What are the requirements for applying for a retirement visa in Thailand, especially regarding income proof?

Retirement Visa O Visa Non-B Visa Financial Requirements Income Affidavit Thai Bank Statement

May 1, 2023

2 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I need some advice about a retirement visa.

I am currently living in Thailand on a B visa and am shortly to apply for an O visa so that I can apply for a retirement visa. When I apply for the retirement visa, I will have the required monthly income of 65K coming into my account for the previous 12 months. I can get a statement from my Thai bank showing this plus a letter from them. Here’s my question: some people have told me that in addition to these proofs of income I will require a signed affidavit from my embassy stating what my income in my home country is e.g. pension or other source. Is this correct? My problem is that my embassy seem unwilling to provide this.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A user seeking advice about obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand is currently on a B visa and plans to apply for an O visa. They confirm having the necessary monthly income and ask if an income affidavit from their embassy is required, noting issues with the embassy's willingness to provide this. Community responses clarify that for the UK embassy, an affidavit is not available, and the user should check with their immigration office about changing the reason for their visa extension from employment to retirement. The community emphasizes that proof of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account is necessary for the first application, and that the monthly income method can typically only be applied after the first extension.

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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Tod *********

As the O/P has not weighed back in I will close it down for now.

@Andrew *******

you want this thread re-opened message me and I'll do it

2 years ago

Wannikea *********

So it appears to me that the minor distinction here is that instead of applying for the Non O visa with which the monthly method is not an option until applying for the first or subsequent extensions, the OP could skip that step and just change the current extension reason from Non B to Non O over 50, and possibly qualify for the monthly method immediately if the immigration office is amenable?

2 years ago

John **********

@Wannikea ********

assuming he's eligible his base visa would remain the Non-B but the reason for the extension would change to retirement.

2 years ago

Reply to

John **********

Tod *********

okay wait just a minute,

@Andrew *******

If you are now on a Non-B visa EXTENSION from the immigration office, you don't need to get an O visa to apply for a "retirement visa",

all you need to do is cancel your current extension based on employment and immediately apply for a new extension based on being over 50 (retirement).

NOW because you're NOT getting a Non-O visa, just changing the reason for your extension from one based on employment to one based on being over 50, you MIGHT, as in you may be able to use the 65K baht a month in monthly transfers from the previous 12 months

you need to go to your immigration office BEFORE you cancel that Non-B extension with documentation from your employer and SEE if they will take monthly transfers for you to meet the proof of funds to change reasons for an extension from one based on employment to one based on being over 50 (retirement)

2 years ago

Tod *********

and just to reiterate there is NO statement or letter or anything you can get from the US embassy showing anything. That stopped on Dec 31, 2018.

you need a yearly print out of the detail transaction report showing each month and that will have the monthly transfers listed (and they all need to CODE on that as international) and you need the 'standard' bank letter AND update your bank book on the date you go apply for the new extension

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

John **********

There's only 2 options when applying for a Non-O visa inside Thailand. You either need a Thai bank account showing 800k transferred in from overseas or you get an income affidavit from your embassy. As the UK embassy no longer issues these you only have the banked money method available to you. You can use the monthly income method from the 2nd extension onwards but it requires a minimum of 65k baht transferred in from overseas each and every month for the 12 months prior to you applying

2 years ago

Steve ********

@John *********

He's extending on a non-immigrant visa from another non-immigrant visa, so the 65k/month method is probably acceptable, but I'd advise the OP to visit immigration first to get a list of the requirements. I went from non-O from an embassy to non-O extension and in addition to the usual retirement extension criteria they wanted to see proof of retirement income (in addition to the 12 x 65k transfers).

2 years ago

John **********

@Steve *******

yea it's not what he said he was doing. Assuming he is on an extension of the non-b already he can do that provided the 12 months of 65k has come from overseas. There are a few questions Andrew needs to answer to get decent advice

2 years ago

Reply to

John **********

Gooddy *******

UK embassy in Thailand doesn’t provide an affadavit of income so that route won’t work for you. Ask your local immigration office what the requirements are for a 90 day Non O retirement visa. It’s almost certain that you will need 800k baht in a Thai bank account before applying for the visa.

2 years ago

James ********

Andy you asked a similar question in January and the answers are the same..

And in the first application for the Non O Visa as retiree and the One year extension of stay as retired, you MUST have 800,000 Thai baht in a Thai bank account in your name only.

The monthly deposit method does not work for the first year.

AND the UK Embassy in Bangkok no longer provides the Affidavit of Income for PROOF of your meeting the financial requirements.

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2 years ago

Reply to

James ********

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