The Long Term Resident (LTR) visa program in Thailand targets high-potential foreigners by granting a 10-year visa and providing a suite of tax and non-tax incentives, aiming to incentivize long-term residency in the country.
The Advantages of the Visa for Long-Term Residency
Holders of a LTR visa will be eligible for many attractive benefits which have been designed to make living in Thailand over the long term easier and less bureaucratic. These privileges include:
- 10 years renewable visa permission will be granted to stay in Thailand the first time for 5 years which can be extended for 5 more years if the qualifications are met.
- Special Personal Income Tax (PIT) rate of 17% for highly skilled professionals. The current rate of PIT for normal employees is taxed at a progressive rate (from 5 to 35%).
- Tax exemption for overseas income.
- Permission to work in Thailand. Holders of the LTR will be eligible to receive a Digital Work Permit.
- Exemption from the employment requirement ratio for employers to hire 4 Thai citizens per foreigner (eligible for a LTR highly skilled professional who works for a Thai company in Thailand which is endorsed in the targeted industries).
- Use of the Fast Track Service at qualifying airports.
Who can apply for a Thailand Long-Term Resident Visa?
The LTR visa is available to the following 5 groups of individuals:
- Wealthy global citizens
- Wealthy pensioners
- Professionals working in Thailand
- Highly skilled workers
- Spouses and dependents of LTR visa holders
The eligibility criteria for LTR visa are depending on the group category under which the visa is applied.
Wealthy Global Citizens Long-Term Resident Visa in Thailand
Eligibility criteria:
- Holding at least 1 million USD of assets;
- Having received a personal income of minimum 80,000 USD per year in the past two years;
- Having invested at least 500,000 USD in Thai government bonds, foreign direct investment, or Thai property; and
- Having a health insurance with at least 50,000 USD coverage or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand or at least a 100,000 USD deposit.
Wealthy Pensioners LTR
Eligibility criteria:
- Having personal income of minimum 80,000 USD per year at the time of application; or
- In case of personal income below 80,000 USD per year but no less than 40,000 USD per year, applicants must invest at least 250,000 USD in Thai government bonds, foreign direct investment, or Thai property; and
- Having a health insurance with at least 50,000 USD coverage or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand or at least a 100,000 USD deposit.
Professionals working in Thailand LTR
Eligibility Criteria:
- Having personal income of a minimum 80,000 USD per year in the past two years; or
- In case of personal income below USD 80,000 per year but no less than USD 40,000 per year in the past two years, applicants must have a Master’s degree or above or own intellectual property or receive Series A funding;
- Being an employee of a listed public company on a stock exchange or; a private company incorporated with accumulated revenue at least 150 million USD in the last three years;
- Having a health insurance with at least 50,000 USD coverage or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand or at least a 100,000 USD deposit.
Highly skilled workers are also eligible to LTR
They must fulfill the following criteria:
- Having personal income of minimum 80,000 USD per year in the past two years; or
- In case of personal income below 80,000 USD per year but no less than 40,000 USD per year in the past two years or before retirement, applicants must have a Master’s degree or above in science and technology or special expertise relevant to the job assignment in Thailand; or
- No minimum personal income for professionals working for Thai government agencies;
- Working in business of targeted industries;
- Possess higher education institution, research institution, specialized training institution, or work experience Thai government agency;
- Having at least 5 years of work experience in the targeted industries except for applicants with a PhD or above in the relevant fields of the targeted industries or applicants working for Thai government agencies;
- Having a health insurance with at least 50,000 USD coverage or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand or at least a 100,000 USD deposit.
Spouses and dependents of LTR visa holders are also eligible
Dependents of Long Term Resident visa holders must fulfill the following criteria to receive the visa:
- Being a legal dependent (spouse and child). Please note that same-sex marriage or partnerships are not yet currently recognized by the law of Thailand.
- Having a health insurance with at least 50,000 USD coverage or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand or at least a 100,000 USD deposit.
