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What are the steps to retire in Thailand regarding visa application and return tickets?

Thailand retirement visa NON-O visa visa application process expat living in Thailand bank account requirements one way ticket policy

Nov 22, 2022

3 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

We are hoping to retire to Thailand in April 2023.  Am I correct in thinking we need to apply for a 90 day visa here in the UK and then apply for our retirement visas once we are in Thailand and have set up a bank account with the relevant funds in place?   Also would we need to purchase return tickets from the UK, even though we wont be coming back (or at least for sometime). I am sure I have read it is not possible to buy a one way ticket.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

To retire in Thailand, you can apply for a 90-day NON-O visa either in the UK or Thailand. If applying in Thailand, ensure you have the required funds in a Thai bank account beforehand. For arriving on a NON-O visa, airlines typically do not require onward travel proof, whereas for tourist visas, you may need to show a return ticket.

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Renaud ***********

You need to apply for o visa , contact me for details

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Neil *********

Hi Dana dm me I will give you all the information you need

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Steve *******

Buy the Non Imm O visa based on being 50 or over, commonly known as a 'retirement visa' from the RTE London via the evisa system. This gives you 90 days on entry to Thailand enough time to open a bank account and season your 800k bt for 2 months. You then apply for yearly extentions of stay based on 'retirement'.

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Paul ********

Absolutely possible to buy one way tickets. Never been to Thailand on a return basis.

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Paul ********

I assume as you want to retire to Thailand then you have been before and understand the visa exemption process. As far as I am aware and I am sure there are many more people that can assist you here, changing visas in country are either not possible or difficult. There are many visa agency’s in the uk that can assist you in this process. Thailand is notoriously a difficult place to understand that amount of different visas. I wish you good luck.

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Dana *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

UK - I am trying to understand which visa we can get in the UK that will allow us to travel on a one way ticket and allow us in when we get to Thailand !!! We will then apply for our retirement visas in due course.

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Paul ********

No. if you are one of the many countries that Thailand allow in on visa exemption then you get stamped in on entry. Where are you?

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Dana *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

was the visa exemption issued in the UK ?

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Paul ********

to date in the last 16 years I have always gone to Thailand on a visa exemption. Stamped on for 30 days. You can then do up to 2 land border crossings in one year, unlimited air crossings plus you have the choice to buy an extra 30 days at immigration.

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Dana *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

what sort of visa where you travelling on ?

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Dana *******

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Brandon ************

You can buy the 90 day non-O in your home country or in Thailand. You'll be required to have the money in a Thai bank account before applying in Thailand though, which can be difficult to get on a tourist visa or visa exempt.

Some embassies require proof of insurance for the 90 day non-O though so if yours does, the only way to get around that is to buy the visa in Thailand.

If you fly with a non-O your airline won't require you to show proof of onward travel since a non-O is a long term visa.

If you fly on a tourist visa or visa exempt, your airline may require you to show proof of onward travel within the number of days you'll be initially stamped in for.

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Paul ********

@Brandon ***********

not saying it doesn’t just highly unlikely. And you only need proof of onward travel out of Thailand and that can be a simple bus ticket into Cambodia.

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Brandon ************

I read every post that comes through this group and it's happened to many people. Just because you've never experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

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Paul ********

@Brandon ***********

if you are travelling visa exempt the chances of proving an onward ticket are practically zero

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Paul ********

@Brandon ***********

utter rubbish.

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Paul ********

I did however come across this situation travelling from NZ to Chili where unbeknown by us we should of had an inward ticket. They were great at check in and told us to just book the cheapest way out. All they wanted was proof we were leaving. We bought a bus ticket to La Paz in Bolivia, we even ended up using it.

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Brandon ************

no. There are many airlines that will not let you board if you do not show a ticket or they will force you to buy one on the spot at the counter in order to board.

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Paul ********

@Brandon ***********

but highly unlikely seeing as a vast majority of tourists are travelling on to Cambodia or Laos with no idea on how they are getting there. In theory yes they could ask but I’ve made dozens of trips and was only asked once at Heathrow how long were we intending to stay in Thailand and obviously you say 30 days max. Or 45 at the moment.

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Paul ********

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Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else

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The Thai Visa Advice And Everything Else group allows for a broad range of discussions on life in Thailand, beyond just visa inquiries.

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