Non-Immigrant O-A visa · Thailand
Your retirement visa, step by step
The O-A visa lets you live in Thailand for one year from the age of 50. Health insurance is mandatory. Pick your country of residence: we show you the embassy that handles your file and what it asks for.
Where do you live today?
What counts is your country of residence, not your nationality. A French citizen living in Switzerland applies at the embassy in Bern.
Europe
Asia
Americas
Other situations
Your journey
Six steps, one stamp each
Check that you are eligible
- Be 50 or older on the day you apply.
- Be a permanent resident of the country where you apply.
- A passport valid for at least 6 more months (18 months recommended to cover the full year).
Prove your funds
The general rule: a bank balance of at least 800,000 THB, or a pension of at least 65,000 THB per month. Some embassies set their own amounts.
Working is not allowed on this visa.
Get compliant health insurance
This is the step that blocks the most applications. The criteria are set by Thailand and are the same for every embassy.
Old rule (2019)Required today3,000,000 THBThe old rule (400,000 THB inpatient + 40,000 THB outpatient) still appears on some websites. Go by the current amount.
Is my policy compliant?
Does the cover reach 3,000,000 THB or USD 100,000?
Does it cover your whole stay in Thailand?
Does it cover general illnesses (including hospitalisation)?
Approved Thai insurer, or official certificate stamped by the insurer?
Answer the 4 questions to see the result.
Gather your documents
- Criminal record certificate less than 3 months old.
- Medical certificate less than 3 months old, on the official form.
- Recent passport photo on a light background.
- Bank statements or pension certificate.
Submit your application
In most countries, everything is done on the official portal thaievisa.go.th: form, scanned documents and payment. The visa is sent to you by email.
Arrive and stay compliant
- Enter Thailand before the deadline shown on the visa.
- Report your address every 90 days to immigration (online or at the office).
- To stay beyond one year, request an extension at the immigration office before your stay expires. It will tell you which documents to provide.
The questions we get asked most
Is my insurance from home enough?+
A foreign policy is accepted if its cover reaches 3,000,000 THB or USD 100,000, if it covers your whole stay in Thailand, and if the insurer fills in and stamps the official “Foreign Insurance Certificate”. Many national policies only cover short stays abroad: check this first.
Why do the amounts change from one country to another?+
The insurance (3,000,000 THB) is the same everywhere. The funds required, however, are set by each embassy: Paris states them in euros, Ottawa in Canadian dollars. Always go by the page for your country of residence.
I already live in Thailand. Can I apply for an O-A here?+
No. The O-A visa is requested from your country of residence. In Thailand, you extend your stay with Thai immigration, which follows other rules. Choose “I live in Thailand” above for details.
What is the difference between the O visa and the O-A visa?+
The O-A is a one-year long-stay visa, requested at the embassy, with mandatory insurance. The Non-O visa (90 days) can be extended in Thailand on retirement grounds. The documents required for that extension are set by the immigration office: ask yours.
What if no insurer will cover me?+
Some embassies accept an alternative: a refusal letter from the insurer, together with a statement showing 3,000,000 THB (or USD 100,000) held in an account for at least 2 months, on top of the funds required for the visa. Ask your embassy whether it accepts this before relying on it.
Who decides whether my insurance is compliant?+
The embassy, and only the embassy. A comparison site or an insurer can tell you whether a policy meets the published criteria, but cannot guarantee your application will be accepted.
Find insurance that meets the criteria
Waisiam compares long-term health insurance for Thailand. Spot the plans whose cover and length match the O-A visa, then request your quotes.
Compare insurance plans