Get in Touch with Siamese Visa Service:

[email protected] / [email protected] / +66 84-658-6864 / +66 89-787-7890

RETIREMENT IN THAILAND AND THAILAND RETIREMENT VISA

Nowadays, there are many best places around the world to suit in retiring. One of those countries is Thailand. In this country, you can live comfortably with your Savings, Pension or Social Security income.

There are Three Main Factors why Thailand is the appropriate place for retirees to live here:

Personal Income Tax Exemption for retirees who limitedly have incomes or even for unemployed person.
Low cost of living in Thailand when comparing to other countries in the world, especially Western zone. For example, you can live happily here with your monthly budget around 1,000 USD/800 GBP/900 EUR/1,300 AUD.
Way of life and weather conditions, enjoy with the urban life (living in towns and cities) or the rural life and simplicity (in northern, northeastern, southern zone) including weather atmosphere (not too cold and all-year-round sunshine).

If the above factors are your answers, you can start to Retire Here (The Land of Smiles, Thailand).

Qualifications of an applicant and Requirements for a Thailand Retirement Visa.

A foreign national whose age is over 50 years or above
Must be able to present the financial evidence between:

Not being prohibited from entering the Kingdom under the Immigration Act B.E.2522 (A.D.1979)
No criminal record of the Kingdom of Thailand, the country of national and country of permanent residence as well. (will only be needed for the O-A Visa.)
Holding the nationality or permanent residence of the country of application
No medical record of contagious disease. (will only be needed for the O-A Visa)
Medical Insurance 100,000 USD (3 million Baht) required for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa application or Retirement Visa (based on the O-A Visa).
No permission of working in Thailand.

CHANNELS TO SUBMIT THE RETIREMENT VISA APPLICATION

Channel 1. Applicants can submit their applications at the Thai Embassy/Royal Thai Consulate in their countries. If they choose this channel, they must also show the following documents along with the financial evidence to process the Retirement Visa in their countries:

1.1 Criminal Record from own country and country of permanent residence with validity of at least 3 months.

1.2 Medical Record proving applicant has never been infected with contagious disease with validity at least 3 months (in accordance with Immigration Act B.E.2522)

Note: Documents as stated above must be certified by Notary Public or from the competent authority concerned of the country of application. For the Criminal Record must be certified by the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok as well. And in case wishing to be accompanied by spouse, the marriage certificate will be attached. But spouse will be granted Non-Immigrant “O” instead of “O-A” (Long Stay).

1.3 Medical Insurance which the minimum coverage of 100,000 USD (3 million Baht) and it includes the treatement of Covid-19. This policy will be forced since 1 October 2022 onwards.

If you think that the Channel 1 is too complicated for you, you may choose the following channel.

Channel 2. Applicants can submit the visa applications while they are in Thailand at: The Office of the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok (Head Office) or branch offices which locate in the northern, southern and eastern part of Thailand.

Plus, to process the Retirement Visa in this channel, applicants Will Not Need To present the criminal record, the medical certificate and any medical insurances to the immigration office, except the financial evidence (Saving money in Thai Bank Account of at least 800,000 BHT OR Pension/Monthly Income 65,000 BHT).

We can also assist you with the Non-O + Retirement Visa Application through one of the following options as indicated. We usually help our clients to proceed with the Retirement Visa Application/Extension through our officers at the Thai immigration HQ where we can get everything completed within 2-3 working days (at the first time of the application) and within one working day (at the time of the visa extension/renewal.) With this channel through our services, you Will Not Have To wait for the 30 day approval and Will Not Be Interrupted during your stays in Thailand.

Get in Touch with Siamese Visa Service:

[email protected] / [email protected] / +66 84-658-6864 / +66 89-787-7890

VARIOUS OPTIONS/PLANS FOR PROCEEDING YOUR RETIREMENT VISA

There are 6 PLANS/OPTIONS as follows:

THE 1st PLAN/OPTION, If you are living in USA or United Kingdom or Australia:

We will initially help you to receive a Non-Immigrant Visa in your country. This visa permits you to stay in Thailand for about 90 days. After that, when it nearly expires, we will assist you to extend the Non-Immigrant Visa to the Retirement Visa at Thai immigration office whilst in Thailand.

We will also help you to arrange all required documents to send to a Thai embassy/consulate, including at the Thai immigration office. You just have to proceed as our advice.

In order to process the Non-Immigrant visa, we recommend you to prepare following basic items at the time of visa application:

Your passport remaining at least 12 months before it expires,
Two passport photos
A copy of airline ticket/e-flight ticket/itinerary (will be requested in some case.)
A copy of your bank statement of the last 6 month

These documents will be used for proceeding the Non-Immigrant Visa together with our supporting documents.

The next step, once you have stayed in Thailand with such visa until one month left before expiration. Just let us know, then we will help you to collect your appropriate financial document from your embassy/bank in Thailand before accompanying you to the Thai immigration office in order to extend to the Retirement Visa. This step of the process can be completed within 1 working day.

Moreover, during your staying in Thailand, we will also pay attention your case closely to check that you are qualified and be ready prior to extending your visa at the immigration bureau or not.

With all above procedures, you will be allowed to stay in Thailand total around 1 year and 3 months under the First Type/Option.

THE 2nd PLAN/OPTION, If you are inside European continent and planning to stay in Thailand for a long term, we can also assist you to reside in Kingdom of Thailand total about 1 year and 3 months or 6 months or 2 years (depending on your nationality) within our one service.

The process are similar to the first option, we will initially help you to obtain a Non-Immigrant Visa for 90 days/180 days/1 year from the most appropriate Thai embassy/consulate in Europe. Then we will help you to extend to the Retirement Visa at an Immigration Office after your non-immigrant visa remains one month before it expires.

