Thailand · Retire or live on savings

Thailand LTR · Wealthy Pensioner

Income needed: $80k+ a year

Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa — Wealthy Pensioner

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

LTR · Wealthy Pensioner is a retire or live on savings route for Thailand. Applicants need income of $80k+ a year. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.

Money needed: $80k+ a year
Government fees: ฿50k ≈ $1,490
Processing: 20 working days
First stay: 5 yrs

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee ฿50k ≈ $1,490; income to show $80k+/yr; decision: 20 working days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government fees฿50k ≈ $1,490

THB 50,000 (≈ $1,490)Processing fee for the 10-year multiple-entry LTR visa per person when collected in Thailand; embassy collection may differ.

Shown, not spent$80k+/yr · +2 more

$80,000 a yearMain income test: pension and/or fixed personal income at application; salary is not counted.
$40,000 a yearAlternative to the USD 80,000 test: pension and/or fixed personal income of at least USD 40,000 but under USD 80,000 at application, only together with the USD 250,000 Thai investment below.
$100,000Alternative to health insurance: deposit held at least 12 months in Thailand or abroad.

Invested and held$250k+

$250,000Required only with the USD 40,000 income alternative: held in the applicant's name in Thai government bonds with at least 5 years remaining, company equity or a venture capital or private equity trust, or property.

RenewalRenewable

Stay is granted for 5 years and can be extended for another 5 years if you still meet the criteria.

Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center Thailand Board of Investment

Processing20 working days

The qualification decision is due within 20 working days of complete documents; the visa must then be collected within 60 days.

Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center Thailand Board of Investment

Where to applyAbroad or in-country

Apply online to the Board of Investment, then collect the visa in Bangkok at the One Stop Service Center or at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center

Presence rulesStay rule

LTR holders report once a year instead of every 90 days and get a multiple re-entry permit.

Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center Thailand Board of Investment

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Family members can't join on this route
Only from age 50

What you'll need

Who can apply4

The applicant is aged 50 or over and retired at application.
Dependants are a legitimate spouse and children under 20, up to 4 per LTR holder.
The February 2025 BOI announcement text also lists parents and legal dependants.
The applicant must have no prohibited characteristics under immigration law.

What you must show7

Pension or fixed personal income is at least USD 80,000 a year at application; passive income such as rent, dividends or interest counts, salary does not.
Pension or fixed income of USD 40,000 to under USD 80,000 a year is accepted only together with a USD 250,000 Thai investment.
The USD 250,000 goes into Thai government bonds with 5 or more years left, company equity or venture capital or private equity trust, or property in the applicant's name.
Health insurance of at least USD 50,000 for medical costs in Thailand, with 10 or more months left at endorsement.
Alternatives to the insurance are social-security medical cover or a bank deposit of USD 100,000 held for 12 months.
The processing fee is THB 50,000 (≈ $1,490) per person when collected in Thailand; embassy collection may differ.
Each dependant needs health insurance of USD 50,000, social-security cover, or an extra USD 25,000 deposit held for 12 months.

What happens at day 180

How Thailand decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route

5 years at first, renewable

Tax residence

At least 180 days in a tax yearA person present in Thailand for one or more periods totalling 180 days in a tax year is a person residing in Thailand for Revenue Code purposes.

Foreign-source income

Foreign-source income exempt (LTR)

Holders of the LTR visa in the Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner or Work-from-Thailand Professional categories are exempt from personal income tax on foreign-source employment, business and property income brought into Thailand; Thai-source income is taxed normally.

Regime tied to this route

Exemption for foreign-source income brought into Thailand · Tax relief

All tax rules for Thailand Tax records checked 11 Oct 2026

Official site

What you need to arrange

Health insurance
Health insurance of at least USD 50,000 for medical costs in Thailand, with 10 or more months left at endorsement
Bank account / funds
Alternatives to the insurance are social-security medical cover or a bank deposit of USD 100,000 held for 12 months

Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.

Full official text

LTR pensioner category for applicants aged 50+ with qualifying unearned or passive income; salary/earned income is not counted for this category’s income test. ^{1 2 3 4}

What you must show and pay

Income of at least $80,000 a year · Main income test: pension and/or fixed personal income at application; salary is not counted. ^{1 3}
Income of at least $40,000 a year · Alternative to the USD 80,000 test: pension and/or fixed personal income of at least USD 40,000 but under USD 80,000 at application, only together with the USD 250,000 Thai investment below. ¹
An investment of at least $250,000 · Required only with the USD 40,000 income alternative: held in the applicant's name in Thai government bonds with at least 5 years remaining, company equity or a venture capital or private equity trust, or property. ¹
Savings of at least $100,000 · Alternative to health insurance: deposit held at least 12 months in Thailand or abroad. ¹
A fee of THB 50,000 (≈ $1,490) · Processing fee for the 10-year multiple-entry LTR visa per person when collected in Thailand; embassy collection may differ. ⁵

Requirements

The applicant is aged 50 or over and retired at application. ¹
Dependants are a legitimate spouse and children under 20, up to 4 per LTR holder. ^{3 1}
The February 2025 BOI announcement text also lists parents and legal dependants. ^{3 1}
The applicant must have no prohibited characteristics under immigration law. ¹
Pension or fixed personal income is at least USD 80,000 a year at application; passive income such as rent, dividends or interest counts, salary does not. ^{1 3}
Pension or fixed income of USD 40,000 to under USD 80,000 a year is accepted only together with a USD 250,000 Thai investment. ¹
The USD 250,000 goes into Thai government bonds with 5 or more years left, company equity or venture capital or private equity trust, or property in the applicant's name. ¹
Health insurance of at least USD 50,000 for medical costs in Thailand, with 10 or more months left at endorsement. ¹
Alternatives to the insurance are social-security medical cover or a bank deposit of USD 100,000 held for 12 months. ¹
The processing fee is THB 50,000 (≈ $1,490) per person when collected in Thailand; embassy collection may differ. ⁵
Each dependant needs health insurance of USD 50,000, social-security cover, or an extra USD 25,000 deposit held for 12 months. ^{3 1}

Stay

Visa valid 10 years, multiple entry: first stay permission 5 years, extendable by 5 more years if criteria are still met.
Initial permitted stay: 60 months.
Visa validity: 120 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

No nationality list in the BOI criteria.

