Usually, when we hear the word "retirement", we mostly imagine ourselves at home surrounded by our grandchildren, looking after our little garden. At least, that is what would be considered a perfect retirement about 10 years ago. However, the times have changed, and now thanks to globalisation, enjoying your retirement kilometres away from home on a distant tropic island has not been as easy as it is today. But what kind of procedure will you need to go through to fulfil your dream and retire abroad? Usually, for a short-term visit to any country, you will be required to showcase a tourist visa and sometimes even no visa, depending on the country that you are visiting and your nationality. However, it is also worth mentioning the fact that for a long-term visit, in any case, you will be asked to get a suitable visa. There are several circumstances in which obtaining a visa may be easier; however, there will still be documentation involved.
There are extra criteria for several of these retirement visas. For example, some countries require you to make an investment or deposit a large quantity of money with a local bank. Meanwhile, other retirement visas enable you to work, but you must have a sufficient pension or assets to qualify.
And today, as you could already see from the title of the article, we are travelling for retirement to one of the most colourful countries in Asia, to Thailand. Thailand is surrounded on the north by Myanmar and Laos, on the east by Laos and Cambodia, on the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and on the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar's southernmost tip. Thailand is divided into two sections: a bigger main portion in the north and a smaller peninsular extension in the south. Thailand has roughly the same land area as Spain or France. The Southeast Asian country is specifically famed for its tropical beaches, magnificent royal palaces, historic ruins, and beautiful Buddhist temples. No wonder why Thailand is one of the most popular retirement locations in the world, with its pleasant temperature all year and a sizable ex-pat population.
Obtaining a Thailand visa allows you to organize a vacation to Thailand. For temporary purposes such as tourism or business, foreign nationals can apply for Thailand short-term visas. For those who want to retire in Thailand, there is just one visa option. You will need a Non-Immigrant O or O-A Visa if you are above 50 and want to stay in the country for a longer time. The visa can be used for either a single or numerous entries. This is a long-term Thai visa that allows the holder to stay in Thailand for a duration of one year. But it is an extension of a Non-Immigrant O Visa or Non-Immigrant OA Visa. A retirement visa to Thailand is renewable once a year, and it can be renewed within Thailand. And how to apply for retirement visa in Thailand?
But before applying for a Thailand retirement visa, you should check whether you are eligible for the visa or not. Some of the Thailand retirement visa requirements are given below: 1. By the application deadline, the candidate must be 50 years old or older. 2. Applicants must have no criminal record that jeopardizes Thailand's security, the security of his or her country of nationality, or the security of his or her place of residency. 3. Applicants must be citizens or residents of the country in which their application is being filed. 4. Applicants must not have prohibitive diseases. 5. Applicants cannot be prohibited from entering the Kingdom.
Just a little reminder that applicants cannot be allowed to work in Thailand.
Long-stay retirement visas are available in Thailand in two forms: Non-Immigrant Category O-A, which is valid for one year, and Non-Immigrant Category O-X, which is Thailand retirement visa 10 years. Both visas enable you to enter and exit the country several times. However, the main difference in eligibility between the two groups is the minimum income criteria as both are just sub-groups of income-based retirement visa Thailand. Applicants for the one-year O-A visa must establish that they earn at least $2,000 per month. They also must have a security deposit of at least $25,000 in a Thai bank. The O-X visa has a greater financial threshold of $100,000. Applicants have the option of depositing that amount in a Thai bank or depositing $60,000 in a bank and proving a $40,000 yearly income. According to income-based retirement visa Thailand, after the first year of residency, the total amount of bank deposits must be at least $100,000. Only nationals from the United States, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are eligible for the Thailand retirement visa 10 years. However, how much is a retirement visa in Thailand for 10 years? The 10 years retirement visa Thailand cost is 400 USD.
If you match the Thailand retirement visa conditions stated below, you can apply for the visa in your home country at the Royal Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate. However, bear in mind that prior to applying for a retirement visa in Thailand, you must first get a 90-day first non-immigrant visa from the Thai embassy or consulate in your home country. You must have been in Thailand for 60 days or be within the last 30 days of your existing stay permit to file your retirement visa application at the immigration office.
But what are the documents that are needed to meet the Thailand retirement visa requirements?
Documents needed for Thailand retirement visa
At the time of application, you must have a passport that is valid for at least one year and a half; one recent passport-sized photograph of the applicant and a visa application form is a must, too. Have at least THB 800,000 in Thai savings or fixed deposit account for a specified length of time, which is presently three months before your application. To confirm that this is the case, a letter and copies of your bank book will be requested. A Medical Certificate from the country where the application is being filed stating that there are no illnesses is required; also it must be stamped by a medical practitioner. This document is not typically necessary if the visa application is submitted within Thailand; nevertheless, there are rare occasions when a representative from the Thai embassy or consulate may request them prior to the visa being issued. The time that it takes for your retirement visa Thailand to be processed might vary slightly; however, it generally takes approximately 7 working days. And bear in mind that it is critical to be meticulous with your application since errors or missing papers might cause delays in processing. But how much is a retirement visa in Thailand? A normal one-year-long retirement visa has a $200 government processing charge. According to new retirement visa rules Thailand, if you are on a long-term extension of stay, you must report to the Immigration Police every 90 days. Those with a multiple entry visa will simply leave Thailand and return after each 90-day stay to renew their visa. If you are unable to extend your stay within Thailand, you must apply for a new nonimmigrant visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate overseas. The visa renewal may be cancelled if the amount of money in the bank account at the end of the first year of stay in Thailand is less than 3 million Baht OR the amount of money in the bank account at the end of the second year of stay in Thailand is less than 1.5 million Baht.
How to apply for retirement visa in Thailand?
All of the above-mentioned documentation must be presented to the Thai embassy or consulate in your country or any responsible institution. Please keep in mind that not all Thai embassies or consulates in your country will be able to provide this sort of visa. The Royal Thai Consulate-General will not be held liable for any loss or damage to your passport or papers as a result of mail service mismanagement. Please do not submit your application via normal mail, and do not include a regular mail envelope or stamps for returning your passport. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, new retirement visa rules Thailand has occurred. And now, any foreigners entering Thailand must first acquire a Certificate of Entry (COE) from the Thai Embassy or Consulate in their present location. Also, remember that you must continue to fulfil the qualifying conditions stated above once you arrive in Thailand. Foreigners who do not keep the requisite cash in the bank, do not continue their health insurance, work without prior authorization, or "pose a threat to the peace and security of Thailand" will have their visas withdrawn, according to the embassy. Sometimes retired people might want to take their wife/husband with them, too. Those who have wives and want to spend their retirement in Thailand with them need to know that they could be eligible to get a Non-Immigrant O or a Dependent Visa if their spouse is under the age of 50. Thailand retirement visa for a spouse can only be obtained when the person meets all the requirements mentioned above.
