Before you fly
- Visa approved and printed. See visas.
- Passport valid for 18+ months, with blank pages.
- Bank statements, pension or salary proof, and copies.
- Marriage and birth certificates, legalised if needed: documents.
- Driving licence plus an International Driving Permit.
- Health insurance active from day one.
- First month's accommodation booked, and viewings arranged: renting.
First week
- Thai SIM card, at the airport or a phone shop, with your passport.
- Move in, inspect and photograph the home, collect keys and the contract.
- Landlord files your TM30. Get the receipt.
- Download Bolt or Grab for transport and food, and learn the baht bus routes.
First 30 days
- Open a bank account.
- Get a residence certificate, then a Thai driving licence.
- Register with a hospital and a dentist; keep your insurance card in your wallet.
- Put your 90-day report and extension dates in your calendar.
Every year
- Extension of stay, and the money test that goes with it.
- 90-day reports, unless your visa replaces them.
- Re-entry permit before every trip abroad: re-entry permits.
- Driving licence renewal when it's due.