Hua Hin Compass

Your life in Thailand, one clear step at a time

Visa & stay in Thailand

Find a visa that fits your life, prepare for your arrival, and understand what you need to do to keep your stay in order.

Source review: September 2026 · Check your authority's current requirements before applying.

Find your route Already in Thailand?

Start with your situation

You do not need to learn every visa. Choose a starting point below, then check the requirements in its guide. These are options to explore, not an eligibility decision.

SMART Visa

I am building a qualifying startup

A specialist route with its own endorsement process and eligibility criteria.

Read the guide — SMART Visa
Only visiting or trying Hua Hin first?

Tourist visas and visa-exempt entries are for visits. They are not a substitute for a suitable long-stay route. The entry conditions and stay period depend on your nationality and the current rules.

Thailand changed its visa-exemption arrangements on 15 September 2026. If you are planning a scouting stay, check the current allowance for your passport rather than relying on older 60-day information.

Check entry options on Thai e-VisaOfficial source

Not sure where to start?

Visa Compass helps you explore routes from your circumstances. Run it separately for each person.

Use Visa Compass

Compare what matters

Your visa and your permission to stay are different

Visa validityWhen you can use the visa to seek entry, subject to its entry conditions.

Permission to stayHow long you may remain after entering. Check the date granted by immigration; it can differ from the visa expiry date.

Compare the application location, financial evidence, work restrictions, family arrangements and what you must renew or report. A longer visa is not automatically a better fit.

Open the side-by-side visa comparison

  • Visa exemption

    Validity
    Varies by nationality and entry type
    Stay per entry
    Passport-dependent. Many eligible nationalities currently receive up to 30 days for tourism under the rules effective from 15 September 2026. Other bilateral arrangements may differ, so check the current entitlement for the passport you will actually travel on.
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    Not applicable
    Work
    Not intended for working in Thailand.
    Long stay
    No
    Admin burden
    Low — short-stay entry rules

  • DTV

    Validity
    5 years
    Stay per entry
    Up to 180 days
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    Generally 500,000 THB
    Work
    Aimed at qualifying remote work for employers or clients outside Thailand.
    Long stay
    Yes, in 180-day blocks
    Admin burden
    Medium — application evidence plus a 180-day stay rhythm

  • Thailand Privilege

    Premium long stay

    Validity
    5–20 years depending on membership tier
    Stay per entry
    Generally up to 1 year
    Age
    No general age threshold
    Financial reference
    Membership from approximately THB 650,000
    Work
    No normal work authorisation in Thailand.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    Low–Medium — relatively few qualification hurdles once a member

  • Non-O Retirement

    Validity
    Typically extended annually in Thailand
    Stay per entry
    Extension-dependent
    Age
    50+
    Financial reference
    Published references commonly cite 800,000 THB deposit or 65,000 THB monthly income
    Work
    Not a work route.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    Medium — financial evidence plus extensions and reporting

  • O-A

    Validity
    Typically 1 year, multiple entry
    Stay per entry
    Up to 1 year per entry
    Age
    50+
    Financial reference
    800,000 THB deposit, 65,000 THB monthly income, or a qualifying combination
    Work
    Employment in Thailand is not permitted on this route.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    Medium/High — additional documentation and insurance

  • O-X

    10-year retirement route

    Validity
    5 years, extendable once by a further 5, multiple entry
    Stay per entry
    Long-stay permission under the O-X programme
    Age
    50+ on the date of application
    Financial reference
    3,000,000 THB deposited in Thailand, or 1,800,000 THB plus 1,200,000 THB annual income rising to 3,000,000 THB within a year
    Work
    Employment is not permitted; working without permission can end the stay permit.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    High to qualify — plus 90-day reporting and an annual in-person review

  • Non-O Thai Family

    Validity
    Extension-dependent
    Stay per entry
    Extension-dependent
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    A commonly cited reference is 400,000 THB, but this depends on the exact route
    Work
    Permission to work is a separate authorisation.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    Medium — relationship and financial evidence

  • Non-B

    Validity
    Employment/extension-dependent
    Stay per entry
    Extension-dependent
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    Employer and position criteria apply
    Work
    Work authorisation is separate from the visa itself.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    High — employer/business documentation and work authorisation

  • ED

    Validity
    Programme-dependent
    Stay per entry
    Programme-dependent
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    Institution and route dependent
    Work
    Not a work route.
    Long stay
    Programme-dependent
    Admin burden
    Medium — recognised study and ongoing education requirements

  • LTR

    Validity
    Up to 10 years, as 5 years plus a possible further 5
    Stay per entry
    Multiple entry; up to 5 years of permission at a time
    Age
    50+ for Wealthy Pensioner; no age test for the other categories
    Financial reference
    Category-specific: USD 1m assets plus USD 500,000 invested, or USD 80,000 a year of income
    Work
    Work permits are available in three categories; Work-from-Thailand is for overseas employment only.
    Long stay
    Yes
    Admin burden
    High application threshold, potentially lower ongoing burden

  • SMART S

    Validity
    Up to two years, renewable while the conditions are met
    Stay per entry
    Multiple entry; permission runs for the granted period
    Age
    Not applicable
    Financial reference
    600,000 THB held for at least three months, plus 180,000 THB per family member
    Work
    No conventional work permit — work is authorised within the endorsed scope only.
    Long stay
    Yes, while the startup qualifies
    Admin burden
    High to qualify, lower afterwards — annual reporting, no re-entry permit

Prepare your application and arrival

Confirm the route before committing to flights, a lease or other non-refundable costs.

