Thailand is the ideal home base for several reasons. The country offers a lower cost of living compared to most Western countries, excellent private healthcare, good international schools, modern infrastructure, and large expat communities in major cities like Bangkok.
Relocating to this tropical Southeast Asian country is made easy with the Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa Thailand, also known as the Thailand Golden Visa, a 10-year permit designed for four profiles of applicants: high-net-worth individuals, retirees, remote professionals, and highly skilled experts.
This non-immigrant visa offers successful applicants a range of attractive benefits, including long-term residence in Thailand, no stay requirements, airport fast-track services, and family reunification.
In this in-depth guide, we will cover everything you need to know about the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand. Read more to learn about the LTR visa requirements and eligibility criteria, the application process, costs, tax benefits, and renewal rules.
- What is the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand?
- Benefits of the LTR Visa Thailand
- Who can apply for the Thailand LTR Visa program?
- What are the requirements for the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand?
- What is the application process for the Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa?
- What is the processing time for the Thailand LTR Visa?
- Which documents do you need to apply for the Thailand LTR Visa?
- Long-Term Resident Visa in Thailand Cost Breakdown
- Tax Rules for Foreign Residents: Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa Program
- Renewal, Reporting and Residency Maintenance for the LTR Visa
- Pathway to Permanent Residence and Citizenship
- Thailand 10 Year LTR Visa 2025 Updates
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand?
The Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa (or Thailand Residence by Investment) is a 10-year multiple-entry, non-immigrant visa launched in September 2022 by the Thai government agencies, including the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) in partnership with the Immigration Bureau and Department of Employment.
It was created to attract foreign direct investment from high-potential investors, retirees, digital professionals, and skilled specialists, to live and work in Thailand long-term while contributing to the economy.
The LTR visa is valid for 10 years (split into two 5-year terms) and offers significant advantages such as simplified annual reporting, family inclusion, work authorization for qualified holders, and tax perks for foreigners.
Benefits of the LTR Visa Thailand
Immigration and lifestyle benefits
- 10-year stay, multiple entry: Issued for two consecutive five-year periods for long-term stability.
- Fast-track processing at airports: Priority immigration lanes for LTR visa holders.
- No minimum physical presence requirement or day-count: Maintain your visa status without needing to spend mandatory time in-country for increased flexibility.
- Easy setup for daily life: Access to local banking, utilities, private healthcare, and local services.
- Simplified reporting: Annual address report, which replaces standard 90-day reporting, where LTR visa holders must confirm their residential address once every 12 months.
Work and investment benefits
- Digital Work Permit (eligible categories): Work legally in Thailand as a Highly Skilled Professional.
- 4:1 ratio exemption: Digital Work Permit holders are exempt from the standard Thai-to-foreigner hiring ratio.
- Business participation: Eligible for company directorships under compliant structures.
- One-stop support: Access BOI and TIESC (Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center) services for visa, work permit, and admin in one place.
Family benefits
- Bring the whole family: Unlimited dependents (spouse, children <20, parents, legal dependents).
- Linked residence cards: Dependents’ residence permits are attached or linked to the main applicant’s record in the immigration system. This ensures that renewals are streamlined, and the management of residency status is more unified.
- Inclusive recognition: Same-sex spouses are recognized under Thailand’s 2024 marriage law.
Who can apply for the Thailand LTR Visa?
The Thailand Residence by Investment program caters specifically to four distinct groups of people including wealthy global citizens, retirees, remote workers, and highly skilled professionals. Alongside these groups are their families. Here’s a quick overview:
- High-net-worth individuals seeking a lifestyle base in Asia with access to premium healthcare and low-cost real estate markets.
- Retirees aged 50 and above with stable pensions or who have passive income and long-term security.
- Remote professionals or digital nomads employed by established foreign companies.
- Highly skilled professionals working in targeted Thai industries or research / higher education institutes.
- Families including spouses, children under 20, parents, and legal dependents (now with no cap on the number of dependents allowed).
What are the requirements for the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand?
