Thailand LTR Visa (Long-Term Resident): Categories, Requirements and Tax Benefits

The Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa is Thailand's premium residence programme, run by the Board of Investment (BOI). It launched in September 2022 and was substantially revised by BOI Announcement No. Por 3/2568 (4 February 2025). That revision loosened several income tests, widened the employer criteria and recognised same-sex spouses.

After the 2025 SMART Visa reform closed SMART T, E and I, the LTR is now the main route for specialists, executives and wealthy individuals. For a founder or senior hire in Bangkok, it can replace the annual Non-B, work-permit and 90-day reporting routine with a single 10-year status.

1. What you get#

2. The four categories#

A. Wealthy Global Citizen#

• Assets: at least USD 1 million.
• Investment in Thailand: at least USD 500,000 in Thai government bonds, Thai companies, or property.
• No income test.
• Work: may obtain a work permit.

B. Wealthy Pensioner#

• Age 50+.
• Passive income (pension, dividends, rent) of at least USD 80,000 per year, or USD 40,000 plus a USD 250,000 investment in Thai bonds, companies or property.

C. Work-from-Thailand Professional#

For remote employees of established foreign companies.

• Income: an average of USD 80,000 per year over the past 2 years, or USD 40,000 if you hold a master's degree, own IP, or received Series A funding of at least USD 1 million.
• Employer: listed on a stock exchange, or a private company with 3+ years of operation and USD 50 million combined revenue over the last 3 years, or a wholly owned subsidiary of either.
• No Thai work permit is issued in this category, because the job is abroad.

D. Highly Skilled Professional#

For people working for a Thai or foreign business, a Thai higher-education or research institution, or a Thai government agency, in one of the BOI's targeted industries or areas of expertise.

• Income: USD 80,000 per year, or USD 40,000 with a master's degree in science or technology, or with special expertise.
• No income minimum for people employed by Thai government agencies.
• Targeted industries include:
• next-generation automotive;
• smart electronics;
• affluent, medical and wellness tourism;
• agriculture and biotechnology;
• food;
• automation and robotics;
• aviation and logistics;
• biofuels and biochemicals;
• digital;
• medical and comprehensive healthcare;
• defence;
• human resource development;
• ...plus a number of further expertise areas.
• Benefits include the 17% flat income tax and a digital work permit.

Insurance and dependants (all categories)#

You need one of the following:

• health insurance with at least USD 50,000 of cover;
• Thai social security coverage;
• a USD 100,000 deposit held for 12 months.

Each dependant needs USD 25,000 of cover. Up to 4 dependants are allowed.

3. Which category fits? Quick decision table#

4. Process and timeline#

1. Self-check on ltr.boi.go.th.
2. Online application with passport, income or asset evidence (tax returns, payslips, bank or brokerage statements), employer documents, insurance and qualifications.
3. BOI endorsement: about 20 working days after the file is complete, including checks with other agencies. Requests for more documents restart the clock in practice.
4. Pre-approval: 1–3 days.
5. Visa issuance within 60 days of endorsement. This happens at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad, often through VFS visa centres, or in Thailand at TIESC (One Bangkok, PARADE Zone, 6th–7th floors, Rama IV Road; tel. 02 209 1109/1110).
6. Visa fee: 50,000 THB per person for the 10-year visa (when issued in Thailand).
7. Digital work permit, if applicable: about 3,000 THB/year, processed in about 3–5 days.

The realistic total, including collecting documents, is 6–10 weeks.

5. Worked examples#

Example 1: Highly Skilled Professional. Priya, a data scientist from India, is hired by a Bangkok fintech (digital sector) at USD 120,000/year, about 4.2 million THB at roughly 35 THB/USD. Her salary clears the USD 80,000 threshold. Her MSc in computer science would also have let her qualify at USD 40,000.

• Progressive rates: after the 100,000 THB employment-expense deduction and the 60,000 THB personal allowance, taxable income is about 4.04 million THB. Tax is roughly 977,000 THB (365,000 THB on the first 2 million, then 30% on the rest).
• LTR flat rate: 17% of 4.2 million THB is about 714,000 THB, a saving of around 260,000 THB a year.
• Where the rate stops paying: at salaries near 2 million THB, the flat rate gives little or no benefit.
• Staffing: her employer also avoids hiring 4 Thai staff to "support" her work permit.

Example 2: Work-from-Thailand. Mark works remotely for a NASDAQ-listed US software company, earning USD 140,000.

• He qualifies on both income and employer.
• He receives no Thai work permit, and must not work for Thai clients.
• His foreign employment income is covered by the LTR foreign-income exemption. Royal Decree No. 743 exempts foreign-sourced income (employment, business or property abroad) that is brought into Thailand by holders in three categories: Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner and Work-from-Thailand Professional. Highly Skilled Professionals get the 17% flat rate on Thai employment income instead. No prior approval is needed. If Mark has no Thai-sourced income, he does not need to file a Thai return (BOI, "Tax Essentials for LTR Visa Holders"; RD Notification No. 427).

Example 3: Wealthy Global Citizen. Hélène, a French founder, has USD 3 million in assets. She invests USD 500,000 by buying a Bangkok condo for USD 300,000 and putting USD 200,000 of equity into her Thai holding company. She then qualifies with no income test, and can take a work permit for her own company.

6. Tax: what the LTR does and does not change#

• 17% flat rate applies only to Highly Skilled Professionals, and only on employment income from Thai employers.
• Foreign-income exemption: LTR holders in the qualifying categories are exempt from tax on foreign income brought into Thailand. This is an important advantage since Revenue Department Order Por 161/2566 made foreign income remitted by residents taxable from 2024.
• Thai-sourced income other than the above is taxed normally, at 0–35%.
• You still file a PND.90/91 return by 31 March if you have assessable Thai income.

7. Keeping the status#

• File the annual report with Immigration.
• Keep meeting your category's conditions. A change of employer means notifying the BOI and possibly re-qualifying.
• At year 5, renew for the second 5-year term while you still meet the criteria.
• Keep insurance active throughout.

8. LTR vs. the alternatives#

9. Common mistakes#

• Submitting income without official proof: use tax returns and employer letters, not just bank credits.
• Applying under Work-from-Thailand when the employer does not meet the revenue or listing test.
• Insurance policies that exclude Thailand or have cover below USD 50,000.
• Assuming the 17% rate applies to self-employed or dividend income. It does not.
• Not planning the switch for dependants: each needs insurance and proof of relationship, legalised where required.

Frequently asked questions#

What does the LTR cost? 50,000 THB per person for the 10-year visa, plus about 3,000 THB/year for a digital work permit if you work in Thailand.

Does income have to be in USD? No. Income in other currencies is converted. Use the conversion method the BOI accepts, and keep a margin.

Can I bring my same-sex spouse? Yes. Since the 2025 revision, same-sex spouses are recognised as dependants.

Can a Work-from-Thailand holder start a Thai company? They can own shares. Working in Thailand for a Thai company needs a different category and a work permit.

Do I need to report every 90 days? No. LTR holders file an annual report instead.

How long does the BOI take? About 20 working days from a complete file, then a short pre-approval and up to 60 days to collect the visa.

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Related guides#

• Thailand DTV (Destination Thailand Visa): Remote Work, Requirements and Limits
• Thailand SMART Visa in 2026: What Is Left After the BOI Overhaul (SMART S for Startups)
• Thai Work Permit Guide 2026: Requirements, Documents, Fees and Process
• Personal Income Tax for Expats in Thailand: Residency, Rates and Foreign Income