Hua Hin Compass

Moving

Moving to Hua Hin

Start with the full roadmap or go straight to the topic you need today.

Start here

The complete roadmap from first research through your first month.

Scouting a neighbourhood in Hua Hin

Complete guide

Complete Moving Guide

A step-by-step guide to the decisions, paperwork and practical arrangements involved in moving to Hua Hin.

Explore the Complete Moving Guide
Explore the first decisions
Is Hua Hin right for me?An honest look at who settles well here, and who tends not to.When should I start preparing for my move?What to arrange twelve months out, three months out and on arrival.What does the complete moving process look like?The six stages, from first research to your first month here.

Visas & residency

Compare routes first, then open the guide for your situation.

Thai passport and visa documents

Complete guide

Thailand Visa Guide

Compare the main long-stay visa routes, understand how permission to stay works and see which options suit different situations.

Explore the Thailand Visa Guide

Specialist guide

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)

The remote-work route in depth: who qualifies, the evidence to expect, how the 180-day stay cycle really works.

Read the DTV guide

Specialist guide

Thailand retirement visas (Non-O, O-A and O-X)

The three retirement routes compared: annual extensions, the O-A arranged before you move, and the 10-year O-X for 14 nationalities who can hold 3m THB in a Thai bank.

Read the retirement visa guide

Specialist guide

Non-B visa & work permit

Taking a job with a Thai employer: employer paperwork, the e-WorkPermit system, when you may actually start work and changing jobs.

Read the Non-B & work permit guide

Specialist guide

Thai spouse & family visa

Staying in Thailand with a Thai spouse, child or parent: the Non-O family routes, the 400,000 THB rules, relationship evidence and the annual extension.

Read the spouse & family visa guide

Specialist guide

Thailand Privilege (formerly Elite Visa)

The paid long-stay membership: current packages and fees, what it costs per year, and when a cheaper route makes more sense.

Read the Thailand Privilege guide

Specialist guide

Education visa (Non-Immigrant ED)

Genuine study, language schools, Muay Thai and ED Plus — plus what a child's school place does and does not do for the parents.

Read the education visa guide

Specialist guide

Guardian & dependant visa (Non-O)

Staying with a child who studies here, or with a partner who works here: the 500,000 THB parent deposit and its timing, age limits, documents and work rights.

Read the guardian & dependant guide

Specialist guide

Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa

Thailand's 10-year BOI programme: the four categories, the 2025 criteria, the employer test remote workers miss, and the category-specific tax treatment.

Read the LTR visa guide

Specialist guide

SMART Visa (startup founders)

Narrowed to startups since February 2025: the endorsement, the 600,000 THB deposit, targeted industries, and why the DTV, LTR or Non-B usually fit better.

Read the SMART Visa guide

Long-term guide

Thai citizenship for foreigners

The naturalisation routes, where Permanent Residence fits, the family exemptions, and an honest view of how long the path really takes.

Read the Thai citizenship guide
More visa questions
Which Thailand visa is right for me?Can I live in Thailand as a remote worker?What visa can I get if I'm over 50?How much money do I need for a retirement visa?Does Thailand have a 10-year retirement visa?Is Thailand Privilege worth the cost?Can I stay in Thailand with my Thai spouse or child?Can I get a visa to study Thai or train Muay Thai?Does my child's school place cover the parents' visa?Do I qualify for Thailand's 10-year LTR visa?Can I live in Thailand tax-free on foreign income?

Reporting & re-entry

The recurring immigration admin that starts the day you arrive: where you live, how long you have been here, and what happens when you leave.

Procedural guide

TM30 address reporting

Who is legally responsible for reporting where you stay, the 24-hour deadline, online filing, and why you should always keep the confirmation.

Read the TM30 guide

Procedural guide

90-day reporting (TM47)

When your report is due, what resets the 90-day clock, how online filing really works, and what to do if you are late or rejected.

Read the 90-day guide

Procedural guide

Re-entry permits (TM.8)

What happens to your permission to stay when you leave Thailand, single vs multiple re-entry, current fees, and what to check before booking a flight.

Read the re-entry guide
Reporting and re-entry questions
Do I need to report my address after arriving in Thailand?How TM30 works and who is responsible for filing it.When is my 90-day report due?Counting the clock, and what leaving Thailand does to it.Do I need a re-entry permit when I leave Thailand?Protecting the permission to stay you already hold.

