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What visa options are available for moving to Thailand for a family with a 50-year-old mother, an 18-year-old brother, and a 30-year-old sibling?

Thailand VisaNon-O VisaRetirement VisaTourist VisaEducation VisaLong-term StayExpat Life in ThailandChiang MaiHua Hin
May 4, 2024
8 months ago
Jasmine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Good afternoon everyone.

My mother, brother, and I are looking to move to Thailand within the next few months. Our ages are 50, 18, and 30. We are looking at a long term lease of 1-year in a place like Hua Hin or Chiang Mai. What sort of visa would we be able to apply for? Since my mother would turn 50 soon, I don't know if she would be able to apply for the retirement visa and then have us apply for a different visa entirely.

For more context, she turns 50 in the middle of June and we were looking to be there July 1st, so now I'm thinking that we should push it back by a month or 2 so that she can possibly get her visa approved with my brother on it and then I would have to apply for just a regular 60-90 day visa and then go from there.

Also, I've been reading some of the comments and posts. If we were to book a one way flight, we would need some type of confirmation that we would be leaving the country, based on our visa type?

I'm just trying to get everything sorted out before I just start paying money for different things and it doesn't work or out or get rejected.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A family is planning to move to Thailand and is inquiring about the appropriate visa options. The mother will soon turn 50, which makes her eligible for a Non-O (retirement) visa, provided she can meet the financial requirement of having 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account or a steady income of 65,000 baht per month. The other two family members, aged 30 and 18, have limited options; they can potentially apply for tourist visas or seek education visas if they enroll in courses. There's also discussion around how to navigate initial entry into Thailand, whether through direct application for retirement visas or temporary tourist visas, and considerations for confirming exit plans when booking one-way flights.
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.
Tim *****************
I love how people first decide to move to Thailand then only afterwards consider a visa lol
8 months ago
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Etincelle **********
@Tim ****************
 and/or refuse to check the embassy site and instead turn to social media 😂
8 months ago
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Etincelle **********
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Ari **********
Ask them:

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8 months ago
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Zoe ******
Have you guys visited Thailand before? You are planning to move in the next few months but seem clueless about visas as well as long term rentals. FB groups are a great starting point to ask those questions but you most likely won't get all your visas done within a month or two to be able to live here long term. Even if you have the $$$ for the elite visas, it still takes about 3 months for approval. Same as ed visas, it takes time to get approved. Long term rentals are best done on the ground, you need to be in the city you want to live in to talk with real estate agents and visit properties if you don't want to be scammed. Long term rentals are usually for one year or more. You could come visa free for a few months with extensions to get a feel of the country before making the big decision. Thailand is not the easiest country to live in long term unless you meet certain requirements or can afford an elite visa.
8 months ago
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Nicolas ********
Guarantee this person saw a couple tiktok's how cheap it is to live in Thailand doesn't know anything about the country. Doesn't know anything about the language ,clearly doesn't know anything about the Visas ,and convinced her poor mother and teenage brother that they need to move here permanently. Harsh reality waiting for them. 🤡
8 months ago
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Bonnie *********
Have you visited Thailand? That would be a first step before impulsively moving to a country.

The levels of pollution are also something to consider.
8 months ago
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John ********
Try first 6 months in Chiang Mai and 2nd 6 months Hua Hin or PKK, a bit further south. You'll miss the Smokey Season in Chiang Mai, which is approximately February to May, give or take a few weeks.

Or even try 4 different locations at 3 months each.
8 months ago
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David **********
Sounds like you should spend some time in Thailand first seems you know very little about the place.
8 months ago
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Digna *****************
You would need to purchase no sooner than 48 hours. Best to get the tickets 24 hours.
8 months ago
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Digna *****************
For return flight out of the country, try
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8 months ago
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Jasmine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks guys this has given me a lot to think about. I did have one question though; for the Non O visa, if she used the income requirement here in the US and provided statements, can the money be in a US account? I'm reading and it's difficult to gauge whether it has to be in a Thai bank account or can start off in a US account and then when applying for the year visa, make sure you have a Thai bank account then.
8 months ago
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Andy ********
@Jasmine *****
 Im not sure its just 1lot of 800k required. Its usually 800k per visa above 50 years old. I think you are going to come unstuck quite quickly and end up trying to cobble together a visa which might be suitable for one but not the younger members and they are tightening up....
8 months ago
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Glenn *****
@Jasmine *****
 she would want to get an O-A visa in her home country. That would get her a 1 year visa and up to 2 years by leaving Thailand and returning. During that time she could do 12 monthly deposits into a Thai bank of at least ฿ 65 K for the next year and get an O visa.

