Thailand · Retire or live on savings
Thailand Retirement extension (50+)
Income needed: ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930
Extension of temporary stay for retirement (aged 50 or over, Immigration Bureau)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Retirement extension (50+) is a retire or live on savings route for Thailand. Applicants need income of ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930
Cost, time and long term
Shown, not spent฿800k+ ≈ $24k · +2 more
- THB 800,000 (≈ $23,800)Deposit in a Thai commercial bank held at least 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval; after those 3 months the balance may fall to THB 400,000 (≈ $11,900).
- THB 65,000 a month (≈ $1,930)Evidence of monthly income or pension; alternative to the deposit.
- THB 800,000 a year (≈ $23,800)Annual income and Thai bank deposit combined, counted at the date of application; alternative to the other two tests.
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
You can apply for a Thai residence permit after 3 consecutive years on a Non-Immigrant visa with one-year extensions of stay. Further income, work or investment conditions apply and approvals are limited by an annual quota per nationality.
Royal Thai Embassy, London, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Where to applyInside the country
You must already hold a Non-Immigrant visa and apply at the Immigration Bureau in Thailand.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Thailand
- Only from age 50
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is aged 50 or over.
- Applicant already holds a temporary-stay (Non-Immigrant) visa in Thailand.
What you must show4
- Show a Thai bank deposit of at least THB 800,000, (≈ $23,800) held 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval.
- Or show income or a pension of at least THB 65,000 (≈ $1,930) a month.
- Or show income plus Thai bank deposit that total at least THB 800,000 (≈ $23,800) a year.
- Holders of a Non-Immigrant O-A visa also need health cover of at least USD 100,000 or THB 3,000,000 (≈ $89,200) for the stay.
Documents1
- Documents are form TM.7, a passport copy, proof of income such as a pension, or a Thai bank certificate with account copy.
After you arrive1
- After three months of approval the deposit may be drawn down to THB 400,000 (≈ $11,900).
What happens at day 180
How Thailand decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 180 days in a tax year in which the income is earnedResident for Revenue Code section 41 purposes.
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis (from 2024)
Foreign-source assessable income earned from 1 January 2024 is taxed in Thailand in the year it is brought into the country; income earned before 2024 is not taxed even if brought in later.
All tax rules for Thailand Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Holders of a Non-Immigrant O-A visa also need health cover of at least USD 100,000 or THB 3,000,000 (≈ $89,200) for the stay
- Bank account / funds
Show a Thai bank deposit of at least THB 800,000, (≈ $23,800) held 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
In-country extension of stay for foreigners aged 50 or over who hold a temporary-stay (Non-Immigrant) visa and show a Thai bank deposit, retirement income, or both. 1
What you must show
- Savings of at least THB 800,000 (≈ $23,800) · Deposit in a Thai commercial bank held at least 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval; after those 3 months the balance may fall to THB 400,000 (≈ $11,900). 1
- Income of at least THB 65,000 a month (≈ $1,930) · Evidence of monthly income or pension; alternative to the deposit. 1
- Income of at least THB 800,000 a year (≈ $23,800) · Annual income and Thai bank deposit combined, counted at the date of application; alternative to the other two tests. 1
Requirements
- Applicant is aged 50 or over. 1
- Applicant already holds a temporary-stay (Non-Immigrant) visa in Thailand. 1
- Show a Thai bank deposit of at least THB 800,000, (≈ $23,800) held 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval. 1
- Or show income or a pension of at least THB 65,000 (≈ $1,930) a month. 1
- Or show income plus Thai bank deposit that total at least THB 800,000 (≈ $23,800) a year. 1
- Holders of a Non-Immigrant O-A visa also need health cover of at least USD 100,000 or THB 3,000,000 (≈ $89,200) for the stay. 1
- Documents are form TM.7, a passport copy, proof of income such as a pension, or a Thai bank certificate with account copy. 1
- After three months of approval the deposit may be drawn down to THB 400,000 (≈ $11,900). 1
Stay
- The Immigration Bureau decides the length of each extension.
Nationality
No nationality list in the criteria.
Official sources
- Immigration Bureau criteria for extension of temporary stay, including families of Thai nationals and of permanent residents · Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police (Uttaradit Immigration Office) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence Permit in Thailand: criteria for foreign nationals · Royal Thai Embassy, London, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand · checked 2026-10-11
Retirement extension (50+) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement extension (50+) | Needs income of ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930 | – | – |
| LTR · Wealthy Pensioner | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Thailand Privilege (PE) | Fee from ฿650k ≈ $19k | 1 yr | With a permit |
| Retirement O-A (1 year) | Needs income of ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Retirement O-X (10 years) | Needs income of ฿1.2M+ a year ≈ $36k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Retirement extension (50+)?
Savings of at least THB 800,000 (≈ $23,800). Deposit in a Thai commercial bank held at least 2 months before applying and 3 months after approval; after those 3 months the balance may fall to THB 400,000 (≈ $11,900). Income of at least THB 65,000 a month (≈ $1,930). Evidence of monthly income or pension; alternative to the deposit. Income of at least THB 800,000 a year (≈ $23,800). Annual income and Thai bank deposit combined, counted at the date of application; alternative to the other two tests.
How long can I stay on the Retirement extension (50+)?
The Immigration Bureau decides the length of each extension.
Does the Retirement extension (50+) lead to permanent residence in Thailand?
Time on the Retirement extension (50+) counts toward permanent residence in Thailand, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence.
More in Thailand
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Immigration Bureau criteria for extension of temporary stay, including families of Thai nationals and of permanent residents · Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police (Uttaradit Immigration Office) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence Permit in Thailand: criteria for foreign nationals · Royal Thai Embassy, London, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.