Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa Thailand: 2026 Guide

Relocating to the Southeast Asian country of Thailand is made easy with the Long-Term Resident Visa Thailand. Also known as the Thailand Golden Visa, it is a ten-year permit available to high-net-worth individuals, retirees, remote professionals, and highly skilled experts.   

Successful applicants gain long-term residence in Thailand, with no stay requirements, fast-tracked airport services, and can apply for residency for qualified family members. This guide covers everything you need to know about Thailand’s Long-Term Resident Visa, including the investment requirement, eligibility criteria, and how to apply. 

Thailand Golden Visa: Key Takeaways

The Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa allows foreign nationals to stay in Thailand for up to ten years. 

Qualify for the LTR Visa through one of several categories, including a $500,000 investment as a wealthy investor or an $80,000 passive income as a retiree. 

Receive your Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa within one to two months. 

Enjoy Thailand LTR benefits, including a low 17 percent tax rate for highly skilled professionals. 

Get a Thai Golden Visa for your spouse and up to four children. 

The Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa is Thailand’s Golden Visa program that offers long-term residency to specific foreign nationals. Individuals who meet the program’s requirements are given a five-year multiple-entry visa, which they have the option to renew for another five years. 

Launched in September 2022 by the Thai government, the Thailand LTR Visa was activated to attract investment and skills from wealthy global investors, wealthy retirees, digital professionals, and skilled specialists by granting long-term residency in Thailand. 

The LTR visa targets four categories of foreign nationals with separate character and investment requirements, including a $500,000 investment for high-net-worth individuals and a passive annual income of $80,000 for wealth pensioners. 

Applications are processed by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), and qualified applicants can obtain Thai residency for their spouse and children. 

1. Ten years of long-term residency in Thailand, initially valid for five years with the option to renew for five years. 
2. Long-term residency in Thailand for a spouse and up to four children. 
3. Exemption from the 4:1 Thai-to-foreigner ratio for business entities. 
4. LTR visa holders can fast-track immigration at international airports in Thailand. 
5. 90-day Thai immigration report requirement extended to one year, and exemption from the requirement to obtain a re-entry permit. 
6. The freedom to travel and enter Thailand at any time. 
7. Permission to work remotely in Thailand with a digital work permit. 
8. A lower personal income tax rate of 17 percent for highly skilled professionals, and no tax on foreign-earned income. 
9. Access to the One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit, which facilitates streamlined immigration and work permit services. 

Thailand residency by investment through the Long-Term Resident Visa is available for four types of individuals. 

1. High-net-worth individuals 
2. Wealthy retirees aged 50 and above 
3. Remote professionals employed by established foreign companies.  
4. Highly skilled professionals working in targeted Thai industries 

Qualified family members 

The principal Thailand Golden Visa applicant’s spouse and up to four children under 20 are eligible to be included in the Thailand LTR visa application. 

• Passport with at least six months validity 
• Proof of income, $1 million in assets, and/or investment (depending on the category) 
• Employment contract or company documents (for professionals) 
• Health insurance policy with the minimum coverage or bank deposit confirmation with the minimum deposit 
• Criminal record certificate 
• Marriage or birth certificates (for dependents) 

All documents must be translated into English or Thai and have required apostille or legalization before they’re submitted to Thai authorities. 

There are four categories of applicants, each with its own financial and character requirements:  

Wealthy global citizens  

• Minimum of $1 million in assets.  
• Invest at least $500,000 in Thai government bonds, direct foreign investment, or Thai real estate.  
• Have health insurance coverage that covers a minimum of USD $50,000 and is valid for 10 months or longer.  
• Minimum annual income of $80,000 for the two years before applying. 

Wealthy pensioners 

• At least 50 years old 
• Minimum annual and stable passive income of $80,000 or $40,000 with a government bond, foreign direct investment, or Thai property investment of at least $250,000. 

