Retirement Extension in Thailand: 800k Deposit vs 65k Income Method

The retirement extension is a one-year permission to stay, granted at your local Thai immigration office to people aged 50 or over who hold a non-immigrant visa. You qualify financially in one of three ways: 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, income of at least 65,000 THB a month, or a combination totalling 800,000 THB. This guide sets out the rules for each method as published by the Immigration Bureau, and the practical trade-offs.

This is general information, not migration advice. Local offices add their own requirements. Check with your office a few weeks before you apply.

The official criteria

The Immigration Bureau's criteria for an extension "in case of retirement" (section 2.22) are:

1. You must have been granted a non-immigrant visa.
2. You must be 50 years of age or over.
3. Income method: evidence of monthly income of no less than 65,000 baht, or
4. Deposit method: at least 2 months before the filing date and 3 months after being granted permission, a deposit in a commercial bank located in Thailand of no less than 800,000 baht. After those 3 months you can withdraw, but the balance must stay at no less than 400,000 baht, or
5. Combination: annual income plus a deposit in a Thai commercial bank totalling no less than 800,000 baht at the filing date. The deposit part follows the same holding and withdrawal conditions as the deposit method.

Each permission is granted for no more than 1 year.

There's also a separate legacy rule for people who entered before 21 October 1998 and have been continuously extended for retirement since. It has lower thresholds and won't apply to new retirees.

Method 1: 800,000 THB deposit

How it works: you keep at least 800,000 THB in your Thai bank account:

• for 2 months before you apply,
• for 3 months after approval, and then
• never below 400,000 THB for the rest of the year.

Documents: a deposit certificate (bank letter) from your Thai bank and a copy of your bank book, normally updated on or near the day you apply.

Pros:

• Simple, documented entirely in Thailand.
• Not affected by exchange-rate moves once the money is in baht.

Cons:

• 800,000 THB is tied up, and at least 400,000 THB stays tied up all year.
• You need a Thai bank account, which can be hard to open on arrival. See our bank account guide.
• Many offices check the account's history, so withdrawals that break the rules can lead to refusal at your next application.

In practice: many offices want the full 800,000 THB back in the account for 2 months before each renewal. Interpretations of the "during the year" rules vary, so ask your office.

Method 2: 65,000 THB monthly income

How it works: you show income of at least 65,000 THB a month, for example a pension, interest or dividends, which the official handbook gives as examples of income evidence.

Documents: evidence of income. In practice, offices ask for one of:

• an income certification letter from your embassy (if your embassy issues one), or
• Thai bank statements showing regular transfers from overseas of at least 65,000 THB a month, often over 12 months.

For Australians: what offices accept as proof of Australian pension income, and whether the Australian Embassy in Bangkok currently provides an income letter, varies. We couldn't verify the current position. Check with the Australian Embassy (notarial services) and your immigration office.

Pros: no large lump sum tied up.

Cons: exposed to exchange rates. If the AUD falls, your income may drop below 65,000 THB. The Age Pension alone may not reach the threshold. See our Age Pension guide.

Method 3: Combination

How it works: your annual income plus your Thai bank deposit must total at least 800,000 THB. For example, if your income comes to 500,000 THB a year, you need at least 300,000 THB in the bank, and that deposit follows the same holding and withdrawal rules as Method 1.

This suits many pensioners whose income is below 65,000 THB a month.

Which method should you choose?

	Deposit (800k)	Income (65k/month)	Combination
Lump sum needed	800,000 THB (400,000 THB minimum all year)	None	Depends on income
Exchange-rate risk	Low once in baht	High	Medium
Paperwork	Bank letter and bank book	Income evidence	Both
Good for	People with savings	People with higher pensions	Pensioners below 65k a month

Documents checklist

The Immigration Bureau's handbook and common office checklists include:

1. Passport (original and copies of the photo page, visa, latest extension, latest entry stamp)
2. TM.7 application form with photo
3. Acknowledgement of overstay penalties form
4. Financial evidence for your chosen method
5. TM30 receipt and 90-day report slip. See our TM30 guide
6. Proof of address (lease or house book), and at many offices a map to your home
7. Fee: 1,900 THB

Non-OA holders: the same criteria add a health insurance requirement of at least US$100,000 or 3,000,000 THB for the whole stay. See our insurance guide.

Timing and process

• Apply at your local immigration office, within the period your office allows before your current permission expires. Many offices accept applications from 30 to 45 days before. Ask yours.
• Some offices issue a "under consideration" stamp, and you return later for the final decision.
• After approval, plan for 90-day reports and a re-entry permit if you travel. See our 90-day reporting guide.

Summary

• You need to be 50+ on a non-immigrant visa.
• 800,000 THB held 2 months before and 3 months after approval, then 400,000 THB minimum, or 65,000 THB a month income, or a combination totalling 800,000 THB.
• Each extension is 1 year, and the fee is 1,900 THB.
• Ask your local office about its extra requirements.

What we couldn't verify

• Income proof for Australians: whether the Australian Embassy currently issues income letters, and which proof offices accept.
• The deposit during renewal years: how offices apply the rules over the whole year varies.
• When you can apply: the 30 to 45 day window varies by office.