Thailand · Business / Startup
Thailand SMART Visa S · 1 year
Savings needed: ฿600k+ ≈ $18k
SMART Visa S (Startup): incubator or accelerator participant, 1-year visa
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
SMART Visa S · 1 year is a business / startup route for Thailand. Applicants need savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- ฿600k+ ≈ $18k
- Government fees
- ฿10k/yr ≈ $300
- Processing
- 20 working days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee ฿10k/yr ≈ $300; savings to show ฿600k+ ≈ $18k; 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.
Shown, not spent฿600k+ ≈ $18k · ฿180k+ ≈ $5,350
- THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800)Deposit in a Thai or home-country bank account held for at least 3 months.
- THB 180,000 (≈ $5,350)Additional deposit for each accompanying spouse or child, held for at least 3 months.
RenewalRenewable
After the 1-year visa you must register a Thai company, with at least 25% of shares or a director role, to move to the 2-year Smart S.
Processing20 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.
Where to applyAbroad 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.
Presence rulesStay rule
Holders staying more than one year file a yearly status report with the Smart Visa unit.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant takes part in an incubation, accelerator or similar programme in the targeted industries.
- The programme is certified by agencies such as the National Innovation Agency or Digital Economy Promotion Agency, or backed by public-sector joint venture funding or endorsement.
What you must show3
- A deposit of THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800) is held in a Thai or home-country bank account for at least 3 months.
- Each accompanying spouse or child needs an extra deposit of THB 180,000 (≈ $5,350) held for 3 months.
- The visa processing fee is THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee.
Documents1
- Health insurance covers the whole stay, with hospitalisation cover of at least THB 500,000 (≈ $14,900).
After you arrive1
- The visa can be renewed for up to 2 years once the applicant owns at least 25% of, or is a director of, a certified company.
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 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 180 days in a tax year in which the income is earnedResident 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 Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Health insurance covers the whole stay, with hospitalisation cover of at least THB 500,000 (≈ $14,900)
- Bank account / funds
A deposit of THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800) is held in a Thai or home-country bank account for at least 3 months
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Visa for founders in an endorsed incubator or accelerator programme, or with public-sector joint venture funding or agency endorsement. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800) · Deposit in a Thai or home-country bank account held for at least 3 months. 1
- Savings of at least THB 180,000 (≈ $5,350) · Additional deposit for each accompanying spouse or child, held for at least 3 months. 1 2
- 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. 2
Requirements
- The applicant takes part in an incubation, accelerator or similar programme in the targeted industries. 1
- The programme is certified by agencies such as the National Innovation Agency or Digital Economy Promotion Agency, or backed by public-sector joint venture funding or endorsement. 1
- A deposit of THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800) is held in a Thai or home-country bank account for at least 3 months. 1
- Each accompanying spouse or child needs an extra deposit of THB 180,000 (≈ $5,350) held for 3 months. 1 2
- The visa processing fee is THB 10,000 (≈ $300) per year, paid in cash; the BOI qualification endorsement has no fee. 2
- Health insurance covers the whole stay, with hospitalisation cover of at least THB 500,000 (≈ $14,900). 1 2
- The visa can be renewed for up to 2 years once the applicant owns at least 25% of, or is a director of, a certified company. 1
Stay
- Visa of up to 1 year, renewable to a total of 2 years if requirements are met.
- First stay: up to 12 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 in the certified business.
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.
Official sources
- SMART S (Startup) criteria and privileges · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10
- SMART Visa frequently asked questions (processing fee, insurance, deposits) · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10
SMART Visa S · 1 year and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMART Visa S · 1 year | Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| SMART Visa S · 2 years | Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| SMART Visa S · 6 months | – | 6 mo, renewable | Limited |
| Business Manager Japan | Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Golden · Entrepreneur United Arab Emirates | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the SMART Visa S · 1 year?
Savings of at least THB 600,000 (≈ $17,800). Deposit in a Thai or home-country bank account held for at least 3 months. Savings of at least THB 180,000 (≈ $5,350). Additional deposit for each accompanying spouse or child, held for at least 3 months. 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 S · 1 year?
Visa of up to 1 year, renewable to a total of 2 years if requirements are met.
How long does the SMART Visa S · 1 year 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 S · 1 year?
Limited. No work permit needed to work in the certified business.
Can I bring my family on the SMART Visa S · 1 year?
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 S · 1 year holders taxed in Thailand?
No special regime in our records is tied to the SMART Visa S · 1 year. 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
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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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.
- SMART S (Startup) criteria and privileges · Board of Investment of Thailand · checked 2026-10-10
- SMART Visa frequently asked questions (processing fee, insurance, deposits) · 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.