Which Thailand visa can you actually get?
The routes below are the long-stay options into Thailand that we hold verified records for. They are not alternatives to each other — each fits a different situation, and most of them will be wrong for you.
“None published” means we checked and the government doesn’t publish that figure. “Varies by consulate” means it is published, but each embassy sets it in its own currency, so there is no single number to quote. Every row links to the full page, where the caveats live.
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
For remote workers and freelancers earning from outside Thailand, and for people coming to train or study short courses.
- Income required
- ฿500,000 in accessible funds
- Visa cost
- $280
- Max stay
- 1 year
- Then what
- 5 years total
- Leads to PR
- None published
Non-Immigrant Visa ED (Education)
For people enrolling in a course — Thai language, Muay Thai at a registered gym, or a degree. The usual route for a 6–12 month stay with no job and no pension.
- Income required
- ฿20,000 per person / ฿40,000 per family in accessible funds
- Visa cost
- $80
- Max stay
- 3 months
- Then what
- Renewable
- Leads to PR
- None published
Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR)
For high earners, retirees with large pensions and skilled professionals hired into targeted industries, on a ten-year permit.
- Income required
- $80,000/yr income, or $500,000 invested + $1M assets
- Visa cost
- $1400
- Max stay
- 5 years
- Then what
- 10 years total
- Leads to PR
- None published
Thailand Privilege Card (Privilege Entry Visa)
For people who would rather pay than qualify — no income test, no age floor and no course, with a membership fee buying the stay.
- Income required
- No income test — a membership fee from ฿650,000 buys the stay
- Visa cost
- $18200
- Max stay
- 1 year
- Then what
- 5 years total
- Leads to PR
- None published
Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (Long Stay)
For people aged 50 and over with a pension or savings, not working in Thailand.
- Income required
- ฿800,000 in accessible funds, or ฿65,000/month income
- Visa cost
- Varies by consulate
- Max stay
- 1 year
- Then what
- Renewable
- Leads to PR
- None published
Non-Immigrant Visa B (Business and Work)
For people taking a job with a Thai employer or running a Thai company. The only route here that lets you legally earn money inside Thailand.
- Income required
- ฿20,000 per person / ฿40,000 per family in accessible funds
- Visa cost
- $61
- Max stay
- 3 months
- Then what
- Renewable
- Leads to PR
- None published
Rule yourself out fast
Knowing which routes are closed to you is quicker than working out which one is open. Each of these is a published rule, not a rule of thumb.
- Under 50? The O-A is closed to you whatever your income. Most retirement guides bury this.
- Want to work for a Thai company? The Non-B does that, and so does the LTR's skilled-professional track if the employer is in a targeted industry. The DTV does not — it covers income earned outside Thailand.
- Staying past 180 days in a calendar year? You become a Thai tax resident, and since January 2024 foreign income is taxed when you bring it in — on every route here except three of the LTR's four tracks, which are exempt. What changed →
- No job, no pension, and under 50? The DTV still fits — its second track tests savings and a Thai course rather than remote income. Education is the other honest answer, and Thailand Privilege is the paid one: ฿650,000 buys five years with no test at all. Check the DTV's savings test →
Two of the routes below will not be issued without proof of health cover: the O-A, where each consulate applies its own minimum, and the LTR, which asks for $50,000 of cover or a $100,000 deposit. What actually satisfies a consulate →
What changed
Rule changes we've confirmed for Thailand, with the date each took effect. They apply across the routes above, not just one. Every country we track is on the full changelog.
- Thailand Privilege's ฿750,000 promotion on the family add-on card ended on 30 September 2026, and the regular fee of ฿1,000,000 to ฿2,000,000 applies again.
- Thailand began taxing foreign income when it is remitted, whatever year it was earned — closing the long-used route of bringing money in during a later tax year to avoid Thai tax.
Frequently asked questions
Which Thai visa do I need if I work remotely?
The DTV, for almost everyone. It covers income earned outside Thailand and has no age floor, which is what separates it from the O-A. It does not let you work for a Thai employer — that is the Non-B, a different route with a work permit attached. If you earn $80,000 a year as an employee of a listed company or one with $50 million of revenue, the LTR's Work-from-Thailand track is the longer visa: ten years and no Thai tax on foreign income. Freelancers do not qualify for it.
What is the difference between the DTV and the education visa?
The DTV is a five-year visa for remote workers, entered on income earned abroad. The ED visa is entered on enrolment in a course and grants 90 days at a time, extended inside Thailand at an immigration officer's discretion. People under 50 with no Thai employer often qualify for both, and the ED is usually the more expensive of the two once school fees are counted.
Can I retire in Thailand if I am under 50?
Not on the O-A, which is closed below 50 whatever your income. Under 50 the honest options are the DTV — which tests savings rather than age, and has a second track for people on a Thai course — the education visa if you enrol in one, or Thailand Privilege, which has no age floor and no test beyond the membership fee: ฿650,000 for five years at the cheapest tier.
Can I work in Thailand on any of these visas?
The Non-Immigrant B, and the LTR on three of its four tracks — each with a work permit issued alongside it. The O-A forbids employment outright, the education visa is for study, the DTV covers income earned outside Thailand rather than work inside it, and Thailand Privilege permits no employment at all.
Do I pay Thai tax if I stay a year?
If you are in Thailand more than 180 days in a calendar year you are a Thai tax resident — note 180, not the 183 most countries use. From that point foreign income earned since 1 January 2024 is taxable when you remit it into Thailand. This applies on every route on this page, students included, with one exception: the LTR's Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner and Work-from-Thailand tracks are exempt on foreign income by Royal Decree 743.
Moving abroad means more than the visa — sort your travel insurance (several of the routes above require proof of cover), set up borderless banking, and land with data working.
First time doing this? Our digital nomad visa guide explains how qualifying, applying and taxes work across every country.
More visas in Asia
Indonesia
Remote Worker Visa (E33G KITAS)
Japan
Digital Nomad Visa
Malaysia
DE Rantau Nomad Pass
Philippines
Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Classic)
Visa rules, income thresholds and fees change — always confirm the current requirements on the official government source before applying. This page is informational, not immigration advice. See how we verify this data, and tell us if something here is out of date.