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What are the requirements and process for obtaining a 12 Month Extension of Stay on a Non-O Retirement Visa in Thailand?

Dec 29, 2025

a day ago

Well today was my first day possible to go back to immigration to process my 12 Month Extension of Stay based on my Non-O Retirement Visa. I had everything the Immigration Officer wanted and received my extension without having to get anything additional. Also processed my reentry permit while here since I already have trips lined up. 

I know people on here get “snotty” when expats say 12 month visa instead of 12 month extension of stay, but the Immigration Officer told me I now had a 12 Month Visa🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user successfully processed a 12 Month Extension of Stay for their Non-O Retirement Visa at the immigration office without additional requirements. They also obtained a re-entry permit on the same day due to upcoming trips. The discussion includes clarifications on the terminology used regarding visas and extensions, alluding to the common misunderstandings among expats about whether they possess a visa or a temporary permission to stay. Further comments delve into the necessary paperwork, procedures for re-entry, and the distinction between visa and extension terminology.

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.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

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Thrilling*********

Same here, 90 day reporting 21st March. BTW! I did it my way! No agent, no additional cost.

7 hours ago

Peter *********

Which immigration office ?

9 hours ago

Robert ********

Good job and well done. You had all your ducks in a row and attention to details is what it takes!

18 hours ago

SunnyChe*********

So this has nothing to do with having a DTV? 😂

18 hours ago

Graham ******

SunnyChestnut4369 why should it?

18 hours ago

Reply to

Graham ******

Charolette ***********

Congrats

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

What the pedants don't notice is that on your 90 day report receipt notification it says:" please check expiry date of visa in your passport" uses the word visa in thai also.

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

and in the upper left corner of the 90-days report slip it says "this is not an extension of stay" 😂😂😂 . . fact is, the report slip is neither an extension nor a visa

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

just another example of improper wording used by Immigration. And what does this stamp say, it is the one year extension, is there ANY notion of it being a visa? 😂

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

look at your original stamp when you entered.

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

thank you,

@Kim ********

for your true words

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

what about your original stamp? Being a pedant means you should understand original not rentry permit (visa)

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

my entry on a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa was 17 years and three passports ago 😂😎 in these days of old the visa still was a sticker in the passport, and when I entered, I received a stay permit for 90 days and the visa sticker got a BIG red stamp across it that said USED 🤓 . . which clearly indicated that this visa was void from then on

20 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

yes but you still ignore the facts of what it says about your visa expiry date which proves you are wrong

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

but see, I am going to leave this silly discussion now. You are unwilling to learn, I feel like I am talking to a slice of bread. Have a nice evening!

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

the visa validity expiry is a different thing than the expiry of the stay permit you get stamped on this visa. Two different dates. You should not confuse it

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

Kim Nielsen confirmed:

“Nothing to do with being a nerd wanting correct terminology.

Yeah the barstool says “we are on a retirement visa” but that does not mean the visa is extended - a visa is an entry permission and is used or void when you entered, and replaced with a permission to stay.

Just a side note: he TM7 is called extension of stay - not extension of visa.

I would feel happy to get corrected if I used a word wrong.

But well, some like to learn and some - the likes of YOU - close their ears and refuse to learn”

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

everybody who has a one-year extension based on retirement, who exits Thailand and re-enters using a re-entry permit, will get stamped "Non-RE" into the visaclass. RE not meaning retirement but RE-entry permit

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

it says Non-RE in the right upper corner under "visaclass" - "RE" because I used a re-entry permit for my one-year extended stay permit when I entered and because my 1-year stay permit is based on a Non-Imm visaclass that has expired 17 years ago 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

21 hours ago

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Joni****

So if you have extension off stay, and you want to go out the country before your next 90 days you need to get a re/entry permit is that correct or do you just leave and they stamp when you re/enter

a day ago

Nongnuch ********

Joni1828 he has to make sure the re-entry permit was bought for the new one-year extension, and not for the still valid 90-days stay permit, by looking at the re-entry permit stamp. It should be valid until the same date as his one-year extended stay permit

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

your original visa is single entry but extendable.

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

The single entry 90-days Non-O visa expires or becomes invalid, when you enter Thailand on it.

You get a stay permit of 90 days stamped into your passport.

And before this stay permit expires, you apply for the one-year extension of the stay permit based on the same reason the visa was originally issued for

A visa cannot get extended, a visa only allows entry into a country and cannot get extended after it has been used for an entry

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

I got a visa stamp in my passport. That gives the visa class on it and when i was permitted to stay to. And i extended my stay and the visa. The visa is not cancelled until i cease the single entry.

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

It is sheer impossible that you got a visa stamped into your passport . . . . visas are not stamped into a passport any more. E-Visas issued by Thai embassies are a piece of printed paper you need to show when you enter. The entry stamp says "admitted until" which is an "admission to stay", not a visa. The visaclass you used gets entered into the upper red corner.

