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What are the implications of booking an exit flight for a retirement visa in Thailand?

Thailand VisaRetirement VisaNON-O VisaVisa ExtensionImmigration ProcessBank Account RequirementsExpat Advice
Jun 5, 2025
23 days ago
Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
British passport , over 50.

I’m looking to fly to Thailand one way , get my 60 day at airport immigration then extend 30 at immigration . In the mean time I’ll deposit 800000 and wait for it to season 2 months @b4 I apply for my 12 month extension/ retirement visa.

Now the question is… I know I’ll need to book an “ exit” flight out of thailand in order to enter Thailand on a one way flight from uk….. but that exit flight will have “expired” when I apply for my retirement visa/ 12 month extension . Will it flag up at immigration whilst I’m applying….
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user, a British citizen over 50, plans to fly to Thailand one way, obtain a 60-day visa on arrival, and then extend their stay by 30 days while preparing to apply for a retirement visa by depositing 800,000 Thai Baht in a bank account. They are concerned about needing an exit flight to enter Thailand and whether this flight's expiration would raise issues during their retirement visa application. The discussion highlights various opinions, mainly emphasizing the importance of having a bank account and obtaining the retirement visa directly from the UK if possible to simplify the immigration process.
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.
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Lna ******
Wy you d ont make the 5 years visa the d ont aske to see you $.
21 days ago
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William **********
Yes you need a O visa
21 days ago
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Belinda ******
I’ve just received my ‘O’ visa from the Thai embassy in London. It’s an easy process the cost is £60, you have to upload a recent photo of your head and shoulders, also 3 months of bank statements showing you have minimum £18,000 plus and proof of your address in the UK, your passport with more than 6 months left on it, all documents have to be uploaded in pdf format. It took about 3 weeks from start to finish. When I arrive in Thailand I will now be able to open a bank account then apply using an agent for my retirement visa.
22 days ago
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Mick *****
@Belinda *****
 can you show you meet the financial income monthly requirements (pensions) rather than showing £18k in your bank account?
20 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Belinda *****
 and if I don’t have £
*****
in my bank account then I can5 get a visa…
22 days ago
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Belinda ******
@Anthony *******
 you won’t be able to get an ‘O’ visa
22 days ago
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Belinda ******
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Greta *****
If oy it was that easy 😂
22 days ago
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Steve *******
You'll need a Non Imm O visa before you can apply for a 1 year extention. Best get that in the UK, it'll make the whole process so much easier
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you all for messages … it’s been eye opening… but one mor3 question. If I go down the “ legal” route and deposit
*****
0b forever ( give or take ) which immigration office would be best ….choise of 2 …. Pattaya/ Jomtien or Buri lam.. .
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Cheers pal
22 days ago
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Robert ********
@Anthony *******
Buriram is eeeeasy.

Maximum queue I’ve ever seen was 6 or 8 people. And the guys help with everything including getting a bank statement that I forgot. He did it in my banking app and sent it to their printer.
22 days ago
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Robert ********
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Chris *******
One you are in Thailand , your flights don't matter.

Immigration doesn't care, unless you overstay.
23 days ago
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Stephen ********
You won't necessarily even need an exit flight. It'll be down to whichever airline you use. I came in on Thai Airways from Heathrow on a oneway ticket visa exemption. No questions, no issues
23 days ago
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Brook ********
@Stephen *******
 I told the airline agent that I was flying to Thailand to apply for a retirement visa and had no intention to return. That was fine for them.
21 days ago
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Andrew *******
@Stephen *******
 yep ...depends on the airline ...and even the check in person whether they ask or not .....immigration seldom if ever ask for proof of onward journey unless they have a suspicion you might overstay or not have enough funds for trip
23 days ago
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Jack ********
@Andrew ******
 exactly it comes down to the check in person and ground staff. Some of the worst advice I’ve seen on this forum is ‘call your airline and ask them’
23 days ago
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Andrew *******
@Jack *******
 yep ...would need to spend all day trying to get thru ... and then still not get any response
23 days ago
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Andrew *******
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Jack ********
I did the same thing.

1) Already had a Thai bank account and put the ฿800K in it.

2) Flew to Thailand (I had a tourist visa but visa exempt works the same)

