--- title: "Thailand SMART Visa I · THB 5M requirements 2026: 4-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/smart-i-5m/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-11 --- Thailand · Investing # Thailand SMART Visa I · THB 5M **Investment needed:** ฿5M+ ≈ $149k SMART Visa I (Investor): THB 5 million in a startup or accelerator programme First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **Investment needed:** ฿5M+ ≈ $149k (An investment of at least THB 5,000,000 (≈ $149,000) · Direct investment as an individual in a startup, or an incubator or accelerator programme, endorsed by the relevant agencies; investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. A fee of THB 10,000 a year (≈ $300) · Visa processing fee of THB 10,000 per year, paid in cash to Immigration or the embassy; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee.) - **First stay:** 4 yrs (Renewable visa of up to 4 years.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport (No nationality list.) - **Work:** Limited (No work permit needed to work for an entity or agency covered by the endorsement.) - **Spouse work:** Can work (Spouse and children may stay for the same period as the SMART visa holder; the spouse may work without a work permit. Your spouse or partner may work in Thailand without a separate permit.) ## Key facts SMART Visa I · THB 5M is an investing route for Thailand. Applicants need an investment of ฿5M+ ≈ $149k. You can stay 4 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source. - **Money needed:** ฿5M+ ≈ $149k - **Government fees:** ฿10k/yr ≈ $300 - **Processing:** 20 working days - **First stay:** 4 yrs ## Cost, time and long term To apply: government fee ฿10k/yr ≈ $300; investment ฿5M+ ≈ $149k; decision: 20 working days. No lawyer or agent fee is included. **Government fees: ฿10k/yr ≈ $300** - THB 10,000 a year (≈ $300) Visa processing fee of THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash to Immigration or the embassy; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. **Invested and held: ฿5M+ ≈ $149k** - THB 5,000,000 (≈ $149,000) Direct investment as an individual in a startup, or an incubator or accelerator programme, endorsed by the relevant agencies; investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. **Renewal: Renewable** The visa is renewable for up to 4 years at a time. [Board of Investment of Thailand](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) **Processing: 20 working days** Results come from the Smart Visa unit and agencies within 20 working days; a renewal endorsement takes up to 30 working days, so request it at least 60 days before expiry. [Board of Investment of Thailand](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) **Where to apply: Abroad or in-country** After endorsement, apply for the visa at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok or at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad. [Board of Investment of Thailand](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) **Presence rules: Stay rule** Holders staying more than one year file a yearly status report with the Smart Visa unit. [Board of Investment of Thailand](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Work rights are limited ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The startup or programme must be certified as technology-based in the targeted industries. - Certification comes from agencies such as the National Innovation Agency or Digital Economy Promotion Agency. #### What you must show - The direct investment as an individual is at least THB 5 million (≈ $149,000), in a startup or an endorsed incubator or accelerator programme. - The investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. - The visa processing fee is THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. ## What happens at day 180 How Thailand decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **Up to 4 years at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 180 days in a tax year in which the income is earned** Resident for Revenue Code section 41 purposes. - **Foreign-source income:** **Remittance basis (from 2024)** Foreign-source assessable income earned from 1 January 2024 is taxed in Thailand in the year it is brought into the country; income earned before 2024 is not taxed even if brought in later. [All tax rules for Thailand](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/tax/) Tax records checked 11 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Visa for individual investors who put at least THB 5 million (≈ $149,000) into an endorsed startup, incubator or accelerator programme. (sources 1, 2) #### What you must show and pay - An investment of at least THB 5,000,000 (≈ $149,000) · Direct investment as an individual in a startup, or an incubator or accelerator programme, endorsed by the relevant agencies; investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. (source 1) - A fee of THB 10,000 a year (≈ $300) · Visa processing fee of THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash to Immigration or the embassy; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. (source 2) #### Requirements - The startup or programme must be certified as technology-based in the targeted industries. (source 1) - Certification comes from agencies such as the National Innovation Agency or Digital Economy Promotion Agency. (source 1) - The direct investment as an individual is at least THB 5 million (≈ $149,000), in a startup or an endorsed incubator or accelerator programme. (source 1) - The investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. (source 1) - The visa processing fee is THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. (source 2) #### Stay - Renewable visa of up to 4 years. - First stay: up to 48 months, decided case by case. