A Thailand visa is an endorsement on an individual’s passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave or stay in Thailand for a specified period. All foreigners who want to enter Thailand will require a visa. This visa needs to be applied for before entry into Thailand. Here is an overview of the various visas available to foreigners. I have broken them down into short-term and long-term visas and placed the most common option at the top of the category.

 

SHORT TERM VISAS (Less than 1 year)

 

Tourist visa

The most common type of visa is the tourist visa. This visa is for tourists who want to visit Thailand for leisure. For some foreigners holding certain passports, they have the luxury of visa-free travel. In reality, it is not visa-free because a visa will still be issued on the spot at the Thai immigration counter by an immigration officer. The term visa-free travel means the foreigner does not have to apply for a visa before arriving in Thailand. For example, nationals from Malaysia, Singapore and China do not have to apply for a visa ahead of their arrival in Thailand. They will be issued a visa on arrival in Thailand. The issued visa is up to 30 days. For some nationalities, this limit is shorter. For example, nationals from Burma will be issued a 14-day visa on arrival. Moreover, this visa-on-arrival is only if they arrive by air travel.

 

90-day visa

This is not a tourist visa. This is usually a visa that you need as a prelude to applying for a longer 1-year visa. The 90-day visa only allows you to enter Thailand once. The application for the 90-day visa is done in your home country. For example, if you are from Malaysia, then you will need to be in Malaysia when making the application.

You will apply for this 90-day visa as a precursor to applying for the following visas:

  1. Non-immigrant B visa or Thailand Business Visa
    This visa is applicable if you want to work or conduct business in Thailand
  2. Non-immigrant O visa (retirement) or Retirement Visa
    This visa is applicable if you are above 50 years old and want to retire in Thailand
  3. Non-immigrant O visa (Thai spouse) or Marriage Visa
    This visa is applicable if you are married to a Thai national. This allows you to live in Thailand.

 

The steps to applying for the 90-day visa are as such:

  1. Prepare all the required documentation for the application.
  2. Submit the documents to the Thai Embassy or consulate in your home country and pay the application fee.
  3. Collect your visa when it is approved (typically about 10 working days). You can enter Thailand after collecting the visa.

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. A valid passport with at least 6 months of validity
  2. Your travel itinerary
  3. Proof of finances (bank statement or latest pay slip from your employer)
  4. (If you are applying for a non-immigration B visa) A valid work permit
  5. (If you are applying for a non-immigration O visa (retirement) or retirement visa) Be at least 50 years old and produce a bank statement showing at least 800,000 THB (or equivalent)
  6. (If you are applying for a non-immigrant O visa (thai spouse) or marriage visa) A valid marriage certificate

 

 

LONG TERM VISAS (1 year or more)

 

Retirement Visa

The retirement visa has the following benefits and features:

  1. 1 year uninterrupted stay in Thailand
  2. The retirement visa is renewable annually
  3. The ability to exit and re-enter Thailand
  4. The ability to renew the retirement visa without having to leave Thailand

 

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Must be 50 years old or older
  2. Have a valid foreign passport
  3. Proof of residence in Thailand (6-month rental contract or ownership of Thai property)
  4. Meet one of the following financial requirements:
    a) Place THB 800,000 as a security deposit (This must be done at least 2 months before the application)
    b) Have a monthly income of THB 65,000
    c) Have a combination of both a) and b)
  5. Have proof of 4.
    a) Proof of the security deposit (A copy of the bank book with a local bank showing the deposit)
    b) A letter from the Thai embassy verifying the income of THB 65,000
    c) A combination of both a) and b)
  6. A Police Clearance Certificate (to show that you do not have any criminal record in Thailand)
  7. Medical Certificate.
  8. A copy of your health insurance in Thailand with a minimum coverage of USD$100,000
  9. Any other documents

(Items 6, 7 and 8 are not required if the application is done in Thailand)

 

If the application is done from outside of Thailand:

Step 1: Apply for a 90-day non-immigrant O visa (retirement) with the nearest Thai embassy in your country of residence
Step 2: Travel to Thailand and remain in Thailand for at least 60 days
Step 3: You can apply for the Retirement Visa in the final 30 days of your 90-day non-immigrant O visa (retirement)

 

If the application is done from within Thailand:

Step 1: Have a valid tourist visa or visa exemption while in Thailand
Step 2: Have a Thai bank account
Step 3: Apply for the non-immigrant O visa (retirement) with the Thai Immigration Office
Step 4: Apply for the Thai Retirement Visa

 

 

Dependent Retirement Visa (spouse)

This visa is applicable for spouses of individuals who are holding retirement visas. This allows the spouse to also retire in Thailand even though he or she has not reached the age of 50. If he or she is above the age of 50, he or she can apply for a retirement visa.

