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What should I do if I need a Thai bank account to apply for a Non-Immigrant O-X Visa but can't open one with my tourist visa?

Aug 4, 2025
20 days ago
Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone. Thank you Admin for letting me in.

Forgive this question as I'm sure it's been asked a million times but:

I am from the UK want to retire to Thailand and am in a long-term relationship with my Thai girlfriend.

I have been to Thailand 6 times over the past 2 years and now wish to spend summers in the UK and winters in Thailand.

I want to apply for a Non-Immigrant O-X Multi-Entry (5+5) Visa and qualify in all eligibility except the Thai bank account (my 3m bht is waiting to be deposited).

To get the Thai bank account I need a visa (can't open one with a tourist visa).

Catch 22!!

What do I do?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user from the UK seeks advice on how to obtain a Non-Immigrant O-X Multi-Entry Visa to retire in Thailand. They face a challenge as they cannot open a Thai bank account without holding a visa, yet the O-X visa requires funds to be in a Thai bank account. Comments suggest alternative routes including applying for a non-O visa instead, as it requires less stringent financial criteria and allows for bank account access upon arrival in Thailand. Various experiences and recommendations are shared on how to navigate the visa process and financial requirements.
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.
Michael ********
Get the O visa for now get your bank account and then following year get the OX
Stuart ***********
Definitely get the non-O visa instead of OX before travelling to Thailand, because of the reasons Brandon gave. Enter Thailand and ensure immigration stamp you in with that visa. Open a Thai bank account and deposit 800,000 baht in your first couple of weeks. Go to immigration and get their list of requirements to extend your stay for 12 months. Once your money has been in the bank for 2 months, take the documents on the list and extend for 12 months. At the same time buy a re-entry permit, so that you can exit and re-enter Thailand and your visa/extension stays valid when you leave/return. You can repeat the extension every year for 1,900 baht. It's really easy, no need for agents, extending your stay takes me about 45 minutes on average at the immigration office. Good luck.
Manfred **********
@Stuart **********
about the depositing of money... Many sources say it has to be fresh money, coming from abroad. Obviously I can't use my bank to exchange EUR as the bank rates are very low. Will a Superrich receipt be sufficient to prove the foreign origin?
Stuart ***********
@Manfred *********
I should have said, i think the confusion is that the money has to show as coming from abroad if applying for the non-O inside Thailand (not the 12 month extension).
Manfred **********
@Stuart **********
thanks for your insight, so the disadvantage of applying from abroad - health insurance requirement - is compensated by not having to bring fresh money to Thailand?
Stuart ***********
Some countries Embassies will provide an affidavit to prove income, instead of requiring the 800k deposit, and apologies i don't know if yours is one. UK, USA and Australia will not provide the affidavit.
Stuart ***********
If you get a non-O, for the second 12 month extension if you have deposited 12 monthly 65,000 baht into your Thai account, you can transition to that method instead and withdraw the 800k.
Stuart ***********
@Manfred *********
yes, I think that is the reason. I read anecdotally that the 800k was introduced because historically foreigners came to Thailand with little money, had no insurance, got ill and Thailand was left with the medical costs. Foreigners now have a choice between the non-OA visa that requires the mandatory insurance, criminal checks etc, but no need to deposit 800k in Thailand OR the non-O that requires a deposit of 800k in Thailand. They can both be applied for outside Thailand.
Stuart ***********
@Manfred *********
I would post another question to get the definitive answer from the moderators for this, but I am pretty certain as long as you get the non O before moving to Thailand, for the 12 month extension it doesn't matter where the money came from originally, it just has to be in your Thai account for 2 months.
Ingvar *******
Try first with Visa exempt, today you can stay 90 days and with a trip t/r abroad you can at least one time stay a couple of month longer. Unde this months you can try to planning your future life little more. If you are healthy and rich, Thailand can offer you much.
Kim *********
@Ingvar ******
he needs a bank account so visa exempt would be a waste of time
John ********
@Ingvar ******
Don't need to be rich to be happy & content. Health is the number one issue I reckon and there are plenty of unhealthy foreigners living in Thailand. Health is wealth so they say, so I am rich. The money thing is nothing as far as I'm concerned. ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜
Thomas ********************
That's terrible advice. Guy needs a bank account. At the moment, that's not easy to get if on an exemption (if not impossible.)
Graham ******
@Ingvar ******
The OP has his future planned "I have been to Thailand 6 times over the past 2 years and now wish to spend summers in the UK and winters in Thailand."
Ingvar *******
@Graham *****
I wrote "little more", much can change, sometimes because of the Thai authorities...
John **********
Get a 90 day Non-O visa based on being aged over 50, come to Thailand open a bank account and deposit the money and apply for the Non-OX visa inside Thailand (you'll still need the police check & insurance). Alternatively just extend the Non-O for 12 months or get the Non-OA before you travel which gives 12 months multiple entry
Ben *******
Welcome to Thailand where nothing is easy and straightforward for foreigners and you will always be made to know that you're just a farang
John ********
@Ben ******
Who cares what you are always made to feel like, if your happy & contented in the LOS., it doesn't matter, well it doesn't matter to me.
Robert ********
@Ben ******
Extremely helpful comment!
Ben *******
@Robert *******
its most certainly helpful people will get the hint that Thailand has become a headache..not the easy laid back place people made videos about from years back.
Robert ********
@Ben ******
Nope.