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

😂😂😂😂😂😂 no you don't have any visa if you are on an extended stay permit

21 hours ago

Gregory *********

@Nongnuch *******

funny thai immigration officers and their documents say differently.

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Gregory ********

no they don't . . .extension of stay permit, not extension of visa on Immigration Buriram

20 hours ago

Gregory *********

In your opinion which is not proved by not cherry picking

21 hours ago

Reply to

Gregory *********

Ian ********

If you leave without a re entry permit your visa extension ends

21 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Ian *******

he doesn't have a visa extension. You cannot extend a visa, this is technically not possible. . . . He's got an extension of the stay permit for one year. He said he bought ("processed") a re-entry permit for this one-year extension. So everthing is cool - he can leave before the extension starts, and after it has started, he can use the re-entry permit on his next entry into Thailand, if he re-enters within the one-year period of his extended stay permit.

21 hours ago

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

จอน ********

Yes they also get "snotty" if you say you have an international driving licence instead of permit 🤣🤣🤣

a day ago

Jason ******

Did they do the extension and stamp in passport on the same day you went up thankyou

a day ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jason *****

absolutely!!

21 hours ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jason *****

Yes -- everything was done the same day. After the initial IO went through everything she told me to have a seat out front again and then 10-15 minutes later a different IO called my name and had me sign one more document and returned my passport and my bankbook. Longest part was waiting to sit down with the first IO as I got there around 10:45 and was done around 2:15.

a day ago

Jason ******

@Dennis ********

thankyou

21 hours ago

Reply to

Jason ******

Bob **********

So I guess this is a really big deal to someone 😎😎😎

a day ago

Matthew *********

Knowone in a bar ever says I am on extension of stay. Every person I have met says retirement and we all understand. People would get their teeth knock out by the nerds on here that want to go around correcting people

Trav **********

Exactly.

Nongnuch ********

I love to correct all that wrong wording. Will you go knock out my teeth now? 😂😅😂

21 hours ago

Matthew *********

@Nongnuch *******

you would be to easy for me. Stick your ladybiy. That's more of fight for you.

19 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Matthew ********

wanka 😎

18 hours ago

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Kim *********

@Matthew ********

nothing to do with being a nerd wanting correct terminology. Yeah we are on retirement but that does not mean the visa is extended - a visa is an entry permission and is used when entered and replaced with a a permission to stay. Tm7 is called extension of stay - not extension of visa. I would be happy to be corrected if I used a word wrong. But some like to learn and some close their ears and refuse to learn.

Darren ******

Nerd😆

Kim *********

not 😏

Reply to

Kim *********

Matthew *********

@Kim ********

like I said NO ONE EVER SAT IN A BAR AND SAID I AM ON EXTENSION OF STAY..

19 hours ago

Kim *********

@Matthew ********

not where you go. But I don't care at all.

5 hours ago

Reply to

Kim *********

Graham ******

@Kim ********

correct and any newbies coming here looking for information might get the wrong answer if some "nerd" had not chipped in with clarification

21 hours ago

Reply to

Graham ******

Jack *****

What speak the immigration officer used is irrelevant..

You do not have a Visa. You have a temporary permission of stay stamp (Permit)!

a day ago

Trav **********

@Jack ****

FFS, he got all he needs. What the fuck is wrong with some people, too pedantic.

20 hours ago

Jack *****

@Trav *********

not at all. Using terms such as "I have a Retirement Visa" etc etc makes providing advice on specific questions difficult guess work.

Actually having a valid Visa such as a Non O or Non O-A or being on extension is very different.

It's just you don't understand the need for specific advice

20 hours ago

Trav **********

@Jack ****

I know what specific is, you're a "know it all" wanker, is that specific enough!!!!!

20 hours ago

Jack *****

@Trav *********

you have no idea what you are even typing about. Just type nonsense from keyboard.

A Non O is a visa as is a Non O-A as is a Multi entry Non O (recently removed and an Extension are all very different.

Specifics are important.

This forum is ridiculous as has no moderation to bar language and ignorance

19 hours ago

Trav **********

@Jack ****

🥲🥲🥲

19 hours ago

Reply to

Trav **********

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jack ****

I don’t recall saying I have a visa.

a day ago

Todd ********

@Dennis ********

but yet you took the time to dismiss expats for correctly stating that it is an extension of stay that you have. BE GRATEFUL you got it without a hitch . You have trips lined up..surely you also got a MULTI RE-Entry permit and not just a single entry. Good luck

21 hours ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Todd *******

no I said some expats get “snotty” when other expats state they have a 12 month visa instead — some more so though we all know what was meant. My point was the IO told me I had a 12 month visa — no I wasn’t going to correct her….I smiled politely and said thank you while taking my passport

Yes I did buy a multi re-entry permit because I know I’m doing at least two or three trips out of Thailand.

