What type of visa can I apply for as a retired expat wishing to spend 9 months in Thailand and 3 months in Belgium?

I can see two options for you. 1. If you can get the income affidavit from your Embassy (I think you can, but I could be wrong) that's the best option. Apply for the non-O retirement online at the Thai Embassy before coming to Thailand. 2. Failing that you can apply for a non O-A visa instead, it requires insurance and police checks, but means you don't need to deposit 800k in a Thai bank. When in Thailand you can open a bank account, deposit 65,000 per month and for the next year use that method instead (I think that would work, but someone correct me if not). There is the third option others have mentioned getting an agent to use their money, but that would not be a good idea at a time when banks and visas are being scrutinised. Good luck.

Go to the Thai embassy website in your home country for accurate visa information

Ik stuur je pb.

 I. Bc

the amount of ill-informed people who are not realizing that you, as a Belgian citizen, can use your income as a financial proof both for the 90-days visa AND for the 1-year Extension, , and don't need money in the bank, is astounding

. . .and to add insult to injury, somebody recommended you get those 9 months stay out of visa-exempt entries, which is absolutely irrational, as this person cannot give you any guarantee that you will succeed

(I say you WON'T succeed to make more than two visa exempt entries within a 1-year period except maybe if you don't maximize each stay with a 30 days extension and stay abroad for some time in between the entries)

@Mario ********

sadly, your thread is only 1 hour old and you have already received a heap of MISINFORMATION and wrong advice . . . . . some people just cannot get their heads above the sand and achieve the knowledge it takes to give CORRECT visa-related advice

Well, there are several roads leading to the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa and to the subsequent “1-year Extension of Temporary Stay Permit based on retirement”, which is a long-term stay permit

MIND YOUR WORDING:

In Thailand, you do not apply for the “retirement visa” on Immigration, after you have entered Thailand on a 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O “Retirement Visa” you obtained through the E-Visa online system in your home country.

When you enter Thailand on this 90-days “retirement visa”, you get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit. The “retirement visa” itself will become invalid or “used”. It cannot get “extended”. This is technically not possible. It is just wrong wording used by Thai Immigration, for whom a visa and a stay permit erroneously are the same thing.

(I am talking about the most common misunderstanding regarding the rules that come with applying for the “retirement visa” and the subsequent “one-year extension of stay permit based on retirement”. Misunderstandings happen because a “retirement visa” can mean 7 different visas and stay permits) but let’s remain on topic.

The best way is to show up in Thailand on a 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement/over 50 visa” as it will get you a 90-days stay permit stamped. Within this period you have plenty of time to arrange for the application to the “1-year extended stay permit”.

The MOST IMPORTANT fact is, that entering on this visa-type, enables you to get a Thai bank account opened. If you enter on a tourist visa or visa-exempt, you cannot get a Thai bank account opened any more easily, since February 2025.

There is NO mandatory health insurance or a police record check or a medical checkup required for this visa-type. These are the requirements only, for the application to the 365-days Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa, which is a completely different visa-type.

If you have arrived on this 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa, you can get a bank account opened on it. You will need the account in case you want to convert the 90-days stay permit to a “1-year extension of the stay permit”.

You can theoretically fly on a one-way ticket because this visa allows you to receive a long-term stay in Thailand. Some airlines might not accept this explanation and will ask you for an onward travel proof out of Thailand within these 90 days, that’s why you should communicate with them by email and see what they say

In order to apply for the “90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa” through the online E-visa system at the Royal Thai Embassy of your home country, you can

EITHER

use the proof of income of a monthly minimum of 65.000.- THB, by using your original pension or other income documentation,

OR

you can use a deposit of a minimum of 800.000.- THB or the equivalent in your home country currency, or on your home bank account, or on your Thai bank account (if you got one), or just anywhere in the World – as long as it is in your sole name

However, for the later application inside Thailand, for the “1-year extension of stay permit” out of the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, the financial proof is different.

If you are a citizen of a country whose embassy in Thailand does not issue a certified “income affidavit” any more – (these are the embassies of USA, Canada, UK, Norway and Australia) you would need a “12 months bank statement”, showing that for the past 12 months, you have been transferring from abroad to your Thai bank account a minimum of 65,000 THB, consecutively month for month.

If your embassy still issues a certified affidavit of income, you can use this method for the financial proof, which needs a monthly income or pension of a minimum of 65,000 THB

For British, Australian and U.S. citizens, in the first year there is no other way around, than depositing a minimum of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account, and use this deposit for the financial proof which is required for the application to the “1-year extension of stay permit based on being over 50/retired”, at least in the first year

The alternative would be, if you don’t have that kind of money or are not willing to deposit in a Thai Bank account is, paying an agent to “arrange” the requirements, which I, however, do not recommend

As soon as you have accumulated the 12 consecutive months of 65,000 THB transfers, month for month, you can apply for the next 1-year extension of the stay permit, using the 12- months bank statement, in the second year. After being issued the next extension, you can theoretically take the 800,000 THB out of your bank account.

This application to a 1-Year Extension costs a 1900 THB fee and you can theoretically do it all by yourself, or accept the help of an agent for the simplified legal service.

NOTE: It is income OR deposit.

However, there is a third method, called the “combination method”: A combination mix of income and deposit.

Some immigrations don’t allow the combination method in the first year.

And some Immigrations want the deposit part to exceed a minimum of 400,000 THB.

The combination method means that the sum of the deposit AND the monthly income exceeds 800,000 THB in one year.

But let’s continue with the “normal method” (visa issued in your home country, followed by the application to the 1-year Extension inside Thailand):

On the day of application to the 1-year extension, the 800,000 THB need to have “seasoned” in your account for two months, and this has to be proven with the “bank letter of guarantee” (rab roong thanakan).

After been issued the “1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement”, the 800K need to remain in the account for 3 more months. After these 3 months, the deposit shall never go under 400,000 THB. And before the application for the next “1-year Extension of Stay”, a minimum of 800,000 THB must have seasoned in the account for two months, again.

On the day you get issued the “1-year extension of stay permit”, you should buy a re-entry permit for it.

A re-entry permit will keep your stay permit alive and valid in case you exit Thailand before the expiry of the 1-year stay permit.

A single re-entry permit is 1000 THB on Immigration. A multi re-entry is 3800 THB. With a multi re-entry permit, you can exit and re-enter as many times as you wish during the whole 1-year stay permit period.

Good Luck and a great time in Thailand

Apply non-o based on retirement before you travel give you 90 stay, then when you arrived start open bank and deposit the 800k then walk down to immigration ask for the list for 1 year extension, get that. Before you travel out get a reentry permit and when you return back to Thailand asks again immigration for the list and repeat

I would apply for a Non O in your country. Then when here use an agent for your 1 year extension, (a lot will put the money in and immediately withdraw it to get you visa). I used Manareet in soi post office and they are very good. Open a bank account ASAP and start depositing your money each month and next year you can do yourself using that monthly criteria.

contacteer J&E concierge in pattaya. Ik heb hen steeds gebruikt en ze kunnen alles regelen. je kan best ook je bankstaten Voor echt laten verklaren, dat helpt ook veel.