The young one could be alright until age 20. The 30 yo would need creativity. You could not work. It would be difficult long term

With a considerable amount of money it can be done.

The system is designed for 50+ retirees or wealthy.
8 months ago
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Brook ********
@Glenn ****
 Don’t get a Non OA visa in your home country. Get a Non O visa.

Much better when Thai insurance is an option and not a requirement.

Also, you should visit Thailand for a year or so before committing to it as a new home.
8 months ago
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Digna *****************
@Glenn ****
 if I deposit 65K BHT in a Thai Bank, can you use that money to spend for your living expenses or do you have to leave the money there?
8 months ago
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Digna *****************
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Graham ******
@Jasmine *****
 Only for a Non-O obtained in the US before travelling, a Non-O in Thailand required 800k in a Thai bank. It has to be seasoned for the Extension of Stay.
8 months ago
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Graham ******
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Karim ***************
I would recommend Chiang Mai over Hua Hin. Your mother can get a retirement visa and your brother can be a dependent until age 20. She would either need to deposit 800k baht or have an income of 65k per month. Speak to an agent regarding this. You could do an education visa and learn Thai or, various other low attendance courses. If you don’t want to do that, you have the option to get 30 day on arrival visas and extend in country for an extra 30 days… Then border bounce. Basically, you can do it. All the best.
8 months ago
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Steve *******
@Karim **************
 It's obviously subjective but if I was going to live in the North I certainly wouldn't choose Chiang Mai, so many better places.
8 months ago
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Alistair ********
@Karim **************
 I been hanging around Thailand about 30 years know. I know that bro.
8 months ago
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Keith ************
Air pollution is a risk factor for lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Some of these may not have obvious warning symptoms so no one can say 'it doesn't affect me'.

The air quality isn't what I'd call good the rest of the year. It's average. Historical data is out there for anyone who wants to research.
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Keith ***********
 the air quality is not “average” rest of the year. Yes historical data can be researched. Join the Chiang Mai expat, Fb page. You get daily updates on air quality. And you also get pedantic senior citizen complaining about air quality, throughout the burning season. The thing is, barring the islands further south, much of Thailand is the same during burning season. It air quality in Thailand is a problem for you, move to Iceland. Nice and fresh there 👍
8 months ago
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Keith ************
@Karim **************
 ah, the old, "If you don't like it, you can move". By your logic, if you don't like my comment, you can get off the internet.

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8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Keith ***********
 what should one do if they don’t like it? Waste their days continuously complaining? The majority of the smog that affects the north, comes from Myanmar and Loas. If pristine air quality is what you require, yes, just move! Stay on Phuket where you can complain about the cost of living and the Russians 🤣 There will always be something to complain about. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your day Keith.
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
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Keith ************
@Karim **************
 Chiang Mai was the most polluted city in the world one day last week. I love the city -- I lived there for a year. But long term it's not good for your health.
8 months ago
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Robert *****
@Keith ***********
 Hua Hin is on a beach and easier to breathe the air.
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Keith ***********
 yes but, it doesn’t last long. For most of the year, air quality is great! And it’s the perfect time of year for a beach holiday, down south.
8 months ago
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Alistair ********
@Karim **************
 lasts about 4 months that's one third of the entire year!
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Alistair *******
 depends on the year. About 4 years ago, burning season was hardly even noticeable.
8 months ago
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Brook ********
@Karim **************
 How long does it last? Late February until May?

3-4 months?
8 months ago
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Julane *******
@Brook *******
 We thought end of Feb, but last year it started early Feb...really bad. Now we avoid Feb to May. After that, it's just hot. But that endurable.
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Brook *******
 It varies year by year. Generally, it’s around 1-2 months. I have seen years where it was hardly noticeable. Even in the so called bad times, it didn’t really effect me personally. Chiang Mai offers so much as a full time liveable location, that I can endure the burning season and still feel like it’s the right place to settle.
8 months ago
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Brook ********
@Karim **************
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
@Brook *******
 looks like that’s a tile one should be on the beach in Phuket. It’s apt you can see that plane.
8 months ago
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Karim ***************
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Jan ******************
If it’s not a question about money you could all apply for a thai privilege visa, but it’s not easy just to move to Thailand on a regular visa, unless you’re passed 50 years and have steady income of min $1800 USD a month and are able to put $22,200 USD in a thai bank.