3) got a non O from the local immigration. ฿2000

4) got a one year extension of stay for one year ฿1900
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I see I’ve got plenty of advice …. But no one has actually answered my question….. I can tell this site which I joined so I could get some answers to my questions is going to be hard work ….
23 days ago
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Ma *******************
@Anthony *******
 or, you could apply for the education visa after landing, and then you can apply for retirement in country without leaving. I'm 50 and just did this research for myself. Education visa is the only visa that can switch to retirement without leaving.
22 days ago
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Ma *******************
@Anthony *******
 you don't need an exit ticket to enter but you will have to leave the country to apply for retirement. Use your stay to find a visa agent and try to set up a bank account with your agent. Plan to leave to formally apply. You'll have to do extentions and border hopping until it's approved.
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ma ******************
 I already have a bank account ….
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
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Stephen *********
@Anthony *******
 get a dummy ticket 400 baht or a bus ticket.
23 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Anthony *******
 No one is going to care about an exit flight after you're already in Thailand
23 days ago
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Paul **********
@Anthony *******
 Your doing it incorrect. That is your answer to your question. I could tell the route which is easily obtainable but just pay your money to an agent so mitigates any hard work for you.
23 days ago
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Wayne ***********
@Anthony *******
 the answer to your question is No
23 days ago
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Wayne ***********
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Mark ********
First question before we go any further. Do you already have a Thai bank account? If you don't, your other questions are irrelevant
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mark *******
 yes I have a Thai bank account ….
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’ll have a look at that as well … but at the moment I don’t have a passport ( renewing it so I have 10 years )
23 days ago
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Graham ******
@Anthony *******
 I used the e-visa system in the UK for non O visa, very simple, just need to show £10,000 in uk bank account for at least 2 months.
23 days ago
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Paul *********
@Graham *****
 can that be a savings account or does it have to be a normal account?
20 days ago
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Graham ******
@Paul ********
 it was in a uk bank savings account, £10,000 for at least 2 months.
20 days ago
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Graham ******
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Brandon ************
@Anthony *******
 still better in EVERY way to get the visa before you travel.
23 days ago
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Mark ********
@Brandon ***********
 Agreed. I think the days of switching in-country from exempt are drawing to a close. Thailand seems to be pushing people to the e-visa system. Must be a more efficient database for compiling information on expats - that'll send the conspiracy theorists into meltdown 😆😆😆
23 days ago
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Mark ********
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Paul **********
Assumption here is you have a Thai bank account that's not been frozen?
23 days ago
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Bernie *************
I was under the impression that it was Bangkok Bank that were freezing accounts, has anyone heard anything different?
21 days ago
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William *************
@Bernie ************
 New bank accounts I thought, if so what time frame is a new bank account relevant to the bank?
20 days ago
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William *************
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John ******
@Paul *********
 why would it be frozen?
23 days ago
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Robert ********
@John *****
Because they go after tourist and DTV.
22 days ago
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Robert ********
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Kevin ***********
@Paul *******
 touch wood, I still have mine transferred in and out today, no probs so far just keeping an eye out every other day
23 days ago
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William *************
@Kevin **********
 I thought this new regulations applies to new bank accounts?
20 days ago
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Kevin ***********
@William ************
 it was but some people are reporting there accounts frozen until they provide proof of long term and rental etc
20 days ago
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Kevin ***********
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Brandon ************
Why? Why would you do it this way? Do you already have a Thai bank account? You will not be able to open one if you fly to Thailand without a visa. And a bank account is required in order to apply for the non-O visa.

Apply for the non-O visa while you're outside of Thailand from the London Thai embassy. Then you don't have to worry about a ticket out of Thailand. That will also allow you to open a Thai bank account to deposit the required funds. And you will save yourself 2 trips to immigration which can take many, many hours.
23 days ago
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Tank *****
@Brandon ***********
 correct. Exactly what I did earlier
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 I have a Thai bank account … but I don’t have
*****
0to deposit and I don’t have
*****
per month income
23 days ago
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Nick ************
@Anthony *******
 you can do what you like with the
*****
baht monthly payment. Send it back to uk and use it again the following month. Of course there will be a cost involved in transferring both ways but you would not need a
*****
baht a month income to get your extension.
22 days ago
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Len *****
@Nick ***********
 I didn’t realise that I could just transfer money back and forth. Really good advice
22 days ago
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Nick ************
@Len ****
 from Bangkok Bank it was really cheap to do.
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ***********
*****
b = £1483

Uk to Thailand £14.31 charge ( 1%). If the charge is same( Thai to uk) that’s £30 a month to use the same
*****
b per month . That’s nice to know cheers
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
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Michael *******
After first year of maintaining 800k , and leaving it for 3 months in second year you can switch to the 65k a month for the second year - once you go with an agent very difficult to extricate yourself in future years , especially if they put up the money not to mention the risk as it’s not legal.
23 days ago
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Nick ************
@Michael ******
 during the first year you have to meet the deposit requirements of that extension AND make the
*****
baht per month transfers in order to switch to monthly payment method for the second year.
22 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael ******
 that’s providing I can deposit
*****
a month for ever… which I cannot…
22 days ago
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Reply to
Anthony ********
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Brandon ************
@Anthony *******
 If you don't have 800,000, how are you going to make a deposit of 800,000 when you get to Thailand?
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 I’m trying to work out which way is best for me … weather it is worth going down the
*****
0b in a Thai bank account for life ( give or take ) or agent
23 days ago
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Anthony ********
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Neil ********
@Brandon ***********
 spot on
23 days ago
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Dennis **********
@Brandon ***********
 do you get sick of answering these posts, I see you always answer giving great info but the same posts just keep coming
23 days ago
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Reply to
Dennis **********
Reply
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