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ResourcesVisa & Immigration LawThailand Immigration LawIs the Thailand Elite Visa Being Encouraged for Retirees?

Is the Thailand Elite Visa Being Encouraged for Retirees?

Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the Thailand Elite Visa. We are discussing it in the context of retirees and retirees to Thailand traditionally utilized a Thai Retirement Visa in order to come to Thailand for retirement purposes. Since the COVID-19 lockdowns and the Immigration restrictions associated therewith, we have seen basically no retirees allowed back into Thailand or any new Retirement Visas issued since these provisions came online.

A question that has come up recently amongst a lot of clients and folks in the audience here - "Is the Elite Visa being sort of encouraged as a replacement if you will for the Retirement Visa?" As I have noted in a video we did for a similar question regarding the Special Tourist Visa, I do not think this is the case. In fact these are mutually exclusive Visa categories. The Elite Visa is the Elite Visa and the Retirement Visa is the Retirement Visa. Meanwhile issuance of Elite Visas abroad have kind of a nebulous set of protocols if you will associated with them. I have done a video on that on this channel in some more depth if you want to look into that. As a practical matter no I do not think Immigration Authorities are looking to replace the Retirement Visa with the Elite Visa. In fact Retirement Visas are still being extended and maintained here in the Kingdom of Thailand. It is just this specific visa category is not currently on the list of those who are allowed into the country. Now from talk we have heard from various Immigration officials, folks in the tourism industry, it does seem and I think it is safe to presume, that retirees are in the discussions being had at a policy level regarding folks being allowed to return to Thailand. It is just as of the time of this video, they are currently not on the list and I would say not on the list yet to return to Thailand. 

When that changes it remains to be seen but as of the time of this video, that is the case and we will keep you updated on that situation as the circumstances evolve.