Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa: 10 years, if you clear the bar
The LTR is Thailand's premium visa: up to 10 years, a work permit if you need one, and tax breaks the ordinary visas don't come with. The entry ticket is serious income or serious money.
The short version
- The LTR has four categories: Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals and Highly-Skilled Professionals [1].
- Most categories need about USD 80,000 a year in income, or USD 40,000 to 79,999 plus an extra condition; the wealth route needs USD 1 million in assets and USD 500,000 invested in Thailand [1].
- The visa runs 5 years plus 5, swaps the 90-day report for a yearly one, and costs THB 50,000 (about USD 1,480) per person when collected in Thailand [1].
- Highly-Skilled Professionals can pay a single 17% Thai income tax rate on qualifying pay; the other three categories get a Thai tax exemption on foreign income they bring in [2][3].
- You apply online through the Board of Investment (BOI), not the immigration office [1].
USD conversions use the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of October 30, 2026 (USD 1 = THB 33.76). The BOI states its own thresholds in US dollars.
The four categories
Each category has its own test, but all of them need the same safety net: health insurance with at least USD 50,000 of cover, Thai social security, or at least USD 100,000 in a bank account held for 12 months or more [1].
| Category | Who it's for | Main test |
|---|---|---|
| Wealthy Global Citizen | Investors | USD 1 million in assets, including USD 500,000 invested in Thai bonds, a Thai company or Thai property [1] |
| Wealthy Pensioner | Retirees, age 50+ | USD 80,000 a year in pension or passive income, or USD 40,000 to 79,999 plus a USD 250,000 Thai investment [1] |
| Work-from-Thailand Professional | Remote workers for big foreign employers | USD 80,000 a year (two-year average), or USD 40,000 to 79,999 with a master's degree; employer must be listed or meet a revenue test [1] |
| Highly-Skilled Professional | People working for Thai or foreign firms in targeted industries | USD 80,000 a year, or USD 40,000 to 79,999 with a master's in science or technology [1] |
Wealthy Pensioners: the retiree version
This is the one Americans over 50 ask about. The income must be unearned or passive: a pension, Social Security, rent, dividends, interest or realized capital gains. Salary doesn't count [1]. If your passive income is at least USD 80,000 a year, that's it. If it's USD 40,000 to 79,999, you also need USD 250,000 invested in your name in Thai government bonds, a Thai company or Thai property [1].
Compared with the ordinary retirement visa, the LTR asks for far more income but spares you the yearly extension, the THB 800,000 deposit and the 90-day reports.
Work-from-Thailand Professionals: the remote worker version
You can keep working for a US employer, but not just any employer. The company must be publicly listed, or a private firm with at least three years in business and USD 50 million in combined revenue over the last three years, or a wholly owned subsidiary of one of those [1]. Freelancers and owners of small US LLCs generally won't fit. No Thai work permit is issued in this category, since you work for an overseas company [1].
Highly-Skilled Professionals: the 17% route
This is for people working in Thailand, or for Thai institutions, in targeted industries. In 2025 the BOI broadened that list under BOI Announcement No. Por. 3/2568, published February 4, 2025; the current list includes automotive, aviation and aerospace, agriculture and food, transportation and logistics, and a catch-all for people with special expertise [4]. Thai government employees are exempt from the income minimum [1].
The tax breaks, and what they don't cover
The 17% rate
Thailand's regular income tax rates climb to 35% [4]. Royal Decree No. 743 lets a certified Highly-Skilled Professional pay a single 17% rate on employment income from a qualifying employer instead [3]. The fine print, from a Thai accounting firm's summary of the decree [3]:
- The employer and employee must agree to withhold at 17%, and the employer must notify the Revenue Department on the prescribed form. It isn't automatic.
- You still have to file a Thai return (Form P.N.D. 95) on time.
- Miss a condition in a given year and you lose the 17% rate for that year.
The foreign income exemption
For the other three categories, the same decree exempts income from work or business abroad, or from assets abroad, that you bring into Thailand [2][3]. That matters a lot since 2024, when Thailand started taxing residents on foreign income they bring in no matter when it was earned (see our guide to the remittance rules). An accounting firm's summary says the exemption covers income from the previous tax year that you bring in [3]; check the exact scope with a tax adviser before you move a big sum.
The US side
None of this changes your US return. Uncle Sam taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. A 17% Thai rate may leave you owing some US tax after foreign tax credits, and an exemption in Thailand means there's no Thai tax to credit against your US bill. Remote workers can look at the foreign earned income exclusion; retirees can't use it for pensions or Social Security [5]. A US expat tax preparer can check your situation.
Fees and perks
| Item | What you get or pay |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | THB 50,000 (about USD 1,480) per person, collected in Thailand; higher abroad, depending on the country [1] |
| Length | 5 years, extendable by 5 more if you still qualify [1] |
| Reporting | 1-year report instead of 90-day reports; re-entry permits included [1] |
| Work permit | Digital work permit for those working for Thai employers; THB 3,000 (about USD 89) a year to maintain [1] |
| Dependents | Spouse and children under 20, up to 4; same-sex marriages recognized [1] |
| Other | Airport fast-track and a one-stop service center in Bangkok [1] |
Dependents need their own cover: USD 50,000 of health insurance, Thai social security, or USD 25,000 per dependent in a bank account for 12 months or more [1].
How to apply, step by step
- Check your category on the BOI's LTR site and gather proof: tax returns, pension statements or employer documents in English [1].
- Register and apply online at visa.boi.go.th. Each dependent needs a separate account linked to yours [1].
- Wait for endorsement. The BOI says this usually takes about 20 working days, and it may ask for more documents [1].
- Collect the visa. Once you get the endorsement letter, book an appointment within 60 days at a Thai embassy or consulate, or at the one-stop service center in Bangkok [1]. In March 2025 that center moved into the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center at One Bangkok [1].
- Get your work permit, if your category allows one, through the Department of Employment's one-stop service [1].
- Set up your Thai tax filing if you're on the 17% route, and keep records of every transfer into Thailand if you're on the exemption route.
The BOI charges no fee for the endorsement itself; VFS Global offers paid help, and you don't need an agent [1].
Is it worth it?
For a retiree with a USD 2,500 Social Security check, no: the ordinary retirement visa is cheaper and easier. For a retiree with a big pension and a brokerage account, the LTR's foreign income exemption can be the main reason to do it. For a well-paid remote worker at a large US company, it's the cleanest legal way to live in Bangkok for years. Want to hear from people who've done it? Ask in our community group for Americans in Thailand.
Sources
- Thailand Board of Investment: Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR)
- Thailand Government Public Relations: Tax payment for foreigners with a Long-Term Resident Visa
- HLB Thailand: 17% tax rate for Highly-Skilled Professionals holding an LTR visa (updated January 30, 2025)
- KPMG: Thailand, BOI broadens targeted industry scope for LTR visa (June 15, 2026)
- IRS: Foreign earned income exclusion