Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa

Application Process — Step by Step

1. 01

   Confirm eligibility under one of four LTR sub-categories

   home country

   BOI LTR has four tracks: (1) Wealthy Global Citizen – $1M assets + $80k income/yr; (2) Wealthy Pensioner – $80k annual pension; (3) Work-from-Thailand Professional – $80k income/yr from foreign employer; (4) Highly Skilled Professional – qualifying employer letter + specific sector. Self-assess before preparing documents.

   Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗

2. 02

   Register on BOI LTR portal and submit application

   online

   Create account at ltr.boi.go.th. Upload all required documents. BOI reviews within 20 working days.

   Typical duration: 4-6 weekssource ↗

3. 03

   BOI approval + pay LTR visa fee

   online

   BOI issues approval letter. Pay THB 50,000 (approx. USD 1,400) LTR visa fee via portal. Approval letter valid 60 days to apply for visa.

   Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗

4. 04

   Apply for LTR visa at Thai consulate or in-country

   home country

   Present BOI approval letter + documents at Thai embassy/consulate abroad OR at One Stop Service Centre (CW Tower, Bangkok) if already in Thailand on valid status.

   Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗

5. 05

   Enter Thailand + TM30 address registration

   destination

   On first entry, ensure landlord files TM30 registration within 24 hours. Collect LTR sticker in passport.

   Typical duration: 1 week

Documents Required

Realistic Costs

~ Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, translations, health_insurance_first_year, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

THB 50,000 (≈USD 1,400) LTR visa fee paid to BOI. Renewal every 5 years at same fee. Work Permit (if needed for Thai employer) is additional ~THB 3,000/yr.

Realistic Timeline

• Consulate wait1–4 weeks
• Residence card issuance2 weeks
• Total to residence card6–14 weeks

BOI processing typically 20 working days. One Stop Service Centre in Bangkok fastest for in-country applicants.

Renewal

First renewal after

60 months

Subsequent cycle

60 months

Renewal fee

$1,400USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Requirements

Renew every 5 years. Must continue to meet original financial threshold. Same BOI portal process. Health insurance must remain active.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required

None — no PR pathway on this visa

Integration test

Not required

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required

None — no citizenship pathway on this visa

Language test

Yes (A2)

Civic test

Required

Oath

Required

Dual citizenship

Not allowed

Tax Residency

Trigger

180 days/year of presence

Taxation scope

Territorial (in-country only)

Exit-tax country

No

Health Insurance

Mandatory

Yes

Minimum coverage

$50,000USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Examples: AXA, Cigna Global, Pacific Cross, BUPA Thailand

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival

Not typically possible before arrival

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights

Dependent LTR spouse cannot work in Thailand unless they independently qualify for LTR WFT track

Child school enrolment

Children under 20 can be added as LTR dependents. International schools widely available in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket.

Parent inclusion

Not eligible

Sibling inclusion

Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

• ⚠CRITICAL — 2024 tax rule change: foreign income remitted to Thailand in the same tax year is now taxable (180+ day residents). Pre-2024 loophole of delaying remittance to next year closed.
• ⚠LTR does NOT lead to Thai Permanent Residency or citizenship — it is a pure long-stay visa
• ⚠Work Permit privilege covers work for foreign companies only; working for Thai employer needs separate BOI work permit endorsement
• ⚠Spouse and children (under 20) can be added as LTR dependents — each requires same health insurance coverage
• ⚠90-day reporting to Immigration required (online possible via TM90 app)
• ⚠THB 50,000 fee is per applicant — dependents pay reduced rate

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

• ×Taking up local Thai employment outside the visa's qualifying work category without separate authorisation
• ×Does not lead to Thai permanent residency, which remains a separate quota-limited track
• ×Does not lead to Thai citizenship

Before You Arrive — Checklist

1. Self-identify correct LTR track (Wealthy Global Citizen / Wealthy Pensioner / WFT / Highly Skilled)
2. Arrange qualifying health insurance (min $50,000 coverage in Thailand)
3. Obtain criminal background check (apostille not required by BOI)
4. Prepare last 2 years tax returns or bank evidence of income threshold

After You Arrive — Checklist

1. Landlord submits TM30 registration within 24 hours of first arrival
2. Collect LTR visa sticker from embassy/consulate or One Stop Service (Bangkok CW Tower)
3. Apply for LTR Work Permit at BOI if intending to work for Thai entity (separate privilege)
4. Obtain Thai Tax ID (TIN) if planning to remit income — see 2024 tax change note
5. Optional: open Thai bank account (Bangkok Bank / Kasikorn)

Common Rejection Reasons

• •Asset/income documentation insufficient or older than 90 days
• •Health insurance policy does not meet $50,000 Thailand coverage minimum
• •Criminal record (any conviction is disqualifying)
• •Applying from wrong sub-category (income source must match track)

Recent Legislative Changes

• 2024-01-01

  Revenue Department Instruction No. Por 161/2566 effective 1 Jan 2024: foreign income remitted to Thailand in the same calendar year is now assessable Thai income for residents (180+ days). Prior-year savings no longer tax-free on remittance.source ↗

• 2022-09-01

  Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa programme launched by BOI, replacing older Elite-style programs.source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions