Thailand LTR Visa: Who Qualifies, What to Prepare and How It Differs from Other Visas

The four eligible categories

Each category has its own criteria, and BOI may adjust details by announcement. The summary below explains principles; it is not a substitute for the official thresholds.

• Wealthy Global Citizen: assets and income at the required level plus a qualifying investment in Thailand, such as government bonds, property or direct investment
• Wealthy Pensioner: applicants of the qualifying age with a pension or stable passive income as required
• Work-from-Thailand Professional: employed by a foreign company meeting size or revenue criteria, with personal income and work experience as required
• Highly-Skilled Professional: working for a business or institution in a targeted industry, a higher-education or research institution, or a government agency, under BOI conditions
• All categories need health insurance or equivalent coverage and may include a spouse and children within the announced limits

Real benefits, and what LTR does not provide

LTR holders receive long-term residence, report to immigration once a year instead of every 90 days, may use fast-track lanes at certain airports, and those who work receive a digital work permit through the BOI system without the usual Thai-staff ratio.

Highly-Skilled Professionals are eligible for a special personal income tax rate set by law. Tax treatment of foreign-sourced income for other categories depends on Revenue Department rules and the relevant royal decree and should be reviewed case by case with a tax adviser before remitting funds.

LTR is not permanent residence or citizenship and grants no additional land ownership rights beyond the Land Code. Permanent residence remains a separate Immigration Bureau process.

Application process

There are two stages: qualification endorsement by BOI, and visa issuance by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Immigration Bureau.

1. 1. Check your category against the latest criteria

   Use the announcements and FAQs on BOI's LTR website

2. 2. Prepare income, asset, employment and insurance evidence

   Documents in languages other than English or Thai need translations

3. 3. Submit the qualification request online through BOI's LTR system

   Relevant agencies review eligibility

4. 4. With the endorsement, apply for the visa at a Thai embassy or the One Stop Service Center in Thailand

5. 5. Those who will work obtain the digital work permit, then report annually

Documents that commonly need translation or certification

Foreign evidence such as employment letters, pension statements, company accounts or degrees usually needs to be in English or translated, and some must be notarised or authenticated in the country of origin.

Family documents for dependants, such as marriage and birth certificates, must show the relationship clearly. Foreign-issued documents may require legalisation by a Thai embassy, or an apostille once both countries apply the system. The Apostille Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027; until then legalisation applies.

LTR, DTV or SMART Visa?

LTR suits people whose income or assets meet high thresholds and who want long residence with work rights. The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) suits remote workers and soft-power activity participants who stay in periods without working for a Thai employer. The SMART Visa is tied to targeted industries and specialist endorsing agencies.

Applicants close to but below LTR thresholds should not adjust figures to appear eligible, because BOI verifies against source evidence. Choosing the visa that matches your real situation reduces renewal risk later.

Maintaining status, renewal and loss of eligibility

LTR holders must keep meeting their category criteria throughout the visa. A work-from-Thailand professional, for example, must remain in qualifying employment. After changing employer or if income falls below the threshold, check with BOI what must be reported or resubmitted.

Renewal after the first five years requires proof of continued eligibility. Holders should keep income records, employment contracts, health insurance policies and evidence of Thai investments organised throughout, rather than reconstructing them later.

Annual reporting must be done on time; neglecting it can affect status. Holders who move within Thailand must also comply with residence notification rules under immigration law.

Dependants: spouses and children

Dependants receive visas aligned with the main holder. A spouse needs a marriage legally valid where it was registered, and children must be within the announced age limit. Children from a previous relationship may need custody documents or the other parent's consent.

Dependants' work rights depend on BOI's current announcements and work permit conditions; do not assume a dependant may work automatically.

Thai-issued family documents, such as a marriage registered in Thailand, need English translation and often consular certification when used before foreign authorities, while foreign documents must be authenticated through the issuing country's procedure.

Questions LTR holders commonly ask after approval

Thai bank accounts: LTR holders usually present their visa and proof of Thai address, but each bank applies its own customer due diligence and may ask for a residence certificate or employment documents. Translated documents prepared in advance speed this up.

Thai driving licence: LTR holders can apply for a Thai licence or convert a foreign one under Department of Land Transport rules, using proof of address such as a residence certificate from immigration or an embassy, plus a medical certificate.

Property: LTR does not change restrictions on foreign land ownership. Condominium purchases still follow the foreign quota and fund-remittance conditions of the Condominium Act, and a lawyer should review the contract before signing.

Travel: holders of a multiple-entry LTR visa do not need a separate re-entry permit, but should compare passport expiry with visa validity, because a new passport requires the visa to be transferred at an immigration office.

Common mistakes when preparing an LTR application

Frequent mistakes include income evidence that does not cover the period BOI specifies, foreign company documents that fail to show the required company size or revenue, and health insurance policies whose coverage amount or period does not match the announcement.

Another is inconsistent names across documents, for example a middle name used in some but not others, or a married name that differs from the passport. Attach a translated and certified document explaining the name change.

Some applicants choose a category that does not match their real situation, such as applying as a work-from-Thailand professional while actually employed by a Thai company, which forces the process to restart. Identifying the correct category at the outset saves the most time.

Finally, applicants sometimes submit scanned documents that are cropped, unsigned or partially illegible. Upload complete, high-resolution scans of every page, including blank pages that carry stamps or signatures, and keep the originals available in case verification is requested.

Our role

We organise documents, translate and certify translations, provide true-copy and signature certification by a Notarial Services Attorney, coordinate legalisation of family documents, and prepare the file for the visa stage after endorsement.

Endorsement is decided by BOI and visas by the relevant government agencies. We cannot promise outcomes and do not provide tax advice in place of licensed auditors or tax advisers.

Frequently asked questions