What Is the LTR Visa for Wealthy Global Citizens?

The Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa is Thailand's premium immigration programme, launched in September 2022 under the Notification of the Ministry of Interior enacted pursuant to the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979). It is administered not by Thai Immigration directly but by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), which operates under the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977), Section 13.

The Wealthy Global Citizens category targets high-net-worth individuals who hold significant global assets and are willing to invest in the Thai economy. It carries no age restriction, unlike the Wealthy Pensioners category, and is open to applicants of any nationality.

On 4 February 2025, the BOI issued Announcement No. Por. 3/2568, replacing the previous Announcement No. Por. 2/2565. This update introduced significant relaxations, the most notable being the complete removal of the USD 80,000 annual personal income requirement for Wealthy Global Citizens. Applications submitted from that date onward are assessed under the new criteria.

Key Benefits of the LTR Visa

The LTR Visa for Wealthy Global Citizens comes with a substantial package of privileges that sets it apart from other long-stay visa options in Thailand. Holders enjoy a 10-year residence permit, structured as an initial 5-year visa with a 5-year renewal option. The visa includes unlimited multiple entries, meaning holders may travel freely in and out of Thailand without obtaining a separate re-entry permit.

One of the most significant advantages is the exemption from Thai tax on foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand. This benefit is protected under Royal Decree No. 743 (B.E. 2565) and shields LTR holders from the 2024 changes to Thai tax law, which now subject standard tax residents to taxation on all remitted foreign income regardless of the year in which it was earned. For individuals with significant offshore income streams from investments, rental properties, pensions, or dividends, this exemption alone can justify the entire cost of the visa.

Additional benefits include an annual address report (once per year at TIESC, One Bangkok) instead of the standard 90-day reporting obligation, fast-track immigration processing at Thailand's international airports, facilitation services at the One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS), and the possibility of obtaining a Digital Work Permit allowing the holder to work legally in Thailand. LTR holders are also exempt from the standard requirement that a company must employ four Thai nationals for every one foreign worker.

Eligibility Requirements (Post-February 2025)

Under the revised criteria set out in BOI Announcement No. Por. 3/2568, Wealthy Global Citizens must satisfy one of two financial pathways. There is no longer any personal income requirement.

Pathway 1: Global Assets of USD 1,000,000 or More

The applicant must demonstrate total global asset ownership of at least USD 1,000,000, which may include investments in Thailand of at least USD 500,000. Acceptable global assets include investment portfolios, bank deposits, and evidence of overseas property ownership. Cryptocurrencies, tokens, gold futures, amulets, arts, designer items, watches, and jewellery are expressly excluded from the acceptable asset categories.

Pathway 2: Investment in Thailand of USD 500,000 or More

Alternatively, the applicant may satisfy the criteria by investing at least USD 500,000 in qualifying Thai assets. The investment must be held in the applicant's own name and may consist of one or more of the following:

• Thai Government Bonds with a remaining maturity of no less than 5 years
• Thai real property (condominium freehold, leasehold with a remaining term of at least 10 years, or a villa with construction agreement and permit)
• Company shareholding in a Thai registered company (evidenced by Bor.Or.Jor.5 shareholder list and the latest audited financial statements)
• Listed stocks on the Stock Exchange of Thailand held for no less than 1 year (evidenced by a broker's certification letter)
• Securities Business Licensed investments in venture companies registered with the SEC

Health Insurance Requirement

All LTR applicants must satisfy one of the following health insurance conditions:

• Health insurance with coverage of at least USD 50,000 for hospitalisation and medical treatment, with a remaining coverage period of at least 10 months. Life insurance alone or travel insurance is not accepted. Group health insurance policies are acceptable provided they cover at least USD 50,000 per person.
• Thai Social Security (SSO) coverage, supported by the latest SSO payment receipt, the employee name list submitted to SSO, and a valid SSO card.
• A bank deposit of at least USD 100,000, held and maintained for no less than 12 months at the time of application.

This requirement may be submitted later during the application process. If the applicant chooses to defer it, a signed Document Request Acknowledgement Form must be submitted in its place. The actual insurance documents will then be requested once the application status reaches "Consideration by Government Agencies."

