Country Profile:

Thailand, located in the central part of the Indochinese Peninsula, is a founding member of ASEAN. It is considered a middle power and, based on purchasing power parity, it is the twentieth largest economy in the world.

Capital: Bangkok

Population: 69,648,117(20th)

Ethic Group: 80%Thai, 10%Thai Chinese, 3% Khmer, 7% Malays

Area: 513,120 km²(50th)

Offical Language: Thai

Currency: Thai Baht

GDP per Captial: $22,490 (74th)

How To Immigrate To Thailand:

Thailand presents a diverse array of opportunities for foreigners. These include multiple avenues for investments, employment, retirement visas, and digital nomad visas. Additionally, Thailand provides pathways for permanent residency applications.

Elite Visa:

Thailand’s Government Introduces New Reforms to the Elite Visa in October 2023. The current program offers foreigners long-term local residency for varying periods: 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 20 years, with prices ranging from 900,000 Thai Baht (approximately 24,800 USD or 181,700 CNY, please check real-time exchange rates) to 5 million Thai Baht.

Under the current system, Thailand’s elite visa is divided into four categories:

1. Gold Card (5-year period): Priced at 900,000 Thai Baht. Main applicants can only apply independently, with separate applications for family members. The main applicant receives 20 privilege points each year. These privilege points can be used directly in local areas like hotel accommodations, dining and shopping, co-working spaces, airport services, golf, medical check-ups, SPA, etc.

2. Platinum Card (10-year period): Priced at 1.5 million Thai Baht. For each additional co-applicant, the price increases by 1 million Thai Baht. The main applicant receives 35 privilege points every year. 

3. Diamond Card (15-year period): Priced at 2.5 million Thai Baht. For each additional co-applicant, the price goes up by 1.5 million Thai Baht. The main applicant receives 55 privilege points each year.

4. Reserve Card (20-year period): Applicants for this visa category must be approved by the Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited (TPC). Priced at 5 million Thai Baht, and for each additional co-applicant, the price increases by 2 million Thai Baht. The main applicant receives 120 privilege points annually.

This visa guarantees long-term stay but doesn’t confer permanent residency or citizenship. Working locally requires a separate work permit.

For visa applications, assistance from a local agency endorsed by the Thai government is required. Applicants simply need to provide a copy of their passport and a recent photo, fill out the application form with the agency’s assistance, and follow these steps:

1. Application: The applicant reaches an agreement with the local agency endorsed by the Thai government, provides a passport, recent photo, and electronic version of the relationship with the co-applicant, fills out and submits the application form.

2. Background Check: The Thai government’s background check process takes approximately 30 to 90 working days.

3. Payment: Once approved, applicants need to transfer the fee to a specified bank account and provide payment information to TPC.

4. Visa Issuance: After successful payment, TPC will register your information in the company system and send you the elite visa membership ID and welcome letter. You need to sign at the nearest Thai consulate or embassy, or at the Chiang Mai airport, Suvarnabhumi airport, Phuket airport, or the Chaengwattana Immigration Bureau in Bangkok.

For a detailed comparison of the various visas, please refer to the image below.

Smart Visa:

The Thailand Smart Visa is issued to foreigners who work, start businesses, or invest in 14 key areas (Aviation and Logistics, New Energy Vehicles, Elderly Care, Medical and Tourism, Precision Electronics, Agriculture, Future Food, Robotics and Automation, Biofuels and Biochemicals, Big Data, Human Resource Development in Science and Technology, Waste Treatment, Environmental Protection and Renewable Resources).

The visa application and issuance process is managed by the Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited (TPC), backed by the Thailand Tourism Authority. Annually, Smart Visa holders must depart the country once, with their continuous stay not exceeding one full year.

The Smart Visa is divided into three categories, each offering the option for renewal:

1. A six-month short-term visa granted to investors with distinct business intentions within the targeted sectors. This visa can be extended for an additional two years.

2. A one-year visa designated for entrepreneurs who are backed by an Industry Park. This visa can be extended for an additional two years.

3. A two-year visa intended for entrepreneurs who possess over 25% shares in a Thai start-up company.

Retirement Visa:

Thailand offers two types of visas, O-A and O-X, designed for retirees aged 50 and above.

An O-X Thailand retirement visa is exclusively available to individuals from 14 specific countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

This visa grants a maximum validity of 10 years (5+5). Applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Deposit 3 million baht into a local bank or deposit 1.8 million baht into a local bank and demonstrate a minimum income of 1.2 million baht annually.

The deposited amount must be maintained for at least one year after the visa holder’s initial entry into Thailand. Within the subsequent year, half of the deposit may be withdrawn, with the withdrawn funds being restricted for use only within Thailand.

2. Applicants must possess a Thai Health Insurance Policy Certificate covering all medical treatment expenses, including outpatient benefits with a sum insured of no less than 40,000 THB and inpatient benefits with a sum insured of no less than 400,000 THB, including coverage for COVID-19, amounting to at least 100,000 USD (specifically mentioned).

The O-A visa is a renewable 1-year visa available to individuals worldwide. Applicants must meet the following conditions:

1. Must be 50 years old or above.

2. Meet one of the following three financial conditions:

Have a deposit of 800,000 Thai Baht in a Thai bank account two months before application;

Or, prove a monthly income of over 65,000 Thai Baht;

Or, prove that the sum of deposits in a Thai account and annual income exceeds 800,000 Thai Baht.

