Answered2 years ago
What is the best visa option for a couple over 50 planning to stay in Thailand for six months each year for two years?
Hi looking for some advice please. Myself and my wife(both over 50) are coming out to Thailand in October from Uk. We are planning on staying for 6 months and 6 months back in UK then back to Thailand 6 months over a 2 year period and was wondering which visa would be best to get. Any advice would be appreciated Thanks.
Answer summary
A couple from the UK over the age of 50 is seeking advice on the best visa to obtain for their planned bi-annual stays in Thailand over the next two years. Community responses suggest considering options such as the Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV), which would allow them to stay for six months each year without requiring substantial financial commitments like the Non-O visa. Others discussed the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa and the Non-O-A retirement visa, emphasizing the need for health insurance and financial evidence. The conversation highlights various perspectives on the pros and cons of each visa option to meet their travel plans.
42 repliesnewest first
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Deniz **********
If you find a teaching job, the school can arrange everything for your visa. My school was looking for an English teacher.
Rene ********
Agent can do all hassle free
Nongnuch ********
easiest to do with a multi entry 6-months tourist visa, every other year. Gives you almost 8 months and you only need 6 months. So it is the most perfect and cheapest solution, as there is no mandatory health insurance (which you but should have!) there is no financial proof needed.
Rob *******
OPThanks for all the information/comments given me a lot to think about thank you all👌😁🌅
Rob *******
OPJust seen you can only do it twice 👍
Rob *******
OPOk brill so I wouldn't need to get a metv visa just border dash every 60 days would this be correct once 60 day excempt visa comes into play thanks
Todd *********
@Rob ******
that's correct, no need to get METV if you don't want the hassle
Jen ********
It isn't I'm effect yet, but should be late June/early July
Rob *******
OPAnother question sorry visa excempt is 30 days which I believe will extend to 60 days if so what's the criteria if I went to Vietnam for a week does the exempt visa start again when you come back or is that just 60 days excempt for the year thanks
Rob *******
OPOk thanks So in theory I could do a border dash as such every 30 days and if goes to 60 would be same as metv in a way thanks
Graham ******
@Rob ******
you are only allowed two Visa Exempt entries per calendar year at land bordersJim ********
@Rob ******
You can do it as many times as you like, up until you're denied entry, and then you have to return to the country of your passportTodd *********
@Rob ******
you would receive a new visa exemption on each returnGraham ******
@Rob ******
When you exit your entry stamp is finished and you get a new 30 day stamp when re-entering, the 60 days is not guaranteed yetRob *******
OPMETV is favourite at moment we think 🤔
Jan ******************
@Rob ******
METV is great, you’ll just apply every year, do one border bounce and two local extension to get six months in total.Jim ********
It's a no brainer. If you're only doing six months get the METV. No financial criteria.
Jan ******************
If you plan to come and go for six months over a two years period and not are comfortable with leaving 800K baht x 2 in a thai bank account for a regular Non O visa and extension of stay in Thailand, you could apply for a one year Non O-A visa. This gives you possibility for to stay for up to two years in Thailand and you apply at the embassy at home with your own bank statement.
The main requirements are the same as the regular Non O visa; -passed 50 years and a monthly income equal to 65K baht or funds equal to 800K baht, but there’s also a mandatory health insurance and health certificate requirement and a regular police check up.
The pro is that you don’t need to transfer any income or funds to a thai bank account. The con is the additional requirements.
The first year the Non O-A has multiple entries, for the second year you’ll need to buy a multiple re-entries permit.
The main requirements are the same as the regular Non O visa; -passed 50 years and a monthly income equal to 65K baht or funds equal to 800K baht, but there’s also a mandatory health insurance and health certificate requirement and a regular police check up.
The pro is that you don’t need to transfer any income or funds to a thai bank account. The con is the additional requirements.
The first year the Non O-A has multiple entries, for the second year you’ll need to buy a multiple re-entries permit.
Michael ********
IMO Either metv (multiple entry tourist visa) or OA retirement visa. If you time it right you could get two years out of your OA visa. You do need insurance from goverment approved vendor for that visa though but not a bad thing
Jim ********
@Michael *******
This is the only rational solution here! Why are others pushing the LTR or tying up 800k in a Thai bank account?Graham ******
@Jim *******
The 800k is only for a maximum of 6 months not for lifeJim ********
@Graham *****
Yeah add to that the cost of an agent to open a bank account probably 5000 baht. Jesus wept!Todd *********
The best visa.... by a wide margin, is LTR. If you don't qualify for LTR, Thai Elite is great but very expensive. If not consider annual retirement renewals, but those will come with some headaches.
Jim ********
@Todd ********
LTR for a two-year plan? Come on, the METV is the obvious choice!Todd *********
@Jim *******
if the ‘plan’ is only two years and no plan to come back to Thailand after, that’s great. Repeated METV process twice (annoying process) and the cost is 5000 each time (country depending), is not particularly any great bargain. If you do qualify for LTR and have aspirations beyond the two years, then LTR makes more and more sense. It’s a one time application and 10 years complete freedom of movement. Nobody is trying to ‘push’ LTR lol. It’s the best visa the country has. And easiest application if you qualify. If you don’t qualify… start your annual hoop jumping. You just haven’t thought it thru…Jim ********
@Todd ********
I'm responding to the OP's question. We could go on forever about "if's and buts". Fact is he wants to spend 6 months in Thailand in each year of the next two years. It's a no brainer.Rob *******
OP@Jim *******
that's what we are looking at I think🤔👌Jim ********
@Graham *****
And an METV does not require £17,000 to be put into a Thai bank account, does not require a bank account to be opened (which can cost 5000 baht through an agent - which is roughly the cost of the visa), does not require 90-day reporting, and can be pushed out to nine monthsGraham ******
@Jim *******
for six monthsJim ********
@Graham *****
Also requires 800k to be put into a Thai bank account earning shit interestGraham ******
@Jim *******
The Non-O (once), extension (annualy) and re-entry permit (annualy) is cheaper than a METV each year and does not require a border bounce to stay 6 monthsJim ********
@Rob ******
It's the obvious choice for your two-year plan. I've no idea why others are trying to push you onto the LTR visa. That's for a ten year plan, and the non-O is good if you plan to stay in Thailand for most of the year, not for six months. These guys have no idea what they're talking about
Henrik *****
You started the wrong way round.
Start by finding out, for which kind of visa you can fullfill the terms, and then you know, how long time you actualy can stay in Thailand.
Information about the different kinds of visa, can be found at the website of the Thai Embassy in London.
Start by finding out, for which kind of visa you can fullfill the terms, and then you know, how long time you actualy can stay in Thailand.
Information about the different kinds of visa, can be found at the website of the Thai Embassy in London.
Raja ********
If you're over than 50 years nothing better than retirement visa
Todd *********
@Raja *******
there sure is. LTR is much, much betterGraham ******
@Todd ********
I'll let the OP decide that based on circTodd *********
@Graham *****
me too. Simply stating a fact. And he doesn't need any visa at all to accomplish his wish listGraham ******
@Raja *******
plus 12 month extensions and a re-entry permit before leaving :)
Bob ******
Perhaps a yearly, renewable retirement visa with a multiple entry component.
Pascal ********
@Bob *****
visas are extendable, not renewable.Bob ******
...if you're >49yrs old.
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