Knowledge base
Thailand visa terms, explained
Search any visa or migration term and get a plain, answer-first explanation — verified against official government sources and kept current by our specialists.
6 entries
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.
Glossary of termsApostille
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.
Glossary of termsDTV — 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.
Glossary of termsNon-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.
Glossary of termsOIC — 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.
Glossary of termsTHB — 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.