Thailand LTR Visa: Fee, Income Tests and Categories

The LTR visa costs THB 50,000 per person for the 10-year multiple-entry visa when you collect it in Thailand, and the Board of Investment charges nothing for the qualification endorsement. You apply under one of four categories, Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner, Work-from-Thailand Professional or Highly-skilled Professional, and each has its own income or asset test.

Most remote workers will not qualify: the Work-from-Thailand category asks for average personal income of at least USD 80,000 a year. If that is not you, compare the DTV first.

If you can show the money, the LTR is a 10-year route with four categories to choose from, and the visa costs THB 50,000 when you collect it in Thailand.

Pick your category

Every category needs health cover or a deposit, shown further down, and any investment and qualifying assets must already be in place on the application date.

Wealthy Global Citizen

• Investment in Thailand in your own name of at least USD 500,000.
• Total assets, in Thailand and abroad, of at least USD 1 million.

Wealthy Pensioner

• Age 50 or over and retired at the time of application.
• Pensions or fixed personal income of at least USD 80,000 a year.
• Between USD 40,000 and USD 80,000 a year, you also need at least USD 250,000 invested in Thailand in your own name.

If you want the Non-O route instead, read the retirement visa guide.

Work-from-Thailand Professional

• Average personal income of at least USD 80,000 a year for two years before you apply.
• USD 40,000 a year if you hold a Master’s degree or higher, own intellectual property or have Series A funding.
• Employment with a foreign employer that is a listed company on any stock exchange.

This category gets no work permit, so you cannot work for Thai employers or earn income in Thailand. If you do not meet the income test, the DTV is the lighter route for remote workers.

Highly-skilled Professional

• A contract of employment or services with an enterprise with an assignment to work in Thailand, in a targeted industry.
• Average personal income of at least USD 80,000 a year for two years.
• USD 40,000 a year with a Master’s degree or higher in science and technology, or expertise in the field of work.
• Employment at a public university, research agency or other public agency waives the income test.

Health cover for every category

Show a health insurance policy of at least USD 50,000 with at least 10 months of cover left on the endorsement date. Social security benefits covering medical costs in Thailand also qualify, and so does a deposit of at least USD 100,000 held for 12 months.

Dependants

Your legitimate spouse, parents, and children under 20 or legal dependants can apply with you or later. Same-sex marriages are eligible, but an unmarried partner is not. The BOI application site still shows a maximum of 4 dependants.

Fee and how to apply

Applying is free and the BOI charges nothing for the endorsement; once you are approved, you pay THB 50,000 for the visa. If you collect the visa at an embassy or by e-visa instead, the fee varies and may be considerably more than THB 50,000.

1. Apply online for qualification endorsement.
2. The endorsement result comes within 20 working days of the BOI receiving the application.
3. Complete pre-approval, which takes 1-3 working days.
4. Collect the visa within 60 days of the endorsement letter.

Working and airport perks

Fast-track service at international airports comes with the visa as a privilege, but how it works is not spelled out. The work side is clearer: LTR holders get permission to work through a digital work permit. Once the request is in, the process takes 3-5 working days. While the request is still being processed, LTR holders are temporarily allowed to work without the permit.

Have your employer’s paperwork ready first, because you cannot apply for a digital work permit without an employment certificate. Once you first get a certification letter from the BOI, you then pay the THB 400 fee at the Department of Employment.

Tax

Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners and Work-from-Thailand Professionals are exempt on foreign income of a previous tax year that they bring into Thailand. Highly-skilled Professionals pay a 17 percent withholding rate on employment income from targeted-industry companies.

Reporting and renewal

LTR holders report once a year instead of every 90 days and need no re-entry permit. TM30 notification is still required.

The first permission is for five years, extendable for five more. Apply for the extension at least 20 working days before your permission expires. The second period needs no visa fee.

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Not confirmed: Dependants: the BOI announcement names the spouse, parents and children, with no cap. The application criteria on the BOI portal still set a maximum of 4 dependants. Email ltr@boi.go.th before you apply for a parent or a fifth dependant.

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