The Dependent Retirement Visa has the following benefits and features:

  1. It is renewable on an annual basis
  2. It is valid so long as the marriage is valid and will be cancelled if the marriage has ended
  3. Both parties will require a passport with at least 6 months of validity

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Must be legally married and remain legally married to maintain the Dependent Retirement Visa
  2. Marriage certificate
  3. The retirement visa holder will need to produce documentary proof that he or she can support his or her spouse

 

To maintain your Retirement Visa and Dependent Retirement Visa

  1. Report to the Thai Immigration Office every 90 days. If you leave the country, the 90-day count will start from zero. The reporting can be done in person or you can appoint a professional to do the reporting on your behalf. You will need to provide them with a power of attorney to do so. The reporting can be in person at the Thai Immigration Office or via mail or online
  2. If you choose to leave Thailand, you will need to obtain a re-entry permit. You can do so at any immigration office or just before you leave Thailand
  3. You need to renew your Retirement Visa every year. You will need to have the appropriate funds in your bank account (the criteria when you applied initially) at least 3 months before proceeding with the renewal
  4. You are not allowed to work in Thailand

 

5-year Retirement Visa

If you are very sure about Thailand being your retirement destination, you can acquire the 5-year Retirement Visa.

The 5-year Retirement Visa’s main difference when compared to the usual Retirement Visa is that it allows the individual to reside in Thailand for up to 10 years instead of just 1 year. It can only be renewed once for a total of 10 years.

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Must be 50 years old or older
  2. Must be a national of one of these countries: Japan, Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Canada, the USA
  3. Have a valid foreign passport
  4. Meet one of the following financial requirements:
    a) Have a deposit of at least THB 3 million or equivalent in your bank account
    b) Have a deposit of at least THB 1.8 million or equivalent in your bank account and an annual income of at least THB 1.2 million or equivalent.
  5. A Police Clearance Certificate (to show that you do not have any criminal record in Thailand)
  6. Medical Certificate to show proof that you are not suffering from any of the following: any drug addiction, elephantiasis, leprosy, tuberculosis or syphilis.
  7. A copy of your health insurance in Thailand with a minimum coverage of THB 400,000 for inpatient care and THB 40,000 for outpatient care.
  8. Any other documents

 

To maintain your 5-year Retirement Visa

  1. Report to the Thai Immigration Office every 90 days. If you leave the country, the 90-day count will start from zero. The reporting can be done in person or you can appoint a professional to do the reporting on your behalf. You will need to provide them with a power of attorney to do so. The reporting can be in person at the Thai Immigration Office or via mail or online
  2. Maintenance requirement for the first year: Maintain at least THB 3 million in the individual’s bank account or at least THB 1.8 million and an annual income of THB 1.2 million.
  3. Maintenance requirement for the second year onwards: Maintain at least THB 1.5 million in the individual’s bank account.
  4. Report to Thai immigration annually to provide an update on the individual’s qualifications.
  5. The individual is not allowed to work in Thailand.

 

Marriage Visa

This visa is for individuals who are legally married to a Thai national. This visa allows the individual to live in Thailand and is a route towards permanent residency in Thailand.

The Marriage Visa has the following benefits and features:

  1. It is a 1-year extended stay visa
  2. It is renewable on an annual basis
  3. There is no need to obtain a re-entry permit when flying in and out of Thailand during the visa period
  4. The Marriage Visa holder can apply for a Thai work permit and work in the country for a Thai company (This makes job hunting easier as the employer will only need to deal with your work permit application without the need to deal with your visa)

 

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Must be legally married and remain legally married to a Thai national
  2. Marriage documents (the relevant marriage certificate)
  3. Proof of residency in Thailand (can be the individual’s address or his or her spouse’s address)
  4. Proof of a deposit of at least THB 400,000 in a Thai bank account. This needs to be there for at least 2 months before the application
  5. Proof of a monthly income THB 40,000 in the form of a letter from the foreign embassy from the individual’s nationality
  6. Any other required documents

 

The application process:

Step 1: Acquire a 90-day visa.
Step 2: Apply for the 90-day visa to be converted into a 1-year Marriage Visa. This application can only be done in the final 30 days of the 90-day visa.

