Long-Term Thailand Visas in Phuket — LTR, DTV, Thailand Privilege, Retirement O/O-A
We map the right visa to your situation — assets, income, profession, age, family — and handle every step from eligibility review to annual renewal, all run from Phuket.
Thailand has launched five major long-term visa categories since 2022: LTR (10 years), DTV (5 years), Thailand Privilege (5–20 years), Retirement Non-O/O-A/O-X, and the BOI Smart Visa (4 years). Each fits a different profile — wealth, income, profession, age, remote-work — and the choice has major tax and lifestyle consequences. Our Phuket team specializes in choosing the right route and submitting a clean application that gets approved without re-submission.
Choosing the wrong visa can cost years and tens of thousands of baht. Below is the quick eligibility map we use in our Phuket consultations.
LTR Wealthy Global Citizen — USD 1M assets, USD 80K/year income. 10 years, work permit included, 17% flat tax option.
LTR Wealthy Pensioner — Age 50+, USD 80K/year income (or USD 40K + USD 250K Thai investment). 10 years, no 90-day report.
LTR Work-from-Thailand Professional — Remote work for a top-500 / public / unicorn company, USD 80K/year. 10 years, work permit, tax-friendly.
LTR Highly-Skilled Professional — Working in target industries (biotech, AI, BCG), USD 80K/year. 10 years, 17% flat tax.
DTV Workcation — Remote worker / freelancer, USD 13,500 (THB 500K) seasoned 6 months. 5 years, 180 days per entry (extendable to 360).
Thailand Privilege Gold/Platinum/Diamond/Reserve — THB 900K–5M one-time fee. 5–20 years, concierge service, no income requirement.
Retirement Non-O — Age 50+, THB 800K seasoned 2 months or THB 65K/month income. Cheapest long-stay, 1-year renewable.
Retirement O-A — Age 50+, applied from home country, includes mandatory health insurance (THB 3M outpatient / 400K inpatient).
Why Phuket Is the #1 LTR & DTV Destination
Phuket is now Thailand's leading destination for both LTR Wealthy Pensioner and DTV applicants. Reasons: international airport with direct flights, English-speaking infrastructure, world-class hospitals (Bangkok Hospital Phuket, BDMS Wellness, Siriroj), top international schools (BISP, HeadStart, UWC), and a critical mass of fellow expats.
We've processed 200+ LTR and 100+ DTV applications since the visas launched. We know exactly what supporting documents the BOI and Phuket Immigration officers want, including the specific Phuket-address bank letter format that avoids common rejections.
DTV — Destination Thailand Visa Deep Dive
Launched July 2024, the DTV is the most generous remote-work visa in Asia: 5 years multiple entry, 180 days per entry (extendable in-country to 360 days), eligibility for spouse and children as dependents.
Three pathways: (1) Workcation — remote work for a foreign employer or your own foreign clients/business; (2) Soft Power — enrolment in Muay Thai, Thai cooking, medical treatment, or Thai cultural courses; (3) Dependent — spouse or unmarried child of a DTV holder.
Common Phuket DTV use cases: freelance developers from Europe, US e-commerce sellers, content creators, day-traders, and consultants. Pair with our Phuket address service, banking introduction, and 90-day extension support for a fully managed life in Thailand.
LTR — Long-Term Resident (10 years)
Launched 2022 by BOI, the LTR is Thailand's premium qualification-based visa: 10 years, embedded work permit, airport fast-track, no 90-day report, and a 17% flat personal income tax for select categories — versus the usual 5–35% progressive rate.
Best fit: high-earning remote employees of major foreign companies, retired pensioners with USD 80K+ annual income, wealth holders with USD 1M+ assets, and highly-skilled professionals in BOI-targeted industries.
Application is online via BOI, with the in-person stamping at the One Stop Service Centre in Bangkok. We prepare every document in Phuket, file the online application, and accompany you to the one Bangkok appointment.
Retirement Visa Options Compared
Three flavors of retirement visa exist, each with very different costs and rules:
Non-O Retirement (1-year extension): cheapest. THB 800K seasoned 2 months OR THB 65K/month income. Renewed annually at Phuket Immigration. No insurance required.
Non-O-A (1-year, multiple entry, applied from home country): includes mandatory insurance THB 3M outpatient + 400K inpatient.
Non-O-X (10 years, select nationalities): THB 3M seasoned 1 year + insurance + clean criminal record. Almost no one uses this since LTR launched.
Thailand Privilege (Elite) — The No-Qualification Option
Thailand Privilege Visa (formerly Elite) is a paid concierge program: pay the one-time fee and receive a 5–20 year multiple-entry visa, airport fast-track, dedicated liaison, golf and spa privileges, and annual government & medical concierge.
Best fit: international entrepreneurs who don't want to bother with annual extensions, investors who travel frequently, and those who don't qualify for LTR but want long-stay without the bank-seasoning gymnastics of a retirement visa.
Documents you'll need
Universal (all visa types)
Passport (≥ 6 months validity, original + copies)
Passport photos (4×6 cm, white background, ≤ 6 months old)
Phuket accommodation proof (lease, hotel booking, TM30)
Bank statement (varies by visa type)
LTR-specific
Income proof (USD 80K/year for 2 years) or assets (USD 1M)
Health insurance (USD 50K or Thai social security equivalent)
Employment/business documents
DTV-specific
Remote work contract or freelance portfolio
THB 500K bank statement seasoned 6 months
Thai accommodation proof
Retirement-specific
Age proof (50+)
Thai bank book + bank letter (THB 800K seasoned 2 months)
Embassy income letter (if using income route)
How it works
1
Free eligibility review
30 min
30-minute call — we recommend the optimal visa for your profile.
2
Custom document checklist
1 day
Tailored to home-country and Thai requirements.
3
Document preparation
1–3 weeks
Translation, certification, MFA, embassy stamping where needed.
4
Submission
1–4 weeks
Phuket Immigration (Saphan Hin), BOI online (LTR), or One Stop Service Bangkok.
Non-O Retirement at THB 8–12K/year if you are 50+. For under 50: DTV at THB 18–28K (5 years) or Non-O Marriage if you marry a Thai national.
Can I work in Thailand on these visas?+
LTR includes a digital work permit (work for any employer, foreign or Thai). DTV allows remote work for foreign clients/employers only. Privilege and Retirement do NOT include work authorization — separate Smart Visa or BOI work permit needed.
Do I have to fly to Bangkok for LTR?+
Yes, the final in-person stamping is at the One Stop Service Centre in Bangkok. We accompany you for that single visit; everything else is prepared in Phuket.
What is the tax situation under LTR?+
LTR Wealthy Pensioner and Wealthy Global Citizen pay 0% Thai tax on foreign income brought into Thailand in the year earned. Highly-Skilled and Work-from-Thailand pay a flat 17% on Thai-source income — vs the usual 35% top bracket.
Can my family come on my visa?+
Yes. LTR allows spouse + up to 4 children. DTV allows spouse + unmarried children under 20. Privilege and Retirement allow spouse on a Non-O Dependent visa with separate fees.
How quickly can DTV be approved?+
2–3 weeks once documents are complete. We've had clients land in Phuket and have the visa in their passport in 18 days.
Want to live long-term in Phuket but unsure which visa fits? Book a free 30-minute eligibility review on LINE @thainotary — we'll map every option to your profile.
