Retirement visa seems impossible. Help please

andrewwnbanks · 2025-07-30T17:35:37+02:00

Struggling with Thailand's retirement visa process? Discover essential tips for securing a Thai bank account and navigating requirements for British expats in Buriram.

andrewwnbanks New member

Member since 28 June 2024

andrewwnbanksNew memberYesterday 15:35:37

Please help. I plan to retire to Buriram in April. I am British, my wife is Thai and we have an 8 and a 5 year old. We currently live in the uk and my wife also has a uk passport.聽 We are building a house in Buriram ready in April. I don鈥檛 understand how the Thailand retirement visa works.聽 I need cash in a Thai bank account to be eligible for a retirement visa. I have plenty of cash. But I can鈥檛 get a Thai bank account until and unless I have a visa. That is maddening.聽 How does it work if I can鈥檛 get the visa without a bank account and I can鈥檛 get a bank account without a visa. That is absurd!! I have an account without Thai baht in it, but it is a UK bank account, not a Thai bank.

please help!!

andrew Banks

cliffsao Member

Member since 18 December 2023

cliffsaoMemberYesterday 17:09:18

Hi Andrew

First you need to go to Buriram Immigration office which is at the back of the Thunderdome, or Surin's just on the outskirts of town centre, with your wife,聽 take with you proof of your Thai address & your Marriage certificate, explain to them that you need to open a thai bank account and you need a letter of them for the bank, most of them are very helpful in there, (you will also need a signed letter from a doctor in thailand, most surgeries will do them just stating you are fit and well, only costs between B100 & B250, its just a quick visual,) then take your Immigration letter some proof of your Doctors letter, some ID (Driving Licence) & Passport, your wife will need her ID & House Family book, take it all to the bank I would recommend聽 Kasikorn Bank thats who I used, allow about 1hr in the bank, A lot of paper work numerous signatures. Kasikorn works well for me as I live just off the 24 in between Prak hon Chai & Prasat and they both have one.

Hope this is a help

Regards

Cliff

Hope this helps