3. Have no criminal record and no leprosy, tuberculosis, elephantiasis, drug addiction or syphilis.

4. Purchase medical insurance for outpatient and inpatient treatment respectively, with at least an annual coverage of 40,000 Thai Baht, from companies listed by the local authorities.

Documents required for the retirement visa application include: a passport with a validity of more than 18 months and a blank page; a passport-size photo with a white background; a completed application form; proof of meeting the financial conditions; a criminal record certificate; medical insurance proof; a physical examination certificate from the past three months; proof of visa fee payment.

The entire application process must be done offline. Applicants can make an appointment with the local consulate, bring all documents for face-to-face visa application; or they can mail the documents to the consulate, wait for the consulate’s approval, and then stamp the passport and mail it back to you.

After obtaining the retirement visa, applicants can go to Thailand within the visa validity period, but there are two things to note:

1. Those wishing to make multiple trips to Thailand within the visa’s validity period need to secure a Thailand re-entry permit. Failing to obtain this permit could result in the retirement visa becoming void upon leaving Thailand, necessitating a fresh visa application for re-entry.

2. If one’s stay in Thailand extends beyond 90 days, they are required to report their residential address to the local immigration authorities.

The visa fee for a retirement visa is 2,000 Thai Baht (or 5,000 Thai Baht for multiple entries). It can be renewed annually. The applicant can bring a spouse and children under 20 to enter the country with them. They can apply for O or ED non-immigrant visas, not retirement visas.

LTR(Long-Term Residency) Visa:

Beginning on September 1, 2022, Thailand’s Board of Investment initiated a ten-year Long Term Residency (LTR) visa scheme, touted as a digital nomad visa for Thailand, with stringent requirements. The program has a ten-year validity.

LTR visas are offered to four categories of individuals: Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, and Highly-Skilled Professionals. Spouses and dependents of LTR visa holders will also qualify for the same visas.

For wealthy global citizens, the requirements are as follows:

For wealthy pensioners, the requirements are as follows:

For work-from-Thailand professionals, the requirements are as follows:

For high-skilled professionals, the requirements are as follows:

For detailed requirements, you can refer to the official LTR website (link provided separately).

Work Visa:

To secure a work visa and work permit in Thailand, you’ll need backing from a Thai employer. The applicant must also have financial support of 20,000 Thai Baht (or 40,000 Thai Baht if applying as a family).

This work visa for Thailand has a validity period of one year but can be renewed indefinitely. Once a foreign individual has resided in the country for three years, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency.

Permanent Residency And Nationality:

Foreign nationals can be eligible to apply for Thai permanent residence if they meet any of the following five criteria:

1. Possess a work visa and work permit, have been employed in Thailand for three years, and at the time of applying for permanent residency, have at least one year remaining on their current company employment contract. They should also have an extended work visa, with two consecutive years of either a monthly income exceeding 80,000 Thai Baht, or an annual income of over 100,000 Thai Baht with tax returns.

2. Have made an investment of at least 3 million Thai Baht in a Thai company.

3. Are an immediate family member (spouse, parent, or child) of a Thai citizen.

4. Are professionals in a specific field, with at least three years of work experience in Thailand and at minimum a Bachelor’s degree.

5. Meet other qualifications as deemed appropriate by the Thai Immigration Department.

In regards to Thai permanent residency, it’s important to remember the following three points:

1. Each year, the Thai government only allows up to 100 permanent residencies per country. If your country’s allocation is exhausted, you must wait until the next year.

2. Even as a Thai permanent resident, you must apply for a work permit to work in Thailand, although this process is typically straightforward.

3. As part of the permanent residency application process, applicants will be required to participate in a brief Thai-language interview and complete a Thai-language multiple-choice writing test.

The documents required for applying for permanent residency in Thailand include: passport and photos of all relevant pages; passport size photo (4*6cm, white background); filled out permanent residency application form TM.9; Thai address record; various proofs that meet the conditions for applying for permanent residency.

Applications for permanent residency can only be made during a window period specified by the Thai government, typically between October and December. During this time, applicants are required to gather all necessary materials, submit their application, take a Thai language interview and written test, pay the review fee, and provide fingerprints.

Upon completion of all procedures, applicants will receive a 180-day residence permit and await final approval within Thailand. Applicants must report to their nearest police station and pay a fee upon visa approval.

The visa fee for Thai permanent residency is 95,700 Thai Baht, and upon visa approval, applicants must pay an additional 191,400 Thai Baht (family immigration applicants must pay an additional 95,700 Thai Baht).

Foreign individuals over 18 years of age who have held Thai permanent residency and lived locally for 5 years without any criminal record, with legitimate sources of income, and who can listen, speak, read, and write Thai normally, and can sing the Thai national anthem, and score 50 points in the nationality testing system (out of 100 points) can apply for Thai citizenship.

Passport Power:

Thailand recognizes dual citizenship. The passport ranks 65th globally, and its holders can freely travel (either visa-free or with visa on arrival) to a total of 79 countries and regions worldwide, including Southest Asia, Russia, and South America.

Useful Links:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand：https://www.tat.or.th/en#

Elite Visa：https://www.thailandelite.com/

Smart Visa：https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/

LTR Visa：https://ltr.boi.go.th/