Thailand’s lush foliage and alluring beaches have produced the country’s royal landscape, which is a wonderfully tranquil and pleasant place to live. That tourists are drawn to and wish to spend their golden years in this gorgeous humid paradise is not surprising.
The next step will be to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand if you are drawn to doing the same. The prerequisites, procedures, costs, and other details you might require are listed here.
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Retirement Visa in Thailand Requirement, How to Apply, and Cost
Here is a step-by-step on how to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand
STEP 1: Get A Non-Immigrant “O” Visa
Requirements:
- Passport (at minimum one year before expiration)
- You must be holding nationality or PR of the country of application
- Proof of Funds
STEP 2: Get A One-Year Retirement Visa Extension
Requirements:
- Should be 50 years old and above
- Passport (signed copies of each page)
- Non-Immigrant O Visa
- Departure Card TM.6
- Proof that shows a meeting of Financial Requirements
- Thai Bank Book (original)
- A letter from your Thailand Bank
- Three 4×5 cm photos, with full face engaged
STEP 3: Obtaining A Re-Entry Permit
Many people misinterpret the different ideas of “Extension of Stay” and “Re-entry Permit.” Occasionally misguided for each other, you should understand that they are two different things you would need to have during your stay.
The Extension of Stay is the controlling date. Every other thing is reliant on this. Everything is void when your Extension of Stay expires. Another thing you should know is that the Re-entry allows validity is subject to the validity of your Extension of Stay. Nevertheless, leaving Thailand without a re-entry permit inevitably nullifies your extension of stay.
STEP 4: Report your Stay Every 90 Days and Visa Expiration
Every 90 days, you must report to the Immigration Police if you are on a long-term extension of stay. Individuals having a multiple entry visa will quickly leave Thailand and renew their extension of stay after every 90-day entry.
If you can’t get your extension within Thailand, you will need to obtain a new non-immigrant visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate overseas.
Meeting the Financial Requirements and eligibility for a Retirement Visa:
Financial Requirements include:
- Thai Bank Account showing THB 800,000 or
- Once-a-month income of at minimum THB 65,000 (income confirmation from your embassy in Bangkok) or
- Mixture (Bank Account + Annual Income = THB 800,000)
Other Information
SIGN-UP FOR A THAI RETIREMENT VISA
Your only initial or first attendance and appearance for the retirement visa should be at the Immigration office once it’s approved. You should appear in person with your Passport and sign the visa document in the attendance of the Immigration staff. The Immigrant staff places a stamp on the Passport during the approval period.
LIMITATIONS ON RETIREMENT VISA
Retirement, when approved, permits you to stay in Thailand for a year. You are not permitted employment even though you are on this type of visa. Also, you should report to Immigration every 90 days to confirm your present address.
Thailand Retirement Visa Fee
The fee for a Thailand Retirement Visa varies but depends on which type of visa you are applying for. The fee can likewise vary depending on which country or nation you are applying from, but you can look forward to paying the following processing fees for your Thai Retirement Visa:
1-Year Thailand Retirement Visa (Single-Entry): 2,000 Thai Baht
1-Year Thailand Retirement Visa (Multiple-Entry): 5,000 Thai Baht
5-Year Thai Retirement Visa: 10,000 Thai Baht
How to Apply for a Thai Retirement Visa?
You should apply for a Thai Retirement Visa at a Thai diplomatic mission in your home country. The application process includes the following:
1. Contact the Thailand Embassy, where you will hand in the visa application. You can equally visit their website if one is obtainable. Enquire about the opening hours, their work days, and their ideal method of paying the visa fee.
2. Book an appointment if one is essential.
3. Gather and collect the essential documents for a Thai Retirement Visa.
4. Hand in the documents and visa application. Depending on which Embassy/Consulate you apply to, you can hand in the application:
- As a person or in-person
- Via the post, in which case you have to enclose a pre-paid and self-addressed envelope
5. Wait for your application to be processed.
6. Take or collect the Passport and visa. If you applied via mail, they would be mailed back to you.
Note: Whether you are already in Thailand on another type of visa, you may apply to change the type of your visa to a Retirement Visa at the Thailand Immigration Department in Bangkok. Know that this does not apply to holders of a Thai Visa On Arrival.
Foreigners aged 50 who want to retire in Thailand might apply for a Thai retirement visa. This visa might be applied for at a Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate in Thailand or while abroad. It is formally recognized as a Non-Immigrant O-Long Stay Visa once applied for inside Thailand and known as a Non-Immigrant OA-Long Stay Visa once applied for outside of Thailand.
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A Thai retirement visa permits a retired foreigner to stay in the country for a year and could be extended yearly. This visa is equally available as a 5- or 10-year retirement visa and single-entry or multiple-entry visas. You can renew your Thai retirement visa as often as you wish and continue to achieve each visa requirement.
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