You can always arrive on visa exemption as a French passport holder.

Thailand issues IDP for 10 and 20 years. Much easier.

@Ursula ********

, yes, every time you are asking for an extension, you will have to have the 800k THB for 3 months before application, and also prove the 400k THB for all other months.

@Ursula ********

, yes and no. For retirement, you will need EITHER 65k THB each month (not average but each month) OR 800k for 3 months before application and 400k THB the rest of the year. A combination might be acceptable at many/most immigrations.

Probably only your passport and 1900 THB.

Philip Houghton, the reason why most embassies are not - any longer - ready to issue affidavits is that the Thai government changed the policy to ask the embassy to "guarantee" the income as stated by the affidavit in Thai bath. For several reasons, most embassies immediately stopped issuing affidavits. But there is still a way out in most cases as long as you are not asking the embassy to guarantee anything, but just asking them to confirm the authenticity of your income documentation and asking the immigration to do the money exchange calculation. You will need to ask your immigration also for being ready for that.

@Philip *********

, you misunderstand completely what I am saying. I am talking about the countries that are not ready to issue affidavits. In most such cases, it will still be possible to do the income method as explained.

@Philip *********

, it will be possible to use the income method from most countries even your embassy is not issuing an affidavit. The case is exactly the word "verification", which most will not provide. But most will legalize documents from your source(s) of income, which most immigrations will accept as proof of income.

@Harry *******

, I agree with you especially for a retirement visa.

@Nick ***********

, it is not exactly legal to use agents to "circumvent" the rules.