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Thailand O-A visa: long stay at 50+, requirements and extension

bartmolkenboerAdmin

@bartmolkenboer·Veteran

4d ago11 min read01

Aged 50 or over? Apply for the Thailand O-A visa (long stay) before you leave: valid 1 year, with 800,000 baht or 65,000 baht a month and health insurance.

Last checked: 11 October 2026

In short (as of 11 October 2026)

  • The Non-Immigrant O-A (long stay) is for people aged 50 or over, multiple entry, valid for 1 year. You apply through thaievisa.go.th while you live and stay in the Netherlands or Belgium.

  • Money: an income of at least 65,000 baht a month or a balance of 800,000 baht, shown with bank statements for the last 3 months.

  • Required: health insurance of at least 100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht, the Foreign Insurance Certificate, a medical certificate and a certificate showing you have no criminal record.

  • The Hague requires the proof of residence, the medical certificate and the criminal record certificate to be no more than 3 months old and legalised by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai embassy.

  • After the year, you extend in Thailand on the basis of retirement (1,900 baht). With an O-A, health insurance is required again for that extension.

This article is for Dutch and Belgian nationals aged 50 and over who want to arrange a long stay in Thailand from their own country. The general Thai rules in this guide apply to all nationalities; the parts about embassies and documents are written for Dutch and Belgian passport holders, so if you hold another passport, check the requirements of the Thai embassy or consulate that serves you.

What the O-A visa is

On the e-Visa portal, the O-A is listed under "Retirement" as "Long-stay (O-A) for foreigners aged 50 years or older (who wish to stay in Thailand for no longer than 1 year)". It is a multiple-entry visa with a validity of 1 year.

The embassy in Brussels writes (7 May 2025) that a holder may stay 1 year from the date of first entry, and can then apply for an extension. The date of stay in your arrival stamp is what counts.

You cannot apply for the O-A from inside Thailand: The Hague and Brussels reject applications from people who are in Thailand, and The Hague only handles applications from people who are in the Netherlands for the entire procedure.

Who the O-A visa is for

  • Age: 50 or over.

  • Residence: you live permanently in the country where you apply (The Hague: "Proof of permanent residence in the country where the application is submitted").

  • Work: according to the embassy in The Hague (1 September 2026), no foreigner may work in Thailand without a work permit, whatever the visa. Brussels describes the O-A as for those who "do not have any intention to work in Thailand".

Documents

According to the document list of The Hague (31 August 2026), the e-Visa portal and the Brussels leaflet (November 2023):

  1. Passport page with personal details

  2. Passport photo no more than 6 months old

  3. Proof of permanent residence in the country of application

  4. Financial proof: an income of at least 65,000 baht a month or a balance of at least 800,000 baht (or the equivalent), for example bank statements for the last 3 months from any bank

  5. Medical certificate, issued in the country of application, stating that you have none of the diseases listed as prohibited in Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (1992). The form of The Hague lists: leprosy, tuberculosis, elephantiasis, drug addiction and third-stage syphilis. No more than 3 months old.

  6. Foreign Insurance Certificate, completed, signed and stamped by the insurer (form via longstay.tgia.org)

  7. Health insurance from a Thai or foreign insurer covering general illnesses including COVID-19, with a sum insured of at least 100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht

  8. Certificate showing you have no criminal record, from the country of your nationality or the country of application

For the insurance, see the guide on health insurance and visa requirements.

Legalisation: the Netherlands and Belgium differ

The Netherlands (The Hague). The proof of residence, the medical certificate and the criminal record certificate must be no more than 3 months old and legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MinBuZa) and by the Thai embassy. The chain:

  1. Consular Service Centre (Consulair Dienstencentrum, CDC) in The Hague: 10 euros per document, at the counter or by post. The CDC states that you usually need another legalisation first and that documents older than 1 year cannot always be legalised.

  2. Thai embassy in The Hague: by appointment, 15 euros per legalisation, debit card only, at least 2 to 3 working days.

Which prior legalisation your medical certificate and proof of residence need is not stated on the pages opened. Ask the CDC beforehand.

