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What are the requirements to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand using the income method?
Retirement VisaNON-O VisaVisa ExtensionIncome MethodThailand ImmigrationBank Statement RequirementsHealth Insurance RequirementsPattaya Visa Agents
Jan 26, 2025
a year ago
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTERI goofed earlier.
I need to apply retirement visa. I would be using the income method (I hope), I have the several months of deposits. I own my own condo, and I am a pretty nice guy.
If I get the bank statement tomorrow evening and showed up at the immigration office the following morning.
Would they give me a new 90 day visa? And within that time I have to apply for the extension?
It happens to be my current stamp expires Wednesday. I can get the extension but maybe that doesn't make sense.
Also, what are the health care requirements.
EDIT:
Anybody know a good agent in the Pattaya area?
I need to apply retirement visa. I would be using the income method (I hope), I have the several months of deposits. I own my own condo, and I am a pretty nice guy.
If I get the bank statement tomorrow evening and showed up at the immigration office the following morning.
Would they give me a new 90 day visa? And within that time I have to apply for the extension?
It happens to be my current stamp expires Wednesday. I can get the extension but maybe that doesn't make sense.
Also, what are the health care requirements.
EDIT:
Anybody know a good agent in the Pattaya area?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user seeks guidance on applying for a retirement visa in Thailand using the income method with less than one week left on their current visa. Comments clarify that to apply for a NON-O visa, the user needs either an income certification from their embassy or a bank deposit of 800,000 baht. They also mention health insurance requirements and the necessity of having a minimum of 15 days left on their current visa to apply for a new one. An urgent request for recommendations for a good agent in Pattaya is also highlighted.
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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John **********
You will first need to get the 30 day extension as you need a minimum of 15 days left on your stamp to apply for a Non-O visa. Whilst you are doing that you can ask if they will accept the 12 months of transfers to apply for that visa but I doubt they will accept it without an income certificate from your embassy (if it even provides that). As you appear to be in Pattaya the 800k needs to be in your bank for 2 months before you apply if you need to use that method. Other than that your only option is going to be using an agent.
Greg ***********
@John *********
correct, the Pattaya Immigration office is one of few that want a 2-months seasoning of the 800,000 THB deposit for the application to the initial 90-days Non-O visa. . . @Terary *********
They make this up on their own. The standing police order only asks for the deposit to SIT in the account, no seasoning needed. Only for the application to the 1-year Extension of Stay, the 2-months seasoning is required . . . . . @Terary *********
a very bad experience on the Pattaya Immigration is in the waiting for you, because Brandon correctly said, they don't accept a 12-months of transfers bank statement for the "change of visa type" from the 60-days exempt entry to the 90-days non-Imm-O retirement visa. Even if they would really allow it (I give you a 10 against 90 chance), you still first need to get the 30-days extension, because for the application to the "change", you must have a minimum of 15 workdays left on your stay permit stampTerary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Greg **********
I like pattaya, I don't like the Pattaya immigration.Last time I went up to Siracha to see if I could use that office, they said I had to go to Pattaya.
Thanks for the informative response.
Reply to
Terary **********
Reply
Roberto *********
Do you have a notarised verification that you are "a pretty nice guy"? Immigration may not take your word for this 😆
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Roberto ********
No one believes me.Reply to
Terary **********
Reply
Chris *******
No 800k,
No 1 yr of transfers,
No embassy letter,
NO VISA
No 1 yr of transfers,
No embassy letter,
NO VISA
Colin *********
@Chris ******
embassy will not do embassy letter nowChris *******
Colin Huttley
Many embassies still issue letters.
Many embassies still issue letters.
Jan ******************
@Chris ******
Some immigrations in fact accept proof of 12-15 months consecutive transfers of minimum 65K baht for the initial 90 days Non O visa in country as well.Reply to
Jan ******************
Reply
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Colin ********
That's how I understand.. Its been that way for years.Reply to
Terary **********
Reply
Todd *********
They actually stopped you from border bounce now?
You will 12 months of deposits minimum 65k to your Thailand bank account
You will 12 months of deposits minimum 65k to your Thailand bank account
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Todd ********
They "talked" to me the last time I came in. But I just turned 50 so the rules have changed, a littleI didn't understand "You will 12 months of deposits minimum 65k to your Thailand bank account" this bit
Todd *********
@Terary *********
to qualify for the monthly income method, you need to show immigration 12 consecutive months of 65k deposits to your Thai account. At 50, retirement visa should be no issue for you. DTV might also be worth considering also. And if you happen to qualify, LTR is a 10 year no brainer
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Todd ********
For the past 9 months I thought I qualified for the LTR, but yesterday when I sat to down to apply, I read the fine print "passive income" so now I am scrambling to find a visa solution.I turned 50 6 months ago and I have made 65K deposits for the past 15+ months, from international sources (Wise 'longterm stay in Thailand'). This was the same method I used to establish overseas funds to buy my condo.
