Latest Information On Visa Requirements For Thailand in 2022 – 2023
Thailand’s borders were closed due to Covid for a long time, increasing the length of time that people can stay without needing to extend their visa is a great way for them to kick start their tourist trade. At the other end of the scale, Thailand is also introducing the “Golden Visa”, which is designed for people who wish to live and work here for an extended period of time, the visa is for up to ten years but there are quite a lot of restrictions around it. So in this blog, we’re going to have a look at these different types of Thai visas, who they’re for and what the visa requirements for Thailand are for each one. As well as whether there’s a fee and the process you’ll go through to get one.
NEW THAI VISAS FOR FOREIGNERS AS OF 2022
Since the pandemic and the collapse of the tourism industry in Thailand, the country has been trying to kick start its recovery as much as possible. Some of their efforts includes rolling out new types of Thai visas to attract niche market such as the Thai golden visa.
The New Thai ‘Golden Visa’ – What Is It? What Are The VISA Requirements? And How Can I Apply For It?
There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to Thai visas and this one has a pretty cool nickname. It’s been Christened the ‘Golden Visa’ for a couple of reasons, it gives you the value of being able to stay, and work, in Thailand for up to ten years but you have to be fairly wealthy to qualify for it. It’s actually called the Long Term Residence visa program and it entitles you to come and go as you please without having to apply for re-entry permits which is good news for those who travel a lot on business.
It comes with an automatic work permit and you can have up to four dependants with you under the same visa. There are four categories of people who might consider this visa; those with a high income, retirees, digital nomads, and professionals with ‘special skills’. There’s a hefty fee of $1,600 but that does cover ten years so it’s actually not bad value. The Thai Embassy visa webpage has more in-depth information.
Let’s look at the four categories and the Thai visa requirements for each one, as you can see the stipulations are quite high and the wording’s a bit dry!
The Wealthy Global Citizen
- You must have health insurance with $50,000 cover OR show proof of savings of at least $100,000 held in a Thai or overseas bank account for no less than 12 months before the date of application.
- You must have proof of personal income of at least $80,000 annually as an average for two years leading up to the application date.
- You must have at least $1 million in assets.
- You must have investments of at least $500,000 in Thai government bonds, foreign direct investment or Thai property.
The High-income Retiree
- You must have health insurance with $50,000 cover OR show proof of savings of at least $100,000 held in a Thai or overseas bank account for no less than 12 months before the date of application.
- You must have proof of personal income of at least $80,000 annually as an average for two years leading up to the application date.
- In case of having a personal annual income of between $40,000 to $80,000, you must invest at least $250,000 in Thai government bonds, foreign direct invest or Thai property.
Working Professionals
- You must be employed by or have a service agreement with a business in Thailand or abroad.
- You must show proof of work experience in one of the targeted industries for a minimum of five years which must have been within ten years of the application date.
- The current employer must be a company on the stock exchange, or it can be a private company but it must have been in operation for more than three years with combined revenue of at least $150 million over that time.
- You must have proof of personal income of at least $80,000 annually as an average for two years leading up to the application date.
- If your income is lower, between $40,000 and $80,000 a year for the past two years, you must have a Master’s degree or above, or own intellectual property or be in receipt of Series A funding of at least $1 million.
- You must have health insurance with $50,000 cover OR show proof of savings of at least $100,000 held in a Thai or overseas bank account for no less than 12 months before the date of application.
Experts and Specialists
- You must be employed by or have a service agreement with a business in Thailand or abroad.
- You must show proof of work experience in one of the targeted industries for a minimum of five years which must have been within ten years of the application date.
- You must have proof of personal income of at least $80,000 annually as an average for two years leading up to the application date.
- If your income is lower, between $40,000 and $80,000 a year for the past two years, you must have a Master’s degree or above, or own intellectual property or be in receipt of Series A funding of at least $1 million.
- There is no minimum income requirement for you if you are to be working in government higher educational institutions, research centers, specialized training centers, or government agencies.
- You must have health insurance with $50,000 cover OR show proof of savings of at least $100,000 held in a Thai or overseas bank account for no less than 12 months before the date of application.
These changes and the new visa are an attempt to re-ignite the tourist trade in Thailand, although time will tell how much of an impact they’ll have. The ‘Golden Visa’ will only be of interest to a select group of people but it will make their life easier with less paperwork and a few other perks. As you can see from the lists above the requirements are pretty steep but if you fit into any of those categories, the Long Term Residence visa program could be your ticket to paradise.
Other Asia countries have a much lower and not as much restricted income or
Saving need ~ not sure these offers will make anyone seeking to more to Thailand
Jump at once Thailand need to relook at these in view of what other Asia countries are
Offering for far less