What are the visa options for American seniors in Thailand and how can they obtain a Certificate of Entry?

@Gene *********

is a round trip ticket required if your goal is to retire in Thailand?

@Michael ********

I'm already trying to figure out how I'll get back. But it appears things are starting to change already

@Harrison ******

No think most countries are waiting and see what results are. Its all new for everyone

Harrison Huang. Not in the near future.

@Ge**

I mean a tourist visa is good for 60 days (can extend 30 more in country). The METV is good for 6 months but requires you to leave the country every 60 days. I don't believe the embassies are currently issuing them. The Non-OA is good for 1 year, but requires health insurance approved by the Thai government.

There's also the Elite visa, about $18k usd but good for 5 years and doesn't have any requirements.

Getting started with the Non Imm O-A requires only the bank account in the home country... easier. And should the Thai Border and Neighbor country borders open up - a border run will get the Non O-A visa holder the extra year with no Extension expense. Plus some people may not decide to stay year after year.

A story of two people Oscar and Andy. Obviously, everyone now requires Covid insurance to enter Thailand so I won't make that part of the story.

Oscar gets a Non-O visa in America (if that is possible for purposes of retirement) and arrives in Thailand. He opens a bank account and transfers 800,000 baht equivalent into his Thai bank account. He applies for and receives a year extension of permission to stay (for 1,900 baht). He can do the same year after year without ever needing to leave Thailand (he can if he wants to, but doesn't have to) nor does he need to ever purchase health insurance that is approved by Thai Immigration (again, he can purchase health insurance if he wants to but is not required to do so).

Andy gets a Non-OA visa in America. He must have health insurance that satisfies Thai Immigration (something Oscar did not need). He arrives in Thailand and is given permission to stay for one year. At the end of that year, he has to either apply for an extension to stay (just like Oscar, but unlike Oscar, he has to continue to purchase Thai health insurance that satisfies Thai Immigration) or he has to leave and re-enter Thailand (currently that would require a 2-week stay in quarantine). He would have to fly somewhere where there is no quarantine in effect so he could avoid a 2-week quarantine in that destination and then fly back into Thailand and undergo another 2-week stay in quarantine. After going through that process (not exactly convenient to my way of thinking) he would again have another year of permission to stay in Thailand. After that year he would either have to do exactly what Oscar did (except unlike Oscar he must still purchase Thai health insurance) and get an extension of stay by opening a Thai bank account, funding it with 800,000 baht, paying 1,900 for the extension. Or, he would have to go all the way back to the US to obtain another Non-OA visa and repeat this whole process again (of course, involving another 2-week stay in quarantine in Thailand plus any requirements for that the US might impose depending of course on there being any airlines willing to carry passengers from Thailand to the US and back. For as long as Andy wishes to stay in Thailand he will forever be required to purchase Thai health insurance (something that becomes incredibly expensive or impossible the older you get), something that Oscar will not be required to do.

I'm guessing Oscar doesn't think Andy has a more convenient way of staying in Thailand. ;-)

@Garrett **********

The advantage of the Non-O, if it can be obtained in America for purposes of retirement, is that it does not automatically come with the requirement for health insurance that accompanies the Non-OA visa. Therefore, the cost and convenience of a Non-O visa may well outweigh that of a Non-OA.