The Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa is a ten-year Thai visa (five years plus five) for people with high incomes or significant assets: wealthy individuals, well-off pensioners, remote workers for large foreign companies and highly skilled professionals. It is run by the Board of Investment (BOI), and in October 2026 the main income threshold was USD 80,000 a year.
The LTR is not a visa most travelers or ordinary retirees can use. The thresholds are set to attract what the BOI calls "high-potential" residents, and every condition has to be kept up for the life of the visa. For those who qualify, it removes much of the routine of long-stay life in Thailand: the 90-day report becomes a yearly one, re-entry permits are not needed, and there are published tax benefits.
The figures below come from the BOI's official LTR site, read on 1 October 2026. Check that site before you apply, because the criteria can change.
LTR visa at a glance (October 2026)
- Run by
- Board of Investment (BOI), with the Immigration Bureau and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Length
- 5 years, renewable for 5 more if you still qualify
- Categories
- Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, Highly-Skilled Professionals, plus dependants
- Health cover
- Insurance of at least USD 50,000, or Thai social security benefits, or USD 100,000 kept in a bank account for 12 months
- Visa fee
- 50,000 baht per person if collected in Thailand; varies (often more) at embassies
- BOI endorsement
- Free; result normally within 20 working days
- Official site
- ltr.boi.go.th
What the LTR gives you
The BOI lists these privileges for LTR holders:
- a ten-year renewable visa (five years, then five more if the conditions are still met);
- a yearly report to immigration instead of the 90-day report;
- a multiple re-entry permit, so trips abroad do not end your stay;
- permission to work through a digital work permit (except in one category, below);
- fast-track service at international airports in Thailand;
- exemption from the rule that employers need four Thai staff for each foreign employee;
- a flat 17% personal income tax rate for Highly-Skilled Professionals;
- tax exemption for overseas income.
The last point is the one that sets the LTR apart since Thailand began taxing foreign income that residents bring into the country (from 2024). Our page on tax residency and foreign income explains the general rule. How the LTR exemption applies to your own income is a question for a tax adviser.
The four categories and their thresholds
| Category | Who it is for | Main financial test |
|---|---|---|
| Wealthy Global Citizens | Wealthy individuals of any age | Assets of at least USD 1 million, and at least USD 500,000 invested in Thailand |
| Wealthy Pensioners | Retirees aged 50+ | Passive income of USD 80,000 a year, or USD 40,000–80,000 plus USD 250,000 invested in Thailand |
| Work-from-Thailand Professionals | Remote employees of large foreign companies | Average income of USD 80,000 a year over two years (USD 40,000 with a master's degree) |
| Highly-Skilled Professionals | Experts in targeted industries | Average income of USD 80,000 a year over two years (USD 40,000 with a science or technology master's) |
Wealthy Global Citizens must hold at least USD 1 million in global or Thai assets in their own name, and have already invested at least USD 500,000 in Thailand before applying. The investment can be Thai government bonds with at least five years left to maturity, direct investment in companies registered in Thailand, or Thai property, or a mix of these. The Thai investment can count toward the USD 1 million.
Wealthy Pensioners must be 50 or over with "unearned or passive" income of at least USD 80,000 a year: pensions, rent, realized capital gains, dividends and interest. The BOI states plainly that salaries do not count. With passive income between USD 40,000 and 80,000, you also need a USD 250,000 investment in Thailand on the same terms as above. Compared with the ordinary retirement visa, which asks for 800,000 baht or 65,000 baht a month, this is a much higher bar, but it removes the yearly renewal.
Work-from-Thailand Professionals are remote workers with a particular kind of employer: a company listed on a stock exchange, a private company with at least three years of operation and combined revenue of at least USD 50 million over the last three years, or a wholly owned subsidiary of either. Freelancers and employees of small firms do not fit; the Destination Thailand Visa is the usual route for them.
Highly-Skilled Professionals work in Thailand for a business, university, research center or government agency in one of the BOI's targeted industries. They need five years of relevant experience in the last ten (people with a PhD and government-agency staff are exempt), and either an employment contract in a targeted industry or proof of expertise in fields the BOI specifies.
