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Thailand Visa Specialists
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The Land of Smiles

Retirement in Thailand & the Thai Retirement Visa

Live comfortably on your savings, pension or social-security income — with six flexible plans (including a no-funds option) to match your situation, age 50 and over.

Why Thailand

A comfortable retirement, on your terms

Nowadays, there are many of the best places around the world to suit retiring. One of those countries is Thailand. Here 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:

  1. Retirees who have limited income — or even for an unemployed person.
  2. Low cost of living in Thailand when compared to other countries in the world, especially the Western zone. For example, you can live happily here with a monthly budget of around 1,500 USD / 1,000 GBP / 1,000 EUR / 1,800 AUD.
  3. Way of life and weather conditions — enjoy the urban life (living in towns and cities) or the rural life and simplicity (in the northern, northeastern and southern zones), including the weather atmosphere (not too cold and all-year-round sunshine).

If the above factors match your answers, you can start to retire here in the Land of Smiles, Thailand. ~1,500 USD / month is enough to live comfortably for many retirees.

A saffron-robed Thai monk walking past a golden temple at dawn — the calm, spiritual side of life retirees enjoy in ThailandThe Land of Smiles
A gentler pace of life

Slow mornings, warm welcomes

From quiet temple grounds to bustling fresh markets, daily life in Thailand is calm, affordable and welcoming — exactly the unhurried rhythm so many retirees are looking for when they settle in the Kingdom.

Eligibility

Qualifications & requirements

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

  1. A foreign national whose age is over 50 years or above.
  2. Must be able to present financial evidence between one of the following three options:
    • Thailand bank account showing THB 800,000; OR
    • Pension / monthly income of at least THB 65,000; OR
    • Pension / monthly income × 12 months + saving funds, totalling not less than 800,000 THB.

* If you are an American / British / Australian passport holder and your embassy no longer does 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 months' credit advice provided by your Thai bank.

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

** Update: The Thai Government and the Thai immigration authorities will anyway be reducing the policy coverage to 400,000 Thai Baht soon for the Non-OA Visa holder.

How to proceed

Various options / plans for your Retirement Visa

There are 6 plans / options for proceeding with your Retirement Visa. Plans 1–3 depend on where you are applying from; Plans 4, 5 and 6 are our recommended routes when you are entering or already in Thailand.

1st Plan — USA / Canada / UK

If you are living in the USA, Canada or United Kingdom and wish to apply directly for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa in your home country.

  • Biodata page of passport / travel document (valid within 18 months from travel date).
  • Photograph taken within the last six months.
  • Proof of permanent residence or document indicating current location.
  • Financial evidence: monthly income ≥ 65,000 THB (≈ 2,500 USD / 2,600 CAD / 1,500 GBP) or balance of 800,000 THB (≈ 30,000 USD / 32,000 CAD / 18,000 GBP).
  • Medical certificate (no prohibitive diseases, Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535, valid ≤ 3 months).
  • Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission, completed, signed and stamped by the insurer.
  • Health Insurance (Thai or foreign insurer) of ≥ 100,000 USD / 3,000,000 THB per policy year.
  • Certificate of criminal record clearance from the country of application.

2nd Plan — EU / Schengen / EEA / EFTA

If you are residing in the EU, Schengen, EEA or EFTA zone and wish to apply directly for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa in your home country.

  • Biodata page of passport / travel document (valid within 18 months from travel date).
  • Photograph taken within the last six months.
  • Proof of permanent residence or document indicating current location.
  • Financial evidence: monthly income ≥ 65,000 THB (≈ 1,700 EURO) or balance of 800,000 THB (≈ 22,000 EURO).
  • Medical certificate (no prohibitive diseases, Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535, valid ≤ 3 months).
  • Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission, completed, signed and stamped by the insurer.
  • Health Insurance (Thai or foreign insurer) of ≥ 100,000 USD / 3,000,000 THB per policy year.
  • Certificate of criminal record clearance from the country of application.

3rd Plan — Australia / NZ / Oceania / Asia

If you are staying in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania or Asia and wish to apply directly for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa in your home country.

  • Biodata page of passport / travel document (valid within 18 months from travel date).
  • Photograph taken within the last six months.
  • Proof of permanent residence or document indicating current location.
  • Financial evidence: monthly income ≥ 65,000 THB (≈ 2,800 AUD / 3,100 NZD / 2,500 USD) or balance of 800,000 THB (≈ 35,000 AUD / 38,000 NZD / 30,000 USD).
  • Medical certificate (no prohibitive diseases, Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535, valid ≤ 3 months).
  • Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission, completed, signed and stamped by the insurer.
  • Health Insurance (Thai or foreign insurer) of ≥ 100,000 USD / 3,000,000 THB per policy year.
  • Certificate of criminal record clearance from the country of application.

* Plans 1–3 alternative: You can also initiate with a Non-Immigrant O Visa (pensioner aged 50 or above with state pension) via the Thai E-Visa System. This visa is valid for 90 days and can be extended to the Retirement Visa inside Thailand. The financing needs are a monthly income of no less than 65,000 THB or a current balance of 800,000 THB (e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings).

** Update: The Thai Government and Thai immigration authorities will anyway be reducing the policy coverage to 400,000 Thai Baht soon for the Non-OA Visa holder. If you think these conditions are complicated, you can skip to the 5th plan/option or the 6th plan/option.

Recommended route

The 4th Plan — already in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant Visa

If you are in Thailand now with a Non-Immigrant Visa and looking to change to a Retirement Visa. Please make sure that you are holding a Non-Immigrant B / ED / M / RS / O / O-A visa. Next, we will check whether you can comply with the financial requirements.

Recommended

Financing requirements

  • Pension of at least 65,000 THB (only works if your embassy in Thailand still provides the income verification service); OR
  • The required balance of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account; OR
  • Pension × 12 months + saving monies totalling not less than 800,000 THB (only works if your embassy still provides income verification).

How we help

  • US / UK / Australian alternative: if your embassy no longer verifies income, you can still show monthly income (above 65,xxx THB/month) by transferring it into your Thai bank every month — immigration checks the last 12-month credit advice.
  • Fast-track before 45 days: need to renew/extend your Non-O or Retirement Visa before 45 days for an emergency? We can help via the fast-track process through our officers at the Thai immigration HQ.
  • Change of visa type / status: holding a working/business, Thai family (wife/husband/child), media or official visa? We can convert your stay to the Retirement category via a backup plan — after the official cancellation of the Non-B / Non-O (Family) / Non-M / Non-F visa, we convert without leaving Thailand.

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.

Recommended route

The 5th Plan — entering / in Thailand on visa exemption or tourist visa

If you are entering or currently in Thailand on a 60-day Visa Exemption, a 30-day Extension, a Single/Multiple Entry Tourist Visa or an APEC Visa. We can help you 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.

Recommended

Basic requirements

  • Your passport remaining 12 months before expiration.
  • Current permission (60-day exemption / 30-day extension / Single–Multiple Entry Tourist Visa / APEC Visa) must have not less than 15 days remaining at the time of converting to the Non-Immigrant Visa. (We usually proceed the Non-O + Retirement Visa within the first/second week upon arrival.)
  • Four passport photos.

Financing needs

  • Pension of at least 65,000 THB (only works if your embassy still provides income verification); OR
  • The required balance of 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account; OR
  • Pension × 12 months + saving monies totalling not less than 800,000 THB (only works if your embassy still provides income verification).

* If you are an American / British / Australian passport holder and your embassy no longer does income/pension verification, you can still show monthly income/pension (above 65,xxx THB/month) (when renewing your retirement visa) — but you must keep transferring it into your Thai bank account every single month. Thai immigration will want to prove the last 12 months' credit advice provided by your Thai bank.

** If you don't have a Thai bank account, we can also help you set one up while you are in Bangkok.

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

Recommended route

The 6th Plan — Thai Retirement Visa, No Funds

If you are neither able to meet the 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.

Recommended

Items needed

If any applicant is inconvenienced or unable to meet the financial requirements, here are the items needed:

  • Your actual passport.
  • Three passport photos with white background at the first time of application, OR Two passport photos for the visa renewal.
  • Your Thai bank account with the mobile banking app registered on your smartphone/tablet and the Thai phone number (let us know which Thai bank you hold the account with).

** If you don't have a Thai bank account, you can contact us to get assistance in setting one up.

Opening a bank account in Thailand

Generally, only the following visa holders are allowed to open Thai bank accounts:

  • Non-B, Non-IM, Non-IB, Non-O, Non-OA, Non-ED, Non-R, Non-RS, Non-F (Official), Diplomatic, Expert, Elite, Non-OX or LTR Visa holder.

For the 60-day Visa Exemption or the Single/Multiple Tourist Visa holder, if you need assistance to set up a Thai bank account, we can help — please prepare:

  • Your actual passport.
  • The 60-day Visa Exemption / 30-day Extension / Tourist Visa (remaining not less than 28 days at the time of setting up the bank account).
  • Your valid Driving License / ID Card issued by your home country.
Step by step

The steps for each recommended option

Click any image to enlarge and see the full process for the 4th, 5th and 6th options.

The steps for the 4th plan / option — changing to the Retirement Visa while in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant visa
4th Plan — steps (enlarge to see)
The steps for the 5th plan / option — converting from visa exemption or tourist visa to the Retirement Visa
5th Plan — steps (enlarge to see)
The steps for the 6th plan / option — the Thai Retirement Visa No Funds route
6th Plan — steps (enlarge to see)
SVS vs official

7 reasons our clients choose Siamese Visa Service

How handling your Retirement Visa with SVS compares to going through the official services on your own.

Siamese Visa Service (SVS)

  • Completed visa application forms filled out by our Thai visa specialist team.
  • Supporting documents matched to your purpose of staying in Thailand.
  • Updated checklist indicating all required items for the application.
  • Express service — all paperwork can be arranged within 12–24 hours.
  • Our specialist team supports you online and offline (24/7 chat and email support).
  • We can complete all the Non-O + Retirement Visa application within one working day through our officers at the Thai immigration HQ.
  • We also have the money-back guarantee service.

Official Services

  • You need to fill in forms by yourself.
  • You must directly check with the government sector about required documents.
  • You must directly check over the phone or via their websites.
  • You must spend more time preparing the involved paperwork by yourself.
  • You can only contact the government sector during business hours (Mon–Fri); you cannot reach them during public holidays, so you must wait until they reopen.
  • You will have to wait for the 30-day approval and may be requested additional documents (upon their request).
  • No refund if the application is unsuccessful.

Ready to retire in Thailand?

Tell us your situation and we'll match you with the right retirement plan — and reply within 24 hours.

Free Consultation
Please note: this site is not affiliated with the government. We contact the authorities only to obtain accurate, up-to-date visa information for our clients.