 accommodation registration. On many Immigrations, you need nothing such, as they can see your TM30 registration on their computer

*** forms to fill out are available at the Immigration office

This list of required documents might not be complete for your specific Immigration.

It is strongly advised to visit Immigration early, and ask them for the handout list of requirements regarding the “retirement visa extension”

If you leave Thailand before the 90-days expire, your stay permit will become void. You could re-enter on a “visa-exempt entry” that would get you stamped in for 60 days.

Some people avoid applying for the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa in their home country and enter Thailand on a visa-exempt entry (which at the moment gets you stamped in for 60 days) or on a 60-days tourist visa.

They can, as long as a minimum of 15 days is left on their entry stamp, apply for the so called “change of visa type” from a touristic entry to a 90 days Non-Imm-O retirement visa on Immigration, if they fulfill – among other - the financial requirements

And from this 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, they can switch to the “1-year Extension of Stay based on retirement”

Tr Uth . . . .there is nothing such as a one year "retirement visa". You can arrive with a single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa issued in your home country. You will get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit, the "visa" becomes invalid upon entry. Then up from 30 days before the stay permit expires, you can apply on Immigration for the "1-year extended stay permit based on retirement", if you fulfill the requirements. The EOS is not a "visa", it's a stay permit, despite Immigration calls this process wrongly "visa extension". That's technically wrong, because a visa cannot get extended.

Use a good agent.

Either route, you'll not be converting to any 1 year visa. You'll simply be getting a 1 year extension to the visa your entered on. The fact that a legal firm doesn't seem to have the terminology correct raises a red flag 🤷‍♂️

Agents in Thailand have a vested interest in you taking the 2nd option as you will need there help at various stages. The first option requires no agency support and can be done by yourself end to end, although agents can be helpful negotiating through the required supporting paperwork requirements and translation issues.

Google Pattaya immigration agents. Inquire and you will see how easy it is to get the Non-O and after the one year extension. You even don't need any financial requirements.

The second option is better. non O-A retired requires health insurance. Non-O retired (gotten in Thailand) does not require health insurance. Bring with you all the paperwork you will need including police background check ect. Get a full list of what is needed from the Thai Immigration website.

Hopefully you're not paying these legal firms. You can save some money and get the info from the eVisa site or very knowledgeable people on here. I'm on the same path as you though. It wouldn't hurt to come and check things out first like you mentioned. I came over for 2 months last year on a 60 day exemption. Got my Non O in July and I am coming up on my 90 days next week. I couldn't definitely decide on the Retirement Visa...that $24k just sitting in a bank equates to roughly $100/ mo in interest. Plus needing a rentral contract for your accommodations when I like to travel all over, so I'll just bounce to Vietnam and figure out the pros and cons doing a few exemptions a year while visiting surrounding countries, getting the Retirement Visa or even the DTV, which may also be an option for you. You didn't mention your age (over 50?) or if you have been here before, or any of the other nearby countries. You may like them enough to spend time in also. Lots of things to ponder before you make a decision. But it's a good problem to have. I'm looking forward to Vietnam. The more I read, watch vids and I got some helpful advice on here last week, the more I look forward to it. Then there's Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Japan, etc. Thailand will always be here. Good luck. It'll be fun either way.

Both are valid paths.

The embassy route is the smartest and most efficient.

And you will be extending the visa.

Not changing, renewing, etc.

You will find that terminology will be important to avoid confusion and potentially incorrect Information "lost in translation".

You can do either, but it's better for you to get the visa before you travel. It makes it much easier to get a bank account which is all but impossible without a long term visa, and you must have a bank account for both the non-O visa if you get it in Thailand and for the 1-year extension.

Also if you get a non-O visa in Thailand the only place you can get the 1-year extension is the same immigration office you got the visa. If you get the visa from the embassy you can apply for the extension wherever you're staying.