SMART Visa • BOI OSS • Phuket

SMART Visa Thailand — 4-Year Talent / Investor / Executive / Startup Route

A 4-year residency for talent, investors, executives and startup founders in Thailand's 13 target industries — no separate Work Permit, no 90-day report, dependents work-authorised.

Passport and visa application forms on a Thailand visa, work permit and marriage consultant's desk

094-895-8999 LINE @THAINOTARY Contact@thainotary.co.th

TL;DR

SMART Visa is a 4-year BOI-issued residence granted to foreigners in Thailand's S-Curve industries. Five sub-types: T (Talent, salary >=THB 200k + PhD/15y), I (Investor, >=THB 20M), E (Executive, salary >=THB 200k + senior role), S (Startup, THB 600k deposit + DEPA/NIA endorsement), O (Dependent — spouse/child, free, work-authorised). No separate Work Permit; annual (not 90-day) reporting; OSS one-stop service in Bangkok.

Pricing

฿65,000 – ฿85,000

per applicant (4-year visa, one-off)

Turnaround

60-90 days incl. endorsement

Duration

4 years multi-entry

Work Permit

Not required — SMART Visa IS the permit

Reporting

Annual — no 90-day report

Dependents

SMART-O free + work-authorised

Target Industries

13 S-Curve sectors

The 5 SMART Visa Sub-Types — Which One Fits You

The SMART Visa program divides applicants by economic contribution, not by nationality. Choose the sub-type that matches your role and evidence base — misfiling wastes an endorsement cycle.

SMART T (Talent): Salary >=THB 200,000/month + PhD OR 15 years experience in an S-Curve field
SMART I (Investor): Direct investment of >=THB 20M in a BOI-promoted or S-Curve Thai company
SMART E (Executive): Bachelor's + 10 years experience + Senior Management role + salary >=THB 200k
SMART S (Startup): Founder — THB 600k bank deposit + DEPA/NIA/TCEB endorsement + accelerator acceptance
SMART O (Other/Dependent): Spouse and children of T/I/E/S holders — free visa, allowed to work without a separate Work Permit

Endorsement — The Gate Everyone Underestimates

Every SMART application requires a written endorsement from the sector regulator BEFORE BOI accepts the file. The endorsement, not the BOI review, is where most applications stall.

Digital / Software / AI: DEPA (Digital Economy Promotion Agency)
Innovation / Startup / Biotech: NIA (National Innovation Agency)
MICE / Events / Creative: TCEB (Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau)
Medical / Wellness / Pharma: Ministry of Public Health
Aviation / Robotics / Automotive: Ministry of Industry
Endorsement lead time: 30-60 days; requires structured business plan + 3+ years domain track record

SMART vs LTR vs Non-B — When SMART Actually Wins

SMART is not always the right visa. Here is the honest comparison against its two nearest neighbours.

vs LTR: LTR is 10 years and offers 17% flat tax for HSP — pick LTR if you qualify (USD 80k income, USD 500k investment)
vs Non-B: Non-B is 1 year and requires Work Permit + 4 Thai per foreigner. SMART wins for lean teams and BOI companies
SMART is unbeatable when: (a) startup founder with runway but no Thai employees, (b) spouse wants to work legally, (c) you hate 90-day reporting
SMART is not for you if: industry off the 13-sector list, or salary/investment below threshold — apply Non-B or DTV instead

Phuket Smart City Angle — Why This Matters Here

Phuket is one of Thailand's officially designated Smart Cities, which changes the SMART qualification calculus for tech workers based on the island.

Phuket Smart City Sandbox: DEPA-endorsed digital businesses get expedited SMART-S review
PSU Phuket + Prince of Songkla partnerships qualify academic-linked hires for SMART-T
Remote CTOs of overseas tech companies with Phuket residence can qualify for SMART-T if payslips show THB 200k+/month
Songkhla Innovation District (2h drive) counts as part of the Andaman digital cluster for endorsement

Documents you'll need

Personal (all sub-types)

Passport valid 18+ months + 4 blank pages
CV with detailed employment + publications history
Educational certificates + transcripts (MFA-legalised)
10-15 years experience letters from employers
Police clearance from country of residence
6 passport photos (4x6 cm, white background)

T / E — Employment evidence

Employment contract showing salary >=THB 200,000/month
Detailed job description matching S-Curve criteria
Employer's BOI certificate OR S-Curve industry proof
Sector endorsement letter (DEPA / NIA / TCEB / MoPH)