There are four categories of applicants, each with their own unique financial and professional requirements:
01/ Wealthy global citizens
- Minimum of USD 1 million in global assets required.
- Invest at least USD 500,000 in Thai government bonds, direct foreign investment, or Thai property.
- Have health insurance coverage that covers a minimum of USD $50,000 and is valid for 10 months or longer.
- No minimum income requirement.
02/ Wealthy pensioners (age 50+)
- Minimum annual pension or passive income of USD $80,000.
- If the passive income is between USD $40,000 and 79,999, an additional USD 250,000 investment in Thai property, Thai government bonds, or foreign direct investment is required.
- Employment income is not eligible for this requirement.
03/ Work-from-Thailand professionals
- Must work for and be employed by a foreign private company with a combined revenue of at least USD $50 million over the last three years.
- Minimum USD $80,000 income per year for the past two years, or USD $40,000 while holding advanced qualifications such as a master’s degree, IP ownership, or Series A startup funding of USD $1 million or more.
- May work remotely for a foreign employer but cannot work for a Thai company.
04/ Highly skilled professionals
- Must be employed or assigned to a Thai government institution, higher education institute, or a private company in one of Thailand’s targeted industries (see below).
- USD $80,000 per year for the past two years, or USD $40,000 with a master’s degree in science or technology.
- Income requirements waived for those working in government or academic institutions.
- Eligible for the Digital Work Permit.
Targeted industries
- Automotive manufacturing.
- Electronics.
- Affluent tourism and hospitality.
- Agriculture, food, and biotechnology.
- Transport and logistics.
- Automation and robotics.
- Aviation, aerospace, and space technology.
- Biofuels and biochemicals.
- Petrochemical and chemical industries.
- Digital industries.
- Medical and healthcare innovation.
- National defense and security.
- Circular economy and environmental management.
- International Business Center (IBC).
- Other approved fields with special expertise.
What is the application process for the Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa?
These are the steps involved in the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand application process.
- Register online: Create an account on the BOI’s official LTR portal (VFS). Each dependent must have a separate account.
- Upload documents: Provide all proof of income, assets, investments, and health coverage.
- Qualification endorsement: The BOI will review your application and issue an endorsement within 20 working days.
- Pre-approval review: Final checks and confirmation within 1 to 3 working days.
- Visa issuance: Collect your visa within 60 days at TIESC Bangkok or a Thai Embassy/Consulate abroad.
- Digital work permit (optional): Apply via the portal. Collection occurs at TIESC, and you can start work even while it is processing.
- Annual reporting: Instead of every 90 days, LTR visa holders only need to report annually.
- Extension: Before your initial five-year term expires, you must reapply for your endorsement to extend it for another five years.
What is the processing time for the Thailand LTR Visa?
For most applicants, the Thailand Golden Visa application process takes approximately 1 to 2 months from submission to issuance, provided that all documents are complete.
The BOI qualification endorsement typically requires a wait of around 20 working days, followed by pre-approval and then visa issuance within 60 days of the endorsement. Incomplete or complex applications may extend this timeline.
Which documents do you need to apply for the Thailand LTR Visa?
Applicants must upload clear, translated, and notarized copies of supporting documents during the online application. Required documents typically include:
- Passport (valid for at least 6 months).
- Proof of income, assets, or investment depending on your category.
- Employment letter or company documents (for professionals).
- Health insurance policy or bank deposit confirmation meeting LTR requirements.
- Clean criminal record certificate (issued within the last 6 months).
- Marriage or birth certificates for dependents (translated and notarized if applicable).
- Proof of address in Thailand (if already residing in the country).
Ensure all documents are translated into English or Thai and have been certified by the relevant authorities before submission.
Long Term Resident Visa Thailand Cost Breakdown
The standard LTR visa issuance fee is THB 50,000 (~USD $1,577) per one LTR visa holder, regardless of category.
If you need a Digital Work Permit, it costs THB 3,000 (~USD 85) per year.
