Retirement Visa Thailand

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If you want to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days, then you would require a Thai visa. However, if you want a slightly longer stay in the Land of Smiles, acquiring a 90-day visa Thailand will grant you a smooth entry into the country without any added stress. This visa is different from a 90-day tourist visa, enabling you to do more than just travel.

This single-entry visa offers you the opportunity to stay in Thailand for up to 90 days with the chance to renew it for an additional 7 days upon its expiry, able to enter Thailand only once. A major privilege of being a Thailand 90-day visa holder is that you can also extend it by applying for a 1-year non-immigrant visa, awarding you with a long-term multiple-entry visa, and letting you reside in Thailand for longer. If you are successful in acquiring the 1-year visa, it may even set you down the path of permanent residency.

If you are hoping to make Thailand your retirement destination due to its low cost of living and beautiful scenery, the Retirement Visa Thailand is perfect for transforming the Kingdom into your second home. If you are a pensioner or retiree and considering settling down in the Land of Smiles, opt for this visa to ensure a convenient path to spend your golden years in paradise.

Thailand Retirement Visa: An Overview

A Thailand Retirement Visa is often known as an “Extension of Stay based on Retirement.” This is because the Thailand Retirement Visa is an extension of a non-immigrant O visa Thailand or a non-immigrant OA visa Thailand, rather than something that you could apply for independently. It is a long-stay visa allowing you to reside in the Land of Smiles legally while enjoying some convenient advantages.

The Retirement Visa Thailand includes these benefits:

• Up to at least 1 year of uninterrupted stay in Thailand
• Allows you to acquire a re-entry permit to enter and exit the country
• The visa is renewable on an annual basis
• You can renew your visa in Thailand without having to leave the country

Applying for a Retirement Visa Thailand

You will have to apply to acquire a Thailand Retirement Visa. As an applicant, you have the choice to apply either inside Thailand or from abroad.

You will need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Must be at least 50 years old 
• Must hold a valid foreign passport
• Must provide proof of residence in Thailand by presenting a 6-month lease or more (you can prove this by showing your rental contract and recent bills)
• Must be able to meet ONE of these financial requirements:
  • Have 800,000 THB as a security deposit for at least 2 months before applying for the visa
  • Monthly income of at least 65,000 THB
  • Combination of both a monthly income of 65,000 THB and a security deposit of 800,000 THB
• Must be able to provide the following documentation:
  • Proof of security deposit (bank book or passbook)
    • A letter from the bank must also be produced to state that the deposit was made no less than 2 months before the application
  • Letter from the embassy verifying your income of 65,000 THB
    • If there is no letter, you can instead show a recent bank statement (within 12 months) showing the monthly payments have been made
• Police Clearance Certificate
• Medical certificate
• Proof of health insurance Thailand (with a minimum coverage of $100,000 or the international equivalent)
• Supplementary documents (depending on nationality and current situation)

NOTE: If you’re applying from within Thailand, then you do not need to provide a police clearance, medical certificate, or proof of health insurance.

Once you have met the eligibility requirements and gathered all necessary documentation for the application, you will need to complete the following steps:

If inside Thailand:

1. Apply for a Thai Non-immigrant OA Visa first
2. Remain in Thailand for 60 days (or the last 30 days of your Non-immigrant OA Visa)
3. Submit your documents to the Royal Thai Consulate or Embassy

If outside Thailand:

1. Apply for a 90-day non-immigrant O visa with the nearest Thai embassy in your country of residence
2. With the non-immigrant O visa, book your flight to Thailand 
3. Remain in Thailand for at least 60 days before moving on to the next step 
4. Once you are on the last 30 days of your non-immigrant visa, you can apply to extend it via the Retirement Visa program

If applying as a tourist inside Thailand:

1. Ensure you have either a valid tourist visa or a visa exemption
2. Head over to the Thai Immigration Office and apply for a non-immigrant O visa
3. On the last 30 days of your non-immigrant visa, apply for the 1-year extension into a Thai Retirement Visa

Applying for a Retirement Visa for your spouse

If your spouse is also looking to retire in Thailand and is not a Thai citizen, and they meet all the above eligibility requirements, they will be able to qualify for the Thai Retirement Visa.

If your spouse is below 50 years of age or does not qualify for the Retirement Visa, they can still join you on your journey by applying for a Thai Dependent Visa.

• This visa is renewable on an annual basis
• The visa will be canceled the moment you and your spouse have filed for a divorce
• The following requirements need to be met:
  • Your spouse will need a passport with a remaining validity of at least 6 months
  • You will need to provide proof of relationship documents (such as a marriage certificate)
  • You will need to demonstrate that you can support your spouse (this can be achieved by providing proof of financial documents)

After obtaining a Thai Retirement Visa

Holding a Thai Retirement Visa requires you to adhere to certain guidelines. These include but are not limited to:

• Reporting to Immigration: As a Thai Retirement Visa holder, you still need to report to immigration every 90 days. This can be done at the Thai Immigration Office, online, or via mail. Alternatively, you can also leave the country to "reset the clock." If you want to, you can also enlist a professional to handle the entire reporting procedure on your behalf for a few by providing them with power of attorney.
• Re-entry permits are required: You must possess a re-entry permit to fly out of the country without canceling your visa, obtainable either at the nearest immigration office or right before you fly out from an international airport in Thailand. If you will not be leaving Thailand at any time during your stay, then you don’t need a re-entry permit.
• Renewing your retirement visa: It is possible to renew your retirement visa every year, provided you have the appropriate funds in your bank account at least 3 months before the renewal process.
• Not permitted to work in Thailand: As a Retirement Visa holder, you cannot work in Thailand nor acquire a Thai work permit.

Contact Siam Legal

Thailand rewards retirees with an easy way to enjoy their retirement with high living standards and a magnificent atmosphere.

If you want to apply for a Retirement Visa Thailand, contact Siam Legal. With 20 years of experience handling all manner of legal and immigration-related issues in Thailand, our Retirement Visa consultants will ensure you can start enjoying your golden years in the Land of Smiles as quickly as possible. We’ll guide you through the application process, review all your documents to ensure everything is error-free, and submit your application on your behalf to minimize the risks of delay or rejection. Simply reach out and apply through us to turn a strenuous application procedure into a far more simplified venture.

Alternatives of Thailand Retirement Visa

If you have a Thai spouse, you can also consider acquiring a Marriage Visa Thailand as an alternative to the retirement visa. It grants similar rights but has fewer requirements regarding finances. Or, if you want an easier and even more rewarding visa and would rather pay a high upfront fee instead of providing income every year, consider the Thailand Privilege program's Thailand Elite Visa.