Summary
Almost every long-stay Thai visa makes you prove money — but the amount, where it must sit, and for how long ("seasoning") differ by visa. The retirement extension wants 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, marriage wants 400,000 THB, and the DTV wants 500,000 THB (which, unlike the others, can sit in an overseas account).
Monthly-income alternatives exist for retirement (65,000 THB/month) and marriage (40,000 THB/month), but since 2019 the US, UK and Australian embassies stopped issuing the income affidavits that used to satisfy these — so most applicants now fall back on the bank-deposit route with a seasoning period. Get the bank-letter format and the seasoning months right: the commonest rejection causes are a wrong-format letter, a misjudged seasoning window, or a sudden large deposit just before applying. Separately, remitting these funds into Thailand can trigger Thai tax if you are a tax resident — factor that in.
Key points
- Seasoning means the money must have sat in the account, untouched and at or above the threshold, for a set period before (and, for extensions, after) applying.
- The income-affidavit route effectively died in 2019 for US/UK/Australian citizens. The bank-deposit method — or genuine monthly transfers into a Thai account — is now the norm.
- DTV is the outlier: its 500,000 THB does not need to be in a Thai bank. Funds in an overseas account, in any major currency at the equivalent value, are accepted. Liquid cash only — no crypto, stocks or property valuations.
- Foreign-source evidence matters. For the deposit routes, transfer the money into Thailand as foreign currency so the bank can issue an FET form (or, below the FET threshold, a letter of proof of foreign-currency exchange). This satisfies "foreign-sourced funds" expectations and is useful elsewhere, such as for a property purchase.
- At the counter you will need an up-to-date passbook plus a bank letter issued within a few days of filing, confirming the balance and the account holder.
- Tax overlay (2026): Thailand taxes foreign income remitted by tax residents (180+ days a year) since 1 January 2024; pre-2024 income is exempt. A proposed grace window is not enacted as of early 2026 — take professional tax advice rather than relying on it.
Step by step
- Identify your visa's exact rule — amount, Thai bank vs overseas, and seasoning months (see the figures below).
- Open a Thai bank account if the deposit must be held in Thailand (retirement/marriage). See the banking guide.
- Transfer the funds in as foreign currency and ask the bank for the FET form / letter of proof of foreign-currency conversion at the same time.
- Let the money season — do not let the balance dip below the threshold during the seasoning window.
- Just before filing, get a bank letter dated within the accepted window, and update your passbook the same day.
- File — at the embassy for the original visa, or at Immigration for an annual extension — matching the specific office's accepted letter format and document set.
Figures & thresholds
| Visa / route | Requirement | Dated / note |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement extension — deposit | 800,000 THB in a Thai bank | 2018–2019 onward, current to 2026 |
| Retirement extension — income | 65,000 THB/month | 2018–2019 onward |
| Retirement seasoning | 2 months before; restore to 800,000 THB and hold 3 months after, then ≥ 400,000 THB for the rest of the year | As of 2025 — some offices ask 3 months pre-application; confirm locally |
| Marriage (Non-O) — deposit | 400,000 THB, seasoned 2 months before | As of 2025 |
| Marriage — income | 40,000 THB/month | As of 2025 — often only accepted with a work permit or evidenced transfers |
| DTV — proof of funds | 500,000 THB (or USD/EUR/GBP equivalent), liquid cash, may be overseas; statement covering the last 3 months | As of 2025–2026 — some embassies demand more/fresher; confirm with the mission |
| LTR (Wealthy Pensioner) — funds alternative | USD 100,000 savings held 12 months (alternative to USD 50,000 insurance); plus passive income USD 80,000/yr (or USD 40,000–80,000/yr with a USD 250,000 Thai investment) | As of 2026 |
| FET form trigger | Single inbound FX transaction ≥ USD 50,000 requires an FET form to the Bank of Thailand; below that the bank issues a letter of proof on request | As of 2025 |
Watch out for
- Sudden large deposits right before applying can flag scrutiny on both the visa and tax sides. Transfer early and let the money season.
- Letter format: the wrong bank-letter format or an out-of-window date is a common rejection cause — ask Immigration or your agent what that office accepts.
- Office-to-office variation: seasoning months (2 vs 3) and accepted income evidence differ by Immigration office and by embassy. Never assume one office's practice is universal.
- Affidavits are gone for US/UK/Australia (since 2019) — do not plan around an embassy income letter.
- Crypto, stocks and property do not count as DTV liquid funds, and generally are not accepted as the seasoned bank deposit either.
- Tax on remittance: large transfers into Thailand by a tax resident can be assessable income depending on source and timing. The pre-2024 exemption and the (unenacted) grace-window proposal are nuanced — get advice before moving big sums.
When to get professional help
Engage a Thai tax adviser before remitting large amounts that could be assessable, and a visa lawyer or agent if your funds are complex (mixed currencies, recent transfers, combined income-plus-deposit methods) or if your Immigration office is known for strict letter requirements. The cost of advice is far below the cost of a rejected extension and a forced departure.
Sources
- US Mission in Thailand to Cease Providing Income Affidavit (US Embassy)
- FAQs: Cessation of Income Affidavits (US Embassy PDF, 2025)
- Thailand Retirement Visa Money Requirements 2025 (Thai Nexus)
- Seasoning rules for the 800,000 baht retirement extension (Ask Thailand)
- Thai Marriage Visas: Proving Financial Requirements (Integrity Legal)
- Understanding Proof of Funds for the Thailand DTV Visa (MTVT)
- Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) Form in Thailand — 2025 guide (Thavorn Asia)
- Thailand prepares reversal on taxation of repatriated foreign income (STEP)
Sources accessed 24 May 2026.