Updated: 2 October 2026.
Choosing a long-term visa for Thailand
The right route depends on whether you plan to work in Thailand, work remotely for an overseas business, invest, retire or accompany a child at school. Visa validity, the period of stay granted at entry and permission to work are separate matters.
- Non-Immigrant B: employment and business activities in Thailand.
- LTR: qualifying investors, pensioners, remote employees and highly skilled professionals.
- SMART S: founders of certified technology startups.
- Investment-based stay: qualifying investment or property arrangements.
- Thailand Privilege: paid membership with long-stay visa benefits.
- DTV: remote work and specified activities, with stays of up to 180 days per entry.
- Non-Immigrant O: retirement and certain family or guardian situations.
Non-Immigrant B: business and employment
Non-B is the usual route for foreigners employed by a Thai business. The initial permission to stay is generally up to 90 days; an extension, often for up to one year at a time, depends on the applicant and employer meeting the relevant requirements. A business visit and taking up employment require different supporting documents.
A visa alone does not authorise employment. A work permit is normally required before work begins, unless a statutory exemption applies. The employer provides company documents and the relevant employment approval or BOI documentation. Requirements differ for ordinary companies and BOI-promoted businesses. See our work permit overview.
Long-Term Resident visa (LTR)
LTR offers a ten-year framework: an initial five-year permission to stay, followed by a further five years after eligibility is reconfirmed. It is a temporary immigration status, not permanent residence. BOI assesses four main categories:
- Wealthy Global Citizens: global assets of at least USD 1 million, including at least USD 500,000 in qualifying Thai investments. The investment is part of the USD 1 million, not an additional amount. There is no separate annual income threshold for this category.
- Wealthy Pensioners: age 50 or over and passive income of at least USD 80,000 a year; alternatively, income of USD 40,000 to less than USD 80,000 plus at least USD 250,000 in qualifying Thai investments. Salary does not count as passive income.
- Work-from-Thailand Professionals: qualifying remote employees of overseas businesses. The usual personal income threshold is an average USD 80,000 a year over the preceding two years; USD 40,000 to less than USD 80,000 requires additional qualifications. The overseas employer must be a company listed on a stock exchange, or a private company operating for at least three years with combined revenue of at least USD 50 million over the preceding three years. Certain wholly owned subsidiary arrangements also qualify under BOI criteria.
- Highly Skilled Professionals: qualifying specialists working in targeted industries or eligible institutions in Thailand. Income, qualifications and employer criteria apply, with specific exceptions.
Health cover of at least USD 50,000, qualifying Thai social security or an eligible deposit alternative is required. The deposit alternative is USD 100,000 for a main applicant or USD 25,000 for each dependent, held for at least 12 months. A legal spouse and children under 20 may apply as dependents, up to four people in total.
Benefits include annual immigration reporting instead of 90-day reporting and no separate re-entry permit. Eligible categories can apply for a digital work permit. Work-from-Thailand holders work remotely for overseas employers and cannot obtain a work permit under that category for Thai employment.
LTR tax benefits. Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners and Work-from-Thailand Professionals qualify for exemption from Thai personal income tax on income from employment or business carried on abroad and property situated abroad, when brought into Thailand, under Section 5 of Royal Decree No. 743. The income’s source matters; a transfer from an overseas bank account does not by itself establish that source.
Highly Skilled Professionals can use a 17% withholding tax regime for salary from an employer meeting the statutory targeted-industry requirements. Subject to the conditions, this is a final tax: the salary is excluded from progressive-rate computation if no refund or credit of the withheld tax is claimed. The employer must notify the Revenue Department and the employee must file form P.N.D. 95. The applicable LTR eligibility requirements must continue to be met. See the official BOI criteria and tax legislation.
