Thailand Retirement Visa - Guidelines for Category O-A and O-X (2024)

Foreigners who are over the age of 50 and want to move to Thailand for retirement are eligible to apply for a Thai Retirement Visa. Even though it is the more commonly-used term, the official term for a Thailand “Retirement Visa” is a Category “O” of the Non-Immigrant Visas for Thailand.

Types of Thailand Retirement Visas

There are two types of Thailand retirement visas:

• O-A Thailand retirement visa. An O-A Thailand retirement visa is eligible for applicants who wish to stay in the country for a maximum of 1 year without the intention of working in Thailand.
• O-X Thailand retirement visa. An O-X Thailand retirement visa is eligible for applicants who wish to stay in the country for a maximum of 10 years without the intention of working in Thailand.

Thailand Retirement Visa Criteria

Applicants who wish to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand must fulfill the following criteria:

• You must be at least 50 years of age.
• You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months; the passport must have at least two blank pages.
• You must fulfill the financial requirements:
  • Have a monthly income of at least THB 65,000
  • Have in your possession at least THB 800,000
  • Deposit of at least THB 800,000 to a Thailand bank, or
  • Make a deposit in a bank account in Thailand and create a combined pension of at least THB 800,000
• You must be a citizen or permanent resident of the country you are applying from.
• You must have an original Thailand bank book; the bank book will prove that the money has been deposited from an overseas bank for not less than two months, in case you have any security deposit problems.
• You must have a letter from the embassy of Thailand proving your monthly income. In case the embassy does not provide you with your monthly income letter, you will be required to provide a 12-monthly bank statement showing the regular deposit.
• You must get Thailand health insurance for the duration of your stay. The annual coverage of at least THB 40,000 for outpatient treatment and at least THB 400,000 for inpatient treatment. Health insurance has to be with one of the approved companies from the Thailand General Insurance Association.

Additional Eligibility Requirements for a Thailand Retirement Visa O-A

In addition to the general Thailand retirement visa requirements, to be eligible for a Thailand retirement visa O-A, you must fulfill the following criteria:

• You must fulfill one of the following financial requirements:
  • A security deposit of THB 800,000 in a bank account in Thailand, 2 months before the visa application
  • A monthly income of THB 65,000
  • A combination of the security deposit and annual income of THB 800,000

Additional Eligibility Requirements for a Thailand Retirement Visa O-X

In addition to the general Thailand retirement visa requirements, to be eligible for a Thailand retirement visa O-X, you must fulfill the following criteria:

• You must be from one of the following countries:
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • United Kingdom
  • Netherland
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United States
• You must fulfill the financial requirements:
  • A security deposit of at least THB 3 million in a bank account in Thailand
  • An annual income of at least THB 1.2 million

Documents Needed for a Thailand Retirement Visa Application

When you apply for a Thailand Retirement Visa, you need several documents to support your application. This includes:

• Your passport, which is valid for at least six more months and has at least one blank visa page. If you’re applying for a one-year visa, your passport should be valid for at least another 18 months.
• Completed and signed Visa Application Form, which can be downloaded from the Embassy or Consulate’s website or you can pick it up when you submit your application in person.
• Additional Retirement Visa Application Form (completed and signed)
• Passport-sized picture of yourself, with the following specifications:
  • White background
  • Taken within the last six months
  • You must have a neutral facial expression, staring straight ahead
  • Your entire face must be fully visible
  • Headgear is only allowed for religious purposes and even then, only if it does not cover the face
  • Glasses are allowed only if they do not cover your eyes and do not have heavy frames
• Proof you meet the financial requirements as detailed above, through one of the following (as is applicable):
  • Bank Statements and Letter of Guarantee showing the deposit in the Thai Bank which is no less than detailed above on “Eligibility…”
  • Bank statements showing an annual income of no less than what is detailed above on “Eligibility…”
  • *Bank Statements have to be certified by a Notary Public.
• Police Certificate issued by the police authorities in your country, showing you do not have a criminal record. The certificate has to be certified by a Notary Public.
• Health Certificate issued in the past three months showing you are not infected with one of the prohibited diseases (Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, Addiction (Drug/Alcoholism), or Third Phase Syphilis). The certificate has to be certified by a Notary Public.
• Proof of health insurance with annual coverage of at least 40,000 Thai Baht for outpatient treatment and at least 400,000 Thai Baht for inpatient treatment as detailed by the Thai General Insurance Association.
• Thailand Retirement Visa processing fee.

The visa-issuing staff in the Embassy or Consulate you are applying in can ask you to submit any additional documents as they see fit.

How to Apply for a Thailand Retirement Visa?

There are two options on how to apply for a Thailand retirement visa:

• At the Embassy or Consulate of Thailand in Your Home Country
• At the Nearest Thailand Immigration Department (if You Are Already in Thailand)

Applying at the Embassy or Consulate of Thailand in Your Home Country

To apply for a Thailand retirement visa at the nearest embassy or consulate of Thailand in your home country follow these steps:

1. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Thailand and book a visa appointment. Although this usually means in your country, the nearest embassy may also be in a neighbouring country.
2. Gather the required documents. See ‘Documents Needed for a Thailand Retirement Visa Application’, for further information.
3. Submit the documents to the embassy or consulate of Thailand in which you have scheduled your appointment.
4. Wait until the embassy or consulate of Thailand informs you about the result of your retirement visa application.