Required Documents

The application is submitted online through the BOI's LTR Visa portal at ltr.boi.go.th. All documents not in English or Thai must be accompanied by a certified or notarised translation. The following documents are required:

Personal Documents

• A copy of the current passport with no less than 6 months of validity remaining and at least 2 blank pages for the LTR Visa and stay permit stamps. The scanned PDF must include the biodata page and all pages with Thai Immigration stamps, arranged in chronological order as a double-page spread in one PDF file. Applicants with a TM.47 form must upload a separate scanned PDF. Damaged passports will not be accepted by the Immigration Bureau.
• A clear passport-size photograph on a white background (maximum file size 2 MB), in formal or business attire, without glasses, headgear, or accessories, taken within 6 months.
• Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) for those who entered Thailand after 1 May 2025, or a copy of the T.M.6 card for those who entered before 1 July 2022 or through a land border checkpoint.

Evidence of Investment in Thailand

• Copy of Thai Government Bond certificate with remaining maturity of no less than 5 years in the applicant's name
• Company shareholder list (Bor.Or.Jor.5, no more than 3 months old) and the latest audited financial reports, Securities Business Licence from the SEC for venture company investments, or a broker's certification letter for listed stocks on SET held for at least 1 year
• Thai property ownership documents: for freehold, a sale and purchase agreement and condominium title deed from the Department of Land (no older than 6 months); for leasehold, a leasehold agreement with at least 10 years remaining and title deed (no older than 6 months); for villas, a construction agreement indicating the purchase value and a construction permit

Evidence of Global Assets

• Investment portfolio report (latest)
• Bank statement (latest)
• Overseas property title deed and land register extract

Additional Document (Case-by-Case)

• A criminal background check: either a letter of verification from a police station in the applicant's country of nationality or residence (no older than 3 months), or a Thai police certificate from the Police Clearance Certificate Center, Special Branch, Royal Thai Police. This may be deferred by submitting a signed Document Request Acknowledgement Form.

The Application Process Step by Step

The application process is managed entirely through the BOI, not through Thai Immigration or embassies. The following is the standard process flow:

First, applicants register an account on the BOI's LTR Visa portal at ltr.boi.go.th and submit the application for qualification endorsement, uploading all required documents electronically. Each dependent must have a separate account.

Once submitted, the BOI's LTR officers conduct a preliminary check of the application within approximately 3 working days (status: Pending). If the documents are found complete, the application is registered (status: Application Registered).

The application then enters the formal review stage, during which the BOI and related government agencies assess the qualifications. This step is officially stated to take 20 working days but may take longer if additional documents are requested. The BOI may request further documentation at any point, and applicants have 30 days to respond to each request before the application risks being rejected.

Upon approval, the applicant receives notification of qualification endorsement (status: Qualifications Approved). The applicant must then choose whether to collect the visa in Thailand at the One Stop Service Center (TIESC, One Bangkok) or at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate overseas.

For collection in Thailand, the BOI forwards the pre-approval request to Immigration for review (status: IMM/DOE Pre-Approved). After Immigration pre-approval, the applicant books an appointment at TIESC for visa issuance. The LTR Visa must be collected within 60 days from the endorsement letter issuance date.

In practice, the total processing time from submission to visa issuance typically ranges from 1.5 to 3 months, though this depends heavily on the completeness of the initial documentation.

Fees

The government fee for the LTR Visa is THB 50,000 per person for a 10-year visa (structured as 5+5 years) with multiple entry. This fee is payable at the time of visa collection. If an applicant also applies for a Digital Work Permit, an additional annual fee of THB 3,000 per year applies, plus THB 100 per application.

For LTR Visas collected at Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates overseas through the E-Visa system, the fee may vary and could be considerably higher than the THB 50,000 charged in Thailand.

Maintaining Your LTR Visa

Once issued, the LTR Visa requires relatively minimal ongoing obligations compared to other Thai visa types. Holders must submit an annual address report to Immigration at TIESC, One Bangkok, using the TM.95 form, along with a copy of their passport and the previous 1-year report (if any). The report is due 1 year from the latest arrival date. If the holder re-enters Thailand, the next report is due 1 year from the most recent entry stamp.

For LTR Visas issued by a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, no notification card is provided, so the report is due 1 year from the latest arrival date shown on the entry stamp.

5-Year Visa Extension

The LTR Visa is initially valid for 5 years and can be extended for a further 5 years. Holders who wish to extend must submit their renewal request between 120 and 60 days before the expiry date of the stay permission. The BOI will reassess whether the applicant still meets the qualification criteria and issue a fresh qualification certification letter.

