What are the financial requirements for applying for a Non-O visa in Thailand, particularly regarding proof of income or bank deposits?

Mike Dias you were given 100% accurate info by me. If you want me to repaet it, here it is, again: The best way is to show up in Thailand on a 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement/over 50 visa” as it will get you a 90-days stay permit stamped. Within this period you have plenty of time to arrange for the application to the “1-year extended stay permit”

If you have arrived on this 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa, you can get a bank account opened on it. You should do this immediately really soon after you have arrived. If you meet incompetent bank staff, don’t keep trying but get the help of an agent. It costs around 5000 THB for the service to get a bank account opened.

You will need the account when you change to the 1-year extension of the stay permit. I have explained it a bit further down

You can theoretically fly on a one-way ticket because this visa allows you to receive a long-term stay in Thailand. Some airlines might not accept this explanation and will ask you for an onward travel proof out of Thailand within these 90 days, that’s why you should contact them by email and see what they say

In order to apply for the “90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa” through the online E-visa system at the Royal Thai Embassy of your home country, you can use the proof of income of a monthly minimum of the equivalent of 65,000 THB, by using your original pension or other income documentation,

Or

You show 3 months of account statements over deposit of a minimum of 800,000 THB or the equivalent in your home country currency, or on your home bank account, or on a Thai bank, or just anywhere in the World – as long as the account is in your sole name

However, for the later application inside Thailand, for the “1-year extension of stay permit” out of the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, if you are a citizen of a country whose embassy in Thailand does not issue the “income affidavit” any more (these are the embassies of USA, UK, Canada, Norway and Australia) you would need a “12 months bank statement”, showing that for the past 12 months, you have been transferring from abroad to your Thai bank account a minimum of 65,000 THB, consecutively month for month, never missing a single month.

If your embassy still issues an affidavit of income, you can use this method for the financial proof, which needs a monthly income or pension of a minimum of 65,000 THB

For all above mentioned citizens, in the first year there is no other way around, than depositing a minimum of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account. They will have to use this deposit for the financial proof which is required for the application to the “1-year extension of stay permit based on being over 50/retired”, at least in the first year.

The alternative would be, if you don’t have that kind of money or are not willing to deposit in a Thai Bank account is, paying an agent to “arrange” the requirements, which I, however, do not recommend

As soon as you have accumulated the 12 consecutive months of 65,000 THB transfers, month for month, you can apply for the next 1-year extension of the stay permit, using the 12-months bank statement, in the second year. After being issued the next extension, you can theoretically take the 800,000 THB out of your bank account.

This application to a 1Year Extension costs a 1900 THB fee and you can theoretically do it all by yourself, or accept the help of an agent for the simplified legal service.

NOTE: It is income OR deposit.

On the day of application to the 1-year extension, the 800,000 THB need to have “seasoned” in your account for two months, and this has to be proven with the “bank letter of guarantee” (rab roong thanakan).

After been issued the “1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement”, the 800K need to remain in the account for 3 more months. After these 3 months, the deposit shall never go under 400,000 THB. And before you’re the application for the next “1-year Extension of Stay”, a minimum of 800,000 THB must have seasoned in the account for two months, again

On the day you get issued the “1-year extension of stay permit”, you should buy a re-entry permit for it.

A re-entry permit will keep your stay permit alive in case you exit Thailand before the expiry of the 1-year stay permit.

A single re-entry permit is 1000 THB on Immigration. A multi re-entry is 3800 THB. With a multi re-entry permit, you could exit and re-enter as many times as you wish during the whole stay permit period.

Good Luck and a great time in Thailand

Mike Dias sorry, I assumed you are from Australia because a handful of readers here mentioned the requirements as shown on the website of the Canberra Australia embassy for the application to the 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa - who were totally wrong. They claimed you need to upload proof of 20,000 THB in your bank account for 6 months, which is total bullwash

@Mike *****

if you are currently in Thailand and wanting to apply for the Non-O visa here then the situation is much clearer. First of all you need a Thai bank account which will be almost impossible on a tourist entry, but assuming you already have one you need to transfer into your account a minimum of 800k baht from overseas and have at least 15 days left on your current entry stamp. A few immigration offices require 21 days and at least one requires the money is seasoned for 2 months before you apply. You may find it easier to leave to a nearby country and apply for the Non-O visa there, just so you can open a bank account if you don't already have one. As well as the hand out for the 90 day Non-O based on being over 50 be sure to also pick up the hand out for the 12 month extension of stay based on retirement while you are at the immigration office.

@John *********

take your time and look up the websites of the Canberra embassy and the Sydney consulate. . . you will be SHOCKED at the mess they are posting