I would suggest all of you to apply for a six months multiple entries tourist visa first. This gives you possibility to stay up to nine months in Thailand. Your mum can apply directly for a 90 days Non O visa when she’s in Thailand on a (multiple entries) tourist visa and your brother can come along (or switch over) as a dependent for two years.
8 months ago
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Jasmine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jan *****************
 I thought about doing the multiple entries visa but I was just afraid of them rejecting one or all and then wasting money and having to do it all over again or spending the money and just getting approved for a 60 or 90 day instead.
8 months ago
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Jan ******************
@Jasmine *****
 Ok, it’s easiest to apply for a Non O at home first if you wait until your mum has passed 50 years and your brother as a dependent. You can apply for a multiple entries visa, but you might show proof of two inbound and outbound tickets. Normally a METV is quite straightforward, and if it should be turned down they’ll just give you a single entry tourist visa instead.
8 months ago
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John **********
@Jan *****************
 I believe the only way the younger brother can be a dependent is if the mother gets a non-oa visa, I don't think the US will issue a dependent visa on the non-o visa
8 months ago
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John **********
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Jeff *********
Easy for your mother if she can deposit 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account, as for you and your brother I have no idea😊
8 months ago
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David *******
Unless you and your brother are both willing to buy an Elite visa there isn’t really any visa that suits, at least not easily. An Education Visa might be a possibility if either are willing to register for an appropriate course, but they are looked at with suspicion by Immigration due to frequent abuse. Another option is to try and get a job with a company that will sponsor you. Otherwise, you’ll need to get Tourist Visas and leave the country periodically hoping g that immigration don’t flag you.

It would be much easier for your mother to get a Non O and she can then stay permanently. This can be got in your own country if you wait until she’s 50 or can also be got inside Thailand if she enters on a Tourist Visa and is 50 when she tries to convert it. She will need
*****
0 baht in a Thai bank account to do it herself, unless she’s willing to use an agent to help. Your brother is 18 so can’t go on her visa.
8 months ago
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Graham ******
@David ******
 A "child" can be on a dependent Visa up to 20
8 months ago
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David *******
@Graham *****
 I stand corrected.
8 months ago
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David *******
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Jasmine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David ******
 I see that one of the options to qualify is if she has a monthly income of 65, 000. If she applies for the retirement visa here in the states, would that allow her to qualify and then come over. I'm also reading that since my brother is under the age of 20, he can be added to her visa as well but I don't know if that's true or not.
8 months ago
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David *******
@Jasmine *****
 The Non O from USA will give her 3 months, then she must get an annual extension which requires cash in bank for first one. You can only use income for subsequent ones. However, if she gets a Non O-A in the USA it will give her a year, but it does require health insurance, criminal check, medical form etc. You would have to wait until she was 50 so would probably need to delay the trip.

Apparently, I was wrong about your brother. I apologise I always thought it was 18 not 20.
8 months ago
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Ally ************
@Jasmine *****
 You need to check whether the income method can be used for the first non-o visa.. i could be wrong but have a feeling that you need to use the capital-in-bank method for the first one.. but can switch to the income method on renewal when the monthly income credits can be verified into a Thai Bank account.. there may be insurance requirements if applying in your home country too.. which don't apply if you are applying within Thailand.. this can be expensive since you cannot dispense with it if the initial visa is approved on that basis.. meaning upon renewal.. it's important to check these things out properly before deciding on the best course of action.. no doubt others here will clarify my thoughts in due course.. wish you and your family well with your migration journey 👍
8 months ago
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Chris *******
@Ally ***********
 the US embassy does not endorse income.

Therefore the first year will be 800k.

Second extension could be income of 65k deposited every month for a year before next application.
8 months ago
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Jan ******************
@Ally ***********
 If you apply for a 90 days Non O visa at your embassy at home before you leave, you can use your bankstatement at home to verify your income/funds.

If you apply for a 90 days Non O in Thailand you’ll need to have 800K baht in your bank in Thailand at date when you apply.

For the first year extension of stay, the 800K baht has to be seasoned for two months before you apply regardless of if you got your Non O at home or in Thailand. For your second year extension of stay you can switch to the income method by showing proof of twelve months consecutive transactions over sea of minimum 65K baht.

There’s normally no mandatory insurance for a regular 90 days Non O or extension of stay.
8 months ago
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Jan ******************
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