Which visa option is better for a 1-year extension in Thailand: Retirement or Family Member?

May 27, 2022
2 years ago
Greg *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Greetings. I am packaging up a type O via the Thai E Visa online site. I have 2 options and would like an opinion on what is best / least hassle for applying for 1 year extension after I arrive in Thailand. The first option is over 50 retirement and the second is the visiting Thai family member (child) i qualify for both but not sure if one or the other is better when it comes time to request an extension. Thanks!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is considering options for a 1-year extension after arriving in Thailand under a NON-O visa and is unsure whether to choose the retirement option for those over 50 or the option related to being a parent of a Thai child. Comments highlight that there are different requirements for each extension type, including financial stipulations and legal considerations regarding parental rights. Specifically, the retirement extension requires maintaining 800,000 THB in a bank account for 2 months, while the family extension requires only 400,000 THB.
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.
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Tod *********
you sure you qualify for the taking care of half thai children extension? If your child was born out of wedlock you'd need to have legal parental rights granted either from family court by decree or from the local Amphur if the child is old enough.

Pick what ever one you're going to get the year extension on because if you got the 90 day Non-O based on being over 50 (retirement) you couldn't get an extension based on raising half thai children from it 😮 you have to get at least ONE extension for the reason the visa was issued.

Also keep in mind that the year extension based on being over 50 (retirement) requires you have 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you apply for the extension, the money stamps in the account for 3 months after the extension is issued and then the balance can't go below 400K baht the rest of the year

Where as an extension based on raising half thai children only requires 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only on the date you apply for the year extension
Greg *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
thanks.. Actually maybe the child won't work. We have Thai birth certificates with my name as the father on each of them but my wife and I are only legally married in the USA. Perhaps retired over 50 is safer.. And yes I took your advice from my last post and opened a Thai bank account and dropped 1mil baht in it a couple of weeks ago when I was visiting a few weeks ago.
Kevin ***********
@Greg ********
“Dropped” means you can show it was a foreign transfer?
Greg *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kevin **********
No, it was for seasoning needed for the extension process
Kevin ***********
@Greg ********
OK as long as you are getting the non O before you come to Thailand. That wasn’t clear in comments but I see it in the OP. Sorry.
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