Work-from-Thailand holders do not get a Thai work permit. The BOI explains that this category is for people working remotely for a foreign employer, so there is no Thai employer to attach a digital work permit to. Taking a job with a Thai company is outside what this category covers.
Health insurance and the conditions you must keep
Every category, and every dependant, must show one of three things: health insurance with at least USD 50,000 of cover, current Thai social security benefits, or a bank balance of at least USD 100,000 in your own name kept for at least 12 months (USD 25,000 per dependant). Our guide to health insurance for expats covers what to check in a policy.
The BOI adds a rule that is easy to miss: every condition must be maintained for the length of the visa, including investments, employment status, bank balances and insurance. Selling the qualifying property or changing to a smaller employer can affect your status, so check with the LTR unit before making changes.
Spouses and children
A holder can bring a legal spouse and children under 20, up to four dependants in total. The BOI states that same-sex marriages are recognized for the dependant category since Thailand's marriage equality law, while unmarried partnerships are not. Each dependant creates a separate account in the online system, and the main applicant approves the link. Children keep the dependant visa until they turn 20.
How to apply
- Apply online through the LTR system on the BOI site. There is no BOI fee for this step. A paid alternative through a certified agent (VFS Global) also exists; the BOI says it is not responsible for agent fees and warns of fraudulent companies claiming to be authorized.
- Qualification endorsement. The application goes to the BOI, Immigration and the Department of Consular Affairs. The BOI says you will normally hear within 20 working days, longer if more documents are requested. Its decision is final.
- Pre-approval and endorsement letter. After a short pre-approval step (one to three working days), you receive an endorsement letter.
- Visa issuance within 60 days of that letter, either at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad, through the e-Visa system, or at the service center in Bangkok. In Thailand the fee is 50,000 baht per person; abroad it depends on the embassy and exchange rate and is often higher.
- Work permit (if you will work for an entity in Thailand): apply right after receiving the visa; the fee is 3,000 baht a year.
The LTR unit is part of the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center (TIESC) on the 6th and 7th floors of One Bangkok, PARADE zone, Rama IV Road, near MRT Lumphini. Our Bangkok guide helps with getting around the city.
Is the LTR right for you?
It is worth the effort if you clearly meet one category's numbers today and expect to keep meeting them, and if the yearly report and tax benefits matter to you. It is the wrong tool if you are near a threshold or depend on freelance income. Compare it with the options in our older overview of visas and retirement in Thailand, and if you choose a visa with 90-day duties after all, see our guide to 90-day reporting. Investments in Thai bonds, companies or property usually start with a Thai bank account; see our guide to opening a bank account.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do I need for the Thailand LTR visa?
For most categories the benchmark is an average of USD 80,000 a year over the past two years. Work-from-Thailand and Highly-Skilled Professionals can qualify from USD 40,000 with a master's degree. Wealthy Pensioners count only passive income, and Wealthy Global Citizens are judged on assets and investment instead.
How long is the LTR visa valid?
The BOI grants five years at first, renewable for another five if you still meet the conditions, for up to ten years. Holders report to immigration once a year instead of every 90 days.
Do LTR visa holders pay tax on foreign income in Thailand?
The BOI lists "tax exemption for overseas income" as an LTR privilege, and a 17% personal income tax rate for Highly-Skilled Professionals. Ask a tax adviser how this applies to your income before you rely on it.
Can I use an agent to apply for the LTR visa?
You can apply yourself through the BOI's online system without a BOI fee. A paid certified-agent route through VFS Global also exists. The BOI warns against companies that falsely claim to be authorized agencies.
Sources
- Board of Investment – LTR Visa Thailand, Long-Term Resident Program (privileges, types and criteria, application process) (checked October 2026)
- Thailand e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Visa categories incl. Long-Term Resident (checked October 2026)
- Thailand e-Visa – Retirement visas (for comparison) (checked October 2026)
- Revenue Department – Departmental Instruction Por. 161/2566 on foreign income (Thai) (checked October 2026)