The Wealthy Global Citizen category requires at least USD 1 million in total qualifying assets, including at least USD 500,000 invested in qualifying Thai assets. There is no minimum personal income requirement.
To compare this route with the pensioner and professional categories, see our Thailand LTR visa requirements guide.
Crucially, the program operates with no personal income requirements. In the past, the main obstacle for applicants was not a lack of wealth, but the administrative burden of proving a minimum USD 80,000 annual personal income—a rigid requirement that frequently bottlenecked business owners and investors with complex asset structures. Under the current established guidelines, that paperwork hurdle is gone; the BOI evaluates your application strictly on your global asset position and your local investment footprint.
This guide breaks down the exact compliance mechanics, eligible investment classes, and documentation required to secure this 10-year residency pathway.
What You Get: Benefits of the LTR Visa
- 5+5 Year Stay: The visa is issued for an initial five years and is renewable for a further five years, provided you continue to meet the core financial conditions. This eliminates annual renewals and administrative uncertainty.
- Annual Reporting: Standard long-stay visa holders must report to Thai Immigration every 90 days. LTR Visa holders report only once per year, provided they reside in Thailand.
- Inherent Multiple Re-entry: No separate re-entry permits are required when leaving and returning to Thailand; you can travel freely.
- Fast-Track Airport Immigration: Access to dedicated fast-track immigration lanes at Thailand’s major international airports.
- Digital Work Permit Eligibility: Wealthy Global Citizens may apply for a Thai work permit after visa issuance if required. Unlike standard corporate work permits, this track exempts employers from the traditional 4:1 Thai-to-foreign employee hiring ratio.
- Tax Exemptions on Foreign-Sourced Income: Foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand is completely exempt from Thai personal income tax for LTR Visa holders (detailed below).
- Dependents Included: Your spouse and children under the age of 20 may join as dependents under the same visa framework (currently capped at 4 dependents), receiving identical immigration privileges and work permit eligibility.
Policy Note: An approved regulatory expansion to eliminate the dependent cap and include parents is currently awaiting final implementation by Thai Immigration. Until formally gazetted, the standard rules restricting dependents to a spouse and minor children apply.
Tax Benefits
Foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand is entirely exempt from Thai personal income tax (PIT) for individuals under the Wealthy Global Citizen category.
This exemption is established by Royal Decree No. 743 (issued under the Revenue Code) [TH / EN],
which grants LTR Visa holders a specific, legally binding carve-out from ordinary Thai tax residency rules. The exemption covers all assessable income under Section 40 of the Revenue Code that originates outside Thailand, including:
- Foreign employment income
- Offshore business income from activities conducted outside Thailand
- Income derived from overseas assets (dividends, interest, capital gains, and rental income)
The exemption applies fully to foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand, with no cap on the total remitted volume.
Precedence Over the 2024 Remittance Rule
In 2023-2024, Thailand’s Revenue Department updated its tax guidelines, stating that ordinary tax residents are subject to PIT on all foreign-sourced income earned after January 1, 2024, if remitted to Thailand in the same or subsequent years. Wealthy Global Citizens are explicitly outside the scope of this rule. The Royal Decree No. 743 exemption takes legal precedence over standard Revenue Department directives.
Thai-Sourced Income
Please note that this exemption covers foreign-sourced income only. Any income generated directly within Thai territory—such as rental yields from a Thai property, corporate dividends from a Thai entity, or interest paid on local bank deposits—remains subject to standard Thai personal income tax rates.
Financial Requirements
To qualify under the Wealthy Global Citizen category, you must satisfy three concurrent financial conditions.
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1. Global Assets of at Least USD 1,000,000
You must demonstrate verifiable ownership of net assets totaling at least USD 1,000,000 globally. Your qualifying Thai investment (detailed below) counts toward this total, rather than being required in addition to it.
| Eligible Global Assets | Ineligible Assets |
|---|---|
| • Investment portfolios (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) • Liquid bank deposits • Overseas real estate | • Cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and NFTs • Gold futures and gold derivative instruments • Physical art, amulets, watches, and jewelry |
2. Investment in Thailand of at Least USD 500,000
At least USD 500,000 of your total assets must be invested in Thailand in your own name. The Thai investment is counted within the USD 1M total — not in addition to it. Your remaining assets, wherever they are held globally, must bring the overall figure to at least USD 1M.
