Thailand
Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa Overview
The Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa, known as the LTR Visa, is open to foreign nationals across four categories: wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, remote professionals working for overseas companies, and highly skilled professionals in targeted industries.
Each category carries distinct income, asset, and employment thresholds.
The visa is issued for an initial period of five years and is renewable for a further five years, provided the holder continues to meet the qualifying conditions of their category.
There is no minimum stay requirement to maintain the visa.
The main applicant can include a spouse and up to four dependent children under 20 years of age. A maximum of 4 dependents may be included per LTR visa holder.
Eligibility Requirements
All qualifying categories require applicants to hold valid health insurance with a minimum coverage of US$50,000, to be currently receiving Thai social security benefits, or to maintain a bank deposit of at least US$100,000 in their name for at least 12 months. All qualifying conditions must be maintained throughout the visa’s full validity.
4 categories are available.
Wealthy Global Citizen
- Minimum global assets of US$1,000,000 in the applicant’s name
- Investment in Thailand of at least US$500,000, in one or a combination of the following: Thai government bonds with a remaining maturity of no less than 5 years; direct business investment in local companies; or investment in local property
- All investments must already be made and qualifying assets held before submitting the application
Wealthy Pensioner
- Minimum age of 50 years
- Minimum annual unearned or passive income of US$80,000 at the time of application, including pension, rental income, realized capital gains, dividends, and interest; earned income and salaries do not qualify
- If annual passive income is between US$40,000 and US$80,000, an additional investment of US$250,000 in Thai government bonds, registered Thai companies, or Thai property is required
Work-from-Thailand Professional
- Minimum average personal income of US$80,000 per year over the past two years
- If the average income is between US$40,000 and US$80,000, a master’s degree or higher is required as proof of qualification
- Employment contract with one of the following: a public company listed on a stock exchange; a private company with at least 3 years of operation and combined revenue of at least US$50,000,000 over the past 3 years; or a wholly owned subsidiary of either of the above
Highly Skilled Professional
- Minimum average personal income of US$80,000 per year over the past two years; applicants working for Thai government agencies are exempt from this requirement
- If the average income is between US$40,000 and US$80,000, a master’s degree or higher in science and technology is required
- Employment by contract with a Thai or foreign company whose activities fall within targeted industries, which the government updates regularly
- A digital work permit is required and must be applied for after visa issuance; the work permit fee is THB 3,000 (approx. US$93) per year
Dependents
- Legal spouse or children under 20 years of age of the main LTR visa holder; same-sex spouses are eligible
- Maximum of 4 dependents per main applicant
- Health insurance of at least US$50,000 per dependent, or Thai social security, or a bank deposit of at least US$25,000 per dependent held for no less than 12 months
- Each dependent must submit a separate application and account on the LTR portal; children’s visas are valid until the age of 20
Route to Citizenship
The LTR Visa is a long-stay visa and does not carry a direct pathway to Thai permanent residency or citizenship. Holders who wish to pursue permanent residency must do so through the standard Thai immigration process, which requires holding a non-immigrant visa with consecutive annual extensions for a minimum of three years before becoming eligible to apply.
Thai citizenship by naturalization requires a minimum of 5 years of continuous Thai permanent residency, demonstrated proficiency in Thai, and knowledge of Thai history, culture, and civic matters.
Approval is at the discretion of the Ministry of Interior and is not guaranteed. Thailand generally does not permit dual nationality.
Mobility and Taxation
Mobility
The LTR Visa grants multiple re-entry rights without requiring a separate re-entry permit, allowing holders to travel freely in and out of Thailand for the full five-year validity period.
Annual reporting replaces the standard 90-day immigration reporting obligation, reducing administrative burden for holders who travel frequently.
Fast-track immigration services are available at international airports in Thailand for all LTR visa holders and their included dependents.
Thai citizens can access approximately 76 destinations visa-free or on arrival; this figure applies only to citizens.
Tax
The LTR Visa carries specific tax benefits that differ by category. Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, and Work-from-Thailand Professionals are exempt from Thai personal income tax on foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand, under Royal Decree No. 743 issued under the Thai Revenue Code.
This exemption is particularly significant following Thailand’s 2024 change to its foreign income remittance rules, under which Thai tax residents are now liable for income tax on all foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand, regardless of when it was earned.
The LTR exemption provides a statutory carve-out from this rule for the three qualifying categories.
Highly Skilled Professionals are not eligible for this exemption but are subject to a flat personal income tax rate of 17% on income from their qualifying employment in Thailand, in place of the standard progressive rates of up to 35%.
All LTR visa holders who spend 183 days or more in Thailand in any calendar year are considered Thai tax residents for all other income.
Thai-sourced income not covered by the flat rate or exemption is taxed at standard progressive rates from 5% to 35%.
How to Apply
The program is administered by the Thailand Board of Investment. Applications are submitted entirely online.
The process typically runs as follows.
- Step 1: Register an account on the LTR Visa portal and select the applicable category; dependents must each create a separate account, and linking is completed once the main applicant approves the dependent’s request in the system.
- Step 2: Upload all required documents for the selected category, including proof of income, assets, or employment contract, health insurance certificate or bank deposit confirmation, and passport; documents must be current and complete before submission.
- Step 3: The BOI reviews the application and issues a qualifications endorsement within 20 working days; additional documents may be requested during this period and the timeline may be extended accordingly.
- Step 4: Upon endorsement, complete the pre-approval process within 1 to 3 working days; receive the qualifications endorsement letter, which is valid for 60 days.
- Step 5: Collect the LTR Visa within 60 days of the issuance date of the endorsement letter, either at the TIESC in Bangkok or at a Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate General abroad; the visa processing fee is THB 50,000 (approx. US$1,560) per person.
- Step 6: If a work permit is required, apply through the LTR Visa portal after receiving the visa; processing takes 3 to 5 working days, and collection is at the TIESC; the annual work permit fee is THB 3,000 (approx. US$93).
- Step 7: Complete annual reporting through the LTR Visa portal each year; renewal of the visa for the second five-year term must be initiated through the portal before expiry, with updated documentation confirming continued compliance with all qualifying conditions.