To apply for the Non-Immigrant Visa, the following basic documents will be required at the time of visa application:

Your passport remaining at least 12 months before it expires,
Two passport photos
A copy of airline ticket/e-flight ticket/itinerary (will be requested in some case.)
Proof of sufficient income or Saving funds in an account (will be requested in some case.)

Once you have received the visa and stayed in Thailand until one month left before expiration. Just let us know, then we will help you to collect your appropriate financial document from your embassy/bank in Thailand before accompanying you to the Thai immigration office in order to extend to the Retirement Visa. This step of the process can be completed within 1 working day.

In addition, during your staying in Thailand, we will also pay attention your case closely to check that you are qualified and be ready prior to extending your visa at the immigration bureau or not.

With all above steps, you will be allowed to stay in Thailand total around 1 year and 3 months or 6 months or 2 years under our service (depending on your nationality).

THE 3rd PLAN/OPTION, if you are not residing in USA, UK, Australia or Europe but you are a citizen or permanent resident in other countries such as: in Asia, Africa, including Pacific islands. You could also have a rights in getting the Long Stay Retirement Visa like The First and Second Options.

Of course, the process and basic required documentations resemble The Second TYPE/Option. Anyway, you can check with us again as case by case because each embassy/consulate requires paperwork differently (depending on your nationality).

THE 4th PLAN/OPTION (*RECOMMENDED), if you are in Thailand now with a Non-Immigrant Visa and looking for a way to extend to a Retirement Visa. Please make sure that you are holding a non-immigrant B/ED/M/RS/O/O-A visa. If you are holding a type of the mentioned visas, next, we will check that whether you could show a proper financial evidence in order to convert/extend your visa.

As you may know, you need to be able to show a financial evidence between:

- Pension of at least 65,000 THB OR
- Saving moneys in a Thai bank account at least 800,000 THB and it must be continually deposited for 2 months (at the first time of visa application) and 3 months (at the next time of renewing your visa). OR
- Pension x 12 months + Saving moneys totaling not less than 800,000 THB
- (If you are an American/British/Australian passport holder and your embassy is no longer do the income/pension verification and you would like to show the monthly income/pension (above 65,xxx THB per month). It is still possible but (US/UK/Australian) applicants have to keep transferring the income/pension into their own Thai bank accounts every single month. Thai immigration will want to prove the last 12 month credit advice provided by your Thai bank.)

Note: Thai medical insurance is only needed in the case of holding the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa or extending the retirement visa based on the O-A Visa. For other visa types, applicants do not have to show the Thai medical insurance.

The 5th PLAN/OPTION (*RECOMMENDED), If you are not holding a Non-Immigrant Visa but you entered Thailand with a 45 Day Visa Exemption or Single Entry/Multiple Entry Tourist Visa/APEC Visa.

We can also help you to change from the visa exemption/tourist visa/APEC visa into a Non-Immigrant Visa and extend to the Retirement Visa at the Thai Immigration Office.

In order to proceed the Non-Immigrant Visa + the Retirement Visa via this option, please arrange following basic documents:

Your passport remaining 12 months before expiration
Four passport photos
Proper financial documents between:

- Pension of at least 65,000 THB OR
- Saving moneys in a Thai bank account at least 800,000 THB and it must be continually deposited for 2 months (for the first time) and 3 months (for the next time).OR
- Pension x 12 months + Saving moneys totaling not less than 800,000 THB
- (If you are an American/British/Australian passport holder and your embassy is no longer do the income/pension verification and you would like to show the monthly income/pension (above 65,xxx THB per month). It is still possible but (US/UK/Australian) applicants have to keep transferring the income/pension into their own Thai bank accounts every single month. Thai immigration will want to prove the last 12 month credit advice provided by your Thai bank.)

Note: Thai medical insurance is not needed in any case through the Fifth Type/Option.

THE 6th PLAN/OPTION (*RECOMMENDED), If you are neither unable to meet with financial requirements nor the Thai medical insurance, you can contact us directly to get more details about this option. We can also support you in this situation.

Once you can select one type/option from all of above mentioned 6 TYPES/OPTIONS for proceeding your Thailand Retirement Visa OR if you are facing other issues involving with a Pensioner/Retiree Visa in your country/inside Thailand, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are welcome to help you in every circumstances.

Write to / Chat with Siamese Visa Service:

[email protected] / [email protected] / +66 84-658-6864 / +66 89-787-7890

Special Note: For the Non-Immigrant O-X Visa Application, let's check together in case by case. Please make sure that you have maintained the required balance of 3 Million Baht in your Thai account within the last one year.

HERE'S THE LATEST INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. YOU CAN FIND THE LATEST INFORMATION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SITES:

https://tp.consular.go.th/

https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/content/thailand-pass-faqs-2

https://ddc.moph.go.th/idcp/

NOTIFICATION OF STAYING LONGER THAN 90 DAYS IN THAILAND

For foreigners who are holding One Year Retirement/Marriage/Business/Education Visas etc.. issued by the Thai Immigration, they have to report their stays every 90 days period. If they are staying in the kingdom over 90 days without notifying the Immigration Office or notifying later than the set period, a fine of 2,000 THB will be collected and If a foreigner who did not make the notification of staying over 90 days is arrested, they will be fined 5,000 THB.

But in case a foreigner leaves the country prior to 90 days and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case.

A foreigner can usually notify his/her stay through:

The foreigner makes the notification in person.
The foreigner authorises another person to make the notification.
The foreigner makes the notification by registered mail.
The notification must be made within 15 days before or after 7 days the period of 90 days expires.
The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days.

If you are in this situation, you should have to prepare your Passport, a Departure Card (TM 6 Card), Previous Notifications (if any) together with a Notification Form for the 90 Days Report.