Criminal record certificate in the Netherlands: the VOG. Justis writes that you can apply for a VOG (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, the Dutch certificate of conduct) for a visa or emigration yourself, in writing, at your municipality. Cost: 41.35 euros. Because a foreign authority usually does not fill in the form, you add a document showing that the VOG is required, for example the page with the document list. You receive the VOG within 1 to 4 weeks. If you apply in writing, you receive it on paper by post.

Belgium (Brussels). The O-A leaflet of Brussels (November 2023) lists the same documents, but no legalisation. For Belgian documents used in Thailand, the embassy (3 April 2026) does describe a chain: translation by a sworn translator, legalisation by the FPS Justice (FOD Justitie, for the translation) and the FPS Foreign Affairs (FOD Buitenlandse Zaken), and then the Thai embassy (15 euros per document, 5 to 7 working days). The embassy only accepts the paper legalisation sticker, not a digital legalisation. Since 1 August 2026 the FPS Foreign Affairs charges 25 euros per legalisation and issues legalisations digitally by default; you collect the paper sticker by appointment.

Ask Brussels before you apply whether your O-A documents must be legalised. Belgians abroad request the Belgian extract from the criminal record (uittreksel uit het strafregister) by email from the Central Criminal Records service (Centraal Strafregister) of the FPS Justice (free of charge); if you live in Belgium, ask your municipality or the FPS Justice which extract is suitable.

Apostille from 28 February 2027. According to the Hague Conference (HCCH), Thailand acceded to the Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, which enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. The convention only applies between Thailand and contracting states that do not object to the accession within 6 months (article 12); on 11 October 2026 the HCCH table shows no objection from the Netherlands or Belgium. Until 28 February 2027 the legalisation chain applies; after that date, ask the embassy which route applies.

Step by step

  1. Check your age, income or balance, and whether you have an insurer that will fill in the Foreign Insurance Certificate.

  2. Collect the documents and have them legalised (The Hague: no more than 3 months old at the time of application).

  3. Apply through thaievisa.go.th. The Hague: at least 1 month and at most 2 months before departure; applications made more than 90 days before arrival are rejected; processing usually takes 5 to 10 working days. Brussels: at least 3 and at most 8 weeks before departure; in the high season 4 to 5 weeks of processing.

  4. Travel within the validity and fill in the TDAC beforehand.

  5. In Thailand: report your address every 90 days, and apply for a re-entry permit before every trip abroad if you are staying on an extension.

  6. After the year: extend on the basis of retirement.

Extending in Thailand

The extension falls under "retirement" (section 22 of Immigration Division 1):

  • Aged 50 or over, and 65,000 baht income a month, or 800,000 baht in a bank in Thailand (2 months before the application, 3 months after approval, then at least 400,000 baht), or a combination of income and savings totalling 800,000 baht. With the combination too, the savings stay in place before and after approval; which minimum applies after 3 months differs between sources (see the retirement visa guide).

  • Only for those who came in on an O-A: health insurance of at least 100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht for the entire stay. A Thai policy as listed on longstay.tgia.org, or a foreign policy with a statement from a foreign embassy in Thailand or a notarial document legalised by your own Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If an insurer refuses you, 3,000,000 baht in a bank in Thailand is also possible.

  • The extension lasts as long as your insurance cover, up to 1 year at a time.

  • Cost 1,900 baht.

See the guide on the retirement visa (Non-O) for the bank rules and the proof of income from the Netherlands and Belgium.

O-A or Non-O based on retirement?

                         O-A (long stay)          Non-O retirement (O2)
Application              only from NL/BE          from NL/BE, or
                                                  conversion in Thailand
Entries                  multiple, valid 1 year   single, valid 3 months
Stay                     1 year from first        max. 90 days, then
                         entry                    1-year extension
Money at application     65,000/month or 800,000  65,000/month or 800,000
Health insurance         yes, 100,000 USD or      no
                         3,000,000 baht
Medical certificate      yes                      no
Criminal record cert.    yes                      no
Legalisation (Hague)     yes, 3 documents         no
Visa fee The Hague       175 euros                70 euros
Visa fee Brussels        170 euros (multiple)     80 euros
Insurance at             yes                      no
extension

The advantage of the O-A: you enter Thailand with a year's stay and do not first have to extend within 90 days. The disadvantage: more documents, legalisation and compulsory insurance, also at every extension.