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. #### Nationality No nationality list. #### Work No work permit needed to work for an entity or agency covered by the endorsement. #### Family Spouse and children may stay for the same period as the SMART visa holder; the spouse may work without a work permit. Your spouse or partner may work in Thailand without a separate permit. Checked 2026-10-11 ## Official sources 1. [SMART I (Investor) criteria and privileges](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/smart_i.html) · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10 2. [SMART Visa frequently asked questions (processing fee, insurance, deposits)](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10 ## SMART Visa I · THB 5M and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SMART Visa I · THB 5M | Needs an investment of ฿5M+ ≈ $149k | 4 yr, renewable | Limited | | [LTR · Wealthy Global Citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-wealthy-global-citizen/) | Needs an investment of $500k+ | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Investor stay · THB 10M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/investor-stay-2yr-10m/) | Needs an investment of ฿10M+ ≈ $297k | 2 yr | – | | [Investor stay · THB 2M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/investor-stay-1yr-2m/) | Needs an investment of ฿2M+ ≈ $60k | 1 yr | – | | [SMART Visa I · THB 20M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/smart-i-20m/) | Needs an investment of ฿20M+ ≈ $595k | 4 yr, renewable | Limited | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the SMART Visa I · THB 5M? An investment of at least THB 5,000,000 (≈ $149,000). Direct investment as an individual in a startup, or an incubator or accelerator programme, endorsed by the relevant agencies; investment may be spread over more than one business and must be maintained throughout the visa validity. A fee of THB 10,000 a year (≈ $300). Visa processing fee of THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash to Immigration or the embassy; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. ### How long can I stay on the SMART Visa I · THB 5M? Renewable visa of up to 4 years. ### How long does the SMART Visa I · THB 5M take to process? Results come from the Smart Visa unit and agencies within 20 working days; a renewal endorsement takes up to 30 working days, so request it at least 60 days before expiry. ### Can I work on the SMART Visa I · THB 5M? Limited. No work permit needed to work for an entity or agency covered by the endorsement. ### Can I bring my family on the SMART Visa I · THB 5M? Spouse and children may stay for the same period as the SMART visa holder; the spouse may work without a work permit. ### How are SMART Visa I · THB 5M holders taxed in Thailand? No special regime in our records is tied to the SMART Visa I · THB 5 (≈ $0) M. The standard rules apply: A person present in Thailand for 180 days or more in a tax year is a Thai tax resident. Foreign-source assessable income earned from 1 January 2024 is taxed in Thailand in the year it is brought into the country; income earned before 2024 is not taxed even if brought in later. ## More in Thailand [DTV nomad visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/dtv/) [LTR · Work-from-Thailand](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-work-from-thailand/) [LTR · Wealthy Pensioner](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-wealthy-pensioner/) [Thailand Privilege (PE)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/privilege-entry-membership/) [Retirement O-A (1 year)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/nonimmigrant-o-a-retirement/) [Retirement O-X (10 years)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/nonimmigrant-o-x-retirement/) [SMART Visa S · 2 years](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/smart-s-2yr/) [SMART Visa S · 1 year](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/smart-s-1yr/) ## Investment visas elsewhere [🇮🇩 Golden Visa · Branch head $25M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/e28d-branch-investor-golden/) [🇦🇪 Golden · Humanitarian donor](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/golden-humanitarian-supporter/) [🇸🇬 Global Investor Programme](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/singapore/global-investor-programme/) [🇲🇾 Premium Visa (PVIP)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/pvip/) [🇻🇳 Investor visa ĐT1](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/vietnam/investor-dt1/) [🇰🇷 D-8-1 Business Investment](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d8-1-corporate-investment/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 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. 1. [SMART I (Investor) criteria and privileges](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/smart_i.html) · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10 2. [SMART Visa frequently asked questions (processing fee, insurance, deposits)](https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/faq-en.html) · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.