Does a Wise transfer count as a foreign transfer for the 800k retirement visa?

It can, but because Wise pays out locally in Thailand the deposit may show as a domestic transfer. Ask your Thai bank branch for a credit advice (FTT) confirming the money originated abroad, and keep it with your application.

Do I need an FET form for a visa deposit?

No — an FET form is required for property purchases and large capital movements, not for a standard visa deposit. A credit advice from the bank is normally enough to evidence a foreign transfer for a visa.

Wise vs bank wire for a Thai visa deposit

For funding a Thai visa deposit, a Wise transfer costs far less than a SWIFT bank wire, but a bank wire produces the cleanest proof that the money arrived from abroad — the trade-off is cost versus paper trail.

Thai retirement visas want 800,000 THB seasoned in a Thai bank account; the DTV wants 500,000 THB in proof of funds. Both are large sums, so the fee and exchange-rate gap on the way in matter — and so does whether the money is recorded as a foreign transfer.

The wrinkle immigration officers care about: the deposit should show as money that came from outside Thailand. That is where the two routes really differ.

Provider	$23,000.00 lands as	To a Thai bank?	Foreign-transfer proof	Speed
Wise Transfer service	฿762,380.63−$116.00 vs mid-market	Yes	On request	Often same day
Bank wire (SWIFT) Bank wire (SWIFT)	฿749,277.40−$509.31 vs mid-market	Yes	Clear	1–5 business days

Worked on today’s mid-market rate ($23,000.00 = ฿766,245.00). Fee and FX figures are typical, illustrative assumptions, last checked mid-2026; real pricing varies by amount, plan, and day.

Cost

A specialist transfer at the mid-market rate loses a fraction of what a bank wire loses on the same amount — the wire stacks a fixed sending fee, likely intermediary fees, a Thai receiving fee, and a wider exchange-rate margin. On a five-figure deposit that gap is hundreds of dollars.

Proof of a foreign transfer

A bank wire is unambiguous: it arrives as an international transfer and the Thai bank can issue an FET form or credit advice. Wise pays out over local Thai rails, so the statement line can read like a domestic transfer — you generally need to ask the branch for a "credit advice" (an FTT confirmation) to document that the funds came from abroad.

Speed

Wise is often same-day; a SWIFT wire typically takes one to five business days and can stall in intermediary banks.

Who each is best for

Wise: Best for most applicants funding the 800k/500k deposit who will request a credit advice from the branch.
Bank wire (SWIFT): Best for anyone who wants an unquestionable foreign-transfer record, or who also needs an FET form for a property purchase.

The verdict

Use Wise to move the money cheaply, then walk into the receiving branch and request a credit advice so the deposit is documented as a foreign transfer. Reach for a bank wire only when you specifically need an FET form or an ironclad international-transfer record.

Keep more of your money

A low-fee transfer at the mid-market rate loses the least. Two we'd start with:

Wise → Remitly →

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Questions & answers

Does a Wise transfer count as a foreign transfer for the 800k retirement visa?: It can, but because Wise pays out locally in Thailand the deposit may show as a domestic transfer. Ask your Thai bank branch for a credit advice (FTT) confirming the money originated abroad, and keep it with your application.
Do I need an FET form for a visa deposit?: No — an FET form is required for property purchases and large capital movements, not for a standard visa deposit. A credit advice from the bank is normally enough to evidence a foreign transfer for a visa.

Sources: Wise , Bank of Thailand .