This is the retirement visa for Thailand. One of the many options you have in Thailand is retirement once you have reached the age of 50. If you are married then a marriage visa is also available to you. Note that both the marriage visa as well as the retirement visa is 90 day visas which need to be extended in Thailand for 12 months.

Retirement Visa for Thailand

The retirement visa is also known as the O-A visa in Thailand. If you can meet the financial requirements then this visa will be extended for a period of 12 months. The visa application process starts at a Thai Embassy normally in Asia if you are not returning home. The following documents you will need for this process.

• 1.       Copy of your current passport;
• 2.       The application form;
• 3.       Police Clearance Certificate;*
• 4.       Health Certificate.*

Once the Thai Embassy issues you the visa then you can now enter Thailand and you will have 90 days to extend this visa for 12 months. You are going to need extra documents for this visa which have been listed below. Always check with an immigration lawyer in Thailand as the process changes often with new additional rules that may have been added since you last extension. Apply for the extension early and don’t wait for the last minute to have the visa extended. The following documents are needed:

• 1.       Copy of your current passport;
• 2.       The application form;
• 3.       Police Clearance Certificate;*
• 4.       Health Certificate.*
• 5.       Copy of your Thai bank book showing 800,000THB in your account; OR
• 6.       Copy of your Thai bank book showing an income of 65,000THB per month;
• 7.       Copy of a map to your address in Thailand;
• 8.       Sometimes they also want photos of you at home in Thailand.

If you have a monthly income from a government pension then you can ask your Embassy in Bangkok to provide you with the pension letter since the money is deposited into your home account and transferred to Thailand via the ATM machine.

Re-Entry Permits:

Once you visa has been extended you cannot leave Thailand without a re-entry permit. If you do then you will invalidate your visa once you leave the country and will need to start the entire process of visa application and visa extension again. You can normally obtain a re-entry permit at a border crossing or airport before you leave Thailand.

90 day Reporting:

Once your visa has been extended you will need to report your address in Thailand to Thai Immigration every 90 days. Thai immigration has become very strict about this and will issue you a fine if you do not report on time.

Note that once you retire you are not allowed to work in Thailand and that it is illegal for you to work without a work permit even if you volunteer in Thailand. If you are caught working in Thailand they will cancel your visa and deport you back to your home country. Always consult a law firm in Thailand before settling down. Search this website for more information on a Thailand visa.