Work

Digital work permit available through the LTR system after visa issuance.

Family

Legitimate spouse (including same-sex spouse) and children under 20, up to 4 dependants per LTR holder; unmarried partners are not eligible. The February 2025 BOI announcement text also lists parents and legal dependants. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in Thailand.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

BOI Announcement No. Por. 3/2568: revised LTR criteria and dependants · Thailand Board of Investment · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2025-02-04
LTR Visa 2025 criteria update brochure · Thailand Board of Investment · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2025-02-04
Long-Term Resident Visa categories, criteria, privileges and application · Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center · checked 2026-10-10
LTR Visa frequently asked questions · Thailand Board of Investment (LTR Visa Unit) · checked 2026-10-12
LTR Visa program page: privileges, fees, work permit · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10

LTR · Wealthy Pensioner and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
LTR · Wealthy Pensioner	Needs income of $80k+ a year	5 yr, renewable	–
Thailand Privilege (PE)	Fee from ฿650k ≈ $19k	1 yr	With a permit
Retirement O-A (1 year)	Needs income of ฿65k+ a month ≈ $1,930	1 yr, renewable	No
Retirement O-X (10 years)	Needs income of ฿1.2M+ a year ≈ $36k	5 yr, renewable	Limited
Long-stay visitor (JPY 30M) Japan	Needs savings of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k	1 yr	Limited

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the LTR · Wealthy Pensioner?

Income of at least $80,000 a year. Main income test: pension and/or fixed personal income at application; salary is not counted. Income of at least $40,000 a year. Alternative to the USD 80,000 test: pension and/or fixed personal income of at least USD 40,000 but under USD 80,000 at application, only together with the USD 250,000 Thai investment below. An investment of at least $250,000. Required only with the USD 40,000 income alternative: held in the applicant's name in Thai government bonds with at least 5 years remaining, company equity or a venture capital or private equity trust, or property. Savings of at least $100,000. Alternative to health insurance: deposit held at least 12 months in Thailand or abroad.

How long can I stay on the LTR · Wealthy Pensioner?

Visa valid 10 years, multiple entry: first stay permission 5 years, extendable by 5 more years if criteria are still met.

How long does the LTR · Wealthy Pensioner take to process?

The qualification decision is due within 20 working days of complete documents; the visa must then be collected within 60 days.

Can I work on the LTR · Wealthy Pensioner?

Digital work permit available through the LTR system after visa issuance.

Can I bring my family on the LTR · Wealthy Pensioner?

Legitimate spouse (including same-sex spouse) and children under 20, up to 4 dependants per LTR holder; unmarried partners are not eligible.

Is there a tax break for LTR · Wealthy Pensioner holders in Thailand?

LTR visa: exemption for foreign-source income brought into Thailand (Royal Decree 743, section 5): Holders of the LTR visa in the Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner or Work-from-Thailand Professional categories are exempt from personal income tax on foreign-source employment, business and property income brought into Thailand; Thai-source income is taxed normally. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.

Tax

Special regime

LTR visa: exemption for foreign-source income brought into Thailand (Royal Decree 743, section 5)

Tax relief

Foreign-source income: Foreign-source income exempt (LTR)

Details

Taxed on

Assessable income under section 40 of the Revenue Code derived from employment, from a business carried on abroad or from property situated abroad in the previous tax year and brought into Thailand. The decree sets no rate; the benefit is an exemption from income tax on that foreign-source income.

Who it applies to

Hold a Long-Term Resident visa under immigration law in one of three categories: Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioner or Work-from-Thailand Professional (Royal Decree 743 section 5).
Meet the qualifications, rules, procedures and conditions prescribed by the Director-General of the Revenue Department (section 6).
The benefit is suspended for any tax year in which those rules are not followed (section 7).

Exclusions

Highly Skilled Professional LTR holders are not covered by this exemption; their separate 17% rate on Thai employment income is “LTR Highly Skilled Professional: 17% on employment income”.
Income from work performed in Thailand is Thai-source income whoever pays it and is not covered.
Income from a business or property in Thailand is taxed under ordinary rules.

Days in the country

At least 180 days in tax year · A person present in Thailand for one or more periods totalling 180 days in a tax year is a person residing in Thailand for Revenue Code purposes.

Tax residence

Thai tax residence follows presence of 180 days or more in the tax year; the LTR visa itself does not set tax residence.

Visas

The exemption attaches to the LTR visa category; it is not available to holders of other visas.

Other taxes

VAT, social security contributions, withholding tax and local taxes are not waived by Royal Decree 743.

Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026Change log

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Head to head

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

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An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.

How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

BOI Announcement No. Por. 3/2568: revised LTR criteria and dependants · Thailand Board of Investment · checked 2026-10-10
LTR Visa 2025 criteria update brochure · Thailand Board of Investment · checked 2026-10-10
Long-Term Resident Visa categories, criteria, privileges and application · Thailand Board of Investment / Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center · checked 2026-10-10
LTR Visa frequently asked questions · Thailand Board of Investment (LTR Visa Unit) · checked 2026-10-12
LTR Visa program page: privileges, fees, work permit · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.