How long a visitor may stay
British and Irish passport holders, along with travellers from many other listed countries, can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days under the visa exemption scheme, for tourism purposes only. Eligible passport holders may enter under this scheme only twice within a calendar year. If you intend to visit more than twice a year, or for purposes other than tourism, it is strongly advisable to apply for an appropriate type of visa.
Under the visa exemption scheme, travellers are generally permitted to cross a land border into Thailand no more than twice within a calendar year, except citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
If you wish to stay more than 30 days, you may obtain a tourist visa from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate before arriving. It allows an initial stay of 60 days. A tourist visa or visa exempt entry may be extended once for an additional 30 days, with a 1,900 baht fee per extension.
Retirement and long-stay visas
Non-Thai nationals considering a long stay can apply for a retirement or long-stay visa through the Royal Thai Embassy in Los Angeles. The options are Non-Immigrant Category O (retirement), Non-Immigrant Category O-A (long stay, 1 year) and Non-Immigrant Category O-X (long stay, 5 years). Applications are made online via the e-Visa system, with documents uploaded in PDF format.
All three categories require the applicant to be aged 50 or over on the day of application, to not be prohibited from entering the Kingdom under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), and to hold the nationality of, or reside in, the country where the application is submitted. Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited on all three visas.
Category O allows a 90-day stay; O-A one year; O-X five years each time, up to a total of ten years. Financial evidence for O and O-A is a bank deposit of at least 800,000 Baht, a monthly pension income of at least 65,000 Baht, or a combination totalling at least 80,000 Baht. O-X requires a Thai bank deposit of at least 3 million Baht, or 1.8 million Baht plus annual income of at least 1.2 million Baht, maintained in full for at least one year and at no less than 500,000 Baht thereafter.
O-X is limited to nationals and passport holders of Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, New Zealand, South Korea, Canada and the United States. O-A and O-X applicants need health insurance covering Covid-19 with a total sum insured of THB 3,000,000 (100,000 USD) per policy year; O-X accepts Thai insurance only. Both also require an FBI criminal certificate issued within three months and a medical certificate, valid no more than three months, showing no prohibitive diseases under Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535).
At this post, fees are $80 for single-entry O, $200 for multiple-entry O, $200 for O-A and $400 for O-X. Processing takes a minimum of 15 business days, and consular officers may request further documents or reject an application without giving a reason.
Destination Thailand Visa for remote work
The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is aimed at workcationers — digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent and freelancers — and also covers Thai soft power activities such as Muaythai, Thai culinary training and medical treatment. The visa is valid for 5 years, and the fee is 400 USD. Spouses and children under 20 years old of DTV holders can apply too.
Applicants show recent saving or checking bank statements for the last three months with an ending balance of no less than 500,000 THB or 16,000 USD for each month. Workcation applicants also provide an employment contract or certificate from their country, or a professional portfolio. For an extension of stay, contact the Immigration Bureau directly once you are in Thailand.
Some requirements are nationality-specific. Non-US citizens applying at the Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C. must add a copy of their permanent resident alien card or a valid US visa with at least 6 months validity, plus a hand-signed letter of proof of employment confirming position and work status; pay stubs are not accepted, and an acceptance or job offer is not sufficient. Students provide an I-20 letter; self-employed applicants provide a business licence or registration showing their name. Minors under 20 also provide a birth certificate copy, parents' marriage certificate copy, parents' passport or ID copies, and — if travelling alone — an original notarised consent letter. Minors under 16 may use the main sponsor's FBI certificate.
Long-Term Resident Visa
Thailand's Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa is a 10-year renewable visa aimed at "high-potential" individuals. Permission is first granted for five years and can be extended for five more if qualifications are met. Privileges include a 90-day report extended to a 1-year report, exemption of re-entry permit, a multiple re-entry permit, fast track service at international airports, and immigration and work permit facilitation at the One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit.
There are four types: Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, and Highly skilled Professionals. Spouses and children of holders or applicants of any type may apply for a dependents' visa. Every condition and requirement must be maintained during the length of the visa, including investment amounts, employment status, bank account balances, and insurance coverage.
Applications are submitted online for qualifications endorsement, with results notified within 20 working days. Once approved, visa issuance can be arranged at Royal Thai Embassies or Consulate Generals overseas or the One Stop Service for Visa and Work Permit Center (Bangkok) within 60 days of the endorsement letter. The processing fee for the 10-year visa with multiple entry is 50,000 Baht per person when collecting the LTR Visa in Thailand; at Royal Thai Embassies, Consulate Generals overseas, or via E-visa, the fee may vary and be considerably more expensive.
Residence permit
Foreign nationals who wish to attain residence in the Kingdom of Thailand may apply for a residence permit with the Immigration Commission. Applicants must hold a passport bearing a Non-Immigrant Visa and have been granted one-year visa extensions, having stayed in Thailand at least 3 consecutive years up to the date of application. Applicants must be able to understand and speak Thai, and those at least 14 years old undergo a criminal record check.
Applications fall into categories including investment, employment, humanitarian reasons, expert, and extra circumstances considered case by case. Humanitarian grounds cover patronage relationships with a Thai national spouse, child, father or mother, or with a person already granted a residence permit.
For investment, the applicant must bring in at least 10 million Baht, certified by a letter from a commercial bank in Thailand. For employment, an executive position in a juristic person registered in Thailand with capital of at least 10 million Baht is required, with earnings of at least 50,000 Baht per month for 2 consecutive years.
Before you decide
A visit is the time to look at neighbourhoods, prices, healthcare and daily life in Thailand for yourself. Immigration rules change often and depend on your nationality. This page is general information drawn from the official pages listed under its sources, not legal advice: confirm your own case with the authority named above, or with the country's embassy or consulate, before you decide.