What are the steps to switch from a Special Tourist Visa (STV) to a retirement visa in Thailand?

What is STV?

I have to wonder why you are not asking an expert; if you can find a reliable lawyer you may find a way to avoid all the hassle and expense of in-and-out by changing your visa status, and all for a few measliy bucks to the expert who has had the experience and knowledge to deal with it.

with the mandatory covid insurance in effect (for as long as you're stamped in for when you arrive) AND with the BOTH the O and the O-A visa carrying the mandatory 40k/400k health insurance requirement (the O needing it for 90 days and the O-A needing it for a year) I'd say your best bet is

Go back to your country or where ever you're going to go, get a single entry tourist visa, (meaning you only need covid insurance for 60 days) then come in, get thru quarantine, and apply IN COUNTRY at the immigration office for first a 90 day Non-O and then a year extension based on retirement. It will require that you transfer into the country 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only to get the 90 day non-O visa and then leave the money in the account for 2 months before you apply for your year extension BUT you won't need any insurance that way :)

Do a Non-O while you're back home in the U.S. Thank you for your service! Hope it was truly an adventure. :)

This website below describes what's needed, but you DO NOT need to go through them to get it done. You can work directly with the Thai Embassy in the USA if you don't need expedited service. Good luck!

Get a TV change to non-o in county then extend for each year but you must meet the financial requirements

elite

Get married right away, and register your marriage at the local Amphur. Get a Thai bank account in your name only, and put bt400,000 in it before you leave the country. Once back in your country apply for a 90 day type O visa based on marriage. You'll need both copies of your two marriage documents and a copy of her ID card. Once you get this visa and return to Thailand, go with her to immigration and get the list of documents you need to get your one year extension. It is pretty easy. For this you don't need insurance, except the covid-19 insurance to enter the country. Also while you are in your home country get vaccinated for covid-19. For your situation, and if in fact she will marry you, then get your marriage registered right away. This is the best way.

I have been here 7 years now and was on non b before but I got married this year and I will have an extension based on marriage by next week. You need to have 400k In a Thai account for 2 months but it's a an easy thing to do

If you do the retirement OA from home country you need to have health insurance and renew it yearly. For first year you can show the money in your home bank and not in a Thai bank. If you go home, return on a 60 day tourist visa (extendable by 30 days) you can start the process of getting O retirement extension here. Money needed to be seeded in Thai bank. There is another option which many do not advocate is come back on tourist visa or waiver. Contact an agent and they will arrange it all for you 90 day ) then 1 year extension with none of your money in bank - circa 25k +-

Is your fiancê Thai?