What are the options for applying for a Non-Immigrant O Visa for retirement in Thailand while living in China?

Well, some Thai embassies - for example the Royal Thai Embassy Vienna, Austria - will insist that you already receive a pension, or they will tell you to apply for the Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa instead. How the Thai embassy in your country handles this, you need to check beforehand. It seems that the Chinese embassy or consulate which is handling William James' application, requires him to show that he is a "real" pensioner

Of course there is such a thing as a “Non-O retirement visa”.

I am amazed how careless people use the word “Retirement Visa”.

Do you mean the 90-days Retirement Visa or do you mean the 1-year Retirement Extension?

Actually, the term “retirement visa” can mean seven (7) different visas and stay permits, it depends what people like to say, be it wrong or not.

With kind regards and thanks to Robert Lagas, who wrote it up originally, and whose original text I have only marginally altered.

Once more, because people try to give advice based on what they think is a "Retirement Visa"

First of all, you do not have to be retired to apply for this visa. You however need to be 50 years or older.

Well, some Thai embassies will insist that you already receive a pension, or they will tell you to apply for the Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa instead. How the Thai embassy in your country handles this, you need to check beforehand.

Second is that all options have DIFFERENT rules, regulations and requirements.

So please read and refrain from giving incorrect advice by mixing up and confusing the requirements for different types of visa or extensions of stay.

What is a retirement visa?

It is a phrase used by foreigners and Immigration and it could be seven different types of visa or stay permits, with different rules, regulations and requirements

OR

it could even be an 1 year Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand.

It is easy to type “retirement visa”, but very difficult to understand which option the person refers to

Options are:

1. Single Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age

2. Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age (it got discontinued by October 2023 and is not available any more)

3. Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age without entry by conversion at local immigration office

4. Non Immigrant O-A visa (Long Stay)

5. Non Immigrant O-X visa

6. Long Term Residency (LTR) visa

7. Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand (stamp from Immigration, which is not a visa)

ONLY for options 3, 5 and 7 the applicant needs a bank account in Thailand or a Certificate of Income from their Embassy.

Option 2 cannot be applied for any more, since all Thai Embassies and Consulates took it out of the E-visa program.

Option 3 is applied for by conversion of your Visa Exempt Entry or Tourist Visa at your local Immigration Office inside Thailand.

Option 6 is applied for with support of BOI Thailand

Option 7 is applied for at your local Immigration Office AFTER you used a Non-Immigrant visa.

Other options are applied for at a Thai Consulate OR for those countries who are legit, on-line.

Thanks for reading this long explanation.

Come in on a 60 day visa and use agent to get your O visa but you have to come in on a 60 or 90 day visa that you can get at your thai consulate or look at 5 year DTV visa

RIGHT let get this right, yes there are different names for different retirement visas none are call a retirement visa ,most people get a none O 90 day visa then enter Thailand and follow the things they need to do to get a 12 month extension and renewal the extension every year,you must do the Non O visa online ,once in Thailand you open a bank account with Kasikorn bank NOT Bangkok bank ,to open the account you will require a tm30 from where you are staying and a certificate of residence from you nearest immigration office.

When the account is open you will have 2 options

Option 1 pay 800,000bht into the bank and leave it there 2 month then apply for you 1 year extension.

Option 2.

Get an agent to sort the extension for you they can pay the 800,000bht into your account and get the 12 month extension almost immediately, obviously this will cost.

I hope this clears up any confusion by previous post.

Non-O for stay no longer than 90 days.

You don't apply at a consulate, you apply on line. This is the option you are looking for

The Thai consulate is correct. There has *never* been a Non-O "retirement" visa for Thailand. You can, however, apply for a Non-O visa based on your being 50 years old or more, and you can declare "retirement" as its purpose. Be aware that local employment is prohibited with this type of visa. They could not care if you are working or employed outside the country.

The Visa needs to be applied for Online

This is what you need to look for