Thai visa glossary

A

Amphoe (อำเภอ) — Thai district office. Where you register a foreign marriage, birth, or death. Required for Marriage Non-O visa documentation.

Apostille — international document authentication (under the Hague Convention 1961). Required when using foreign documents (birth/marriage certificates, criminal records) in Thailand. Issued by your home country\'s authority.

B

Bor Aor Jor 5 (บอจ.5) — Thai company shareholder list. Required for Non-B Business visa supporting documents.

Bor Aor Jor 6 (บอจ.6) — Thai company directors and powers list. Required alongside BOJ-5 for company-related visas.

BOI (Board of Investment) — Thai government agency promoting investment. Issues LTR visas and BOI-promoted company benefits (which include Non-B visa fast-track and exemption from the 4-Thai-employee rule).

C

Chanote (โฉนดที่ดิน) — Thai land title deed. Highest-grade title for property ownership. Foreigners cannot hold land Chanote but can be on condo Chanote (within 49% foreign quota).

CRS (Common Reporting Standard) — OECD standard for automatic exchange of financial account information between tax authorities. Thai banks now report foreign account holders to home countries.

D

DBD (Department of Business Development) — Thai government office where Thai companies are registered. Company registration certificate from DBD required for Non-B visa.

DTA (Double Taxation Agreement) — bilateral tax treaty preventing the same income being taxed in both countries. Thailand has DTAs with 60+ countries.

DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) — 5-year multiple-entry visa launched 2024 for remote workers, freelancers, soft-power participants (Muay Thai, Thai cooking, language students), and medical tourism. ฿10,000 one-time fee, 180 days per entry.

E

e-Visa — online visa application via thaievisa.go.th. Used for most Thai embassies worldwide. Allows online form submission, document upload, payment.

EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor) — special economic zone covering Chonburi (Pattaya), Rayong, Chachoengsao. Companies in EEC zones get tax incentives and easier work permit processing.

F

FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report, FinCEN 114) — US tax requirement for any US person with foreign accounts totaling $10k+ at any point in the year. Applies to Americans living in Thailand.

FCD (Foreign Currency Deposit) — Thai bank account holding foreign currency (USD, EUR, etc.) instead of THB. Some immigration officers accept FCD for visa requirements; conservative path is THB savings.

FET (Foreign Exchange Transaction Form) — proof of foreign currency wired into Thailand from abroad, converted to THB at receiving bank. Required for foreigner condo purchase.

I

IDC (Immigration Detention Centre) — Bangkok facility where foreigners caught overstaying or violating visa terms are held pending deportation. Conditions documented as basic and crowded.

Immigration Bureau — Thai government agency administering visa extensions, 90-day reports, TM30, and immigration enforcement. Headquarters: Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok.

K

Kor Ror 2 (คร.2) / Kor Ror 3 (คร.3) — Thai marriage registration certificates. Original required for Marriage Non-O visa. Foreign marriages must be re-registered at a Thai Amphoe to obtain Kor Ror 2/3.

L

LTR (Long-Term Resident Visa) — 10-year Thai visa launched 2022 by BOI. Four categories: Wealthy Pensioner, Wealthy Global Citizen, Work-from-Thailand Professional, Highly-Skilled Professional. Royal Decree 743 grants tax exemption on foreign-source income for qualifying categories.

M

METV (Multiple Entry Tourist Visa) — Tourist e-Visa allowing multiple entries within 6 months, 60 days per stay. Total possible time in country: ~9 months with extensions.

MOE (Ministry of Education) — Thai ministry that accredits schools eligible to issue Education ED visas. Verify accreditation before paying any school for ED visa support.

N

Non-Immigrant visa — Thai visa category for non-tourism purposes (work, family, retirement, education, business). Distinguished from Tourist visa. Sub-codes: B (business), O (other/family/retirement), ED (education), M (media), R (religious), RS (research).

Non-O — "Other" Non-Immigrant visa. Used for retirement (50+), marriage to Thai national, family dependents, volunteer work.

