Thailand's retirement visas for Brits: the Non-O, the O-A and the yearly extension

If you're 50 or over and can show 800,000 baht in the bank or 65,000 baht a month coming in, Thailand will let you retire there; the catch is that you prove it again every single year.

The short version

• Thailand's retirement visas start at 50. There are two ways in from the UK: the Non-Immigrant O (90 days, then extended in Thailand) and the Non-Immigrant O-A (a one-year, multiple-entry visa) [2].
• The money test is 800,000 baht (about £17,735) in the bank or an income of 65,000 baht a month (about £1,441). The Royal Thai Embassy in London states them as £18,000 and £1,500 [2].
• The O-A also needs health insurance of at least 3,000,000 baht or USD 100,000, a UK police certificate from ACRO and a GP's medical certificate [2].
• Each year you renew with a one-year extension at Thai immigration, with the money held in a Thai bank, and you can never work on a retirement stay [3][4].
• Your UK State Pension is frozen in Thailand, and the full new State Pension alone falls short of the income test [7][8].

Non-O or O-A?

Both are for the same people, and you end up on the same yearly extension. The difference is where the work happens.

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = THB 45.1092). The fees in the last row are the Thai tariff in baht; the London embassy charges a pound equivalent at the time you apply, so check its fee page.

The Non-O is the lighter application. You apply online, show your bank balance or three months of pension income on official UK statements, land with 90 days, and then do the real paperwork in Bangkok [2]. It suits people who want to look round before committing.

The O-A gives you a full year from the start and lets you come and go, but the London list is longer: the insurance certificate must be completed, signed and stamped by the insurer, the medical must clear you of a short list of conditions (including tuberculosis and leprosy), and the ACRO certificate is only valid for six months from the day it's issued [2]. Your stay is tied to the length of your insurance [2].

The money test in detail

The two classic options are:

• A deposit of at least 800,000 baht. For the visa, London accepts a recent UK or Irish bank statement; screenshots don't count [2].
• An income of at least 65,000 baht a month. London wants three months of statements showing at least £1,500 a month [2].

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also lists a third option, a mix of deposit and annual income adding up to 800,000 baht [3].

At the yearly extension

Once you're in Thailand the rules tighten. The government's own summary says the 800,000 baht must sit in a Thai commercial bank for at least two months before you apply and three months after approval, and never drop below 400,000 baht (about £8,867) for the rest of the year [4]. Bangkok-area offices ask for a letter from your Thai bank certifying the balance and a passbook update or ATM slip on the day [5]. If you use income instead, it has to be certified by your embassy or consulate [5]. Ask the British Embassy in Bangkok what it currently provides before you rely on that route, since its letters have changed over the years.

A rough sum shows why most Brits end up with the deposit. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, about £1,046 a month [8]. That's well short of 65,000 baht, so unless you have a decent private or workplace pension on top, plan on parking the 800,000 baht.

Health insurance

For the O-A, the insurance requirement comes back at every extension. Thailand's summary of the rules says the cover must be at least USD 100,000 (about £74,206) or 3,000,000 baht (about £66,505) for the whole stay; Thai policies are bought through the Thai General Insurance Association's long-stay portal, and foreign policies need certifying [4]. If insurers refuse you, you can instead hold 3,000,000 baht in a Thai bank for at least two months before applying, or combine a deposit with other cover to reach that figure, with proof of the refusal [4].

Even if you're on the Non-O route and not asked for insurance, go without at your peril. Thailand has no healthcare agreement with the UK [1]. Private hospital bills in Bangkok are real money, and premiums rise steeply with age. Our healthcare guide covers the options.

Doing the yearly extension in Bangkok

Bangkok residents go to Immigration Division 1 at the Government Complex on Chaengwattana Road. The process, in order:

1. Check the timing. Many offices accept applications up to 30 days before your stay runs out; don't leave it to the last day.
2. Get the bank letter from your Thai bank, dated close to your appointment, and update your passbook [5].
3. Fill in form TM.7, attach photos and a copy of your passport, and bring your TM30 address receipt from your landlord [5].
4. Pay the extension fee of 1,900 baht (about £42) [6].
5. Collect your "under consideration" stamp if one is given, and go back on the date shown for the final stamp.

The decision is at the officer's discretion [3]. Then, every 90 days, report your address, and get a re-entry permit (1,000 baht single, 3,800 baht multiple) before any trip abroad, or the extension dies at the border [6]. Our guide to 90-day reporting, TM30 and re-entry permits has the detail.

The other routes for retirees

• LTR "wealthy pensioner". From 50, with passive income of USD 80,000 a year, or USD 40,000 plus a USD 250,000 investment in Thailand. It runs for ten years with yearly rather than 90-day reporting [9]. See our DTV and LTR guide.
• Thailand Privilege. The state tourism-linked membership scheme sells long visas for a fee: 650,000 baht (about £14,409) for five years at its Bronze level, up to 2,500,000 baht for 15 years at Diamond [10]. You're paying for convenience, not a cheaper retirement.
• Marriage. If your spouse is Thai, a family-based Non-O has a lower money test, though it's no less paperwork.

The UK side for retirees

The UK State Pension is frozen in Thailand: you get no yearly increases because Thailand is neither in the EEA nor has a social security agreement with the UK [7]. Over a 20-year retirement that adds up, and our guide to the frozen State Pension in Thailand runs the numbers. Thailand also taxes foreign income you bring in once you're a tax resident, and there's a UK–Thailand double taxation agreement [1]; our Thai tax guide explains it, and a tax adviser who knows both countries can check your case.

Thinking of moving a UK pension? Transfers need regulated financial advice, can trigger the overseas transfer charge, and are a favourite of scammers. Check the FCA and MoneyHelper warnings first.

Plenty of retirees in our community group for Brits in Thailand have done the extension dance more than once and are happy to compare notes.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Thailand (last updated 11 December 2025)
2. Royal Thai Embassy, London: Retirement visa (Non-O and O-A) (last updated 4 April 2024)
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (last updated 30 November 2022)
4. THAILAND.GO.TH: Application to stay in Thailand in the case of retirement (Immigration information as of February 2023)
5. Samut Prakan Immigration: List of documents for retirement visa (checked 8 November 2026)
6. Samut Prakan Immigration: Immigration fees (checked 8 November 2026)
7. GOV.UK: State Pension if you retire abroad – rates
8. GOV.UK: The new State Pension – what you'll get (2026/27 rate)
9. Board of Investment: Long-Term Resident visa (checked 8 November 2026)
10. Thailand Privilege: membership packages (checked 8 November 2026)

Keep reading

• The frozen UK State Pension in Thailand
• Healthcare and health insurance in Bangkok
• Moving to Bangkok as a Brit
• Retiring abroad: the main retirement visas for Brits