 

Thailand Elite Visa

The Thailand Elite Visa is a long-term tourist visa. The visa is managed by the Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited. The Thailand Elite Visa allows certain affluent and high-earning foreigners to obtain a long-term multiple-entry visa to live in Thailand for up to 20 years.

 

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Must not be a national from the following countries: North Korea, Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Central Africa, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen.
  2. Must be a holder of a valid foreign passport
  3. There is no age limit for this visa
  4. Must have not been sentenced to imprisonment for any offence in any country (an exception if the offence committed is due to negligence)
  5. Not a bankrupt
  6. Must not be of unsound mind

 

To maintain The Thailand Elite Visa

  1. Report to the Thai Immigration Office every 90 days. If you leave the country, the 90-day count will start from zero. The reporting can be done in person or you can appoint a Thai Elite staff to conduct this reporting on the individual’s behalf.

 

The types of memberships:

Gold (5-year) THB 900,000
– Valid for 5 years

Platinum (10-year) THB 1.5 million
– Valid for 10 years
– 5-year multiple entry tourist visa, renewable for another 5 years
– THB 1 million for additional family members

Diamond (15-year) THB 2.5 million
– Valid for 15 years
– 5-year multiple entry tourist visa, twice renewable for another 5 years
– THB 1.5 million for additional family members

Reserve (20-year) THB 5 million
– Valid for 20 years
– 5-year multiple entry tourist visa, thrice renewable for another 5 years
– By invitation only

 

Thailand Business Visa

This visa is for individuals who want to launch a business or start-up in Thailand. This is also for those who want to look for employment within Thailand.

The documents and eligibility criteria are:

  1. Hold a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity
  2. Complete the Non-immigration B Visa application form
  3. Submit a recent (no longer than 6 months) passport-sized photograph
  4. Submit proof of finances (THB 20,000 income for sole applicant and THB 40,000 income if applying with family)
  5. A copy of the travel itinerary

 

Long-Term Resident Visa

The Long Term Resident Visa is a 10-year visa aimed at attracting talented foreigners to relocate to Thailand on a long term basis. This visa allows such foreigners to live and work in Thailand. It comes with many incentives and benefits.

 

There are 4 categories

  1. Wealthy Global Individuals
  2. Wealthy Pensioners
  3. Work from Thailand Professionals
  4. Highly-skilled Professionals

 

How to qualify as a Wealthy Global Individual

  • Have assets of at least USD 1 million
  • Have an annual income of at least USD 80,000 for the past 2 years
  • Make an investment of at least USD 500,000 in Thai government bonds or Thai property or a combination of both

 

How to qualify as a Wealthy Pensioner

  • Be at least 50 years old
  • Have a passive income of at least USD 80,000 per annum at the time of application
  • Applicants with a passive income below USD 80,000 but above USD 40,000 may be eligible if they make an investment of at least USD 250,000 in Thai government bonds or Thai property or a combination of both
  • Employment income will not be considered

 

How to qualify as a Work from Thailand Professional

  • Have an annual income of at least USD 80,000 for the past 2 years
  • Applicants with an annual income below USD 80,000 but above USD 40,000 may be eligible if they have a Master’s degree or above, own any intellectual property or have a company that received Series A funding
  • The employer of the applicant must be a publicly listed company on a stock exchange
  • If the employer is a privately held company, the company must be operational for at least 3 years with a combined revenue of at least USD 150 million in the past 3 years.
  • The applicant must have at least 5 years of experience in his or her relevant field over his or her past 10 years of employment.

Key benefit of Wealthy Global Individual, Wealthy Pensioner and Work from Thailand Professional with the Long Term Resident Visa:

These individuals are entitled to income tax exemption for income derived from employment or business from abroad or from assets located abroad when this income is brought back into Thailand.

