I am going to apply for a non immigrant OA retirement visa in Thailand. Doing research it say you need to deposit 800k baht or show passive income of 65k baht a month? It that right? Is it one or the other? How difficult is it to apply yourself in person at the immigration without an agent? Would I need to deposit money before applying? Which from what I am reading hard to open a bank account without proof of residency. Any advise what steps to take in chronological order for a smooth process would be greatly appreciated. If you are required to deposit 800k in bank, can that money be used to pay rent or medical? Does the 90 day reporting ask questions in regard to money left in the Thai bank?
TLDR : Answer Summary
To apply for a Non-OA retirement visa in Thailand, you need either a deposit of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account or proof of monthly income of 65,000 baht. You cannot apply for a Non-OA visa within Thailand; instead, you should obtain a 90-day Non-O visa from your home country, which allows you to show proof of funds from abroad. Opening a bank account in Thailand can be challenging on a short stay, so it's advisable to secure a Non-O visa before arriving. For the first year, you will likely need the 800,000 baht in the bank to apply for your visa extension. After that, you can switch to the income method if you meet the criteria. The 90-day reporting requirement only applies if you remain in Thailand for more than 90 days without exiting.
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.