Thailand visa terms, explained

90-Day Report

The 90-day report (TM.47) is a mandatory address notification for foreign nationals staying in Thailand continuously for 90 days or more under a long-stay visa — Non-OA, Non-O, Non-B, DTV, LTR and similar extension-of-stay categories. Tourist visa and visa-exemption entries are exempt. Filed online at imm.immigration.go.th, in person at an Immigration office, or by registered post, within a window from 15 days before to 7 days after the due date — though the online portal itself typically only accepts submissions up to the exact due date, with the post-deadline days reliably usable in person only. Missing the deadline carries a 2,000 THB fine, payable at any Immigration office.

90-Day Report (TM47)

A simple address check-in long-stay foreigners make to Thai Immigration every 90 days. It is not a visa renewal. For managed clients we track and file every report so it never slips.

Apostille

An apostille is a form of document authentication issued under the Hague Apostille Convention (1961) that certifies the authenticity of a public document (birth certificate, police clearance, marriage certificate, company documents) for use in another signatory country. Thailand is not yet a Hague Convention party: it acceded on 30 June 2026, but the Convention does not enter into force for Thailand until 28 February 2027 (HCCH status table, checked 14 August 2026). Until that date a document for use in Thailand needs the full consular legalisation chain, and an apostille alone will be refused. For Thai visa applications requiring certified foreign documents, the current route is therefore consular legalisation — the issuing country's authentication followed by legalisation at the Thai embassy or consulate there. From 28 February 2027 an apostille is expected to replace that chain. The issuing authority varies by country — in Australia it is DFAT; in the UK it is the FCDO; in the US it is the Secretary of State for the relevant state.

Fees & timelines

Application Fee

The government charge for lodging a visa application, separate from any service fee. Amounts change, so we confirm the current fee for your case before you pay.

Bank Statement (Seasoning)

Many long-stay visas require funds held in an account for a set period (often 2–3 months) before applying. We confirm the current amount and seasoning window for your route.

Business Visa (Non-B)

A non-immigrant visa for those who will work for, invest in or run a company in Thailand. Usually paired with a work permit.

Certificate of Residence

A document from Immigration confirming your Thai address, often needed to open a bank account or buy a vehicle.

Conversion (In-Country)

Changing from one visa type to another without leaving Thailand, where the rules allow it. Eligibility and timing matter — we check both for your case.

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)

A five-year, multiple-entry visa for remote workers, freelancers and people pursuing soft-power activities, allowing long stays without local employment.

Living in Thailand

Digital Nomad

A remote worker who earns income online while living abroad. In Thailand the DTV is the pathway most digital nomads use.

DTV — Destination Thailand Visa

The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a 5-year, multiple-entry visa launched by Thailand in 2024. It allows holders to stay up to 180 days per entry (extendable once to 360 days) without requiring employment in Thailand. Qualifying activities include remote work or freelancing for foreign clients, ownership of a foreign-registered business, participation in Thai soft-power programmes (Muay Thai, yoga, culinary arts), and financial self-sufficiency. The government application fee is approximately THB 10,000.

Education Visa (ED)

A non-immigrant visa for studying in Thailand — language courses, university or approved training programmes.

Embassy Legalisation

Official authentication of a foreign document so Thai authorities will accept it. Often paired with certified translation.

Extension of Stay

Permission granted inside Thailand to remain beyond your visa's initial period, applied for at an Immigration office before your current stay ends.

Family Visa

A visa allowing the spouse, children or parents of an eligible person to live in Thailand, based on the family relationship.

Health Insurance Requirement

Some long-stay visas require qualifying medical cover. The required level changes by route, so we confirm what your application needs.

Living in Thailand

Immigration Office

The local government office that handles extensions, 90-day reports and in-country visa matters. Which office serves you depends on your registered address.

LTR Visa (Long-Term Resident)

A 10-year visa for wealthy global citizens, pensioners, remote professionals and highly skilled workers, with streamlined renewals and benefits.

Marriage Visa

A long-stay visa for the foreign spouse of a Thai national, subject to relationship and financial requirements that we confirm for your case.

METV (Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa)

A tourist visa allowing several entries over six months, each stay typically up to 60 days, useful for frequent visitors.

Non-Immigrant Visa

The visa family for longer or purpose-specific stays (work, study, retirement, family), as opposed to the short-stay tourist visa.

Non-OA — Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay)

The Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay) — colloquially "the retirement visa" or "Non-OA" — is Thailand's primary long-stay visa for retirees aged 50 and over. It requires applicants to hold 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account (or demonstrate monthly income of ≥65,000 THB), hold health insurance meeting the Thai Immigration Bureau's minimum requirements (THB 40,000 outpatient / THB 400,000 inpatient from an OIC-approved insurer), and have no criminal record. The visa is initially applied for at a Thai embassy outside Thailand; it is extended annually inside Thailand at a Thai Immigration office. No employment is permitted on the Non-OA.

OIC — Office of Insurance Commission

The OIC (Office of Insurance Commission) is Thailand's insurance regulatory body. For Non-OA (retirement) visa holders, health insurance must be issued by an OIC-approved Thai insurer — overseas policies do not satisfy the requirement. The OIC maintains a published list of approved insurers at oic.or.th.

Living in Thailand

Overstay

Remaining in Thailand past your permitted stay. It carries fines and, if prolonged, entry bans. We build timelines so clients never reach this point.

Re-Entry Permit

A permit that preserves your existing visa when you leave and return to Thailand; without it, a single-entry visa ends when you depart.

Retirement Visa (Non-OA / OX)

A long-stay visa for applicants aged 50 and over who meet pension or savings requirements. The OX variant offers a longer validity for eligible nationalities.

Fees & timelines

Service Fee

Our fixed, published charge for managing your application end-to-end. It is separate from government and third-party fees, which we itemise.

THB — Thai Baht

THB is the ISO 4217 currency code for the Thai Baht, Thailand's official currency. Used throughout Thai visa documentation: the Non-OA bank balance requirement (800,000 THB), the DTV government fee (~10,000 THB), and the Non-OA annual extension fee (~1,900 THB) are all denominated in THB. Exchange rates fluctuate — always verify the current THB equivalent in your home currency before planning.