Thailand · Temporary Residence
Long-Term Residence Options in Thailand
Thailand does not hand founders a permanent-track permit on arrival. Long stays rely on renewable SMART S permission, the Board of Investment's ten-year Long-Term Resident visa, or Thailand Privilege membership sold by a state enterprise.
- Startup route
- SMART Visa (SMART S)
- Minimum capital
- THB 600,000 personal deposit held for 3 months
- Permanent residence
- 3+ years of non-immigrant extensions; annual quota
- Citizenship
- 5 consecutive years' domicile; Thai required
Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa
The LTR visa offers a five-year stay that can be extended for another five years while the holder still qualifies. It has four categories. Wealthy global citizens need at least USD 1 million in assets and USD 500,000 already invested in Thai government bonds, Thai companies or Thai property. Wealthy pensioners aged 50 or over need USD 80,000 a year in passive income, or USD 40,000 plus a USD 250,000 investment. Work-from-Thailand professionals and highly skilled professionals need average income of USD 80,000 over two years, or USD 40,000 with a master's degree, and the highly skilled category requires work in a BOI-targeted industry. Holders report yearly instead of every 90 days.
- Validity
- 5 years, extendable by another 5
- Government fee
- THB 50,000 per person when collected in Thailand
- Tax
- 17% personal income tax for highly skilled professionals
- Work permit
- Digital work permit, except work-from-Thailand holders
- Family
- Spouse and children under 20; up to 4 dependents
- Health cover
- USD 50,000 insurance, Thai social security or USD 100,000 deposit
Requirements
- Wealthy global citizen: USD 1 million in assets and USD 500,000 already invested in Thai bonds, companies or property.
- Wealthy pensioner: age 50 or over with USD 80,000 annual passive income, or USD 40,000 plus USD 250,000 invested.
- Work-from-Thailand professional: USD 80,000 average income and an employer that is listed or earned USD 50 million over three years.
- Highly skilled professional: USD 80,000 average income, or USD 40,000 with a science or technology master's, in a BOI-targeted field.
- Health insurance of at least USD 50,000, Thai social security, or USD 100,000 held in a bank for 12 months.
How to apply
- Check the category criteria and apply through the BOI LTR online portal.
- Receive the BOI qualification endorsement.
- Apply for the LTR visa abroad or in Thailand and pay the fee.
- Obtain the digital work permit if your category includes one.
Thailand Privilege
Thailand Privilege is a membership program run by Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited, a state enterprise founded in 2003 whose sole shareholder is the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Members receive the Privilege Entry visa, introduced in 2013 as a long-stay tourist visa. Current visa memberships cost THB 650,000 for the five-year Bronze tier and THB 900,000 for the five-year Gold tier, rising to THB 1.5 million for ten-year Platinum, THB 2.5 million for fifteen-year Diamond and THB 5 million for the twenty-year Reserve tier, which is offered by invitation only. Packages sold before October 2023 are discontinued. The payment is a membership fee rather than an investment.
- Bronze
- THB 650,000; 5 years
- Gold
- THB 900,000; 5 years
- Platinum
- THB 1.5 million; 10 years
- Diamond
- THB 2.5 million; 15 years
- Reserve
- THB 5 million; 20 years; by invitation
- Visa type
- Privilege Entry (PE) visa
Requirements
- Choose a visa membership tier: Bronze, Gold, Platinum, Diamond or Reserve.
- Pay the membership fee set for the chosen tier.
- Receive an invitation if applying for the Reserve tier.
- Deal only with official Thailand Privilege channels, since pre-October 2023 packages are no longer sold.
How to apply
- Compare the tiers on the official Thailand Privilege website.
- Contact the official sales team or Member Contact Center to apply.
- Pay the fee and receive the Privilege Entry visa once membership is approved.
Picking a long-stay route as a founder
The options solve different problems. SMART S is the only route tied directly to running a Thai startup and carries work rights in the certified business. The LTR visa suits founders who already meet its wealth or income tests, and its highly skilled category adds a 17% personal income tax rate and a digital work permit. Thailand Privilege applies no business or income test, only a membership fee, which makes it a residence option for founders whose income is earned outside Thailand and who value a long visa period over work authorization tied to a local company.
Questions and answers
Can an LTR visa holder run a Thai startup?
The highly skilled professional category covers people employed by Thai or foreign companies in BOI-targeted industries or recognized as experts in BOI-specified fields, and it carries a digital work permit. Work-from-Thailand professionals do not receive a work permit, so founders should match the category to how they plan to earn income.
Does the LTR visa replace 90-day reporting?
Yes. LTR holders file a report once a year instead of every 90 days and do not need separate re-entry permits. They can also use the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center, which opened on March 17, 2025, for immigration and work permit services.
Is Thailand Privilege a residence-by-investment program?
No. It is a membership sold by a state enterprise owned by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the fee buys a long-stay Privilege Entry visa plus member services. Visa periods range from five to twenty years depending on the tier, with the twenty-year Reserve tier offered only by invitation.
Official sources
- LTR Visa Thailand (Long-Term Resident Program, BOI)ltr.boi.go.th
- Thailand Privilegewww.thailandprivilege.co.th
- About Thailand Privilegewww.thailandprivilege.co.th
- Smart S (Startup) (Smart Visa, BOI)smart-visa.boi.go.th
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Thailand.
Startup visa
SMART S for certified startup founders; BOI endorsement, up to 2 years
02Temporary residence
Renew SMART S, or move to a 10-year LTR visa or Thailand Privilege
03Permanent residence
Residence permit after 3 years of extensions, within an annual quota
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 5 years' domicile, Thai language and Royal Assent