Peter Smith . .I use to spend 6 months during the European winter in Thailand. I do so since 17 years

When I turned 50, I started on a 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, I entered Thailand on an October 3rd, and parked 800,000 THB in my Thai bank account. Then I switched to the "one-year Extension of Stay Permit".

Since 17 years, it will expire on a January 4th. So around a week before Christmas, I apply for the next "1-year EOS". The application fee is 1900 THB, and one single re-entry permit for 1000 THB keeps my stay permit alive for one exit and one re-entry.

If you don't mind parking 800,000 THB on very low interest in a Thai savings account, this is the easy-peasy solution

(I actually set up a Thai Last Will, signed and stamped on the Amphur, naming my girlfriend of 16 years as the benefactor. So if I pass away, the money will benefit the person who took care of me all the time)

While I do not recommend to trust a Thai woman before you haven’t shared a few years together, this could be a road for you

@Paul ******

Once more, because people try to give advice based on what they think is a "Retirement Visa"

First of all, you DO not have to be retired to apply for this visa. You however need to be 50 years or older

Second is that all options have DIFFERENT rules, regulations and requirements.

So please read and try not to give incorrect advice by using the requirements for a different type of visa or extension of stay.

What is a retirement visa?

It is a phrase used by foreigners and Immigration and it could be 6 different types of visa or stay permits, with different rules, regulations and requirements

OR

it could even be an 1 year Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand.

It is easy to type “retirement visa”, but very difficult to understand which option the person refers to

Options are:

1. Single Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age

2. Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age (it got discontinued by October 2023 and is not available any more)

3. Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years of age without entry by conversion at local immigration office

4. Non Immigrant O-A visa (Long Stay)

5. Non Immigrant O-X visa

6. Long Term Residency (LTR) visa

7. Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age and willing to sit out the rest of their life inside Thailand (stamp from Immigration, which is not a visa)

ONLY for options 3, 5 and 7 the applicant needs a bank account in Thailand or a Certificate of Income from their Embassy.

Option 2 cannot be applied for any more, since all Thai Embassies and Consulates took it out of the E-visa program.

Option 3 is applied for by conversion of your Visa Exempt Entry or Tourist Visa at your local Immigration Office inside Thailand.

Option 6 is applied for with support of BOI Thailand

Option 7 is applied for at your local Immigration Office AFTER you used a Non-Immigrant visa.

Other options are applied for at a Thai Consulate OR for those countries who are legit, on-line.

Thanks for reading this long explanation.

I use to spend 6 months during the European winter in Thailand. When I turned 50, I started on a 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa, I entered Thailand on an October 3rd, and parked 800,000 THB in my Thai bank account. Then I switched to the "one-year Extension of Stay Permit". Since 17 years, it will expire on a January 4th. So around a week before Christmas, I apply for the next "1-year EOS". Application fee is 1900 THB, and one single re-entry permit for 1000 THB keeps my stay permit alive for one exit and one re-entry. If you don't mind parking 800,000 THB on very low interest in a Thai savings account, this is the easy-peasy solution (I actually set up a Thai Last Will, signed and stamped on the Amphoe, naming my girlfriend of 17 years as the benefactor. So if I pass away, the money will benefit the person who took care of me all the time)

@Jan *****************

yes she did

@Michael **********

the visa validity period starts on the day of issue. The SETV visa is valid for use for 90 days, for only one single entry. You need to enter within the visa validity period. When you enter, you will get stamped in with a 60-days stay permit. And the visa will become invalid on entry

@Lynnette ******

“When you enter you get stamped in for the length of permitted stay” . . . . . .

I would put it differently.

“When you enter, you will get stamped in for a certain stay permit period which depends on the visa class”

*** on a tourist visa, you will get stamped in for 60 days

*** on a 90-days Non-Imm visa class, you will get stamped in for 90 days

*** on a DTV you will get stamped in for 180 days

Etc.

@Ralph *******

You are confusing the 90-days VISA VALIDITY with the STAY PERMIT you receive when entering Thailand on this visa.

With a single entry tourist visa, the 90-days visa validity starts on the day of issue

When you enter on this visa, you will get stamped in for a stay permit of 60 days. The visa becomes invalid upon entry.

You can extend these 60-days stay permit for further 30 days on Immigration for 1900 THB

Hence is why many people think there is a 90-days tourist visa, but this is wrong.

A "visa" is used for entering a country. After the entry, you are in Thailand on a "admitted stay" and not on a "visa".

Only on multi-entry visa types, you can enter as many times as you want during the visa validity period.

Valerie Herndon You are confusing the 90-days VISA VALIDITY with the STAY PERMIT you receive when entering Thailand on this visa.

With a single entry tourist visa, the 90-days visa validity starts on the day of issue

When you enter on this visa, you will get stamped in for a stay permit of 60 days. The visa becomes invalid upon entry.

You can extend these 60-days stay permit for further 30 days on Immigration for 1900 THB

Hence is why many people think there is a 90-days tourist visa, but this is wrong.

A "visa" is used for entering a country. After the entry, you are in Thailand on a "admitted stay" and not on a "visa".

Only on multi-entry visa types, you can enter as many times as you want during the visa validity period.

@Michael **********

You are confusing readers . . . . .

A single entry tourist visa becomes INVALID for further use when you enter Thailand.

You are confusing the 3 months VISA VALIDITY with the STAY PERMIT you receive when entering Thailand on this visa.

A "visa" is used for entering a country. After the entry, you are in Thailand on a "admitted stay" and not on a "visa".

Only on multi-entry visa types, you can enter as many times as you want during the visa validity period.

@Thaimer *****

of course he will get stopped at the border when he tries to exit Thailand (!!!) and will get pulled aside, he has to pay the overstay fine (500 Baht per day) and he will receive an ungly stamp in his passport