Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
The LTR visa (วีซ่าผู้พำนักระยะยาว, the Long-Term Resident visa, sometimes long term residence visa) is a ten-year visa, issued as five years plus a five-year renewal, that Thailand introduced in 2022 for four groups: wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, work-from-Thailand professionals and highly skilled professionals. It is administered by the Board of Investment and carries privileges no other visa offers: a yearly report instead of the 90-day report, no re-entry permits, a digital work permit for the working categories and, under Royal Decree 743, exemption from Thai tax on foreign income brought into the country.
Table of Contents
The four categories and their conditions
The BOI announcement of 2025 (Por. 3/2568) sets the current tests. A wealthy global citizen needs assets of 1,000,000 US dollars and an investment of 500,000 US dollars in Thailand in their own name, in bonds, a Thai company, a venture capital trust or property; the income test was removed in February 2025. A wealthy pensioner is 50 or over, retired, with pension or fixed income of 80,000 US dollars a year, or 40,000 US dollars plus 250,000 US dollars invested in Thailand.
A work-from-Thailand professional earns an average of 80,000 US dollars a year over two years (40,000 with a master’s degree or an employer funded at Series A) for a listed company or a private company trading for three years with revenue of 50,000,000 US dollars. A highly skilled professional earns the same, or 40,000 US dollars with a master’s degree in science or technology, in one of 15 BOI-targeted industries. All applicants show health cover of 50,000 US dollars, Thai social security, or a deposit of 100,000 US dollars held for 12 months.
Applying through the BOI and living on it
The process has two stages: an online application to the BOI for a qualification endorsement, then 60 days to obtain the visa at a Thai embassy or at the One Stop Service Centre in Bangkok. The visa fee is 50,000 baht for the ten years. Dependants need an extra 25,000 US dollars of cover each; the cap of four was removed in 2025.
Once issued, the holder reports to immigration once a year rather than every 90 days, leaves and re-enters freely without a re-entry permit, and, in the two working categories, receives a digital work permit from the One Stop Service Centre without the four-Thai-employee ratio. The common mistake is treating the endorsement as the visa: the 60-day window lapses and the file starts again. The TM30 and the TDAC still apply.
Tax treatment and how the LTR compares
| Visa | Length | 90-day report | Tax on remitted foreign income |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTR (wealthy citizen, pensioner, remote professional) | 10 years | Yearly report | Exempt under Royal Decree 743 |
| LTR (highly skilled professional) | 10 years | Yearly report | Thai employment income taxed at 17 percent |
| Retirement extension | 1 year, renewable | Every 90 days | Taxable if tax resident |
| DTV | 5 years, 180 days per entry | Every 90 days | Taxable if tax resident |
A foreigner who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a year is a tax resident, and since 1 January 2024 foreign income remitted to Thailand is taxable for residents. Three LTR categories are exempt from that tax on foreign employment, business and property income; the highly skilled professional is instead taxed on Thai employment income at a 17 percent ceiling. The visa does not lead to permanent residency and confers no right to own land.
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements for the LTR visa in Thailand?
It depends on the category. A wealthy global citizen shows assets of 1,000,000 US dollars and 500,000 US dollars invested in Thailand; a wealthy pensioner aged 50 or over shows 80,000 US dollars a year of pension income, or 40,000 US dollars plus 250,000 US dollars invested; the two professional categories show 80,000 US dollars a year over two years, reduced to 40,000 with a master’s degree in some cases. Everyone shows health cover of 50,000 US dollars or a deposit of 100,000 US dollars.
Is the LTR visa tax free?
Not entirely. Wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners and work-from-Thailand professionals are exempt under Royal Decree 743 from Thai personal income tax on foreign employment, business and property income they bring into Thailand. Highly skilled professionals pay tax on their Thai employment income at a ceiling of 17 percent. Income earned in Thailand by the other categories remains taxable in the ordinary way.
How much does the LTR visa cost?
The visa fee is 50,000 baht for the full ten years, paid when the visa is issued after the BOI endorsement. Dependants pay their own fee. On top of that the applicant must hold health insurance of 50,000 US dollars or place 100,000 US dollars on deposit, and the investment or income conditions of the chosen category must be maintained at the five-year renewal.
See also: DTV, retirement visa, BOI, foreign-sourced income, and the guides to the Thailand LTR visa and the foreign income remittance tax.
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