Hi everyone, I have been visiting Thailand for the past 3 years always on a tourist visa from the UK. I now have a Thai girlfriend who has her own house/land. I want to start the process to enable me to retire in Thailand(living with her) in 2 years.I know very little about what is required and am looking for guidance. Where do I start. Currently unable to meet the financial requirements of 800k pa. But upon retiring this will not be a problem. Any help appreciated. Thank you.

The first part is to have 800k baht in a Thai bank in your name only or 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

Then you will need a non immigrant visa entry to apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. You can get a non-o visa at a embassy or consulate or do a change of visa status to get the non immigrant visa entry at immigration.

When you apply for the extension the 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 60 days.

2.22 In the case of retirement:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must be 50 years of age or over.

(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month: or (4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to the filing date: or

(5) Must have an annual earning and fluids deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,0000 as of the filing date.

If in the future you were to marry her:

400,000 Baht in the bank or 40,000 monthly income.

If in the future you were to marry her:

400,000 Baht in the bank or 40,000 monthly income.

To clarify for the OP: These requirements would apply if you changed your Extension of Stay basis from 'Retirement' to 'Marriage to a Thai National'

^^^^ Sorry for being pedantic but it would be "Marriage to a Thai Lady".

Foreign women marrying Thai Men do not need any money.

K Lite Beer, logically I would agree with your wording.

It has been some time since I looked at an official document (I rely on the trusted experts here... Lite Beer and ubonjoe mainly), but I seem to recall the official verbiage as being ...”Thai National”.

Then again, the 'Application of Stay' stamps in my passport are stamped ”THAI WIFE” in English, or the Thai equivalent

From clause 2.18 of the immigration order "(6) In the case of marriage to a Thai woman,.." .

Thanks ubonjoe, now I know .

That wording makes more sense then what I recalled seeing.

If in the future you were to marry her:

400,000 Baht in the bank or 40,000 monthly income.

To clarify for the OP: These requirements would apply if you changed your Extension of Stay basis from 'Retirement' to 'Marriage to a Thai National'

While every person's situation is unique, I recommend going with the "Retirement Extension". A lot cleaner if something happens to your relationship with your Thai GF/bride.

Don't be blind. Know what you are doing and why, and have a plan B.

If in the future you were to marry her:

400,000 Baht in the bank or 40,000 monthly income.

To clarify for the OP: These requirements would apply if you changed your Extension of Stay basis from 'Retirement' to 'Marriage to a Thai National'

While every person's situation is unique, I recommend going with the "Retirement Extension". A lot cleaner if something happens to your relationship with your Thai GF/bride.

Don't be blind. Know what you are doing and why, and have a plan B.

Thinking about it openly and logically I would agree with lcp0761

By the way lcp0761... is your TV username some sort of secret code or what is this all about mate ? Perhaps your online banking username as well..... ?

The first part is to have 800k baht in a Thai bank in your name only or 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

Then you will need a non immigrant visa entry to apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. You can get a non-o visa at a embassy or consulate or do a change of visa status to get the non immigrant visa entry at immigration.

When you apply for the extension the 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 60 days.

Or alternatively, since you say that you are periodically visiting on a tourist visa, you could obtain the necessary visa for the purpose of retirement from a Thai embassy or consulate in your own country prior to moving to Thailand.

Doing it that way could, if you do it right, get you almost two years for the price of a single visa.