After the straightforward visa fee, the real cost will be dependent on your category:
- Wealthy global citizen: USD 500,000+ investment in Thailand
- Wealthy pensioner: USD 250,000 investment if income below USD 80,000
- Remote professionals and skilled experts: No direct investment, but strict income verification required
- Visa fee (per dependent): USD 1,577. Validity mirrors the main applicant’s LTR (5 + 5 years, subject to re‑endorsement).
Add-on expenses include document preparation, insurance, translations, and tax registration fees. However, given the 10-year validity, the visa remains competitively priced compared to similar Residency by Investment programs globally.
Tax Rules for Foreign Residents: Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa Program
Tax residency basics
Thailand is someone’s country of tax residence is they reside in the country for 180 days or more per calendar year. Tax residents are liable for:
- Thai-sourced income, regardless of where it was paid.
- Foreign-source income if remitted into Thailand in the same year it was earned.
Personal Income Tax (PIT) brackets
| Annual income (THB) | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| 0 – 150,000 | 0% |
| 150,001 – 300,000 | 5% |
| 300,001 – 500,000 | 10% |
| 500,001 – 750,000 | 15% |
| 750,001 – 1,000,000 | 20% |
| 1,000,001 – 2,000,000 | 25% |
| 2,000,001 – 4,000,000 | 30% |
| Above 4,000,000 | 35% |
LTR visa tax benefits
- Highly skilled professionals: 17% flat tax on eligible employment income.
- Global citizens, pensioners and remote workers: Exemption from Thai PIT on foreign-sourced income, even if remitted.
- Cryptocurrency relief: Capital gains on crypto traded via Thai SEC-licensed exchanges are exempt from PIT (2025–2029)
Thailand maintains over 60 Double Taxation Treaties (DTAs) allowing residents to claim credits or exemptions, further reducing exposure for global investors.
Renewal, Reporting and Residency Maintenance for the LTR Visa
To maintain and renew the Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa, holders must meet several ongoing obligations:
- Maintain valid health insurance.
- Before renewal, reconfirm eligibility for your original category (income, investment and/or employer) and keep documentation current.
- Submit a new BOI qualification endorsement before the first 5-year permission expires; dependents must also file and re-link their own applications.
- After re-endorsement, re-issue the visa within 60 days at TIESC or a Thai Embassy/Consulate (renew the Digital Work Permit if applicable).
- No minimum physical stay requirement, but you must maintain the financial and insurance conditions for the full 10 years. Dependents remain linked to the main applicant via their residence card and should follow the same renewal and reporting rules, including the annual address report (confirmation of address).
Pathway to Permanent Residence and Citizenship
The Thailand LTR Visa does not automatically grant permanent residence or citizenship. To apply for permanent residency (PR), you must:
- Hold a non-immigrant visa with consecutive one-year extensions for at least three years.
- Meet category-based financial and conduct criteria.
Citizenship via naturalization
Applicants must:
- Hold PR for five years.
- Demonstrate good conduct and a clean criminal record
- Earn a minimum of THB 40,000 per month (married) or THB 80,000 per month (single).
- Pass Thai language and integration tests.
Thailand allows dual citizenship, and Thai citizens gain visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 40 destinations.
Thailand 10 Year LTR Visa 2025 Updates
As of February 2025, the BOI introduced several reforms to improve accessibility and inclusivity for LTR Visa applicants. They are as follows:
- No limit on the number of dependents per main applicant.
- Recognition of Series A–funded professionals for remote worker eligibility.
- Relaxed employer revenue thresholds (USD 50 million combined over three years).
- Same-sex marriages recognized under Thailand’s 2024 Marriage Equality Act.
- Simplified endorsement process and faster digital work permit approvals.
These updates have made the LTR Visa Thailand more inclusive and streamlined for modern professionals, global families, and retirees seeking long-term stability in Thailand.
How Can Global Citizen Solutions Help You?
Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique investment migration consultancy firm focused on finding the right residency or citizenship by investment program for individuals wishing to secure their future and become global citizens. With offices in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Brazil, our multilingual team guides individuals and families from start to finish, providing expert advice considering freedom, mobility, taxation, and security.
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