Costs

Euro amounts next to baht are an indication (ECB rate 9 October 2026: 1 euro = 37.574 baht). Thai fees: Ministerial Regulation No. 27, in force since 26 August 2003.

Visa
  O-A, The Hague (multiple, 1 year)           175 euros
  Non-Immigrant multiple, Brussels            170 euros

The Netherlands, per document
  VOG via the municipality                  41.35 euros
  Legalisation CDC                          10.00 euros
  Legalisation Thai embassy The Hague       15.00 euros

Belgium, per document
  Legalisation FPS Foreign Affairs             25 euros
  Legalisation Thai embassy Brussels           15 euros

In Thailand
  Extension based on retirement           1,900 baht  (about 51 euros)
  Re-entry permit single / multiple 1,000 / 3,800 baht (about 27 / 101 euros)

To show (your own money, not a cost)
  Balance                               800,000 baht  (about 21,291 euros)
  or income per month                    65,000 baht  (about 1,730 euros)
  Minimum sum insured       100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht

Not in the table: the health insurance premium, the medical examination and any translations. There are no official fees for these.

Common mistakes

Arranging documents too early. For The Hague, the proof of residence, medical certificate and criminal record certificate may be no more than 3 months old.

Taking a digital legalisation to Brussels. The Thai embassy in Brussels only accepts the paper sticker.

Applying from inside Thailand. An O-A application from someone who is in Thailand is rejected.

A policy without a Foreign Insurance Certificate. The form must be completed, signed and stamped by the insurer itself.

Letting the insurance lapse. At the extension, the length of stay depends on the term of the policy.

Where the sources contradict each other

  • Legalisation. The Hague requires legalisation of three documents; the Brussels O-A leaflet (November 2023) mentions no legalisation.

  • Brussels fee. Brussels has no separate O-A fee; the fee list (15 July 2024) lists "Non-Immigrant Visa (Multiple Entries)" at 170 euros.

  • Insurance wording. The older O-A page of The Hague (30 November 2022) asks for the amount of 100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht to be "specifically mentioned"; the list of 31 August 2026 asks for a policy covering "general illnesses, including COVID-19".

What has changed

  • 15 July 2024: current visa fees in The Hague (175 euros) and Brussels (170 euros).

  • 1 August 2026: the FPS Foreign Affairs charges 25 euros per legalisation.

  • 31 August 2026: updated document list of The Hague (amounts unchanged).

  • 28 February 2027 (announced): Apostille Convention in force for Thailand.

Frequently asked questions

What is the age requirement for the Thailand O-A visa?

50 or over. The e-Visa portal speaks of "foreigners aged 50 years or older".

How much money do I need for the O-A visa?

An income of at least 65,000 baht a month or a balance of at least 800,000 baht, for example shown with bank statements for the last 3 months.

What health insurance do I need for a Thailand O-A visa?

A policy from a Thai or foreign insurer with at least 100,000 dollars or 3,000,000 baht of cover, including COVID-19, plus the Foreign Insurance Certificate completed by the insurer.

Can I apply for an O-A visa in Thailand?

No. The Hague and Brussels reject applications from people who are in Thailand. In Thailand you can, however, convert to a Non-O based on retirement.

Does my VOG need to be legalised for the O-A visa?

For The Hague, yes: no more than 3 months old, legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CDC, 10 euros) and the Thai embassy (15 euros).

How long can I stay in Thailand with an O-A visa?

According to Brussels, 1 year from the first entry. After that you extend in Thailand, each time for up to 1 year, as long as your insurance runs.

Read also

Sources

All sources opened on 11 October 2026.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Thai visa rules can change and are sometimes applied differently from one office to another. Check the current requirements with the Thai embassy or the immigration office before you apply or travel.

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