Important: Not all Thailand embassies or consulates can issue a Thailand retirement visa. Make sure you check with the relevant embassy beforehand.

Applying at the Nearest Thailand Immigration Department (if You Are Already in Thailand)

Applicants who have already been eligible for entering Thailand can apply for a retirement visa at the nearest Thailand Immigration Department. However, applicants are required to stay in Thailand for 60 days before applying for their retirement visa.

Note: If you are already in Thailand on another type of visa, you can apply to change the category of your visa to a Retirement Visa at the Thailand Immigration Department in Bangkok. This does not apply to holders of a Thai Visa On Arrival.

After Getting the Thailand Retirement Visa

Once you get the Thailand retirement visa, there are certain rules that all expatriates in Thailand have to comply with. The first one is that you have to apply for a Thailand re-entry permit if you want to leave the country, and the second one is that you have to report your address to Immigration Department every 90 days if you continue to live there.

Re-Entry Permit

The Thailand re-entry permit must be issued to be able to leave the country during your visa’s validity and return without any problem. The re-entry permit will be issued after receiving the 5-year extension of stay.

90-Day Reporting

Applicants are required to inform the Immigration Office regarding their home address every 90 days even if the address is still the same. The notification can be done by mail or in person by visiting the Immigration Office. If the applicant is not in Thailand when the 90-day reporting must be done, then the applicant must make his 90-day report to the Thailand Immigration authorities once entering the country. The counting for the 90-day reporting period will start once the applicant re-enters the country.

Duration of a Thailand Retirement Visa

The duration of a Thailand retirement visa is five years and is issued for single or multiple entries. Applicants who want to stay longer than five years in Thailand must renew their visas; the renewable can be made inside the Republic of Thailand.

How to Extend a Thailand Retirement Visa?

Applicants who wish to stay longer than five years in Thailand with a retirement visa must still fulfill all the requirements and criteria to be eligible for the renewal of their retirement visa. They must apply for an extension of their visa before their five-year visa expires; with an extension of their visa, they will be allowed to stay in the Republic of Thailand for another five years.

How Much Does the Thailand Retirement Visa Cost?

The Thailand retirement visa costs depend on the type of visa you apply for, for example:

• A Thailand retirement visa, valid for one-year costs THB 5,000
• A Thailand retirement visa, valid for five years costs TBH 10,000

However, keep in mind that the fee payment can change depending on the country you apply from.

Can I Include my Family Members in my Visa Application?

Applicants who apply for a Thailand retirement visa can include their spouse and children in their visa application form. However, the applicant’s child must be under the age of 20 to apply for a Thailand retirement visa. The applicant must include the following documents about their spouse and children in their visa application.

For their spouse:

• A marriage certificate
• A valid passport
• A criminal record document
• A medical certificate
• A bank statement document.
• A biography document

For their children:

• A valid passport
• A biography document
• A birth certificate

Do Retirees Pay Taxes in Thailand?

Not everyone who wants to retire in Thailand is required to pay taxes; only retirees who have income profits inside of Thailand are required to pay taxes. Applicants, who have an income from overseas profits will not be required to pay any taxes in Thailand.

Important: Retirees are not required to pay personal taxes.

Living Costs for Retirees in Thailand

The living cost in Thailand for retirees depends on the lifestyle they prefer on making. However, the average living cost in Thailand for a month is from THB 30,000 to THB 70,000 including rent, food shopping, bills, medical insurance, and daily expenses that any retiree in Thailand might have. The average amount can be higher or lower depending on the applicant’s preferences.

Is Retiring in Thailand Worth It?

Here are some of the reasons why thousands of people each year retire in Thailand:

• The people are extremely friendly, kind, and caring; they will do everything that they can in their power to help you if you need any kind of help from them.
• Their culture is very rich; more than 90% of the total population is Buddhist, and they respect their religion and the ethics of their religion.
• There are many fun activities for retirees that they can do, such as; hiking, and visiting different tropical islands, temples, and other tourist attractions.
• Chiang Mai city is the most popular city where retirees stay; there they have huge opportunities to make new friends and meet new people.
• The cost of living is very affordable, so retirees can easily control the cost of their expenses.
• The weather is mostly sunny, so retirees can enjoy good days out on the beautiful Thailand beaches since many describe them as ‘paradise found’.
• The food is very unique and tasty, and the locals make sure everything that they serve is very delicious.
• The Republic of Thailand is a very safe country.
• There is the opportunity to hire a personally qualified nurse to help you throughout your stay in Thailand 24/7.
• There are different types of groups you can join. There you can learn the language, go on different activities, see some live music, and have the chance to create unforgettable memories.