- Minimum age
- 50
- both routes
- Money test
- 800,000 THB
- or 65,000 THB a month, or a combination
- O-A insurance
- USD 100,000
- or 3,000,000 THB cover
- Yearly extension fee
- 1,900 THB
- both routes
Non-O vs O-A at a glance
| Non-O (retirement) | O-A (long stay) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you apply | A Thai mission abroad, or inside Thailand by changing your entry status at immigration | A Thai mission abroad, usually through the e-Visa portal |
| Age | 50 or older | 50 or older on the day you apply |
| Money test | 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, or 65,000 THB a month income, or a combination | 800,000 THB, or 65,000 THB a month income, or a combination |
| Where the money sits | A Thai bank account for the in-country extension | Usually shown from a home bank account when you apply abroad |
| Health insurance | Not a fixed requirement for the in-country extension (see below) | Required: at least USD 100,000 or 3,000,000 THB for the whole stay |
| Police certificate | Not part of the usual extension file | Required, issued within 3 months and notarised or legalised |
| Medical certificate | Not part of the usual extension file | Required, issued within 3 months |
| First stay | 90 days, then a one-year extension | Up to 1 year per entry on a 1-year multiple-entry visa |
| Visa fee | About 2,000 THB (varies by embassy) | About 5,000 THB (varies by embassy) |
| Yearly extension | 1,900 THB | 1,900 THB, with insurance kept in force |
| 90-day reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Work | Not allowed | Not allowed |
Every threshold above links to its source on the retirement visa and O-A visa pages. Embassy fees are charged in local currency, so treat the THB figures as a guide.
Can I get a retirement visa from inside Thailand?
Yes, through the Non-O route. If you entered visa-exempt, you can ask immigration to change your status to Non-O on form TM.87. Agencies and law firms report a 2,000 THB fee for this. You must still have time left on your stamp, so go early.
This matters more since 15 September 2026. On that date the visa-exempt stay for most Western passports fell from 60 to 30 days. You now have less time to open a Thai bank account and season your money before your stamp runs out.
The O-A cannot be applied for in Thailand. You apply at the Thai mission that covers where you live, before you travel.
Do I need health insurance for a Thai retirement visa?
For the O-A, yes. The MFA checklist asks for cover of at least USD 100,000 or 3,000,000 THB for the whole stay. Older pages still quote 40,000 THB outpatient and 400,000 THB inpatient. That rule is outdated for new applications.
For the Non-O retirement extension, insurance is not a fixed requirement in the published criteria. Most 2026 guides agree. A few report that some offices now ask for it. We could not confirm this from an official source, so check with your local office.
If you extend on an O-A basis, you must keep insurance in force at each extension. This is the main reason many people switch to the Non-O route later.
Is the money test the same for Non-O and O-A?
The amounts are the same: 800,000 THB, or 65,000 THB a month, or a combination totalling 800,000 THB a year. The difference is timing and location.
- O-A abroad: you usually show a bank statement and a bank letter from your home bank. Embassies set their own rules on how long the balance must have been held.
- Non-O in Thailand: the 800,000 THB must sit in a Thai bank for 2 months before you file and 3 months after approval. After that it must not drop below 400,000 THB.
Our guide to the 800,000 THB seasoning rules sets out the month-by-month timeline.
How long is the first year on each route?
Non-O: you get 90 days on entry or on conversion. Before those 90 days end, you apply for a one-year extension at immigration for 1,900 THB.
O-A: the visa is valid for one year with multiple entries. Each entry gives a stay of up to one year from the date you arrive. Because of this, an entry made late in the visa's validity can still give a full year from that date.
In both cases you file a 90-day address report while you stay, and a TM30 residence notice must be on file before you extend.
What happens after the first year?
The two routes converge. From year two, both are renewed by a one-year extension at your local immigration office:
| Item | Extension based on Non-O | Extension based on O-A |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | 1,900 THB | 1,900 THB |
| Money test | 800,000 THB, 65,000 THB a month, or combination | Same |
| Insurance | Not a fixed requirement | Must be kept in force |
| 90-day reports | Yes | Yes |
| Re-entry permit if you travel | Needed to keep the extension | Needed to keep the extension |
A re-entry permit costs 1,000 THB for a single trip or 3,800 THB for multiple trips at Bangkok Immigration. Without one, leaving Thailand cancels your extension.
Non O or O-A: which should you pick?
Pick the Non-O if:
- You are already in Thailand, or want to arrive first and sort things out locally.
- You do not want to buy Thai-compliant health insurance every year.
- You can open a Thai bank account and season 800,000 THB, or show 65,000 THB a month.
Pick the O-A if:
- You want a one-year visa in your passport before you fly.
- You can get the police and medical certificates easily at home.
- You already hold health insurance that meets the USD 100,000 test.
If neither fits, compare the LTR Wealthy Pensioner and Thailand Privilege routes, or run the visa checker.
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Questions people ask
Is the O-A visa better than the Non-O?
Neither is better in general. The O-A gives you a one-year stay before you arrive but needs insurance, a police certificate and a medical certificate. The Non-O needs less paperwork and can start inside Thailand, but your first stay is only 90 days before the extension.
Can I convert a visa exemption to a Non-O retirement visa in Thailand?
Yes. Immigration offices accept a change of status on form TM.87 while you still have time left on your visa-exempt stay. A 2,000 THB fee is widely reported. With the visa-exempt stay now 30 days for many passports, apply early.
Do I need health insurance to extend a Non-O retirement visa?
Not under the published criteria for a Non-O based extension. Some offices are reported to ask for it, so confirm with your office before you file. Extensions based on an O-A visa do require insurance.
Can I work on a Non-O or O-A retirement visa?
No. Both retirement routes prohibit employment in Thailand. If you need to work, look at the work visa (Non-B) or the LTR visa.
How much does an O-A visa cost?
The MFA fee for the multiple-entry O-A is about 5,000 THB, charged in local currency by each embassy. Add the cost of insurance, a police certificate, a medical certificate and any legalisation. Each later one-year extension in Thailand costs 1,900 THB.
Sources
- MFA Non-Immigrant O-A visa page
- MFA O-A / O-X checklist (insurance)
- MFA Non-O retirement checklist
- Bangkok Immigration extension criteria
- Bangkok Immigration re-entry permit
- TAT: 30-day visa exemption from 15 September 2026
- Reported by The Thaiger: Non-O, O-A and O-X compared
Published 4 Nov 2026 · Last checked 4 Nov 2026 · Pending expert review