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Answereda year ago

What are the steps for renewing a retirement visa in Thailand?

Franco *******
asked Aug 4, 2025
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I need renowal visa retirement. Any advice about agency?
Answer summary
The conversation revolves around seeking advice for renewing a retirement visa in Thailand. A user asks for agency recommendations, and several community members respond with various options, including agencies in Pattaya and suggestions for handling the process personally. Key points include the distinction between a visa and a stay permit, the necessary funds required for the renewal, and the importance of TM30 registration. The user expresses confusion due to language barriers, and other participants clarify the process and requirements involved.
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Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
You are confusing us with wrong wording :

There is nothing such as a “renowal visa retirement”

The only thing you can “renew”, is the “1-year Extended Stay Permit based on Retirement”, by applying for the next “1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement”

There is a difference between a "visa" and a "stay permit"

The visa permits and regulates the entry into the country. Depending on the visa category, you will receive stay permits of varying lengths.

In Thailand, these can be 15, 30, 60, 90, or 180 days – depending on the visa category. It can also be 1 years or 5 years

The stay permit regulates the length of your permitted stay in the country. The length of the permitted stay depends on the visa category.

You enter the country on a visa - and from then on reside in the country on a stay permit. This be seen on the entry stamp:

It says "admitted until" and a date. This stamp is the actual stay permit. The entry date is in red, and the expiration date of the "admitted until" permit is in blue.

In the upper right corner there will be a smallish note indicating the visa class you used

The stamp for the annual "1-year extension of residence permit" consequently reads "extension of stay permitted until" and a date.

The reason for which the 12-months extension got issued, is either an extra stamp saying “Retirement” or a handwritten note saying “Thai Wife”

This stamp is the actual stay permit. This stamp is not a visa.

A visa, for example, a "single entry tourist" or a "single entry Non-Imm-O" visa type, becomes invalid upon entry and cannot be extended or used again for another entry.

A multi-entry visa can be used for any number of (multiple) entries within the visa validity period.

For example, the 6-month multi-entry tourist visa is valid for 6 months, but you only receive a 60-days stay permit for each entry.

A visa always has a so-called "visa validity." This is the expiration date by which you must have used the visa to enter the country.

Visas .pdf documents issued by the e-visa online system, show the expiry date of the visa validity after the words "visa must be used by".

EXAMPLE: For a 60-day tourist visa or a 90-day non-immigrant visa, the visa validity is three months from the date of issue.

A 3-months visa validity date means you must have entered the country by this date, 3 months after the visa has been issued.

The visa validity and the validity of the permitted stay are never the same.

Anyone who wants to extend their stay must apply for an "extended stay permit" and not a "visa extension."

Even Thai Immigration fools around "visa extensions," even though they aren't extending any visas. They are only extending the stay permit.

Laziness plays a role. It's easier to say you have a "retirement visa" than to pronounce the correct term, which is "temporary extension of the stay permit based on retirement."

Look at your entry stamp and check the visa validity date. Compare. Your stamped stay permit extends BEYOND the visa expiration date. The entry date is in red, and the expiration date of the "admitted until" permit is in blue.

NOTE:

The entry is made on a "visa."

A "stay permit" is stamped in the passport.

The VISA expires and is invalid after entry.

The applicant is now in Thailand on a stay permit.

This stay permit can be extended. A visa that has long since expired, cannot get extended at all.
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
thanks, now is all clear. I have never personally taken care of the visa for the permit to stay as a pensioner. I have always left everything in the hands of the agency, but I only discovered yesterday that it has definitively closed and I found myself a bit lost. Now I only have two days before the old permit to stay in Thailand for 12 months expires, which I have always mistakenly called a pensioner visa.
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
only two days left?? Now you need to hurry up. Do you have the 800,000 THB on your Thai bank account for a minimum of 2 months? Go get the bank letter of guaranteee (rab roong thankan) for the Immigration and update your bankbook. Then visit Immigration and apply for the 12-months Extension of the Stay Permit Based on Retirement. Make sure you have 1900 THB for the fee and 1000 THB to buy a re-entry permit. Also make sure you are properly TM30 registered at your accomodation
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
some Immigrations accept copies of the landlord's ID card front and back, and a copy of the blue housebook, signed by the landlord in blue ink. Best way is the landlord visits Immigration together with you
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
I have a regular rental contract, a Thai bank account with the required 800,000 B, and I only used agencies out of laziness, not to circumvent the law... I'll try to do it myself this time. Thanks.
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
we never know, because many landlords avoid doing the TM30, in order so they don't have to pay tax on their rental income. In case he didn't do it, check into a hotel, ask them for the screenshot or printout of the TM30 registration and take this to Immigration (stay in the hotel until an extension has been issued)
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
I think is have but i need ask
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
that's the downside when you don't use an agent. Agents pay bribery money to Immigration officers so they look the other way and ignore that you don't fulfill all the requirements.
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
the landlord must register you by the TM30 system in the house within 24 hours of your arrival in the accomodation. Having a rental contract for a house doesn't cut any ice when applying for the 1-year Extension. However you need to be properly registered in this accomodation, or Immigration will not service you. The fine for a late or forgotten TM30 is 2000 Baht
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
sorry, my mistake, 12 days before expire...i have money in account and also the contract of house. How can i check for TM30 if is ok for my rent house?
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
are you already on a 1-year extension of stay based on retirement, and need to apply for the next 1-year extension of stay, or did you enter on a 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa and now want to apply for the 1-year extension?
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
i have already visa retirement and I need renowal, i am in Pattaya and i have money in my account
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
you cannot "renowal visa retirement". . . .You are completely lost in translation. . . . . You can only apply on Immigration for a new "1-year extension of stay based on retirement" - If you have the required 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account since a minimum of 2 months, and your Thai bank gave you the "bank letter of guarantee", it costs a 1900 THB fee to do the application to the 1-year extension of the staypermit based on retirement on Immigration
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
@Franco ******
then use the service of an agent. Where are you located? The multitude of agent offices are in Pattaya. In Bangkok it is ThaiVisaCentre. In Hua Hin it is Anna Visa
Billy **********
Billy **********
@Franco ******
always been envious of bilingual individuals 👌👌👌
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Nongnuch *******
I got lost in the translation. Evidently because English isn't my native language. In any case, I've never handled a visa or a one-year permit renewal. I've always had everything handled by the agency, but now that agency has closed its doors forever. I just need another agency. I'm not interested in the technicalities of getting a one-year permit as a pensioner because, unlike many people here, I have money in the bank, a house, and I have no criminal convictions in my country or here
Wiwa **********
Wiwa **********
*****************************************


Can help you with visa renewal ✅️
Ant ***********
Ant ***********
What area are you in ?

Is it for a 12 mth extension?

Do you have funds in a Thai bank ?
Franco *******
Franco *******
OP
@Ant **********
pattaya...12 month...i have found in my account
Peter ****************
Peter ****************
@Ant **********
Seems like he is Italian. If so, then he still can have an income statement from his Embassy.
SteBu ******
SteBu ******
1900THB and fulfille the requirements - do it by yourself
Yvan **********
Yvan **********
DIY
Yvan **********
Yvan **********
2000 baht

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