Thailand has long been known as a country that welcomes foreign retirees who can prove they have plenty of cash in the bank. However, these retirees were still forced to go through a long series of paperwork each year to renew their retiree visa.
Now, a new retiree visa good for a decade has been approved and announced on Tuesday. The new visa quickly earned the nickname the “geeza visa” online, since you have to be over 50 to apply for it, reported Phuket Gazette.
Though it’s supposedly good for a decade, it has to be applied for in two installments of five years each. Only citizens of 14 countries are eligible, and they also need to have THB3 million (USD90,000) in the bank.
People from Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Finland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the U.S., the U.K., Japan, and Canada can currently apply.
Lt. Gen. Natthathorn Prohsunthorn said that foreigners can apply for the new long-stay visa at Thailand’s provincial immigration offices, if they already reside in the country, or from their home country as well.
In addition to having THB3 million in the bank and being over 50, applicants must have sufficient health insurance, no pending criminal charges, and no past criminal convictions.
