What are the steps to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand as a veteran?

What does being a VETERAN have to do with getting a THAI Visa??? It only means something in YOUR home country, the Thai don’t give AF, sooner you understand that, the easier you will make things for your adjustment.

Have you been to Thailand 🇹🇭 before??

The best start to the process is to get a consultation from a Visa agent. That way the agent can lay out a plan of action specific to your situation so you will know what to expect and prepare accordingly. No need to get frustrated when it can be outsourced to ensure a stress-free and time efficient process. Speaking from experience!

No doubt you’ve been here to make the move here. Daunting at first but with time you’ll get accustomed to retirement. Buy a yearly journal. And write a to do list of when deadlines come up (visa extensions, drivers licenses, wifi plan, etc etc. ) i personally would get an visa agent to help your first extension. Kasikorn bank will be your friend for funds. Here in Thailand try to limit your American/farang friends…some how they bring their gripes with them from abroad.

@Coretta *********

Well, there are several roads leading to the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa and to the subsequent “1-year Extension of Temporary Stay Permit based on retirement”, which is a long-term stay permit

MIND YOUR WORDING:

In Thailand, you do not apply for the “retirement visa” on Immigration, after you have entered Thailand on a 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O “Retirement Visa” you obtained through the E-Visa online system in your home country.

When you enter Thailand on this 90-days “retirement visa”, you get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit. The “retirement visa” itself will become invalid or “used”. It cannot get “extended”. This is technically not possible. It is just wrong wording used by Thai Immigration, for whom a visa and a stay permit erroneously are the same thing.

(I am talking about the most common misunderstanding regarding the rules that come with applying for the “retirement visa” and the subsequent “one-year extension of stay permit based on retirement”. Misunderstandings happen because a “retirement visa” can mean 7 different visas and stay permits) but let’s remain on topic.

The best way is to show up in Thailand on a 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement/over 50 visa” as it will get you a 90-days stay permit stamped. Within this period you have plenty of time to arrange for the application to the “1-year extended stay permit”.

The MOST IMPORTANT fact is, that entering on this visa-type, enables you to get a Thai bank account opened. If you enter on a tourist visa or visa-exempt, you cannot get a Thai bank account opened any more easily, since February 2025.

There is NO mandatory health insurance or a police record check or a medical checkup required for this visa-type. These are the requirements only, for the application to the 365-days Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa, which is a completely different visa-type.

If you have arrived on this 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa, you can get a bank account opened on it. You will need the account in case you want to convert the 90-days stay permit to a “1-year extension of the stay permit”.

You can theoretically fly on a one-way ticket because this visa allows you to receive a long-term stay in Thailand. Some airlines might not accept this explanation and will ask you for an onward travel proof out of Thailand within these 90 days, that’s why you should communicate with them by email and see what they say

In order to apply for the “90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa” through the online E-visa system at the Royal Thai Embassy of your home country, you can

EITHER

use the proof of income of a monthly minimum of 65.000.- THB, by using your original pension or other income documentation,

OR

you can use a deposit of a minimum of 800.000.- THB or the equivalent in your home country currency, or on your home bank account, or on your Thai bank account (if you got one), or just anywhere in the World – as long as it is in your sole name

However, for the later application inside Thailand, for the “1-year extension of stay permit” out of the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, the financial proof is different.

If you are a citizen of a country whose embassy in Thailand does not issue a certified “income affidavit” any more – (these are the embassies of USA, Canada, UK, Norway and Australia) you would need a “12 months bank statement”, showing that for the past 12 months, you have been transferring from abroad to your Thai bank account a minimum of 65,000 THB, consecutively month for month.

If your embassy still issues a certified affidavit of income, you can use this method for the financial proof, which needs a monthly income or pension of a minimum of 65,000 THB

For British, Australian and U.S. citizens, in the first year there is no other way around, than depositing a minimum of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account, and use this deposit for the financial proof which is required for the application to the “1-year extension of stay permit based on being over 50/retired”, at least in the first year

The alternative would be, if you don’t have that kind of money or are not willing to deposit in a Thai Bank account is, paying an agent to “arrange” the requirements, which I, however, do not recommend

As soon as you have accumulated the 12 consecutive months of 65,000 THB transfers, month for month, you can apply for the next 1-year extension of the stay permit, using the 12- months bank statement, in the second year. After being issued the next extension, you can theoretically take the 800,000 THB out of your bank account.

This application to a 1-Year Extension costs a 1900 THB fee and you can theoretically do it all by yourself, or accept the help of an agent for the simplified legal service.

NOTE: It is income OR deposit.

However, there is a third method, called the “combination method”: A combination mix of income and deposit.

Some immigrations don’t allow the combination method in the first year.

And some Immigrations want the deposit part to exceed a minimum of 400,000 THB.

The combination method means that the sum of the deposit AND the monthly income exceeds 800,000 THB in one year.

But let’s continue with the “normal method” (visa issued in your home country, followed by the application to the 1-year Extension inside Thailand):

On the day of application to the 1-year extension, the 800,000 THB need to have “seasoned” in your account for two months, and this has to be proven with the “bank letter of guarantee” (rab roong thanakan).

After been issued the “1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement”, the 800K need to remain in the account for 3 more months. After these 3 months, the deposit shall never go under 400,000 THB. And before the application for the next “1-year Extension of Stay”, a minimum of 800,000 THB must have seasoned in the account for two months, again.

On the day you get issued the “1-year extension of stay permit”, you should buy a re-entry permit for it.

A re-entry permit will keep your stay permit alive and valid in case you exit Thailand before the expiry of the 1-year stay permit.

A single re-entry permit is 1000 THB on Immigration. A multi re-entry is 3800 THB. With a multi re-entry permit, you can exit and re-enter as many times as you wish during the whole 1-year stay permit period.

Good Luck and a great time in Thailand

I personally did mine in-country. I came on visa-free entry. I did a 1 year education visa while I figured things out (but if I had to do it over with learned knowledge...I would skip this step). Then toward the end of the education visa,I changed to a retirement visa. You can do it all in Thailand. There are many paths to reach the same destination. Make sure you've applied for FMP as you can use both Tricare or FMP here. Best of luck with your decision!

Take into account that you still have to file and possibly pay USA tax

Thanks for your service to America! And yes there are jackasses in Thailand too! Keep in touch and we can share a beer or sandwich. Be safe and enjoy paradise.

Some say “you have to die and go to Heaven to live in paradise.

All ya have to do is live in Thailand

Thank you for your service!!! Congrats on your move

Don't think being a veteran is relevant to getting the initial non-o visa.

Apply at the embassy in the country you are staying/living in. Apply for Non-O based on retirement. It's gives you 90 days initially. Enter. Open bank account asap. Bank the 800,000 tbt required for the 12 month extension. Extend every year for 12 months more.