Which is more beneficial for a retirement visa in Thailand, the O visa or the O-A visa?

Mar 31, 2023
2 years ago
Kevin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
For a retirement visa, what one is most beneficial, O or O-A visa?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around the benefits and requirements of two types of retirement visas available in Thailand for individuals over 50: the Non O (O) visa and the Non OA (O-A) visa. The Non OA visa requires health insurance and financial proof from abroad but allows for multiple entries and a potential two-year stay, while the Non O visa does not require health insurance and has more flexible financial requirements, making it preferable for some, especially older applicants.
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Bob **********
O
Gary ********
can tou advise best insurance. 69 years old
Ken ********
O doesn't have the same insurance requirements
Stuart *********
There are four types of “retirement” visas. A “retirement” visa basically means you can apply once you’re over 50 years old.

There’s the wealthy individual LTR option (I’ll cover those in another post) and skipping the OX as it’s very rare (but can be obtained). You have the Non OA visa or the Non O based on being over 50.

The OA requires no funds in Thailand but does require funds at home and health insurance at the time of applying for the visa and for entry into Thailand. It also requires a police background check. It’s a multiple entry visa valid for a year. On each and every entry you’re stamped in for a full year (providing you have insurance for that long). If you time things right you can eek out almost two years from that visa, providing you have the required insurance. Bounce out and in just before it expires and you get a second year - albeit the second year will need re-entry permits if you leave.

The Non O visa can be obtained abroad or in Thailand. Some embassies or consulates using the evisa system require insurance for the issuing of the visa, although none is required for entry, nor subsequent extensions off of it.

You get 90 days off that visa. To obtain the visa abroad you’ll need funds in a local bank. To obtain a year extension off of it you’ll need funds in a Thai bank account in your name only - or if your embassy issues an affidavit of income you can use that instead. UK, US or Australia embassies won’t issue those.

To obtain the visa in country you’ll need 800k transferred from abroad. You need 21 days left on a current stamp to apply (some offices allow 15).

To get a year extension off of a Non O using funds in a Thai bank there are two options. The first is 800k deposited for 2 months prior to application. That has to stay in for three months after and the balance may not go down below 400k for the remainder of the year. It would need to be back up to 800k prior to your next years application.

The second option is to have 12 x monthly international transfers of 65,000 baht or more in to your bank. Once in the bank you can spend the funds at will and there is no minimum balance required.

Some offices may allow a combination of the two methods, but you’d need to check with your office whether they will allow and under what conditions.

For many the OA is an ideal visa for not requiring funds in Thailand. For others the Non O is a better option for not requiring medical insurance - which can be difficult and expensive to obtain if you’re approaching or over 70.
Kool *******
@Stuart ********
you might add that if you extend the Type OA retirement visa inside Thailand then you do need at least bt800,000 in a Thai bank in your name only, and it must have been directly transferred in from an overseas source. You can not get an OA retirement visa inside Thailand, but after you have it you can extend it inside Thailand, with the same insurance requirement.
Donna *******
@Stuart ********
Hi, sorry me again.

Reading above- if I go back to Australia to apply for OA visa (Australian 50+) and my husband applies for O Dependent visa (Australian under 50) does he need to leave Thailand every 90days? Was just reading info on Sydney Thai embassy page and that's how I read it.

How would that work if I have one year visa?

Thanks
Stuart *********
@Donna ******
the OA will let your husband in for a year. The Non O will give you 90 days. When that’s nearly up the you go to immigration in country and apply for an extension of stay based on your husband’s long term visa. They will stamp you in until your husbands date stamp then.
Michael *******
@Stuart ********
very informative post. Best yet. Does your pension income count ? I really don’t want put the 800 k in bank. Thanks stuart.
Stuart *********
@Michael ******
Depends on your passport country. If your embassy issues an income affidavit then you use that instead of 800k or 65k per month overseas transfers.

If not then you’ll need to move money over.

If you’re from the US, UK or Australian then the affidavit option is not available. Perhaps some others too.
Michael *******
@Stuart ********
thanks stuart
Michael *******
Dan ********
@Stuart ********
Once you meet the 800,000 baht requirements and qualify for the year extension on the non O visa can you get a multi entry option?
Stuart *********
@Dan *******
sure. It’s called a re-entry permit. 1,000 baht for a single entry. 3,800 for multiple.
Dan ********
@Stuart ********
Excellent,3,800 on top..good value,thanks for the info.
Stephen ********
@Stuart ********
that’s the most simple explanation of visas I have seen, thank you Stuart. Just a quick question do you only need insurance at the time of application for OA visa for the first time or at each time you renew your visa.
Stuart *********
@Stephen *******
with the OA you need insurance for the initial visa plus every instance of extending it. Great if you don’t want to transfer funds to a Thai bank, but sucks if you’re approaching 70 or more and need insurance
Stephen ********
@Stuart ********
Thanks Stuart, is there no requirement to have medical insurance on a Non o visa ?
Stuart *********
@Stephen *******
Nope. US embassies have been known to ask for such on application but there is no requirement to have it on entry nor extension.
Stephen ********
@Stuart ********
thanks very much, that has been really helpful
Kevin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart ********
thx for the explanation Stuart. I think O-A seems the better option for me
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