What are the steps and requirements for a UK national to retire to Hua Hin, Thailand, including visa options and pet travel?

Before moving to Thailand go stay there some months, because the everyday life is much different from going on holiday.

Ex. go on a 60 day turistvisa and extend 30 days at the immigration.

thaievisa.go.th

If then after those months it still is feeling good, then move, and start the proces to get retirement visa, there may be some terms that need some preperation.

madrid.thaiembassy.org/en/page/-visa?menu=5d7cf78c15e39c3e99d

CHANGE OF VISA TYPE inside Thailand

You need about 3 months total to go from a visa-exempt entry OR a single entry tourist visa, to first a 90 day Non-Imm-O retirement visa, and then to a one year Extension Of Stay Permit (based on retirement) because that's how long the process takes at most immigration offices.

This process is called “change of visa type”. For retirement purposes, click on number 9 on the website I linked for you. It will open a pdf. document in which the requirements are listed

You need to have a minimum of 15 workdays (!) left on your “admitted until” stamp in order to apply for the “change”.

If you have ever been on overstay and got listed in the Immigration computer, you CANNOT apply for the “change” any more

SO if you're not going to be here at least 3 months, you don't have the time to pull off getting a "retirement visa" by the “change of visa type” method – and from this one to the one year stay permit based on retirement. After you have been issued the “1-year Extension Of Stay Permit”, you are free to travel again

The inside country "retirement visa" (really the 90 day Non-O visa and a year extension) are sold as NO entry because you're already IN Thailand when you apply for them.

The process works like this:

Get here on a 60-days tourist visa or on a “visa-exempt entry”

*** open a bank account, transfer from abroad 840,000.- THB (800K minimum are required) In most offices, you will have to proof the money came from abroad.

At this stage, NO seasoning of the money is required (!)

*** go to the immigration office and apply for a 90 days Non-Imm-O retirement visa for 2000.- Baht

*** wait for the under consideration period to end, visit Immigration and pick up your passport with the visa (2-4 weeks depending on office)

*** Then wait until your 800.000.- THB funds are seasoned in the Thai bank account for 2 months. Visit your bank, get the “bank letter of guarantee” which certifies the 2 months period

*** - go to the immigration office, apply for a year extension based on retirement for 1900.- Baht (it will be issued the same day in most offices)

*** Once you get the year extension inked, you can buy a re-entry permit (single 1000.- Baht or multiple 3800.- Baht) and you will be ready to exit and re-enter Thailand and your stay permit will keep alive

And Bingo!

However you also might want to use the “convenient” method

You can apply by the online E-visa system in Spain, before you travel, for either

1. . . . . . a Single Entry Non Immigrant O visa (called retirement visa)

2. . . . . . or a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O visa (called retirement visa)

3. . . . . . . or a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O-A visa (called retirement visa)

4 . . . . . . . or a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O-X visa (called 5-year retirement visa)

5 . . . . . . . or the LTR Visa (called retirement visa)

With one of these these, fly to Thailand, get 90 days or a one year admitted stay stamped, and later apply for the 1 year Extension of Stay Permit (also called retirement visa, but it is not a visa!) by fulfilling the required financial proofs

About your cat, sorry, I don’t know. Experts on animal travel should be asked

You can arrive visa exempt but it's far easier for you to arrive with the Non Imm O(obtained in Spain). It'll save you needing onward travel within 30 days and it should make the process of opening a bank account in Thailand much easier. It will also save you time and money.

Weighing in on the pet aspect: I brought my dog in on a visa exempt stamp earlier this year and didn't get a single question about my status. As long as the pet paperwork is in order, I think your own visa status isn't relevant. I would definitely recommend getting an experienced pet agent to help make sure you have the right paperwork and carrier, etc, for departure from country of origin/ getting the pet on a plane, but the arrival process was painless, just filling some forms and paying an inspection and customs fee.

As a British passport holder, you can arrive in Thailand without a visa and receive a 30 day (your arrival day counts as day one) visa exempt stamp in your passport. You can extend this by a further 30 days at Immigration office for 1,900 Thai Baht. After that you need tp leave Thailand. You then need to open a bank account here in Thailand (difficult but not impossible on a visa exempt entry and most banks will want you to have a cerificate of residency from Immigration). It is not possible to open a bank account from overseas. You then need to season 800,00 Thai Baht in your bank account before you can apply for an extension of stay based on being over 50 years of age. So entering on a visa exempt stamp it is not practical to obtain the extension without lkeaving the country. Best to arrive on a 60 day visa which you can extend for a further 40 days which should give you sufficient time to season the money for 2 months prior to applying for your extension of stay.

1. No visa required. You can enter visa exempt and start the process in country for a Non O. You’ll need to get “your ducks in a row” pretty timely in order to do so.

2. No idea on cat. I don’t believe you need any specific visa type to bring a cat but a lot of paperwork to enable the cat to travel and enter. Best to speak with an organisation that’s used to handling that.

3. Not required but as you have residence in Spain you should be able to use the evisa system from there if you prefer to obtain the Non O initially.

4. Not possible.