What are the pros and cons of a retirement visa compared to a DTV (Digital Nomad Visa) in Thailand?

Why are there so many people in here who aren't on a DTV and have no intention of getting one? 😂 For those actually on one or looking to be, thanks to tips in here I've setup Truemoney (using my DTV stamp) and it's working great for Promptpay scan payments (business and personal) and no surcharge Grab payments. I do have a Bangkok Bank account (opened in 2021 on a non-o retirement) but this seems an excellent backup/alternative if that goes away. Especially if you can get a debit card from your home country that refunds all ATM foreign fees like Charles Schwabb in the US and Wealthsimple in Canada etc. Mrs and I switched from retirement to DTV because we didn't want to keep $70K CAD in a Thai bank and we aren't comfortable using an agent to pretend having the funds like so many retirement visa holders do.

I’d like to add another disadvantage of the DTV which I haven’t been aware of when changing from retirement to DTV: If you’re an owner of a condominium you probably won’t get a yellow tabien baan for that on a DTV (this could have been very helpful as a COR replacement) 😢

Hi there

Im going to Thailand for 60 days... do i need DTV?

Someone can answer please?

Swedish passport

The major benefit of the DTV for me is it's for 5 years. I travel often so the multi entry is a massive bonus. Have multiple bank accounts here already while on non o retirement. If over time they close I have accounts in Cambodia that will allow me to scan here. Revolut account allows me to hold Baht and pay anywhere card is accepted which is certainly a lot more than a few years ago.

The absolute benefit is I don't have to visit an immigration office for at least 5 years. That alone is priceless. So for me DTV every time and I'll reassess in 5 years

I went for the DTV primarily as I have remote work and it unambiguously allows you to do that. It's not just about the "benefits" of the visa. *Remote* work is not necessarily prohibited on a retirement visa, but the DTV is explicitly for that, so it is the visa that best aligns with what I'm actually doing here. If I was fully retired, not taking on any contracts, I would probably not, I'd probably just do retirement, as that would then align better.

Advantages of the DTV are that it's a 5 year visa and you don't have to deal with immigration in-country for a full 5 years. Retirement, you need to be back at a specific time each year to do your extension, and there's a cost and paperwork. You don't need any money in Thailand. You don't need health insurance (needed on the O-A, not on O).

Disadvantages are you have to leave every 6 months (the one extension is almost impossible) and the bank account situation. Retirement you can stay indefinitely with extensions. I travel enough that leaving isn't a big issue. I stocked up on bank accounts before I switched to DTV but I can live without a Thai bank account, it's a nice to have but not essential for me. Basically, you lose QR payments and the ability to receive payments from Thai accounts.

In the long-run, I do feel retirement is less likely to face resistance than DTV. But I also feel they are more likely to stop or curtail issuances than cancel existing visas. And retirement can change too, like they stopped income letters for many countries, brought in health insurance for the O-A, etc. If something did happen with existing DTVs, I'd move to retirement at that point.

If you have $80,000/year in passive income, also look at the LTR visa. That's definitely the best option, just the requirements are difficult to meet. You don't need to move the money into Thailand, just need to have the income.

It comes down to personal circumstances. The retirement extensions are easy enough to manage on your own and the benefits of bank accounts, 5 yr DL's, not having to leave are important for many people. We were on the retirement extensions and switched to DTV, it just works better for us. We travel a lot so the DTV being multi entry is great and 180 days is no big deal. We also didn't want to bank the 800K and our country stopped doing the affidavit of income so it's a good option.

The DTV visa does not allow you to work in Thailand; instead, you are treated as a long-term tourist. Non O allows you to work and obtain a work permit.

Both visas allow you to open a bank account and apply for a driver's license. The bank knows very little about DTV visas, with the exception of tourist visas. My friends with a normal tourist visa can open a bank account with an embassy letter.

The disadvantage of a retirement visa vs a DTV is the DTV. If you’re eligible for a retirement visa don’t think about a DTV. It gives you nothing better than a retirement does, and you have to leave the country every year instead of just renewing the retirement.

I switched from non-O retirement extension to DTV, as on paper the DTV is a better proposition for those who travel regularly and works out cheaper. HUGE ERROR. My bank has given me six months notice to change visa to long-term or they'll close my account. I've lived in Thailand for many years and a bank account is something very useful that I've got used to. I couldn't go back to not having one. Also, Thai immigration hate the DTV, as it's nothing more than a glorified tourist visa. Very easy to get, but Banks hate it because there's no income requirement. I'll be switching to LTR before the end of the year. Too much stigma now attached to DTV

Retirement visa with extensions can live continuously in Thailand, can get bank account, 5 year driving license. Must be 50 yrs or older.

DTV must leave Thailand at least once per year, most leave twice. No bank account, no 5 year driving license. Only valid for 5 years. No age restriction.