How To Move To Thailand From The USA

One of the most common questions we get asked is how to move to Thailand from the USA. The good news is that moving to Thailand from the USA is a relatively straightforward process, with specific steps that make the whole moving process much more straightforward.

Before we begin, it’s highly recommended to visit the moving to Thailand checklist as this will be a valuable piece of additional support when moving from the USA to Thailand. In addition, we often speak about the moving process on our YouTube channel, so feel free to head on over for the latest information and tips for moving to Thailand from the USA.

Table of Contents

How To Move To Thailand From USA

Step 1: Pre Moving Checklist To Thailand

The first stage when investigating how to move to Thailand from the USA is one of the most important and that is your pre-moving checklist. I’ve added the link to our official checklist to Thailand guide above for your reference, but below, we will look at what you need to do before moving to Thailand from the USA.

Moving Your Property To Thailand

Insurance And Health Coverage
Medical Prescriptions
Emergency Funds

Copies Of Important Documents
Covid-19 Requirements
Selling Unwanted Items

Cancel Old Subscriptions And Contracts
Inform The Bank You Are Moving
Order Emergency Bank Card

As you can see from the examples above, there are quite a few pre-moving checklists for Thailand when leaving the US. Not all will apply to your situation, and there might also be additional areas you may wish to add.

It’s often wise when looking at how to move to Thailand from the USA to begin this first step at least two or three months before you plan to leave your home. This is because time is often an essential factor when moving to a new country such as Thailand.

It’s also recommended that you have a close family member in charge of any of your assets or liabilities back home if you are in the position to do so. For example, suppose the price to ship a vehicle from the US to Thailand is high; therefore, you must decide the appropriate course of action. This is another reason why starting the process at least two or three months beforehand is recommended.

In addition to the final checklist of moving to Thailand, you may have noticed that building up an emergency fund has been added to the bullet points above. It’s often recommended to store an emergency fund in the U.S. with a family member or bank in dollars rather than Thai Baht due to the volatility of the financial markets. Nonetheless always recommend speaking to a financial advisor on this topic

Step 2: Investigation Of Your Options

So now that you have completed a pre-moving checklist and started to get things ready to move to Thailand from the US, the next stage is to investigate your options, including where you will be living and how much money you will need, etc.

Likely, you will already have the basics of this information even before you begin step one. Still, when investigating how to move to Thailand from the USA, you will find many different finance and convenience options. Often, when you begin the process of moving, the question of economic or convenience will be fundamental.

When investigating your options, one of the main topics you will consider is who to fly with, when to fly, and where you’ll be flying from. Currently, in the US, there are over 5200 public airports. In addition, many major airports in the US fly directly and indirectly into Thailand. Therefore you may find cheaper options flying out of a different airport than you were planning to.

We recently spoke about how to find cheap international flights to the Philippines. I have attached this above for your reference as even though we focused on the Philippines and not Thailand, many of the rules regarding cheap international flights apply, and thus you may be able to save using these tips and tricks.

Step 3: Moving In & Finalizing

In the final stage, after the pre-moving checklist has been completed, everything has been arranged. Next is the final step of moving to Thailand from the USA.

At the time of writing, the pandemic is still affecting the visa process and Immigration Services in Thailand; thus, you may find that processing specific legal documentation (such as a retirement visa) takes slightly longer than expected.

When I moved to Thailand, I noticed that even though all checks have been finalized, there are always one or two loose ends. So if you find yourself with a spare few hours, it’s often recommended towards the end of your journey moving from the USA to Thailand to double-check any potential loose ends. an example could include a Netflix subscription that has not been canceled, etc.

As mentioned, when investigating how to move to Thailand from the USA, it’s often a great idea to visit Thailand’s checklist guide as you will find many pieces of equipment needed before traveling to Thailand from the USA.

Tips On Moving To Thailand From USA

Moving from the US to Thailand is a straightforward process if you have a precise plan. But a traveler’s situation and lifestyle differ. Thus, one strategy may be suitable for one individual but not for another. Therefore, it’s recommended to build a simple plan (tailored to your needs) to visualize the process of moving to Thailand from the USA. This will also help you look over your options and finalize the more minor details.
Get support if needs be. Here at Owl of Asia HQ, we offer support for those looking at how to move to Thailand from the USA and cover many other topics such as general consultation, visa support, and information about moving to Southeast Asia. Feel free to reach out to us on our consultancy page for more information.

Consider a health check. This is often overlooked when moving from Thailand to the USA, but a simple health check 3-6 months before traveling may be wise. If you live in Thailand without insurance and hospitalization is required, you may find the medical bills relatively costly.
Join the expat community. One of the great things about moving to Thailand from the USA is that there are plenty of expats living in Thailand. You will find many blogs and similar YouTube channels to Owl of Asia talking about life in Thailand. It’s always a good idea to get input from other travelers, retirees, and expats before moving to Thailand.
Always have a safety net. Over the years, there have been reports of expats moving to Southeast Asia without a safety net, and once they have run into trouble, they had no other choice than to return home. Often a financial safety net and a backup plan is suggested when leaving the US to live in Thailand.