Helpful would be to tell exactly what to lookout for.

What you did was just garbage.
Ben *******
@Robert *******
you're entitled to your own opinion..thats the whole point..freedom not control. You obviously stand for control..monarchy.
Stephen ********
Gโ€™day Peter, I came in on a non-o 90 day visa with a single entry, once here, I went and seen Annaโ€™s visa in Hua Hin, their a one stop shop, Thai SIM card as you need this both for immigration and the bank, retirement visa, multiple re-entry, drivers licence and bank account,
Chris *******
Choose another visa, if you want ease and have the money Thai Privilege/Elite

Otherwise non OA doesn't require any money in Thailand (unless you want to extend(

Simplest, cheap, easiest, NON-O 90 DAY.
Robert ********
@Chris ******
But OA also doesnโ€™t let you open a bank account which is extremely helpful when living here long time.
Andreas *********
@Robert *******
you can get a Thai bank account opened on a Non-Imm-O visa and on a Non-Imm-O/A visa as well . . . . if you are met with incompetent bank staff, use the service of an agent
Bruce ****
Thailand has been freezing Thai Bank accounts

.Due diligence suggested
Max *************
@Bruce ***
Nonsense! You don't even know what the issue is about.
Bruce ****
I'm not a lawyer are you?
Bruce ****
It's a good idea to get ALL the facts before making blanket statements
Bruce ****
@Max ************
**********************************************************
Robert ********
@Bruce ***
Donโ€™t scare people without details!!

If you have an account under your name with a valid Thai address and a phone number under your name, your account will never be frozen.
David *******
When you apply for the none "O" visa at your Thai embassy in your home country you need to show thar you have the required amount in your own currency and has been there for a minimum of 3 months.

Once you arrive in Thailand with your "O" visa then a Thai bank will open you an account.

With your "O" visa you'll get 90 day's which you must open a bank account then you extend those 90 day's to another 12 months.

So deposit your money ASAP and you'll get 15 months on tour first visa.
Jim *******
@David ******
Do you have 800k in a Thai bank? Do you trust the bank to give you access to your money when you need it? What about interest?
David *******
@Jim ******
I have access to my account at all times. And you are correct I don't get any interest on that amount , however it's there incase of emergency and the rest is held in another country.
Adam *********
@David ******
O-X need to have the funds in Thai bank ready prior to application.
David *******
@Adam ********
why an O-X visa ? What's wrong with just a simple none "O" visa. Only requires 800,000 in a bank
Jodie *******
You can search any FB page by the magnifying ๐Ÿ” glass at the top of original page.
John *********
Itโ€™s not a Catch 22. You apply for your chosen visa in your home country. Apply online, not in person. When you arrive in Thailand, open and fund your Thai bank account.
Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John ********
You need evidence of your Thai bank account with a 3m bht that's been there for over a month!
Spencer *******
@Peter **********
the O retirement is a much simpler route
Brandon ************
These are the financial requirements for a non-OX visa directly from the London embassy website.
Brandon ************
An OX visa requires 3 million baht in a Thai bank account. The only embassy in the world that lets you use money in your home bank account is Sydney. I'm not sure where you're finding this 80,000 baht number but it has nothing to do with an OX visa. The only people who actually use this visa are from Australia.
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