Staying in Thailand – A paradise in Southeast Asia

In the past ten years, many foreigners hope to immigrate to Thailand. The reasons are simple, low price index, high living standards, and friendly local citizens. Retirement in Thailand is also a major trend in recent years. According to statistics, as of 2018, there are 66 hospitals in Thailand certified by the international authoritative standard JCI, ranking first in ASEAN. Medical technology ranks among the best. The failure rate of surgeries is the lowest in the world, where the cost is reasonable and completely transparent. It is known as Little Switzerland in Southeast Asia and attracts many high-net-worth individuals to perform healthcare check-ups. It is particularly renowned for its cardiology, dermatology, and genetic departments. This article summarizes the 8 major visas for everyone who wishes to stay in Thailand.

1) Investment visa

Investment Amount Requirement: Investment of 10 million baht

Investment project requirements: including agricultural, biological, and medical industries / advanced manufacturing industries / basic and supporting industries / digital and creative industries and high-value services (BOI projects)

Validity: 1 year, renewable annually thereafter indefinitely

2) Wealthy global citizens

Asset requirements: $1 million

Investment project requirements: invest at least US$500,000 in Thai government bonds, foreign direct investment or Thai property

Income requirements: In the past two years, the personal annual income has reached more than USD 80,000

Validity: 10 years, renewable thereafter

3) Work and business visa

Work visa requirements: There is an approval letter from the Ministry of Labour and a local employer contract

Business visa requirements: explain the purpose of visiting Thailand/documents of correspondence with Thai trading partners, and invitations from Thai trading companies

Validity: The visa is valid for 90 days

4) Relative visa

Conditions: Immediate family members of Thai nationals or residents (spouse, children and parents, if the children are 20 years old, the applicant must be 50 years old)

Validity: 3 months

5) Student visa

• School registration document signed by an authorized person

• A copy of the authorized person's ID card or passport and the University's certificate of registration

• Academic certificates of educational level

After successfully obtaining the visa, the applicant needs to go to the Immigration Bureau to renew the visa every three months after entering Thailand, each time for three months and valid for one year.

6) Smart Visa

• High-tech professionals (Talent): Applicants must be science or technology professionals, with a monthly salary of 200,000 baht

• Investors: Applicants need to invest at least 20 million baht in the BOI target industries

• Executives: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree and have at least 10 years of work experience, with a monthly salary of 200,000 baht and a work contract in the S-Curve industry, who is the senior executive of the company and has a contribution to the technology projects in the BOI target industry

• Start-ups: Applicants must participate in government-approved Incubation or Accelerator projects, pay a regular deposit of 600,000 baht, and have medical insurance

• Generally, foreigners holding non-immigrant visas must report to the Immigration Bureau once every 90 days. If they hold a SMART Visa, they only need to report once a year.

7) Pension visa

• Age requirement: 50 years and above

• Financial requirements: the deposit amount is no less than 800,000 baht / the monthly income is not less than 65,000 baht / the deposit plus annual income is not less than 800,000 baht in total

• Health requirements: The physical examination report proves that the applicant has no leprosy, tuberculosis, elephantiasis, drug addiction, tertiary syphilis

• Dependent visa: visa can be applied for a spouse

• Validity period: 1 year

• Visa Fee: 5,000 THB

8) Elite Visa

The Thailand Elite Visa is promoted by the Thai government and the Tourism Bureau and created by attracting elites from all walks of life around the world in the form of national club members. Membership includes the "Elite Visa" Thailand Elite Visa (also known as Privilege Card), which is a long-term residence visa with a maximum period of 20 years.

• Condition: Be a Thailand Elite Member

• Validity period: 5 years / 10 years / 20 years, depending on the annual membership plan

• Thailand Elite Pass: THB 600,000 (individual)

• Thailand Elite Family Travel Visa: THB 800,000 (for 2 people), if you want to expand the number, you only need an additional THB 300,000 per family member

• In addition to visas, Thailand Elite also provides airport pick-up service, limousine pick-up, 24-hour support service in English, medical check-ups, SPA, golf course usage rights, etc.