Tourism is not the only reason foreigners come to Thailand, as we have pointed out many times in this blog. Other reasons include business, expatriation for their retirement, and to become a full-fledged Thai citizen. There are corresponding visas that these foreigners should apply for, and we’ll discuss these visas in detail in this article.
Retirement Visa
First on the list is the Retirement Visa. As its name suggests, this visa is for those foreigners who want to move to Thailand once they reach the retirement age of 60 or even earlier in some cases. In any case, a foreigner can apply for a retirement visa to the Kingdom of Thailand if they are at least 50 years old. You would need to show proof of THB800,000 in funds deposited in a local Thai bank. The money has to be deposited in your account for at least two months before you are to renew your Visa.
Alternatively, you can also present proof that you are receiving an equivalent of THB65,000 in monthly pensions from your home country. If your monthly pension is lower than THB65,000, you can complement this with savings of the appropriate amount in order to satisfy the THB800,000 fund requirement.
Marriage Visa
Being married to a Thai national may want you to move to Thailand permanently and build a family. The marriage visa has a less stringent set of requirements that you should comply with in order to gain permission to live for long term in the country.
Apparently, you need to present a certificate of marriage that confirms that you are in a marriage with a Thai national. That is the easy part, of course. Just like the Retirement Visa, the Marriage Visa also requires you to present proof of funds but the figures are generally lower. For instance, you only need to show proof of at least THB400,000 in a local bank account instead of THB800,000. The monthly pension requirement is also lower – you only need proof of at least THB40,000 in monthly pension in order to apply for a Marriage Visa.
Take note that holding a marriage visa does not legally allow you to gain employment in Thailand. There is a need to separately apply for a Work Permit in order to work in the country.
Business Visa
If you plan to stay in Thailand in order to start a business without having to retire or to marry a local, you need to apply for a business visa. A business visa application comes hand in hand with the documents required to establish a company in the Kingdom, so it is more or less automatic and consumes less time.
Student Visa
Last but not the least is the student visa, which is intended for foreigners who want to study in Thailand via, for example, an exchange program. It is a hassle-free process. All a student needs to do is ace the university’s admission process, and the school will assist in the application by providing them with the requisite documents.