See the next section for what qualifies as a Thai investment.
3. Health Insurance or Financial Alternative
Health insurance policy covering hospitalisation and medical treatment in Thailand, minimum USD 50,000 coverage, with at least 10 months of remaining validity at time of application. Group policies must provide USD 50,000 per person. Life insurance and travel insurance do not qualify.
OR a bank deposit of USD 100,000 (plus USD 25,000 per dependent), held in a Thai or overseas bank account, maintained for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the application date. The BOI applies this rule strictly: the balance must not fall below the required threshold at any point during those 12 months — a single month where the balance dips even briefly is grounds for rejection. HNWIs who travel frequently and move money across accounts should factor this in before choosing the deposit route over health insurance.
OR social security rights covering medical treatment in Thailand — the official BOI announcement accepts any social security entitlement that provides medical coverage in Thailand, not only Thai SSO. This may include certain foreign government schemes: for example, US military veterans with VA benefits that extend internationally, or some national pension/social security programmes with overseas medical coverage. In practice this applies to a small minority of applicants. Most Wealthy Global Citizens will use private health insurance or the bank deposit route.
What Counts as a Qualifying Investment in Thailand
The BOI accepts the following asset classes toward the USD 500,000 Thai investment threshold. All investments must be in your own name.
Thai Government Bonds
Bonds in your name with a remaining maturity of no less than 5 years.
Company Investment / Shares
- Thai company shares: shareholder list (Bor.Or.Jor. 5, no older than 3 months) plus latest audited financial statements
- Venture company: Securities Business License from the SEC required
- SET-listed shares: broker letter confirming ownership, with shares held for at least 1 year as of the application date
Thai Property
- Freehold condo: sale and purchase agreement plus condominium title deed, both certified by the Land Department no more than 6 months before the application date
- Leasehold: leasehold agreement with at least 10 years remaining, plus title deed, both certified by the Land Department no more than 6 months before the application date
- Villa or constructed property: construction agreement showing purchase value, plus construction permit from the Department of Land
The BOI uses the original purchase price as recorded in registered documents — not current market value. Property held through a company or nominee structure does not qualify.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the BOI portal at https://ltr.boi.go.th
Step 1 — Prepare and submit documents
Upload all supporting documentation through the portal. The BOI’s official processing time is 20 business days from receipt of a complete application; in practice, allow 6–8 weeks.
Step 2 — Receive approval and book your appointment
Once approved, you have 60 days to book a visa issuance appointment — at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok or at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad.
Step 3 — Visa issuance
The fee is THB 50,000 per person (main applicant and each dependent) when issued in Bangkok. Fees vary when the visa is issued at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad via e-visa.
Over 50? Consider the Wealthy Pensioner Category
If you are aged 50 or over, the Wealthy Pensioner LTR category may be a simpler route to the same 10-year residency. Instead of a $1M global asset requirement, the Wealthy Pensioner track requires a passive income of at least USD 40,000 per year — rising to USD 80,000 if you do not hold a qualifying Thai investment. If your income is between USD 40,000 and USD 80,000, a Thai investment of USD 250,000 (in government bonds, Thai property, or company shares) covers the shortfall. The tax benefit is identical: foreign-sourced income is exempt under Royal Decree No. 743. For many retirees with a pension, rental income, or investment distributions abroad, the Pensioner category is both easier to qualify for and simpler to document.
Common Questions
Can I invest my full USD 1,000,000 in Thailand?
Yes. There is no requirement to hold assets abroad. If your entire USD 1M is invested in qualifying Thai assets, the condition is fully met.
Do watches, art, or crypto count toward the USD 1M global asset total?
No. The BOI explicitly excludes cryptocurrencies, tokens, gold futures, amulets, art, designer items, watches, and jewellery.
Can I apply from outside Thailand?
Yes. The BOI portal accepts applications from anywhere. The visa can be issued via a Thai embassy abroad as an e-visa, or at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok.
My assets are partly held through a company I own — does that count?
For Thai company shares, the BOI reviews the shareholder list and audited accounts. For foreign company holdings, the assessment is case by case — discuss with us before applying.
Related Articles
Thailand long-term visas: an overview
Thailand LTR visa requirements guide
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