Thailand Retirement Visa Renewal in Pattaya 2026: Non-O Extension at Jomtien Immigration

If you are 50 or over and want to live in Pattaya year to year, the usual route is the retirement visa: a Non-Immigrant O visa followed by a one-year extension of stay that you renew every year at Jomtien Immigration. This guide covers the financial requirement (800,000 THB on deposit or 65,000 THB a month), how long the deposit has to sit in the bank, the 1,900 THB renewal fee, the documents Jomtien asks for, and what continues after approval.

What the retirement visa (Non-O) is

"Retirement visa" is the everyday name for the status that lets people aged 50 and over live in Thailand year by year. In most cases you first obtain a Non-Immigrant O visa, which gives a 90-day stay, and then apply for a one-year extension of stay as a retiree. The extension is not a one-off: every year your finances are examined again before the next year is granted.

You cannot work on a retirement visa. If you intend to work in Thailand, you need a different visa that matches the purpose, plus a work permit.

Non-O versus O-A

There is a similarly named visa, the O-A. The differences are as follows.

Among Japanese residents of Pattaya, the common pattern is a Non-O followed by yearly extensions, and that is the route this article focuses on.

The financial requirement: 800,000 THB on deposit or 65,000 THB a month

You need to meet one of the following. The figures are the same across the several visa agencies, expat associations and legal information sites our team compared.

• The deposit has to be in a bank account in Thailand. Conditions for opening an account differ by bank and by your immigration status, and are reported to have become stricter than before
• If you apply on income, the form of proof that is accepted can change over time and between offices. Confirm what is being accepted before you apply
• You must be 50 or over on the day you apply for the extension

How long the deposit has to stay in the account, and the floor

If you apply on the deposit, Immigration looks not only at the balance but at when the money arrived and how much stays in the account afterwards. According to a notice from the Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai, the following rule has applied since 1 March 2019.

1. Keep at least 800,000 THB in the account from 2 months before the application date
2. After the extension is approved, keep at least 800,000 THB for a further 3 months
3. After that, do not let the balance fall below 400,000 THB until the next application

For second and later renewals, some guidance says "3 months before the application", so sources differ on this point. Count back from your renewal date and have the balance in place early.

Two ways to get your first Non-O

Apply at a Thai embassy or consulate before you travel

You can apply for the Non-O before coming to Thailand. The guidance our team checked describes applying at the Thai embassy or consulates in Japan. Required documents and the accepted ways of proving funds are set by each Thai mission, so check the latest guidance from the one you will apply to.

Convert inside Thailand

The other route is to enter Thailand visa-exempt and apply at Pattaya Immigration to convert to a Non-O. An expat association in Pattaya describes the process like this.

1. At least 15 days before your current permitted stay ends, apply to convert to a Non-O (fee 2,000 THB)
2. If approved, you are given a 90-day stay
3. From 30 days before that 90-day stay ends, apply for the one-year extension (fee 1,900 THB)

At the conversion stage you are asked to show 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account, and it is reported that in practice the money may need to have been in the account longer than the published rule says. Since 15 September 2026 the visa exemption has been 30 days, so there are fewer days between arrival and the conversion application than before.

The one-year renewal at Jomtien Immigration, Pattaya

Residents of Pattaya renew at Jomtien Immigration (the Pattaya office of Chonburi Immigration).

1. Apply from 30 days before your stay expires. Most guidance for Pattaya says 30 days; this differs from Bangkok, which accepts applications from 45 days before
2. On the morning of the application, update your bank book and obtain a balance letter from the bank. The letter is expected to carry the application date; some guidance says a letter dated the previous day is accepted if you apply before the bank opens
3. Submit your documents at Immigration and pay the 1,900 THB fee
4. After review, the one-year extension is granted. In Pattaya, applicants are sometimes told to come back the next day or later to collect the passport

Retirement visa documents for Jomtien Immigration

If your bank book shows transactions consolidated into a single line, you may be asked for 12 months of bank statements. If you apply on income, add the document proving your income.

Where renewals go wrong

• The deposit has not been in the account long enough, or the record shows the balance dipped below the floor after the last extension
• The bank book update or the balance letter is not dated the day of application
• The TM.30 receipt or other proof of address is not to hand
• The application is made too early and is not accepted, or so close to the deadline that there is no time to fix missing documents

Two obligations that continue after the extension

• 90-day report. You report your address to Immigration every 90 days
• Re-entry permit. Obtain one before you leave Thailand, for example for a trip home. If you leave without it, your one-year extension ends at that point

How our team can help

Through its visa service, SIAM BAY PATTAYA supports new applications for and renewals of the retirement visa: guidance on the documents, accompanying you to the bank to obtain the balance letter, and accompanying you to Jomtien Immigration with interpreting (in Japanese; ask us about support in other languages). If you do not yet have a Thai bank account, we also offer bank-account opening support.

Frequently asked questions

Can I qualify on my pension alone?

Yes, if you can prove an income of at least 65,000 THB a month. If your income is below that, you can combine it with a deposit so that the two together come to at least 800,000 THB.

When can I apply for the renewal?

In Pattaya, the usual guidance is from 30 days before your stay expires. Apply early in that window so there is time to deal with any missing documents.

How far can my balance drop after the extension?

Keep at least 800,000 THB for 3 months after the extension is approved, and do not let the balance fall below 400,000 THB after that.

Can I work on a retirement visa?

No. To work in Thailand you need a visa that matches the purpose and a work permit.

Last checked

Information checked by our Pattaya team on 2026-09-25. Requirements and local practice change; confirm the current rules with Jomtien Immigration before you apply.