 

 

 

How to qualify as a Highly Skilled Professional

  • Have an annual income of at least USD 80,000 for the past 2 years
  • Applicants with an annual income below USD 80,000 but above USD 40,000 may be eligible if they have a Master’s degree or above in science and technology or special expertise relevant to employment in Thailand
  • The minimum income requirement is waived if the individual is applying to work in government-run institutes of higher learning, research centres, specialised training centres or government agencies
  • The skill of the professional must correspond to one of the targeted industries of the Thai government
  • The applicant must have at least 5 years of experience in his or her relevant field or have a PhD in the relevant field or work for a Thai government agency

Key benefit of Highly Skilled Professionals with the Long Term Resident Visa:

These individuals are entitled to a discounted personal income tax rate of 17%. In comparison, Thailand’s regular personal income tax rates range from 5% to 35%.

 

 

SMART Visa

This visa program was launched on the 1st of February 2018. This provides individuals with a proper road map to secure a visa through either employment, investment or starting a business in certain targeted industries in Thailand.

The targeted industries are:

  1. Automotive
  2. Electronic
  3. Affluent Tourism
  4. Agriculture, food and biotechnology
  5. Automation and robotics
  6. Transportation and logistics
  7. Petrochemical and chemical
  8. Digital technologies
  9. Medical
  10. National Defense
  11. Direct and significant supporting industries for the circular economy
  12. Aviation, aerospace and space
  13. Human resource development in science and technology
  14. Environment management and renewable energy
  15. Management of Technological Innovation and Startup Ecosystem
  16. Targeted technological development
  17. International Business Center (IBC)
  18. Alternative dispute resolution

 

The SMART Visa has the following benefits and features:

  1. The individual can reside in Thailand for up to 4 years
  2. Yearly reporting to the Thai immigration office instead of the usual 90-day reporting as with other visas
  3. The ability to bring family members into Thailand on a non-immigration visa
  4. The ability to work in any of the targeted industries without a work permit
  5. The SMART Visa is a multi-entry visa. There is no need to apply for a re-entry permit to go out and re-enter Thailand.

 

As the requirements of the SMART visa are complex, I would advise potential applicants to refer to the Board of Investment, Thailand’s website on the SMART visa. This is the website: https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/.

The main benefit, among others, in my opinion, is the yearly reporting instead of the usual 90-day reporting as with other visas. This particular visa is not as popular as it was expected to be.

 

Destination Thailand Visa

This visa will be implemented in June 2024. However, as of the time of writing, this visa has yet to be implemented. I will update this article when the Thai government is issuing this visa.

Many articles call the Destination Thailand Visa the Digital Nomad Visa. However, the actual name of the visa is Destination Thailand Visa. The reason this visa is called the Digital Nomad Visa is because the visa allows its holder to legally work remotely for international companies and clients while in Thailand.

How to qualify for the Destination Thailand Visa

  • Be at least 20 years old
  • Provide documentary proof that the individual has at least THB 500,000 in his or her bank account
  • Provide documentary proof that he or she is employed (alternatively, the individual may apply for the Destination Thailand Visa to do one of the approved activities)

Approved activities:

  • Muay Thai lessons
  • Thai cuisine lessons
  • Educational purposes
  • Attend seminars
  • Sports
  • Medical treatment
  • Foreign talent
  • Art and music-related events

 

The Destination Thailand Visa has the following benefits and features:

  1. The visa can be extended once for up to 180 days. The visa application fee is THB 10,000
  2. The visa allows its holder to legally work remotely while in Thailand for international companies and clients
  3. The visa holder can bring along his or her spouse and any children below the age of 20
  4. The visa is available to 93 foreign nationalities

Please note that if the visa holder wishes to change to another visa, his or her Destination Thailand Visa will be cancelled. Moreover, while the visa holder can legally work remotely while in Thailand, he or she cannot work for a Thai company requiring a Thai work permit.

 

Conclusion

The more popular visas are the retirement visa, the Thailand Elite Visa and the Long Term Resident Visa. I believe that the Destination Thailand Visa will be very popular due to it allowing the visa holder to legally work in Thailand.

If you are looking for advice on how to relocate to Thailand, please consult an experienced immigration company that deals with Thai visa applications.

 

Yours sincerely,

Daryl

 

p.s. At the time of writing, I own and manage a real estate company in Thailand that specialises in dealing with Bangkok properties. My Thai company also deals with visa applications for individuals who are looking to relocate to Thailand. I also maintain a web portal InvestBangkokProperty.com where we list the various new project launches in Bangkok. The purpose of this blog article is to try to provide a comprehensive overview of the various visa options available to foreigners.