Good day folks. I wanted to seek some collective wisdom and guidance from this group. We are a 50+ couple who live in Europe and Dubai for most of the year but would like to add Thailand to our itinerary for 3-4 months a year. We are not seeking work in Thailand…we are retired and what little work we do is remote. Looking for a visa that helps us spend 3-4 months in Thailand with as little restrictions as possible.
I spoke to an agent who suggested Elite Access Privilege - 10 years, about 55K US$ for the two of us. An Aussie colleague mentioned the retirement visa (OA) which for NZ Passport holders is for one year. Then finally, I read there are new retiree visas being introduced by the government. Public information and my research didn’t provide a great level of clarity between these three options. Hence my reach out here to see if folks here might have thoughts and recommendations of which direction is best to pursue based on your experiences. And any pointers to agents for firms that are reliable and can help us with navigating the journey?
TLDR : Answer Summary
A retired couple seeking to spend 3-4 months in Thailand has multiple visa options to consider. The community predominantly recommends starting with a tourist visa, which provides 60 days and is extendable by an additional 30 days, totaling 90 days. Some suggestions advocate for applying for a Non-O visa, which starts with 90 days and allows for a year extension based on retirement. The Thai Elite visa, while discussed, is considered overly expensive for short stays. Many commenters caution against using agents and recommend self-managing the visa application process for straightforward options.
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.