The Retirement Extension, Step by Step

This is the route most retirees in Pattaya use year after year. None of it is hard once you know the order — but the order, and the timing of your money, is everything.

Figures current as of June 2026. Amounts and seasoning periods change and are applied at officer discretion. Confirm today’s numbers with the Immigration Bureau (or a reputable agent) before you move money or book travel.

Step 1 — Enter on the right visa

You generally begin on a Non-Immigrant O visa, then apply for the retirement extension of stay inside Thailand. You can also convert an eligible entry to a Non-O once here — conversion options vary, so confirm locally.

Step 2 — Meet the financial requirement (one of three ways)

• Deposit route: 800,000 THB held in a Thai bank account, seasoned for at least two months before a first application (three months before each renewal).
• Income route: 65,000 THB / month transferred into Thailand and evidenced.
• Combination: deposit + annual income together totalling 800,000 THB.

The seasoning rule is where people come unstuck. Money that lands too late simply won’t count this cycle. Map your transfers backwards from your appointment date.

Step 3 — Gather your documents

A typical bundle (confirm the current list locally):

• Passport with the right visa and enough validity
• Bank book + a letter from your Thai bank dated to your application
• Completed application form (TM7) and photos
• Proof of address and your TM30 on file
• Health insurance documents if your route requires them (for example the O-A; the in-country extension generally does not require insurance)

Step 4 — Apply at your local office

For most of Pattaya that’s Jomtien Immigration. Go early; queues build. Many retirees do this themselves; others use a reputable agent for the first year to learn the ropes.

Step 5 — Stay compliant all year

The extension isn’t “set and forget”:

• File your 90-day report on time.
• Keep your TM30 ad