SMART S: technology startup founders
The current startup route is a renewable SMART S visa for up to two years. Applicants must already have a certified startup in a targeted industry and hold at least 25% of its capital or be a director. Other requirements include a deposit of THB 600,000 held for at least three months and health insurance. An additional THB 180,000 is required for each accompanying spouse or child.
Work in the certified business does not require a separate work permit. Annual reporting replaces 90-day reporting, and no re-entry permit is required. Family benefits are subject to SMART O conditions. See our SMART visa overview and the official SMART S requirements.
Investment and property-based extensions
Investment routes normally provide extensions of stay for up to one year at a time, subject to continuing eligibility. Buying property does not automatically grant a visa, permanent residence or permission to work.
- THB 10 million route: qualifying condominium purchase or lease, deposits with eligible Thai financial institutions, government or state-enterprise bonds, or an eligible combination. The rules require evidence of funds transferred from abroad and supporting investment documents. There is no general rule that every asset must be held for three years: the three-year minimum concerns the qualifying condominium lease.
- Property route introduced from 1 October 2025: qualifying condominium purchase from THB 3 million or a qualifying registered long-term leasehold exceeding three years. Ordinary residential rental is not an application route. Certification from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports or its designated operator is required.
October 2026: Processing of THB 3 million investment visa applications is temporarily paused. The purchase, lease, owner and supporting documents must fit the selected route. Check eligibility before paying a deposit or signing an agreement. See the THB 3 million property route, visa options for property investors and Immigration Bureau Order 238/2568.
Thailand Privilege
Thailand Privilege is a paid membership programme with long-stay visa and service benefits. Published membership packages are Bronze: THB 650,000 / 5 years; Gold: THB 900,000 / 5 years; Platinum: THB 1.5 million / 10 years; Diamond: THB 2.5 million / 15 years; and Reserve: THB 5 million / 20 years, by invitation.
Membership duration is not the uninterrupted period of stay granted on each entry. Benefits and privilege points vary by package; Bronze has no annual privilege points. Check current availability and family promotions before applying. Membership does not itself authorise employment or confer a general tax exemption. Current packages and terms.
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
DTV is a five-year multiple-entry visa for remote workers and freelancers, participants in eligible activities such as Muay Thai, Thai cooking courses or medical treatment, and qualifying spouses and children under 20. A wish to live in Thailand for a long time is not sufficient by itself.
Each entry permits a stay of up to 180 days, with one extension of up to another 180 days. Applicants must document the qualifying purpose and financial means of at least THB 500,000; the responsible embassy or consulate specifies acceptable evidence.
Applications submitted from 31 August 2026: the MFA replaced proof of current location with proof of permanent residence and added a criminal-record clearance requirement. Applicants should follow the responsible mission’s current checklist, including its requirements for residence evidence and police certificates. Applications submitted before that date follow the earlier requirements.
Applications are made outside Thailand through the responsible embassy or consulate. DTV does not authorise employment with a Thai employer and provides no automatic tax exemption. Opening a bank account remains subject to the bank’s checks. See our DTV guide and the MFA document update.
Retirement: Non-Immigrant O and O-A
For applicants aged 50 or over, Non-O is a common route: an initial stay usually of 90 days followed by annual retirement extensions. Typical financial options are THB 800,000 in a Thai bank, monthly income of THB 65,000, or a permitted combination, subject to evidence and balance-maintenance rules. Non-O-A is a separate overseas application route, generally allowing a one-year stay, with additional insurance, medical and criminal-record requirements. Neither retirement route authorises employment.
Parents accompanying a child at school
A parent of a child studying at a recognised school in Thailand may qualify for Non-O on a guardian basis. The application requires evidence of the family relationship, the child’s education and immigration status, school documents and financial means. The usual rule is one parent per child with ED status. With one child, the other parent needs a separate basis of stay; with two qualifying children, each parent may apply in respect of a different child.
Need help choosing a long-term visa?
We can assess the suitable route, review supporting documents and assist with the application. Contact AIM Bangkok or complete the form below.
