LTR Visa: Digital Nomads Can Now Legally Work From Thailand for up to 10 Years

If you’re looking to break free from your office confines and work remotely on a subcontinent that’s a melting pot of exotic cultures, Thailand has a new visa option for digital nomads. On September 1, 2022, digital nomads can now apply for the new long-term resident (LTR) visa. Details below.

What are the benefits?

The LTR visa makes living and working in Thailand easier than many other visa options. Here are some of the main benefits: 

  • 10 year visa: The visa is renewable and acts as a multi-entry visa (no need to get reentry permits).
  • Once-a-year reporting: Report to immigration once a year, instead of every 90 days. 
  • Digital work permit: Have the freedom to work in Thailand without having to be employed at a local company. 
  • Airport Fast Track Service: Use the premium lane to go through immigration and save time. 

Do you qualify?

The LTR visa qualifications vary depending on the category you’re applying under. Digital nomads fall under the Work-from-Thailand Professionals category and must meet the following requirements:

  • Income: Earn a minimum of $80,000 a year for the past two years before you apply. Alternatively, if your income is between $40,000-$80,000 for two years, you can qualify if you have either a Master’s degree or higher, own intellectual property, or have received series A funding. 
  • Employment: Currently employed by a public company listed on the stock exchange or a private company that has been in operation for at least three years and has earned a minimum of $150 million within that period. 
  • Work experience: A minimum of 5 years of work experience in your field over the past 10 years.
  • Health insurance: A minimum of $50,000 coverage; or social security benefits that cover treatment and hospitalization in Thailand; or $100,000 in your bank account for 12 months. 

How to get approved? 

The approval process requires four steps that will take about two to three months to complete: 

  1. Submit online application: Along with supporting documents, which at this point are still unclear but will require evidence of employment, health insurance, etc. Contact us to learn exactly which documents you’ll need.
  2. Receive endorsement letter: As long as you qualify, you should receive one within 20 working days after you submit your online application. 
  3. Apply at Thai government office: Within 60 days after you’ve received your endorsement letter, apply for the visa at a Thailand embassy or consulate, or at a local immigration office if you’re in Thailand. 
  4. Get a digital work permit: Once you’re in Thailand, pick up your work permit at Bangkok’s One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit or at a provincial labor office if you’re outside the capital. 

While requirements for the LTR visa are still changing, Baan Thai is connected with various government bodies in Thailand and can provide you with the latest updates. If you need help with the visa application process or would like to see what other long-term visa options are available to you, sign up for a free consultation to talk with one of our Thailand visa experts. 

Disclaimer: As the LTR visa is new, the information about it is limited. This article will continue to be updated as more information comes in. 

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Mark Friedman

Managing Director of Baan Thai
Mark is a member of the California Bar and a 1987 graduate with honors from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

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