Non-OA Retirement Visa from Australia: Step-by-Step e-Visa Application

The Non-Immigrant O-A (long stay) visa lets people aged 50 and over stay in Thailand for up to a year without working, and it's arranged before you leave Australia. Since 19 March 2024 all Thai visas are applied for online at thaievisa.go.th, with no passport posted to the embassy. This guide walks through the process for Australian residents. It covers which mission handles your application, what to prepare, and the timing.

This is general information, not migration advice. Always follow the document list shown in the e-Visa portal for your chosen mission, which is the authoritative list.

Step 1: Check you're eligible

From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirements for the O-A:

• Aged 50 or over on the day you apply
• Not planning to work. Employment of any kind is prohibited
• No criminal record in Thailand or your country of nationality or residence
• None of the prohibited diseases listed in Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535)
• A national or resident of the country where you apply

If you're not sure the O-A suits you, compare it with the Non-O plus extension and LTR routes in our visa comparison.

Step 2: Choose the right mission

The Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra says:

• residents of the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory choose "Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra", and
• residents of New South Wales choose "Royal Thai Consulate-General in Sydney".

Non-Australian residents of Australia must upload their VEVO record as proof of location.

Step 3: Gather your documents

The MFA and Thai consulates list these for the O-A. Formats and validity periods can differ slightly between missions, so check the portal.

Document	Details
Passport	Valid for at least 18 months
Photo	Recent (within 6 months), white background, not the same as your passport photo
Proof of current residence	For Australians, e.g. driver's licence, utility bill or bank statement showing your address
Financial evidence	Bank statement showing at least 800,000 THB equivalent, or income of at least 65,000 THB a month (e.g. pension statement), or a combination totalling 800,000 THB a year
Police check	Criminal record certificate from your country of nationality or residence, usually issued within 3 months
Medical certificate	Showing none of the prohibited diseases, usually within 3 months. Some missions require their own form
Health insurance	Cover of at least 3,000,000 THB / US$100,000, including COVID-19, for the whole stay. A foreign insurer must sign the Foreign Insurance Certificate

The police check

For a national check, Australians can apply to the Australian Federal Police (or an accredited body, though check whether the mission accepts it). Ask whether the mission needs the certificate authenticated or apostilled. We couldn't confirm Canberra's current position, so check the portal or ask the embassy.

The medical certificate

Your GP can complete it. Some Thai missions require their own form. Use the mission's form if one is provided in the portal, and make sure it's signed and stamped.

Health insurance

Read our Non-OA insurance guide before you buy. Australian private health insurance generally won't qualify.

Converting your money to baht

Thai thresholds are in baht, so your AUD balance must clear 800,000 THB at the exchange rate when you apply. Allow a margin for currency moves. Our rates panel shows the current indicative rate.

Step 4: Apply online

The official e-Visa manual describes the process:

1. Create an account at thaievisa.go.th with your email.
2. Choose the visa category (Non-Immigrant O-A, long stay) and your mission (Canberra or Sydney).
3. Enter your details. Uploading your passport auto-fills some fields, so check every one.
4. Upload documents as clear PDF or JPEG files within the size limits. Canberra suggests combining several pages into one PDF.
5. Pay the fee online by card. The Canberra embassy says the fee is non-refundable and may change without notice. Check the current fee in the portal, as we haven't quoted it.
6. Submit. Canberra warns that once submitted, applications can't be edited. You can only add documents if the embassy asks.

Step 5: Wait for a decision

• Canberra says processing is at least 10 business days, and up to 4 to 6 weeks in some cases. It recommends applying about a month before departure.
• The embassy may ask for more documents.
• If approved, the e-Visa is emailed to you. Print it, because airlines and Thai immigration need to see a hard copy.

Step 6: Arriving and staying

• You'll normally get up to one year of permission to stay at entry.
• File 90-day reports while in Thailand. See our 90-day reporting guide.
• Make sure your landlord files your TM30. See our TM30 guide.
• Get a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand if you want to keep your permission.
• To stay beyond the year, apply for an extension at your local immigration office. The O-A extension also requires health insurance. See our retirement extension guide.

Common mistakes

• Data entry errors. Applications can't be edited after submission.
• Expired documents. Police checks and medical certificates often must be under 3 months old.
• Wrong mission. NSW residents must apply via Sydney.
• Insurance that doesn't meet the rule, or a foreign insurer that won't sign the certificate.
• Exchange-rate shortfall on the 800,000 THB test.

Summary

• Apply online at thaievisa.go.th, through Canberra (most states and territories) or Sydney (NSW).
• You need to be 50+, with 800,000 THB / 65,000 THB a month, a police check, a medical certificate and health insurance (3,000,000 THB / US$100,000).
• Processing takes at least 10 business days. Apply about a month ahead and print your e-Visa.

What we couldn't verify

• The fee for the O-A when applying through Canberra or Sydney: check the portal.
• Police check: whether the mission requires authentication or an apostille.
• Medical form: whether Canberra or Sydney require their own medical form for the O-A.