Work-from-Thailand professionals  

• Must currently work for a public company on a stock exchange or an established private company that generated at least $50 million in revenue over the last three years. 
• Minimum annual income of $80,000 or $40,000 if they have a Master’s degree, own significant intellectual property, or receive a Series A investment of at least $1 million. 

Highly skilled professionals  

• Produce an employment contract or agreement with a Thailand-registered business or foreign business overseas in targeted industries in Thailand. 
• Minimum annual income of $80,000 for the two years before applying. Thai government agency employees are exempt from the minimum income requirement. 

In addition to the personal requirements, all applicants must have health insurance with at least $50,000 medical coverage valid in Thailand. The policy must be valid for at least ten months after the application is submitted. Alternatively, applicants can prove they’ve held at least $100,000 in a Thai or overseas bank account for at least 12 months before applying. 

Along with the investment and income requirements, applicants must pay visa and processing fees. The standard LTR visa issuance fee is THB 50,000 (~$1,577) per applicant. Different from the Thai Privilege Visa, applicants can apply for a Digital Work Permit, which costs THB 3,000 (~USD 85) per year. Add-on expenses include document preparation, insurance, translations, and tax registration fees. 

1. Register online: Create an account on the BOI’s official LTR visa application system. Each dependent must have a separate account.  
2. Upload documents: Submit the required documents for to the LTR Visa category, such as proof of $80,000 in income or $1 million in assets, diplomas from higher education institutes, and health coverage.  
3. Due diligence: The BOI will review your application and issue an endorsement within 20 working days.  
4. Pre-approval review: Final checks and confirmation within three working days.  
5. Visa issuance: The visa can be collected within 60 days of its issuance date at a Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate General overseas, or the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center (TIESC) for applicants in already in Thailand. 
6. Digital work permit (optional): Apply via the portal. Collection occurs at TIESC, and you can start work even while it is processing.  

Processing time 

Most qualified applicants complete the Thailand Golden Visa application process in about one to two 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. 

Maintaining a valid Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa includes annual reporting. LTR visa holders only need to report their visa status to the Thai immigration annually. Fortunately, the annual reporting requirement does not mandate visiting Thailand to maintain the visa. 

The Thai LTR Visa is valid for five years. Before the initial five-year term expires, holders can renew it through the BOI portal for another five years, provided they continue to fulfill the criteria of the visa category. 

The Thailand LTR Visa is a long-term residency visa and doesn’t automatically grant permanent residency or Thai citizenship. LTR Visa holders can apply for permanent residency by holding a non-immigrant visa with consecutive one-year extensions for at least three years, as well as meeting category-based financial and conduct criteria. 

Permanent residents can qualify for Thai citizenship by meeting the following criteria: 

• Hold permanent residency for five years.  
• Be of good character and have a clean criminal record. 
• Earn at least THB 40,000 per month (married) or THB 80,000 per month (single).  
• Pass a Thai language and integration test. 

Citizenship and a Thai passport are not guaranteed, as they’re granted at the discretion of the Ministry of Interior, subject to approval by the Thai Cabinet and final endorsement by His Majesty the King. 

AThe Thai government adjusted the LTR requirements to enhance accessibility. 

• No experience requirement: Eligible digital nomads and highly skilled professionals no longer need to prove five years of experience in their field. 
• Reduced employer minimum revenue: Established foreign employers now qualify with a $50 million combined revenue over three years, instead of $150 million. 
• Same-sex marriage eligibility: Same-sex spouses of the principal applicant now qualify as dependents. 
• Simplified wealth criteria: High-net-worth applicants no longer have to prove a minimum income of $80,000. 

The Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa offers tax advantages, particularly for qualifying professionals and investors. Highly skilled professionals working for approved employers benefit from a reduced personal income tax rate of 17 percent, compared to Thailand’s standard progressive rates.  

In addition, LTR visa holders are generally exempt from Thai tax on foreign-sourced income that is not remitted into Thailand in the same tax year. However, individuals who spend 180 days or more in Thailand within a calendar year may be considered Thai tax residents and should carefully assess how recent changes to foreign income remittance rules could affect their global tax position.