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Thailand SMART Visa: Startup Route, Deposit and Timing

The online application names two types, S 2-year and O for dependants. The S route needs a certified startup company in Thailand and a deposit of at least THB 600,000 held for 3 months. Endorsement takes at least 30 working days.

On this page
  1. What it offers
  2. Who qualifies
  3. Applying and timing
  4. Common questions

The SMART visa is Thailand’s route for startup founders and skilled people in targeted industries, and the application now names two types: S 2-year and O for dependants. The programme launched on 1 February 2018, so some of its older pages describe more categories than the application accepts today.

What it offers

Colleagues working on laptops in an office.
Colleagues working on laptops.

The portal’s home page promises a maximum 4-year permission to stay and exemption from the work permit requirement. The S category page is more cautious and describes a maximum renewable 2-year visa, so treat the 4-year figure as the ceiling and the 2-year figure as the start. Holders working in the certified business need no work permit, and the 90-day report is extended to 1 year. For comparison, our LTR visa guide covers the other long-stay route, and the work permit guide covers the standard one.

Who qualifies

Hands using a calculator beside cash and receipts.
A calculator, cash and receipts.

Qualifications follow criteria set by the Board of Investment. For the S 2-year route, the applicant has already established a startup company in Thailand that relevant agencies have certified for the targeted industries. That is the biggest hurdle: a plan is not enough.

Money comes second. The deposit is at least THB 600,000, held for at least 3 months, plus at least THB 180,000 for each spouse or child who comes with you (as of 4 November 2026). Health insurance must cover the whole stay for you and your family. Dependants apply as SMART O, and children must be under 20.

Applying and timing

A person filling in application forms on a desk.
Filling in a form at a desk.

You apply online for qualification endorsement first, and that takes at least 30 working days from the registration email. The BOI’s notification letter then stays valid for 60 days from its issue date, which is your window to file for the visa itself. Questions go to the SMART Visa Unit at smartvisa@boi.go.th.

Photos (3)
  • Yan Krukau
  • https://kaboompics.com/
  • Kindel Media

↑ Contents

Not confirmed: The portal menu still lists SMART T, I and E, but the application instruction names only S 2-year and O; ask the SMART Visa Unit whether the other types are open. Fees and the immigration-step processing time were not read.

Next step

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Common questions

How much money does the SMART S visa need?

A deposit of at least THB 600,000 held for at least 3 months, plus at least THB 180,000 for each accompanying spouse or child.

How long does the endorsement take?

At least 30 working days.

Do SMART visa holders need a work permit?

No work permit is needed for work in the certified business.

Can the spouse and children come too?

Yes, as SMART O dependants; children must be under 20.

Sources and reader comments

Official sources:

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