What are the steps to transition from a tourist visa to a Non-O retirement visa in Thailand?

Non-O Visa Retirement Visa Visa Process Thailand Immigration Expat Visa Bank Requirements for Visa Tourist Visa Extension

Jun 28, 2024

6 months ago

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Chris Ryman

I pulled your comments from the other post as your questions were side tracking what was being asked 

𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻) 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 (𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁).

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗜’𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 “𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀”.

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝟭 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿) 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗜 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝘁?

𝗧𝗬𝗜𝗔

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is preparing to apply for a Non-O retirement visa in Thailand starting in mid-September. They are confused about the process of applying for the initial 90-day Non-O visa and the subsequent one-year extension. The initial visa is granted for 90 days upon meeting specific criteria, and they must wait until 30 days before that expires to apply for the extension. Clarifications on bank deposit requirements and the need for a lease before application are sought.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Chris ******

posted

Tod Daniels ok. Thank you.

I’m 59. No issue there. Do I need the 800,000 baht deposit for the initial 90 day Non-O? And do you recommend I have my 1 year condo lease (BKK address) before applying for initial Non-O.

My only concern now is getting a bank account opened BEFORE applying so I can make that deposit.

Was planning to do things in this order.

1. Enter Thailand September 11 on a tourist visa (from USA). Hopefully 60 day.

2. Lease a condo before end of September.

3. Open a Thai bank account with BKK address. Deposit funds.

4. Let funds mature in bank account for 2 months.

5. Apply for Non-O retirement visa.

While all of that is happening I’ll get tourist visa extensions and/or leave the country for a few days and return.

Please let me know your thoughts.

6 months ago

Chris *******

@Tod ********

THANK YOU!

6 months ago

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Chris ******

not a problem at all, I wanted to answer your questions and give you the chance to ask more so split this out of the other post

Ask away about any of the process sir,

6 months ago

Chris *******

@Tod ********

As background, I’ve visited Thailand from north to south 6 times (2 or 3 weeks each time) over the last 10 years.

I’ve tried to do all of my due diligence. And I’m absolutely looking forward to retirement in Thailand. Will initially live in bkk and continue traveling around Thailand and other SE Asia countries! Thanks again for your input.

6 months ago

Reply to

Chris *******

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.

In Bangkok you will not need to season the funds for 2 months to apply for the initial 90 day Non-O

The funds have to be in the account on the day you apply

The 2 month seasoning comes into play when you apply for the year extension,

6 months ago

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

𝗠𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁.

Yep that can and will be the issue for you. You're just gonna hafta get after it and do the best you can.

6 months ago

Mo *******

@Tod ********

How is one supposed to open a Thai bank account BEFORE applying (initial non O)?

6 months ago

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Mo ******

you get out there and hit bank after bank until you find one that will do it

BUT

This is a visa advice group, NOT a "how can I open a bank account" one,

SO post on a group related to where you live in thailand and ask for recommendations

6 months ago

Reply to

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟴𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗯𝗮𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢?

Yes, the 800k baht needs to be in a thai bank account in your name only when you apply for the 90 day Non-O visa, and in bangkok you have to show that it comes from abroad as well

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝟭 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 (𝗕𝗞𝗞 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀) 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢.

I recommend you have at least a 6 month lease as Bangkok wants you to show you'll be in the city thru the process.

6 months ago

Reply to

Tod *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Chris ******

there is no such thing as a year Non-O visa inside the country.

You have to FIRST get a Non-O visa based on being over 50 (retirement) and that is good for only 90 days,

then you wait until you have 30 days left on that and you apply for the year extension

6 months ago

Gerald ********

@Tod ********

I've just done this as Tod has said, the lady did say to me and the wife to try and add money (100Bht) to your account weekly or 1 time a month, but I don't think this is a requirement just advice from her.

6 months ago

Reply to

Gerald ********

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