Non-O-A — long-stay Non-O for retirees 50+, applied from home country, requires mandatory health insurance.

Non-O-X — 10-year retirement visa, ฿3M Thai bank requirement, available only to citizens of 14 specific countries.

Non-B — Non-Immigrant Business visa. Required for foreigners working for Thai employers.

Non-ED — Non-Immigrant Education visa. For students at MOE-accredited schools, language courses, university, Muay Thai gym programs.

P

PND91 (ภงด.91) — Thai personal income tax filing form for salaried employees. Annual filing required if you have Thai-source income.

Phor Phor 20 (ภพ.20) — Thai company VAT registration certificate. Required to prove employer is VAT-registered for Non-B visa supporting documents.

PR (Permanent Residency) — long-term resident status in Thailand, granted by Immigration Bureau. ~100 PRs per nationality per year quota. 3+ years on qualifying visa to apply.

Privilege Visa — premium-membership long-stay program (formerly "Thailand Elite"). Four tiers: Gold (5 yr / ฿900k), Platinum (10 yr / ฿1.5M), Diamond (15 yr / ฿2.5M), Reserve (20 yr / ฿5M). One-time fee, no annual financial proof.

R

Re-entry permit — TM8 form. Required to leave Thailand without voiding your active visa. Single ฿1,000 / Multiple ฿3,800. Apply at airport on departure or at immigration office.

Royal Decree 743 (พรฎ. 743) — 2022 Thai law granting LTR visa holders (Wealthy Pensioner, Wealthy Global Citizen, Highly-Skilled Professional) exemption from Thai personal income tax on foreign-source income remitted to Thailand.

S

SMART Visa — Thai visa for high-skilled professionals in BOI-promoted sectors. After February 2025 reform, only SMART-S track remains active. ฿100,000/month income required.

Soi (ซอย) — Thai word for side street/lane. Visa-related addresses often reference Sois (e.g., "Soi Buakhao" for visa scams area in Pattaya, "Soi 5" in Jomtien for expat zone).

T

Tabien Baan (ทะเบียนบ้าน) — Thai house registration book. Property owner\'s record of all residents. Foreigner can be on Tabien Baan via the yellow book (foreign residents) or for Marriage Non-O via spouse\'s Tabien Baan.

TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) — mandatory online form replacing paper TM6 since May 2025. All foreign arrivals must submit at tdac.immigration.go.th within 72 hours before arrival. Free.

TM6 — old paper arrival card. Discontinued May 1, 2025; replaced by TDAC.

TM7 — visa extension application form. Used at immigration office for 1-year extension of stay.

TM8 — re-entry permit application form.

TM30 — address registration form. Filed by your landlord/host within 24 hours of your arrival or move. Required for visa extensions.

TM47 — 90-day reporting form. Required every 90 days you are in Thailand on a long-stay visa.

Tor Ror (ทร.) — Thai census/civil registration certificates. Tor Ror 1 (birth), Tor Ror 4 (marriage record), Tor Ror 14 (death).

Treaty of Amity — 1966 US-Thailand treaty allowing US citizens to own up to 100% of certain Thai companies, bypassing the 49% foreign ownership cap.

V

Visa exempt / visa exemption — entry without a visa for citizens of qualifying countries. 30 days as of April 2026 (cut from 60 days; the visa-exempt period is under government review). Land border entries capped at 2 per calendar year (since November 2025).

Visa on Arrival (VOA) — visa issued at airport on landing. 15 days, available to citizens of specific countries. Most travelers now use TR e-Visa instead.

Visa run — leaving Thailand briefly to reset visa stamp. Less effective in 2026 due to land border 2/year cap and stricter back-to-back enforcement.

W

Work Permit (Wor Por 5 / ใบอนุญาตทำงาน) — blue book issued by Department of Employment. Required for any work in Thailand. Tied to Non-B visa and specific employer/role.

Y

Yellow book — Thai house registration for foreign residents. Optional but useful for proving address. Issued by Amphoe office where you live.