I / S — Investment / Startup evidence

Business plan (English) with 3-year financial projection
Bank statement: THB 20M (I) or THB 600k (S), held >=6 months
Accelerator/incubator acceptance letter (S only)
Share transfer + capital paid-in confirmation (I only)

How it works

1
Eligibility screen + sub-type selection
1 day
1-hour consultation to match your profile to T/I/E/S/O.
2
Endorsement dossier + submission
30-60 days
Build the DEPA/NIA/TCEB/MoPH file and manage clarifications.
3
SMART application at BOI OSS
30 days
File at One-Stop Service Center (Chamchuri Square, Bangkok).
4
Qualification Endorsement Letter
1 day
BOI issues the QEL — authorises the visa stamp.
5
Visa stamp — embassy or OSS
5-7 days
Stamp the SMART Visa at a Thai embassy abroad OR change status inside Thailand.
6
Handover + annual report calendar
1 day
You receive the 4-year visa + calendar of annual reporting dates.

Real work samples from our office

Photographs of work actually completed by our office. All client personal data is redacted before publication.

ภาพรวมบริการรับรองเอกสาร แปลเอกสาร และนิติกรณ์ของสำนักงาน — ภาพรวมบริการรับรองเอกสาร แปลเอกสาร และนิติกรณ์

ทีมทนายความและเจ้าหน้าที่ของ Thai Notary Law & Service ที่สำนักงาน — ทีมทนายความและเจ้าหน้าที่ผู้ดูแลงานเอกสารระหว่างประเทศ

หนังสือรับรองการจดทะเบียนนิติบุคคลของ Thai Notary Law & Service Co., Ltd. — หนังสือรับรองการจดทะเบียนนิติบุคคลของบริษัท

Frequently asked questions

Do I really not need a Work Permit?+

Correct — the SMART Visa itself functions as work authorisation for the endorsed role and employer. Changing employer requires a new endorsement.

Can my spouse work on SMART-O?+

Yes — this is unique to SMART-O. The dependent can take any employment in Thailand without a separate Work Permit application.

SMART vs LTR — which is better?+

LTR is longer (10y) and offers a 17% flat tax for HSP holders. Pick LTR if you qualify. SMART is easier for startup founders and staff of BOI companies.

Can a remote worker for a foreign company qualify?+

Yes for SMART-T if you can prove THB 200k+ monthly income, PhD or 15y experience, and work in an S-Curve field. Otherwise the DTV is the correct visa.

What are the 13 S-Curve industries?+

Next-Gen Automotive, Smart Electronics, Medical Tourism, Agriculture/Biotech, Food, Robotics, Aviation & Logistics, Bio-Fuels, Digital, Medical Hub, Defense, Education, HR Development.

Does SMART accelerate Permanent Residence?+

No — the 3-year continuous residence clock is the same as any other visa. But SMART time counts fully towards it.

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SMART Visa Thailand — 4-Year Talent / Investor / Executive / Startup Route

The 5 SMART Visa Sub-Types — Which One Fits You

Endorsement — The Gate Everyone Underestimates

SMART vs LTR vs Non-B — When SMART Actually Wins

Phuket Smart City Angle — Why This Matters Here

Documents you'll need

How it works

Eligibility screen + sub-type selection

Endorsement dossier + submission

SMART application at BOI OSS

Qualification Endorsement Letter

Visa stamp — embassy or OSS

Handover + annual report calendar

Real work samples from our office

Frequently asked questions

Related services

Long-Term Thailand Visas in Phuket — LTR, DTV, Thailand Privilege, Retirement O/O-A

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) — 5-Year Multi-Entry Visa Processed from Phuket

Thailand Work Permit for Foreigners — Filed from Phuket, End-to-End

Thai Company Registration for Foreigners — Phuket Corporate Formation

Knowledge hubs for this service

Visa & Immigration FAQ

Work permit

Relocation & settling in

Police clearance certificate

Other services in the same category

Knowledge base & tools

Full service catalogue

All English service pages

In-depth guides

Ready to apply for SMART Visa? Send us your CV + salary/investment evidence to LINE @thainotary — we return a T/I/E/S/O recommendation and endorsement plan within 24 hours.

Official sources referenced

Four locations · on-site island-wide

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