How to get a Retirement Visa for Thailand

A Thai retirement visa is really a one year extension of your existing Non-Immigrant "O" Visa. The holder of a retirement visa is permitted to stay in Thailand for twelve months. The retirement visa can be obtained in Thailand at any of the participating immigration offices. Here is the list of required documents and process for obtaining the Thai Retirement visa.

Please note that your passport must have at least one year validity remaining. That is one year before expiring.

Documents Required to Extend Visa for Senior Citizens Over 50.

If you are 50 years of age or over you are eligible for this Thai retirement visa extension. Here is a list of the documents you will need to present to the Immigration Office.

Application form TM7 duly completed plus the 1,900 baht fee in hand.
One 4 X 6 cm photograph.
Your passport and copy of:
1. ID page. The page that has your photo on it.
2. Current non-immigrant visa.
If you don't have a current non-immigrant visa, you can convert your tourist visa at the immigration bureau using a special form. The cost for the conversion will be 2,000 baht.
This item 4 explains three alternative ways,"a" or "b" or "c" of presenting your financial status.

EITHER

(a) Showing 800,000 Baht in Your Thai Bank

You must present the following to immigration.

A letter, not more than one week old, from a Thai bank, certifying your account has a balance of at least 800,000 baht together with;
A photocopy of your bank book showing the name page and transactions for the past three months.

Note:

In the first year of the retirement visa, the 800,000 baht must have been in your Thai bank account for at last two months prior to application but, in subsequent years, the requirement is at least three months prior.

(b) Income from your country

A letter from your Thai bank confirming pension or other income deposited into your Thai bank account. This income must be at least 65,000 baht per month and the record (bank statement) must show 12 months history of deposits.

You will need photo copies of your Thai bank statement and the page in your bank book that displays your name and account number.

A combination of (a) and (b) above. That is monthly income of less than 65,000 baht with a complementary cash sum in the Thai bank. The total from both sources combined must be at least 800,000 baht. You will need a letter from your Thai bank. Fund book not allowed. You will need photo copies of your Thai bank statement and the page in your bank book that displays your name and account number.

Note:

The letter from Australian, British and US embassies, usually a statutory declaration, confirming your income from your country will no longer be issued by these embassies in 2019. Letters issued before then will remain valid for six months after issuance.

If an applicant acquires a confirmation letter in December 2018 then that letter will be accepted by immigration up until mid 2019.

A document showing your local Thai address. This document could be any of the following:

An official rent book.
A letter headed receipt of rent paid.
Company papers.
Proof of ownership of a condominium or residence in Thailand.

The immigration officer will keep a photocopy of the document.

In the case of a married couple applying for retirement visas, a certified copy of the marriage certificate in English or Thai must be presented as part of the paperwork.

Tips for Living with a Thai girlfriend

If a joint bank account is shown as part of the application process, a certified copy of the marriage certificate in English or Thai is required.
The application fee for a retirement visa is 1,900 baht. If needed, conversion from tourist visa to non immigration status is an extra 2,000 baht.

Renewing a Retirement Visa

After your first retirement period of usually just over one year you will need to renew your visa by visiting the nearest participating immigration office. The documents required will be as listed above but this time if you are showing funds in a Thai bank account then the minimum period for the funds to have been in the account is three months. This condition applies in all cases where you are presenting funds in a Thai bank account.

Most Thai immigration offices will allow you to renew your retirement visa a few weeks or in some cases up to two months before it is due.

Dress Tidy

Thailand has beautiful warm weather and sometimes it gets quite hot. Foreigners who visit Pattaya enjoy to dress according to the climate and in many cases wear singlets, shorts thongs and other beach wear.

When ever you visit the Immigration office it would be prudent to dress respectfully. Thai officials appreciate foreigners who have made an effort to follow dress requirements. If you visit the office wearing a singlet you might be asked to go home and put on a proper shirt. Please respect Thai Culture when visiting government offices and dress tidy.

Note:

If you wish to leave Thailand while holding a retirement visa you will need to apply for a "Re-Entry Permit". This is a simple process and usually can be completed within one hour or less at the Pattaya Immigration office. You will need to fill in a TM.8 application form. Read More.

The Pattaya Immigration Office is located in Soi 5 Jomtien Beach.

Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Monday to Friday. Closed on Thai Public Holidays.