Here is a range of different types of visa that allow you to stay or reside in Thailand. This article will allow you to choose the visa best suited to your situation, based on your age, your financial resources and the planned duration of your stay.
For details of the procedures and the documents to provide, we invite you to contact the competent authorities (Immigration offices in Thailand or Thai embassies and consulates outside the kingdom).
Also, do not hesitate to contact us , we have all the information and competent relationships to help you facilitate obtaining a visa, whether for a short stay, or if you plan to stay for a good part of time. of the year, and even if you opt for a permanent expatriation.
Stay of less than 30 days: visa exemption
Nationals of France and major European countries arriving by plane can stay up to 30 days in Thailand, without the need for a visa.
If entry is via a land border, the residence authorization is then 15 days.
Please note, the total duration of several visa-free stays cannot exceed 90 days per 6-month period.
Up to 3 months: tourist visa
Issued by a Thai embassy, ââtherefore outside the kingdom, the tourist visa authorizes a stay of 60 days, easily extendable on site for a period of 30 additional days in Thailand (by going to an Immigration office). This visa therefore allows you to stay for a maximum of 90 days .
Long stay: the OA visa (the so-called âretireesâ visa)
Issued by the Thai embassy in your country of origin, the OA visa allows people who are over 50 years old and benefit from the following financial resources:
- monthly income equal to or greater than 65,000 Bahts (approximately âŽ1700) per month
or (one or the other)
- the equivalent of at least 800,000 Bahts (approximately âŽ20,800) in a Thai account (this money is not blocked, however it is preferable to keep it if you want to obtain the same visa in subsequent years)
to stay in Thailand for a period of one year . This visa can then be renewed on site each year, providing proof of the same financial resources.
OA visas can be multi-entry, so they are ideal for residing in Thailand and for long tourist stays elsewhere, or for returning to France for example when you want.
Clarification: holders of an OA visa must report to Immigration every 90 days (â90 days reportâ), in order to notify their presence and their address. It is a free, quick and very simple procedure, which only requires your passport and a simple form to complete on site.
The O visa and the retirement extension
If you cannot obtain an OA visa, for practical or financial reasons, you can apply for an O visa, which is easily obtained in the embassies of countries close to Thailand. It is a 90-day visa, single entry, which allows you to then request a one-year extension, subject to the same financial and age conditions as the OA visa (except in the case of a âdependentâ visa, see below), and similarly requiring the â90 days reportâ to be made.
Visa for a couple: OA and O
To avoid both spouses of a married couple having to each justify the financial resources required to obtain an OA visa, the solution is that one of the two spouses applies for an OA visa, and the other applies for a visa O âdependentâ, for which the resource conditions are not required.
Please note, it is not allowed to work in Thailand or to carry out an activity closely or remotely related to a professional activity, even on a voluntary basis, if you have a retirement visa (O or OA). ), a tourist visa or a visa exemption.
The O visa and the marriage extension
It is possible to reside permanently in Thailand by being married to a person of Thai nationality. The means conditions apply in the same way to request an annual extension, but the amounts requested are lower than the retirement visa.
The B (business) visa
This visa can be obtained if you are employed by a company that meets the conditions required for the employment of a foreigner. It is also possible to create a business with Thai partners and get employed as a director.
Please note, the B visa itself does not give the right to work, you must also obtain a work permit.
Other possibilities
There are other types of visas that allow you to reside in Thailand. Some do not offer the guarantee of being able to be renewed each year, this is particularly the case with the student visa. Others are quite expensive (multi-year visa, Elite program, permanent residence, etc.).
In this article, we have presented the most common and affordable solutions.
We remain at your disposal if you have any questions regarding visas. Do not hesitate to contact usÂ
