Full guide: LTR visa · Royal Decree 743 · DTV vs LTR · Income test
LTR categories — pick one
- Wealthy Pensioner (W): 50+, USD 80K/year passive OR USD 40K/year + USD 250K investment
- Wealthy Global Citizen (WGC): USD 1M+ global assets + USD 80K/year income 2 years
- Work-from-Thailand Professional (T): remote employment, 5+ years experience, USD 80K/year income 2 years, employer 2+ years operating
- Highly-Skilled Professional (H): Thai BOI-targeted employer, USD 80K+/year — 17% tax cap, different from RD 743 foreign income rules
BOI application documents
- Passport 18+ months validity recommended
- Digital photo BOI spec
- Health insurance USD 50,000+ Thailand coverage
- Online application + category annexes
- Criminal record — home + Thailand if resided
- Financial proof: 2-year bank statements, portfolios, employment contracts
- Degree/experience evidence for T and H
After BOI approval
- Endorsement letter — limited validity
- LTR visa at embassy or immigration as directed
- Activate within window
- File Royal Decree 743 separately if W/WGC/T — not automatic
- Annual BOI reporting
Rejection patterns
Crypto-only assets; insurance wrong wording; fake employer letters; T category with Thai clients; incomplete 2-year income history.
Pattaya applicants
BOI processing Bangkok-centralised — Pattaya residence fine post-approval. Plan Thai bank account for WGC investment components. RD 743 filing with Pattaya accountant familiar with LTR — not all accountants handle RD 743.
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Timeline expectation
Document gathering 4–8 weeks. BOI review 4–12 weeks category-dependent. Embassy visa 1–2 weeks. Total 3–6 months realistic — do not book irreversible Pattaya property deposit on hoped 6-week LTR approval.
Health insurance BOI wording
Policy must state coverage in Thailand, USD 50,000 minimum, inpatient — outpatient-only fails. Some insurers sell BOI-specific certificate page — request explicitly.
Dependent LTR
Spouse and children separate LTR dependent applications linked to primary — additional financial proof. Pattaya families relocating together plan ฿50K+ legal/accounting bundle.
Professional category T employer letter
Must state remote work, no Thai clients, employer 2+ years operating, salary USD 80K+ — template letters from BOI website — employer deviating wording causes rejection resubmit cycle 4 weeks.
Criminal record certificate validity
Most countries issue criminal record valid 6 months — BOI application timing must fit certificate window. Order certificate early — UK DBS, US FBI, German Führungszeugnis weeks processing.
Post-approval Pattaya setup
LTR approved: open Thai bank account for WGC investment, file TM30, register T-category activity, engage accountant for RD 743 first tax year — missing RD filing loses exemption that year.
W category: pension letter must show indefinite continuation — term pension ending in 3 years may fail. Social security statements need apostille US UK AU.
Register BOI portal account before documents arrive — password reset delays upload window.
H category highly skilled: 17% tax cap benefit separate from RD 743 — confirm employer on BOI-targeted company list before resigning home country role.
Wealthy Global Citizen USD 500K Thailand investment: verify fund or asset class on BOI approved list before transfer — wrong investment type means re-source funds and delay months.
Allow two extra weeks buffer beyond BOI quoted timeline for document requests.