What is the process for obtaining a retirement visa and a bank account in Thailand?

It's only after covid that creates this catch22 before covid one can open a bank acct easily with tourist visa (without agent) then apply for a retirement visa here in thailand.....

A bank account is indeed required for a retirement visa but it doesn't have to be a Thai bank account for your initial 3 month Non O visa. Then on that 3 month Non O you can open a Thai bank account, Bangkok bank wouldn't open one for me on the 3 month visa but K Bank did.

It's easy! Non O visa from home country gives you 3 months then get bank acc. Deposit 0baht then apply Retirement or whatever visa you require

Welcome/ not Welcome to Thailand.

Easy. I've got both. What's the problem?

Do more research… you will work it out.

You can use your home bank to verify deposits savings / income requirements to obtain the visa just extra steps to it

Oh no the terminology police are going to have a field day with the OP

Maybe go figure in another country - and guess what same rules apply - no resident no bank accounts - not that hard really……..

I must say ……. I just received a Visa for 12 months in one hour…. The immigration contacted a man who was waiting for me in my Thai bank. The Man had the bank register 800 000THB on my account . The Bank issued a Certificate stating the money on my account . The Bank then cancelled the transferred money. I returned to Immigration. I was asked for

15 000THB + 3 800 THB.

And my passport was stamped until October 14 2026.

I would not have suspected Immigration would/could liaise with obvious oblique procedures …….

Surprising Thailand

Interesting indeed. Even more so because a “retirement visa” doesn’t exist.

You use some arbitrary wording for two completely different things, and then you can’t figure it out.

I’d say “Duh!”

This is the way it’s supposed to work but as of late with all the banking issues it can be easier said than done

Best thing is to get the non o for 3 months in your home country and then open your bank account in the first month to get your 800k in there with 2 months + before your extension requirement. Pretty easy still

It's not hard to figure. Get non immigrant visa from embassy, enter country, open thai bank account, deposit funds, get 12 month extension. 👍

If you think about it, the visa process is very logical in that you should apply for the correct long term visa (retirement/marriage etc) before coming to Thailand. If you do that you can open a bank account and extend your stay.

If you arrive as a tourist and decide to retire here afterwards, then obviously it's going to be more difficult for you and possibly involve having to pay someone to assist you.

I think the problem is that Thailand has been very lenient in the past allowing people to open bank accounts and apply for visas, but this has been abused by criminals and they have quite rightly tightened the rules.

Re read the requirements It is a perfectly logical process which you have failed to understand

Amazing Thailand

@Sharyn **********

if in Thailand there are agents that can assist you

A visa is used to enter a country. Yes, a bank account is required. The bank account in your home country when you apply for the retirement visa through the Thai embassy there.

Then when you use that visa you purchased from the embassy showing proof of funds in your bank account back home, you can open a bank account since you entered with a non-immigrant visa. Then you use this bank account to apply for the subsequent extension.

This is the way the process is supposed to work, and the way it does work if done properly.