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What type of visa should I apply for to move between Thailand and England as a retired expat?

Mar 19, 2025
15 days ago
Vince *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi new to this I am planning to move to Thailand but going back to England a few times a year say 3 months in Thailand then 2 months back to England then back and forward like that. Could someone please let me know what visa I need to apply for that allows me to come and back and forth like that. I am retired and won’t be working in Thailand when I am there any advice much appreciated thanks.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
If you're planning to divide your time between Thailand and the UK, you have several visa options. The Non-Immigrant O visa (Non-O) is recommended for retirees, allowing an initial 90-day stay that can be extended by applying for a one-year extension based on retirement, which requires maintaining 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account. Alternatively, the Non-OA visa offers a one-year multiple-entry option but requires health insurance and can be more complicated. You can also consider using a multiple entry tourist visa or the new DTV visa for longer stays. Be aware that exceeding 6 months in a year may result in tax residency in Thailand.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Leigh ******
Dtv is probably the way to go. There are several ways of going about it. There is a Web site that explains everything.
Lisa *************
😡😡🤮
Lisa *************
@Vince ********
Stay home and never come back here again 😡😡
Vince *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Lisa ************
why do you say that ?
Lisa *************
@Vince ********
because I don't like you
Aaron *******
I've been doing this for a couple of years, using the e-visa, for 60 days, getting an occasional extension or trip to Cambodia, when necessary for a total of 90 days. Never had a problem, since I went back to USA, for 2- 3 months or so. Recently, I got DTV, which allows for stays of 6 months.
Ben *******
You can get a retirement multi entry visa.
Gregor **********
@Ben ******
you cannot get a 365-days multi entry Non-Imm-O Retirement visa any more, since October 2023. By the e-visa system of Thai embassies and consulates, you can only get the 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa class. . . . . . . . . . you will need to apply for the 1-year Extension of Temporary Stay based on retirement, and only for this one year stay permit you can buy a multi re-entry permit
Ben *******
@Gregor *********
... Thanks for the updated info Gregor.
Robert *********
Easy enough to do a multiple entry tourist ( multiple entry part is important )

You can stretch that into 9 months and come and go as you wish
John **********
For you, given how frequently you will return to the UK, I would recommend the Non-OA visa which is a 12 month multiple entry visa. It can only be obtained in your home country and requires insurance, police check etc. You can get almost 2 years out of it by timing a re-entry just before it expires with a new year of insurance and you will need a multiple re-entry permit for the 2nd year. It doesn't require any money in a Thai bank

Alternatively the 90 day Non-O visa followed by a 12 month extension, no insurance or police check required but it does mean you need to put 800k in a Thai bank and isn't quite as flexible as you need to be in Thailand for the extension and will need re-entry permits for both the 90 day visa and the 12 month extension
Gregor **********
@John *********
you don't need a re-entry permit for the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa. You only need a multi re-entry permit for the 1-year extended stay permit. Nothing different from the second year out of a Non-O/A visa for which you also would need a multi re-entry permit
John **********
@Gregor *********
the 90 day non-o visa is not multiple entry. If you leave Thailand on that visa without a re-entry permit and try to come back in on the same visa you will be disappointed
Gregor **********
@John *********
why would you want to leave Thailand during these 90 days, before you haven't been issued the 1-year Extension? Is there any reason to exit Thailand while you wait for the 800,000 THB to season on the bank account? Just stay poolside and enjoy your stay
Robert ********
OA: forces you to pay for health insurance - probably another than you already have.

NonO retirement would be (and was) my way: forces you to have a Thai bank account for poof of 800k or 65k monthly.

