Visa guide · Thailand
Five ways to live long-term in Thailand as a foreign investor or resident. Each carries different cost, criteria, and tax outcomes · and each pairs with a different property profile. We model the visa + the unit + the tax interaction together.
Quick decision tree
Q1
Want to work remotely for a foreign employer?
→ DTV (lowest friction) or LTR Work-from-Thailand Pro (if income qualifies for tax cap).
Q2
Want full quasi-residency with tax cap?
→ LTR · pick the track matching your income / wealth profile.
Q3
Retiring with pension income?
→ LTR Wealthy Pensioner (if 80K USD pension) or Retirement O-A (if below).
Q4
Want long-stay without income/activity criteria?
→ Thailand Privilege (Elite). Pure paid privilege, no test.
Q5
Investing in BOI-promoted sector?
→ Smart Visa / BOI · ties to your business activity.
Q6
Family migrating for international school?
→ LTR Wealthy Global Citizen (if 1M USD assets) gives the cleanest family residency. Otherwise Retirement O-A or Privilege.
01 of 05
5-year flex · 180-day rotations · 500K THB threshold · the lifestyle visa
Eligibility
500,000 THB bank balance · digital nomad / remote worker / soft-power activity (Muay Thai, cooking, etc.) · ฿10K USD savings or qualifying activity
Duration
5 years multi-entry · 180 days per stay · renewable inside Thailand for additional 180 days
Cost
10,000 THB government fee · single payment
Best for
Remote tech execs, digital nomads, soft-power expats (Muay Thai, cooking, art), 35-50yo testing the lifestyle.
Benefits
Constraints
Property fit
Studio or 1-bed in BTS-adjacent prime corridors · Asok, Phayathai, Rama 4, Phrom Phong sub-corridors. The unit replaces hotel costs in your in-Thailand months and earns rental yield while you're abroad. Typical budget: 8 to 18M THB. Yield 5.8 to 6.5% net.
02 of 05
10-year visa · 17% income-tax cap · 4 eligibility tracks · quasi-residency
Eligibility
One of: Wealthy Global Citizen (1M USD assets + 80K USD income) · Wealthy Pensioner (80K USD pension) · Work-from-Thailand Pro (80K USD income or 40K with master's + 5y experience) · Highly Skilled Professional
Duration
10 years renewable for another 10 · effectively 20-year residency
Cost
50,000 THB government fee + insurance requirement
Best for
HNW relocators, family LTR couples, ex-bankers and ex-tech executives committing to 5+ year horizons. The serious commitment.
Benefits
Constraints
Property fit
2-3 bedroom in Phrom Phong, Sathorn, Riverside, or Thonglor · the family/owner-occupier brackets. Often 25 to 80M THB · branded residences and full-service towers. The 17% tax cap on rental income from this property + any Thai-source income is the structural attraction.
03 of 05
1-year retirement visa · 50+ years · 800K THB or 65K monthly income · annual renewal
Eligibility
50+ years old · 800,000 THB Thai bank balance OR 65,000 THB/month income OR combination · clean criminal record · Thai medical insurance
Duration
1 year renewable annually · effectively indefinite if criteria maintained
Cost
5,000 THB visa fee + 1,900 THB extension fee + insurance + 800K THB lock-up
Best for
50-65yo retirees with 800K THB liquid · pension-funded long-term residents.
Benefits
Constraints
Property fit
1-2 bedroom in calm prime corridors · Sathorn, Phrom Phong, Riverside. Often retiree budget 8 to 30M THB. The unit + the visa together turn Bangkok into the retirement base · property value also serves as part of the 800K THB demonstration if structured correctly.
04 of 05
5 to 20 years · membership-based · 900K to 5M THB upfront · zero income or activity test
Eligibility
Application + payment of membership fee · clean criminal record · no income or activity requirements
Duration
5, 10, 15, or 20 years depending on membership tier
Cost
900,000 THB (5y Gold) up to 5,000,000 THB (20y Reserve)
Best for
HNW retirees not meeting LTR pension threshold · younger HNW who want guaranteed multi-year access without LTR documentation overhead.
Benefits
Constraints
Property fit
Premium full-service residences · Sathorn, Riverside, Phrom Phong. Often combined with 30M+ THB unit. The Elite Visa replaces the visa criteria when LTR doesn't fit · purchasing it alongside the property is a common HNW pattern.
05 of 05
Tech-and-investment visa · 4-year · BOI-approved sectors · capital + activity test
Eligibility
Investment in BOI-promoted sector (tech, biotech, advanced manufacturing, sustainable industries) · either 200,000 USD investment or qualifying executive role at BOI company · sector-specific criteria
Duration
Up to 4 years · renewable
Cost
10,000 THB visa fee · plus the underlying BOI investment
Best for
Tech/biotech founders relocating ops to Thailand · executives at BOI-promoted firms · investors with 200K USD+ in BOI sectors.
Benefits
Constraints
Property fit
Lifestyle flexible · investor profile typically buys 2-bed family unit in prime areas alongside the BOI activity. Often 15 to 50M THB. Property is separate from BOI · standard foreign-quota condo with FET certificate.
Dive deeper
Talk to us
Tell us your situation. We model the right visa pathway, the unit profile that fits, and the tax interaction · all in one shortlist.