  1. 1

    Confirm who handles your application

    Check the competent embassy, consulate or endorsement authority and its current checklist. Requirements can differ by application location.

  2. 2

    Prepare the documents for each person

    Allow time for financial evidence, translations, legalisation and certificates. A partner's or child's application may have separate requirements.

  3. 3

    Apply and wait for the actual outcome

    Submission is not approval. Keep your application, any requests for more information and the decision together.

  4. 4

    Check your entry when you arrive

    Record the permission-to-stay date granted at entry. Plan your reporting, extension or departure around that date.

Documents before you leaveWhat to gather and where extra preparation may be needed.Your first 30 daysConnect your arrival with accommodation and practical arrangements.

Arrival card · TDAC

For most arrivals, submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival, including the arrival day. Submit a new one for each arrival. The official submission is free; it is not a visa and grants no permission to stay.

Use the official TDAC websiteOfficial source

Keep your stay in order

After arrival, work from your actual immigration status and dates. Each route has its own requirements.

90-day reportingCheck when an address report is due. Reporting does not extend your stay.Address notification · TM30Check the accommodation notification with your landlord or host.Travel outside ThailandCheck whether you need a re-entry permit to protect your current permission. It does not add extra days.Extend your stayRead your route's guide and confirm the local procedure before your current permission expires.
Avoid these common planning mistakes
  • Confusing a visa's expiry date with the last day of your permitted stay.
  • Travelling without checking whether your current stay needs re-entry protection.
  • Starting bank evidence or document preparation too late.
  • Assuming a school place or a family member's visa covers everyone.
  • Treating permission to stay as permission to work.
  • Relying on old posts instead of your authority's current requirements.

Immigration in Hua Hin

Check which location handles your procedure and confirm current hours before travelling. Bring the current checklist, original documents and the required copies.

Office locations and contact details

Hua Hin Immigration — BluPort

BluPort Hua Hin Resort Mall3rd FloorHua HinPrachuap Khiri Khan 77110

Check current opening hours before visiting.

The immigration office moved from the basement to the 3rd floor of BluPort in July 2025. Older online information may still show the former basement location.

View this office on a mapOfficial source

Office details were last checked in August 2026. Allow time for queues and ask your host about address paperwork before your visit.

Opening a Thai bank accountCheck the documents needed by the bank.Residence certificateAddress evidence for local formalities.

Questions you may still have

Which visa is best for living in Hua Hin?

There is no single best visa. The right route depends on why you are living in Thailand, your age, income, family situation, employment and intended length of stay. Start from your circumstances rather than the visa name.

What is the difference between Non-O retirement and O-A?

Both are used by people aged 50+ but have different application processes and requirements. O-A is generally applied for from abroad and commonly carries additional documentation and insurance requirements. Confirm current conditions before choosing.

Does a Thai visa allow me to work?

Not automatically. Immigration status and work authorisation are separate issues. A visa that allows you to stay in Thailand does not necessarily allow you to work here.

Do I need a re-entry permit?

That depends on your immigration status and current permission to stay. Leaving Thailand without a required re-entry permit can cancel an existing permission. Check before every international trip.

Check with the official authority

This is general information, not an eligibility decision or immigration advice. Your authority's current requirements take precedence.

Official source

Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Primary source for

  • · Visa categories
  • · Consular requirements
  • · Official visa announcements
Visit official source

Official source

Thai e-Visa

Primary source for

  • · Online visa applications
  • · Application requirements
  • · Application status
Visit official source

Official source

Thailand Immigration Bureau

Primary source for

  • · Extensions of stay
  • · 90-day reporting
  • · Re-entry permits
  • · Immigration procedures in Thailand
Visit official source

Official source

Thailand Privilege Card

Primary source for

  • · Membership tiers and fees
  • · Privilege Entry Visa conditions
  • · Family membership options
Visit official programme

Hua Hin Compass verified

Last verified

September 2026

Next scheduled review

November 2026

Sources checked

  • · Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • · Department of Consular Affairs
  • · Thai Immigration Bureau
  • · Thai e-Visa
  • · Relevant Royal Thai Embassy information

Bring your household's next steps together

My Hua Hin Plan helps you organise route choices, preparation and what needs attention for each person.

Explore My Hua Hin Plan

Thinking further ahead? Permanent residence and citizenship are separate pathways with their own conditions.