Guides · Living · 3 min read
Moving to Thailand from the US: the checklist, in the right order
What to do six months, three months and one month before moving to Thailand, and in your first 90 days. Visa, money, health, housing and paperwork.
Most of the stress of moving abroad comes from doing things in the wrong order: booking flights before the visa, shipping furniture before signing a lease, closing a US account you'll need later. This is the order we follow with clients.
Six months out
- Pick your visa. It decides how much money you need, where it has to sit, and whether you can work. Start with our visa comparison.
- Check your passport. Most visas want at least six months of validity left, and you'll want space for stamps.
- Talk to a tax adviser. Especially before moving savings. Read our tax basics for Americans.
- Ask your doctor for copies of your medical records and enough of any prescriptions to cover the first months.
Three months out
- Apply for your visa from the US. The DTV can only be applied for from outside Thailand.
- Get an FBI background check if your visa needs one, and allow time for apostilles.
- Health insurance. Some visas require it, and pre-existing conditions are easier to cover before you leave than after.
- Decide what you're shipping. Usually: very little. Furnished rentals are the norm.
- Pets: import permits and vaccination timelines take weeks. Start now.
One month out
- Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online, a few days before your flight.
- Book a short-term stay for your first two to four weeks, near the neighborhoods you're considering.
- Keep at least one US bank account and credit card open. Tell your bank you're moving.
- Set up a US mailing address or a mail-scanning service, and a US phone number that can receive security codes.
The first 90 days
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Thai SIM card at the airport |
| Week 1 | Bank account, PromptPay, viewings |
| Within 24 hours of moving in | Landlord reports your address to immigration (TM30) |
| Week 2–4 | Lease signed, utilities in your name |
| Day 90 | First 90-day address report (except LTR holders) |
The mistakes we see most
- Arriving visa-free and planning to "sort the visa out here." Many visas can't be applied for inside Thailand.
- Signing a 12-month lease in the first week.
- Moving all savings into Thailand without thinking about tax.
- Forgetting the 90-day report. The fine is small, but it adds friction at your next extension.