After I deregistered from Switzerland I shopped around for a good international health insurance to cover Thailand and my travels.
Michael ********
OA visa sounds good for you
John ******
Guys I'm in that same position, retired and considering country hopping around Asia. Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Isn't there another retirement visa that you don't have to put the 800K in the bank. The other one where you have to show a monthly income of $2k?
Humberto **********
@John *****
Cambodia best place to retirement, not need bank account, just pay 300 dollars to 1 year visa.
Humberto **********
Check Siem Reap city on youtube you have lots of information, will be surprised, believe me
Humberto **********
Yes you need a visa agent, yes multi entry.
John ******
@Humberto *********
do I need a Visa Agent? And with that one year visa is it a multi entry?
Graeme ******
Something to be aware of if you stay in thailand for greater than 6 months in any one year (doesn't have to be all in one visit) then you become a tax resident in thailand. As you are over 50 you could apply for a non o retirement visa that gives you 90 days in thailand which can be extended by a year and then yearly if you meet some financial requirements ( 800k baht in a thai bank account), you can apply for this on the thai embassy visa website through the London embassy before you travel. You can also cuttently get a 60 day visa exemption entry into thailand (although they are considering reducing this to 30 days) and extend this in thailand at a local immigration office for 30 days for 1900 baht, giving you 90 days. The caution with this is that over time they may not allow you to enter as you are using it too often. You can also apply for a 60 day tourist visa through the evisa online system and again extend 30 days inside of thailand. There are a number of other options but they start to require more funds or complications like the LTR visa the non oa retirement visa and the elite visa
Bob **********
@Graeme *****
please let us all know when you file a tax return here
Graeme ******
@Bob *********
31st March 2025 for end of year 2024
Bob **********
@Graeme *****
and your filling for what reason on what money ???
Graeme ******
@Bob *********
pretty complex situation as it depends on so many things, what country you are from (dual tax arrangements etc.), where your money is coming from i.e. savings prior to 2024, income like pension or rental income, everyone is different
Bob **********
@Graeme *****
correct good luck on your filing
Mark ********
@Graeme *****
I want this none o retirement visa , as when iv sold up (soon hopefully) , but need time to scout around before signing up for or buying a condo , but most of the sites iv visited say 800,000 baht in a Thai bank but to do this you need residency ie condo ? , will not except hotel till iv found or proof of rent ?, can I open a Thai bank account from uk before I get there ( uk) to do away with this ?
Alistair ********
@Mark *******
I have just completed this process yesterday. Get the visa exempt which I believe is being reduced back to 30 days in the next few weeks (apparently the Thai hotel association have persuaded the government that the 60 day exemption is leading to illegal condo renting). Use an agency to get you a 3 month OA visa and they will help you open a bank account (there is a cost of insurance paid in cash) but this will allow you to transfer the 800k baht so that it can be there a minimum of 2 months before you get the 12 month retirement extension to the
****
OA visa.

Its not cheap using an agency but it removes most of the headaches and enhances the success rate. I tried to open a bank account without the agency with a Thai speaker and no joy went back with the agency and the Thai speaker and no problems even with exactly the same documents and correct process.
Graeme ******
@Alistair *******
it's not a non oa visa inside thailand, it's a non o visa 90 days retirement visa
Alistair ********
@Graeme *****
your correct sorry for slight misinformation, it is just O
Mark ********
@Graeme *****
but if u get a 90 day visa it only gives you 30 days to find get certificate and open bank account to get visa updated ?
Graeme ******
@Mark *******
you can go to open a bank account within days of you entering thailand, deposit your money into the account and then leave the money there for 2 months then apply for extension with your paperwork. It's all doable as many have done it in the past. You can also ask and pay an agent to help.you open the bank account only ( use your own money to deposit the 800k baht otherwise you will.ha e issues getting extension in the future).
Mark ********
@Graeme *****
if I can open a Thai bank account in days of arrival ? , thought I needed proof of residency, condo ?
Graeme ******
@Mark *******
yes you will need to get yourself somewhere to stay but you could book an airbnb in the uk for a month while you look when you are there for a longer rental this gives you more time to get your bank account sorted.
Mark ********
@Graeme *****
does the bank need to see 1year rental? , or can you get away with less?
Graeme ******
@Mark *******
if you are unsure you get get an agent near where you will be staying and pay them to help just open you a bank account ( put your own money into the account not theres). Typically can cost up to
***
k baht
Mark ********
@Graeme *****
where are you ?
Graeme ******
@Mark *******
you can get away with less , you need to go into the banks because unfortunately each bank seems to have there own rules. Bangkok bank seems to be more expat friendly
Graeme ******
@Mark *******
unfortunately you won't be able to open an account from the uk. You don't need residency to get a bank account. If you stay say in an airbnb for a few months to see what you like that will give you a tm30 and you can go to immigration to get a residence certificate these will then help you with your non o visa open an account
Paul *********
@Graeme *****
can you not use a tm30 from a hotel?
Nongnuch ********
@Graeme *****
well said. That's a neat and thourough description of what he will face. LTR requires a very high income level, Elite is for those who can easily piss 25,000 GBP a goodbye, and the O/A visa comes with many near worthless obligations . . .
Gregor **********
can't really say it with certainty if you can repeat this mode by doing visa-exempt entries. It depends on the mood and discretion of the Immigration officer at the borders, how he will interpret your stamp history. I reckon the safest way would be a start out with a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, park 800,000 THB on a Thai bank account, get the "1-year Extended Stay Permit based on retirement" and buy a 3800.- Baht multi re-entry permit for it. With this "retirement extension" you are completely free of headache to exit and re-enter Thailand at any given date during the 1-year stay permit. And you can re-apply for the Extension every year. I am doing this for the recent 17 years and it hasn't ever been easier than that
Reggy ********
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