Thailand Retirement Visa Non-O-A — 1-year embassy visa with mandatory insurance
For retirees aged 50+ who want to apply at their home embassy before relocating. Insurance mandatory. Annual extensions at Jomtien thereafter.
Min age
50+
Bank deposit
800k THB
Insurance
Mandatory
Embassy fee
2,000 THB
Non-O-A vs Non-O — what's the difference?
Non-O-A: Applied at Thai Embassy in your home country. Get 1-year visa upfront. Health insurance mandatory (40k THB OPD / 400k THB IPD minimum). Police clearance + medical certificate required.
Non-O (in-country): Applied at Jomtien Immigration after arrival. No mandatory insurance. No police clearance. No medical cert. Same financial requirements (800k THB).
Most Pattaya retirees, especially over 65, choose Non-O in-country due to insurance economics. See Non-O page · See full comparison.
Eligibility
- Aged 50+ on day of application
- Passport with 18+ months validity
- Police clearance from home country (FBI / ACPO / ACIC)
- Medical certificate confirming no prohibited diseases
- Health insurance: 40,000 THB OPD + 400,000 THB IPD minimum (some embassies enforce higher)
- 800,000 THB Thai bank deposit OR 65,000 THB/month income OR combination
- Employment of any kind strictly prohibited
Application process
- Open Thai bank account, deposit 800k (allow 2 months seasoning)
- Obtain police clearance from home country (4–8 weeks)
- Obtain medical certificate from licensed doctor
- Purchase qualifying health insurance policy
- Submit application at Royal Thai Embassy in your country
- Receive 1-year multiple-entry Non-O-A visa
- Enter Thailand; receive 1-year permission-to-stay stamp
- Annual extensions at Jomtien thereafter (1,900 THB)
Total lead time first year: 6–10 weeks (police clearance is usually the bottleneck).
Frequently asked questions
What insurance coverage do I need?
Should I do O-A or Non-O in-country?
Do annual extensions still need insurance?
O-A or Non-O? We'll tell you which fits.
Our retirement specialists will review your age, health, insurance options, and timing — then recommend the right path. Often Non-O in-country saves substantial money.