20 hours ago

Reply to

Dennis *********

Henry *********

@Jack ****

Yes. Using the correct terminology is important.

a day ago

Reply to

Henry *********

Greg ***********

"the Immigration Officer told me I now had a 12 Month Visa" . . . it does just show the poor command of English. For them, a visa is the same thing as a stay permit. it is technically wrong. SOME Immigrations have corrected their speech. Buriram Immigration is not "extending your visa" any more. Applaus for the Buriram Immigration for their use of correct wording 😎 cheers! 🤓

a day ago

Ian *********

What paperwork was required, may I ask!

a day ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Ian Mackown Here are the documents I provided to Immigration Officer with my apprilcation:

1. Original

@Pass****

2. Copy of Passport Bio Data Page

3. Copy of Visa Entry Stamp Page

4. Copy of Thai Non-O Immigration Visa signed off by IO upon entry in Bangkok

5. TM-30

6. Copy of Property Owners ID Card

7. Copy of Property Registration Document

8. Copy of Airbnb Booking

9. Hand Drawn Map

10. Certificate of Deposit from Bank (one in Thai and one in English)

11. Two Months Bank Statements

12. Updated Bank Book and Copy of Updated Bank Book -- Bank Book was updated today the day of application.

13. Passport Photo

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer -- I'm glad I did it and saved the money!

The process was smooth -- received que ticket at 10:45 and completed process around 2:15.

a day ago

Russell ***********

@Dennis ********

No. 8 ? AirB&B ? why, when it seems you are renting a place

11 hours ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Russell **********

I’m renting an Airbnb! I didn’t want to be tied to a long term rental contract and wanted to keep options open.

6 hours ago

Reply to

Dennis *********

Graham ******

@Ian ********

that often depends on the Immigration Office used

a day ago

Reply to

Graham ******

Jan ******************

Good, but you should have asked why you could not leave and re-enter without purchasing a re-entry permit, since you still had a valid visa and not only a temporary permission to stay.

a day ago

Wayne ********

@Jan *****************

stupid question when you come into Thailand I’m a non-immigrant visa. It is a one-way ticket. You can’t go income on the same visa

20 hours ago

Jan ******************

@Wayne *******

A single-entry Non-Immigrant visa is indeed used up once you enter Thailand. If you leave Thailand after that entry, the visa cannot be reused. However, once you obtain an extension of stay, you are no longer staying on the visa itself but on a temporary permission to stay based on the stay the Non O gave you. The point here is simply that it was the IO who was mixing up the terminology.

19 hours ago

Reply to

Jan ******************

Nongnuch ********

@Jan *****************

I understand what you meant . . . . . . I just hope he checked the expiry date of the re-entry permit to make sure it wasn't bought for the still existing 90-days stay permit but for the duration of the newly issued one-year extension of stay

21 hours ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Nongnuch *******

my rentry permit is valid through Jan 2027 — of course I checked both the dates for extension and rentry as it would be too easy to mixup years if someone gets distracted.

20 hours ago

Reply to

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jan *****************

you are free to ask your next visit!

a day ago

Graham ******

@Jan *****************

because the extension requires it to stay valid

a day ago

Jan ******************

@Graham *****

Yes, because the underlying visa is already used, and what you hold at that point is only a temporary permission to stay, which does not survive departure unless a re-entry permit is obtained. That is precisely why the re-entry permit is required, -it’s not a visa anymore.

a day ago

Graham ******

@Jan *****************

you confused me with the valid visa when the OP is already on an extension

a day ago

Lloyd *********

Did you not read Dennis's last paragraph 🤔

a day ago

Reply to

Lloyd *********

Danny ********

Well done 👍🏼

a day ago

Ian ********

Just out of interest did he mention when your next 90 day report was due ?

a day ago

Nongnuch ********

@Ian *******

he must have entered around October 10-13, because he said he opened a Kasikorn account by October 14. This would mean that if he entered on October 12, the 90-days report due date would be January 11. By December 29, he would have had already spent 77 days in Thailand. So, since you can do your first 90 days report up from 15 days before due date, Immigration honored his visit as a valid 90-days report (due date being 13 days away). Or maybe he entered between October 5 and 10, then the due date would be even nearer to December 29

21 hours ago

Wayne ********

@Nongnuch *******

thanks for stating the once

20 hours ago

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Nongnuch *******

I entered Thailand Oct 11 and didn’t get my bank account opened until 13 days later waiting on my Certificate of Residence which took 8 days. My entry visa expired 8 Jan.

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Dennis ********

"My entry visa expired 8 Jan." . .wrong again. Your 90-days stay permit expired on January 8. Your entry visa expired by October 11 when you entered

20 hours ago

Nongnuch ********

@Dennis ********

ah, so my guess was very close. Today, your 90-days report due date was less than 15 days away, actually only 10 days away, that's why they let you report and issued the slip

20 hours ago

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Dennis *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Ian *******

yes they stapled a piece of paper in my passport which states I must complete my 90 day report 27 Mar 2027

a day ago

Reply to

Dennis *********

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