Jan ******************
@Terary *********
If your current stamp expires on Wednesday, you’ll have to apply for an extension first anyway as you need minimum 15-21 days left to apply for a Non O in country. Regarding income method you’ll just have to check this further out with your specific immigration if they will accept proof of consecutive transfers before you apply for the initial visa.
Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Jan *****************
That's probably the most intelligent response I read.Kool *******
@Terary *********
you're in for a rude awakening when you go to immigration and don't have bt800,000+ in your bank account for at least two months before you apply...lolol.Reply to
Kool *******
Reply
John ********
This is what you will need to get the retirement visa, but you will need to confirm it with the immigration officer that you will be using
Brandon ************
@John *******
This list is for extension, not for conversion to non-O visa.John ********
@Brandon ***********
you are right, but he was also talking about the retirement visa applicationBrandon ************
@John *******
Which this list is not applicable to.Reply to
Brandon ************
Reply
Brandon ************
You cannot use the income method to apply for a 90 day non-O visa unless you have an income certification from your embassy. Monthly deposits is not eligible to convert to a non-O visa, nor is it eligible to apply for the first 1-year extension.
Your ONLY option for the initial visa and first 1-year extension is an income certification from your embassy or a bank deposit of 800,000 baht in your Thai bank account. There are NO other options.
10 years of bank statements showing a million baht transferred every month would be rejected because monthly transfers is not eligible for either of those.
Your ONLY option for the initial visa and first 1-year extension is an income certification from your embassy or a bank deposit of 800,000 baht in your Thai bank account. There are NO other options.
10 years of bank statements showing a million baht transferred every month would be rejected because monthly transfers is not eligible for either of those.
Conny **********
@Brandon ***********
it was no problem to use that in september 2023 when I converted exempt to non o Retirement.And as I see it nothing has changed.
Brandon ************
@Conny *********
Then you used proof of 800,000 in your Thai bank account or a letter from your embassy.Conny **********
@Brandon ***********
no. 12* 65k in a bank account. I did have an income letter to but they wanted that verified in Bangkok so I showed the bankbook. They wanted a letter from the Thai bank that the money was transferred from abroad.Terary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Conny *********
yeah, I have 12 months from abroad. I am in Pattaya.They are a bunch of crooks but I thought I could do income method and every document I have seen said its possible.
Brandon ************
@Terary *********
not even a chance, especially in Pattaya.Nick *******
@Conny *********
Which IO let you do the 12 month deposits for a first time Non-O? I’m in Phuket and they are saying deposit method is not possible and insisting on 800k in the bank for my first application.Conny **********
@Nick ******
i live in Hua HinRoberto *********
@Nick ******
I switched from OA to O via a visa exempt in Bangkok, and used the 65k transfer method. I never once had the 800k lump sum. I guess some immigration offices use their own set of rulesBrandon ************
@Roberto ********
That's because you switched from non-OA to non-O. That's a special circumstanceRoberto *********
@Brandon ***********
I actually switched from a visa-exempt entry. It's not possible to go directly from OA to O. It was accepted because I had sufficient monthly transfers to meet the criteria.Brandon ************
@Roberto ********
you start on non-OA. Then you leave and return visa exempt and switch to non-O. That's the only way to do it and that's a specific situation that won't apply for 99.*****
% of people. You cannot use monthly income for the non-O conversion and that's accurate for basically everyone.Roberto *********
@Brandon ***********
What's a non-O conversion? I thought that's what I didBrandon ************
@Roberto ********
And like I specifically said, your situation is different because you had a non-OA, left and returned visa exempt, and then converted. That's not how it works for everyone else. And therefore they cannot use monthly transfers.Roberto *********
@Brandon ***********
Ok I can only speak for Bangkok. If you have a minimum of 12 months of unbroken monthly transfers from overseas of minimum 65k this can be used in lieu of the 800k lump sum. It effectively replaces the embassy affidavit method for those countries whose embassies will no longer provide the certification. That's Bangkok. Since I've done the conversion a couple of years ago, I know two other people personally who have also obtained the non-O without the lump sum.Conny **********
@Roberto ********
that is what I did too. Had a non o a and immigration recommendations was to kill that by going to Malaysia and return on a extemt and convert that when I got backReply to
Conny **********
Reply
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