Visa services

Most retirees in Pattaya hold a one-year extension of stay based on retirement, granted at Jomtien Immigration on top of a Non-Immigrant O visa. It is the most common long-stay route in Thailand and it does not require health insurance.

Requirements

• 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account in your name, held for at least 2 months before you apply. Or a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB. Or a combination totaling 800,000 THB a year.
• If you use the deposit, the full amount stays for 3 months after approval, and the balance cannot drop below 400,000 THB for the rest of the year.
• Proof of address in Thailand, such as a TM.30 receipt from your landlord or your own condo title.

How we handle it

If you arrive visa-free, we can often convert your stay to a Non-O at Jomtien Immigration, then file the retirement extension. We open the bank account with you, time the deposit, prepare the forms and photos, and go to immigration with you on the day.

The O-A is a one-year, multiple-entry retirement visa you apply for before you travel. It needs the same funds as the retirement extension, plus a police clearance, a medical certificate and health insurance covering at least 3,000,000 THB for the whole stay. Once in Thailand, it can be extended every year.

The O-A suits people who want everything settled before they fly. If you are already in Thailand, the Non-O retirement extension is usually simpler.

The O-X gives you up to ten years in Thailand, granted as two five-year stays. It is open to applicants aged 50 or older from 14 countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• 3,000,000 THB in a Thai bank, or annual income of at least 1,200,000 THB, or a combination totaling 3,000,000 THB.
• Health insurance with at least 400,000 THB inpatient and 40,000 THB outpatient cover. Some embassies now ask for 3,000,000 THB cover.
• No work of any kind is permitted.

Israeli passport holders are not on the O-X list. For Israelis, the retirement extension, Thailand Privilege or the LTR are the realistic long-stay routes.

Thailand Privilege is a government-run membership that comes with a long-stay visa. There is no age requirement, no bank deposit to maintain and no annual renewal. You pay once.

Prices and promotions change, and the Bronze tier may close. Approval takes up to two months. The visa does not allow you to work, and 90-day reporting still applies.

How we handle it

We prepare the application and background check paperwork, and we tell you plainly whether membership is worth it compared with a retirement visa in your situation.

The DTV is a five-year, multiple-entry visa for remote workers, freelancers and people taking longer courses such as Muay Thai, cooking or Thai language. Each entry allows 180 days, extendable once by another 180 days.

• Proof of remote work for employers or clients outside Thailand, or enrollment in an approved activity.
• Since August 31, 2026, many embassies also ask for proof of residence in the country where you apply and a criminal record certificate.

The DTV does not allow you to work for a Thai employer. It is the best option for most people under 50 who want to spend half the year or more in Pattaya.

The LTR is a 10-year visa for four groups: wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, people working remotely from Thailand, and highly skilled professionals. Each group has its own income or asset test.

The wealthy pensioner category is often the right fit for retirees with a stable pension who are not eligible for the O-X, including Israelis.

If you are legally married to a Thai national, you can stay on a one-year extension based on marriage. You need 400,000 THB in a Thai bank for at least 2 months, or monthly income of 40,000 THB. Immigration interviews you both and may visit your home.

Unlike retirement, marriage-based stay allows you to apply for a work permit.

The ED visa covers study at a licensed Thai language school, university or approved training program. Extensions are granted per term while you attend. Attendance is checked, and an ED visa does not permit work.

To work in Thailand you need a Non-B visa and a work permit, sponsored by a Thai employer that meets capital and staffing rules. We prepare the visa and work permit filings together and handle the yearly extension with your company's documents.

Every foreigner staying in Thailand for more than 90 days in a row must report their address to immigration on form TM.47. You can file from 15 days before the due date until 7 days after. Leaving the country resets the count.

If you leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, your extension of stay is cancelled. We file both for clients and send reminders before every date.