Thai Retirement Visa O-A
Thailand retirement visa (non-immigrant O-A visa category)
A Thailand retirement visa is meant for foreigners over 50 who are in the state of being retired, i.e. stopped working and retired from their occupation or business. A foreigner issued a retirement visa (the category non-immigrant O-A) is not allowed to work in Thailand.
Thailand visas: Retirement non-immigrant O-A Visa
Warning: visa rules and conditions change regularly. The information about retirement visas in Thailand is provided as general information and is not intended to be comprehensive.
Temporary stay (long stay)
In the case of a retiree: permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time, the following rules and conditions are guidelines for the Immigration Bureau to follow in granting foreigners permission to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand on a temporary basis.
- The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM); and
- The applicant is 50 years of age or over; and
- Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month; or
- Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than Baht 800,000 as shown in bank account transactions for the past 3 months; or
- Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date of application
- For an alien who entered Thailand before October 21, 1998 and continuously allowed to stay in the Kingdom as a retiree, the following shall apply:
- He/she must be 60 years of age or over and has regular income. His/her bank account deposit shall not be less than Baht 200,000 a year and evidence of the account deposit for the previous 3 months must be shown; or he/she has a monthly income of not less than Baht 20,000.
- If he/she is under 60 years of age but not less than 55, the alien shall have regular income with a bank account deposit of not less than Baht 500,000 a year and evidence of the account deposit for the previous 3 months must be shown, or he/she has a monthly income of not less than Baht 50,000.
Every 90 days that applicant resides in Thailand they must report to their local Thai Immigration office but does not have to leave the country every 90 days. If there is no Thai Immigration office in their immediate location, they may report to the local Thai Police Department where they live. They may also report by mail but they will need to complete form TM 47 and submit the form with a copy of the picture page of their passport as well as a copy of the page containing the Thai Immigration stamp from their most recent entry into Thailand. For each succeeding application, include a copy of the most recent stamp issued by Thai Immigration the last time they reported. When applying by mail, the applicant must include a return envelope with enough postage for certified mail. Send required documentation to the Thai Immigration office in Bangkok.
In the case where the accompanying spouse is not eligible to apply for the Category O-A (Long Stay) visa, he or she will be considered for temporary stay under Category O visa. A marriage certificate must be provided as evidence.
There is no longer the requirement that the the applicant for a retirement visa must apply for a type O-A Visa from a Thai consulate or embassy outside of Thailand. Foreigners entering on any visa category are allowed to request a non-immigrant visa for retirement with the Thailand Immigration inside Thailand, if they meet the retirement visa requirements and if they are allowed to remain in Thailand till the retirement visa is issued and have a valid passport validity of not less than 18 months.
Be aware that if you are issued this type of Non-Immigrant "O-A" Visa, you are not permitted to work in Thailand.