Preparing your move

Documents, belongings and everything that is much harder to sort out once you have left.

Specialist guide

Documents to prepare

Which civil, medical, school and financial records to gather at home, which need legalisation, and how long each one realistically takes.

Prepare your documents

Practical guide

Before you leave

Banking, insurance overlap, post, contracts, two-factor authentication and the final week: closing down the home-country side of the move.

Read the pre-departure guide

Practical guide

Moving your belongings

Baggage, air freight, shared containers and full household moves — and when buying locally simply makes more sense.

Compare the options
More preparation questions
What documents do I need before moving to Thailand?Civil records, school files, medical and financial papers.What should I bring when moving to Thailand?Clothing, electronics, medication and the items that are hard to find locally.Is it worth shipping furniture to Thailand?When importing makes sense, and when buying locally is simpler.How do I move my belongings to Thailand?Baggage, air freight, shared containers or a full household move.What should I arrange before leaving my home country?Banking, insurance, post, subscriptions and a realistic handover plan.How far in advance should I start preparing?A practical timeline from twelve months out to departure week.

Moving with family & pets

Children and animals tend to set the timetable for everyone else, so start these early.

Profile guide

Moving with children

Why school choice comes before the house, how to time the move around the academic year, and what the first term usually looks like.

Read the family guide

Profile guide

Moving with pets

Microchip and rabies timing, the Thai import permit, airline and crate rules, arrival in Bangkok and pet-friendly housing in Hua Hin.

Read the pet guide
Family and pet questions
What do I need to arrange when moving to Thailand with children?School choice, timing around the academic year, and the first term.When should I start looking for a school in Hua Hin?School places and term dates often set the moving date.What documents should I bring for my child?Can I bring my dog or cat to Thailand?Microchip, rabies timing, the import permit and arrival in Bangkok.What do I need to arrange before flying with a pet?

Your first weeks in Hua Hin

The short list of things worth sorting out immediately after you land.

Arriving in Hua Hin

Guide section

Your first 30 days in Hua Hin

What to arrange in week one, what can wait, and the admin that quietly blocks everything else if you leave it too long.

See the first 30 days
First-week questions
What should I do first after arriving in Thailand?How do I get a residence certificate?Where to get official proof of your Hua Hin address, and what to bring.How do I open a Thai bank account?Who currently qualifies, what banks may ask for and what to set up before leaving the branch.Which apps do I need in Thailand?When do I need to file a TM30?

Driving & getting around

What you can legally drive on arrival, and how to move to a Thai licence.

Driving questions
Can I drive in Thailand with my foreign licence?Do I need an International Driving Permit?How do I get a Thai driving licence?Do I need a separate motorcycle licence?Can I convert my foreign licence to a Thai licence?Do I need a car in Hua Hin?How people actually get around day to day.

Specialist guide

Thai driving licence in Hua Hin

Driving on a foreign licence or IDP, when a Thai licence makes sense, car versus motorcycle, documents and the Pranburi transport office.

Read the driving licence guide

Money, banking & tax

Banking, transfers and tax residency. General information only, not personalised advice.

Money and tax questions
Can a foreigner open a bank account in Thailand?Eligibility depends on immigration status, account type and current bank policy.How much money should I bring when moving to Thailand?How much to have access to, how much cash to carry, and what has to be declared.What is the best way to transfer money to Thailand?Transfer services, bank transfers and which one fits which job.Will I become a Thai tax resident?The 180-day rule, explained in plain language.Do I pay Thai tax on foreign income?How is crypto taxed in Thailand?Thai-licensed exchanges, foreign platforms and what to keep.What financial arrangements should I make before moving?

Specialist guide

Thai tax residency & foreign income

The 180-day test, how foreign income and remittances are treated, treaties, records and when advice is worth paying for.

Read the tax residency guide

Practical guide

Bringing and transferring money

How much to have access to on arrival, how much cash is sensible to carry, Thailand's declaration rules, and how to move larger sums without losing the paper trail.

Read the money guide

Specialist guide

Crypto tax in Thailand

Thai-licensed exchanges, foreign platforms, staking and mining — and the records to preserve before you move.

Read the crypto tax guide