Thailand Retirement Visa: Non-O, O-A and O-X Compared

Most retirees enter on a Non-O and extend for a year, which asks for THB 800,000 in a Thai bank. The O-A is the embassy route, and the O-X is a 10-year option that asks for THB 3 million. All three start at age 50.

Most retirees enter on a Non-O visa and extend it in Thailand, and the usual hurdle is THB 800,000 in a Thai bank. If you would rather have the visa before you fly, the O-A comes from an embassy, and the O-X is a 10-year option for certain nationalities. All three start at age 50.

For the wider picture of retiring here, see the Thailand retirement guide.

Non-O, then a one-year extension

You enter on a Non-O that gives 90 days, then extend once you are here. A one-year extension is at the officer’s discretion if you meet the requirements, and permission never runs longer than 1 year at a time.

Pick one money route. The first is THB 800,000 in a Thai bank. The second is income of at least THB 65,000 a month. The third is income plus a Thai deposit that together reach THB 800,000.

On the deposit route the money has to sit in the account at least 2 months before you file, and stay there at least 3 months after permission is granted. After that you can withdraw down to THB 400,000.

File at the immigration office covering where you live, with the TM.7 form and a copy of your passport. On the deposit route, add a bank certificate of deposit. The extension fee is THB 1,900.

O-A: the embassy route

The O-A lets you stay 1 year. You show a bank statement of at least THB 800,000, or a pension of THB 65,000 a month. You also need health insurance of at least USD 100,000, and the cover has to last for your whole stay.

Work of any kind is prohibited, and you report your stay to immigration every 90 days.

O-X: the 10-year route

The O-X lets you stay up to 10 years with multiple entries. It is granted for 5 years from first entry and can be extended for 5 more.

It is open to nationals of Australia, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom.

For money, you deposit THB 3 million in a Thai bank. The alternative is THB 1.8 million in a Thai bank, plus income of THB 1.2 million a year. Insurance is Thai health cover with outpatient benefit of at least THB 40,000 and inpatient benefit of at least THB 400,000.

Keep the money where it should be, because the permit may be revoked if the account holds less than THB 3 million at the end of the first year. You report in person every year for a check of your documents. Employment of any kind is prohibited, though volunteer work on the Department of Employment list is allowed.

If you rent a place for a few months

Telling immigration where you live is a duty that sits with the house-master, owner, possessor or hotel manager. When it is done in person, the officer hands back a receipt once the procedure is complete.

The 90-day report can be done online. In person, the form is the TM.47, and you sign it yourself, not another person. If you send it by registered mail instead, expect the documents to come back in about 30 days, so do not leave it to the last week.

Rules for every retiree

Report your address to immigration every 90 days. A late report is made in person, with a THB 2,000 fine.

Leaving without a re-entry permit cancels your permitted stay. A single permit costs THB 1,000, and a multiple one THB 3,800.

For a 10-year route based on pension income, see the Wealthy Pensioner category in the LTR visa guide. For a short stay with remote work, see the DTV guide.

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Not confirmed: The exact insurance sum your embassy asks for on the O-A: older embassy pages still show a different split. Check the page of the post where you apply before you buy a policy.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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