For the extension, Wealthy Global Citizens must demonstrate: global asset ownership of no less than USD 1,000,000 (which may include investments in Thailand of at least USD 500,000), evidence of Thai investment, evidence of global assets, and evidence of health insurance. All documents should pertain to the most recent year, and government documents must be issued within the last 6 months.

Transferring Your LTR Visa to a New Passport

If your passport expires or is renewed before the LTR Visa expires, you must transfer immigration visa information to a new passport at the Immigration Bureau at TIESC, 6th Floor, PARADE Zone, One Bangkok. The LTR Visa sticker and E-Visa are non-transferable; only the immigration visa information and stay permit are transferred. This is a walk-in service (no appointment required) and documents must be submitted before 15:30.

Termination of the LTR Visa

To cancel an LTR Visa, the holder sends an email expressing their intent to ltr@boi.go.th with their full name and passport number, attaching the termination form, passport copy, and any other relevant documents. The BOI processes the request within 2 working days. The holder then visits TIESC to collect the termination letter and is allowed a maximum of 21 additional days of permission to stay, during which they must either depart Thailand or change to another visa type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need to show USD 80,000 annual income for the Wealthy Global Citizens LTR Visa?

No. As of 4 February 2025, under BOI Announcement No. Por. 3/2568, the annual income requirement has been completely removed for Wealthy Global Citizens. You only need to demonstrate global assets of USD 1,000,000 (which may include a Thailand investment of USD 500,000) or a standalone Thailand investment of USD 500,000.

Can I include cryptocurrency or gold futures as part of my USD 1,000,000 global assets?

No. The BOI expressly excludes cryptocurrencies, tokens, gold futures, amulets, arts, designer items, watches, and jewellery from the list of acceptable assets. Acceptable evidence includes investment portfolios, bank statements, and overseas property with proper title documentation.

How long does the LTR Visa application process take?

In practice, the process takes approximately 1.5 to 3 months from a complete submission to visa issuance. The BOI's qualification endorsement stage officially takes 20 working days, followed by Immigration pre-approval and an appointment for visa stamping. Incomplete applications or requests for additional documentation can extend the timeline significantly.

Can my spouse and children apply as dependents?

Yes. Spouses (including same-sex spouses following the Marriage Equality Act effective 22 January 2025) and children under 20 years of age may apply as dependents. Under the January 2025 Cabinet resolution, the scope of eligible dependents has been expanded to include parents and other legal dependents with no limit on numbers, though this change will take effect upon a supporting announcement by the Ministry of Interior.

Do I need to be physically present in Thailand to apply?

No. The application is submitted online through the BOI portal. However, if you choose to collect the visa in Thailand at TIESC, you must be present on the appointment date. Alternatively, you may collect the visa at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate overseas.

What happens if I leave Thailand during the visa validity?

The LTR Visa includes unlimited multiple entry privileges, so you may leave and re-enter Thailand freely without a separate re-entry permit. Upon re-entry, your annual reporting clock resets from the date of your latest arrival.

Is income remitted to Thailand from abroad subject to Thai tax?

No. LTR Visa holders in the Wealthy Global Citizens category benefit from an exemption on foreign-sourced income remitted to Thailand, as provided under Royal Decree No. 743 (B.E. 2565). This shields holders from the changes to Thai tax law introduced in 2024, which tax remitted foreign income for standard tax residents.

Can Juslaws & Consult handle the entire LTR Visa application for me?

Yes. Juslaws & Consult has been assisting international clients with Thai immigration and visa matters for over 22 years. We handle the full process from document preparation and translation to submission, liaison with the BOI and Immigration, and appointment coordination. Our firm is based at One Pacific Place, BTS Nana, Bangkok, and operates in English, French, German, and Thai.

Why Work with Juslaws & Consult?

With over 22 years of legal practice in Thailand, Juslaws & Consult brings deep institutional knowledge of the BOI's requirements and working methods. Our team manages the entire LTR Visa process from initial eligibility assessment through to visa stamping, and we continue to support our clients with annual reporting, extensions, and any subsequent immigration needs. We operate across multiple languages and serve an international client base spanning Europe, Asia, and beyond.

If you would like to discuss whether the Wealthy Global Citizens LTR Visa is right for your situation, please do not hesitate to contact us at inquiries@juslaws.com or visit our office at One Pacific Place, 140 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok.