There are many Thai long-term visa options that enable you to live a comfortable life in Thailand, but for working professionals, investors, and affluent retirees, the Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR Visa) is one of the best. It delivers several convenient perks, as well as exclusive benefits that can make your time in Thailand more profitable.
This page will provide a quick rundown of the Thailand LTR Visa benefits and how they compare with other Thai visas.
If you want detailed information on this visa and how to qualify for one of its four categories, check out our main Thai LTR Visa information page.
What are the Benefits of a Thailand LTR Visa?
The first thing that sets the LTR Visa apart from other options is its duration.
How Long Is an LTR Visa Valid For?
So, what’s so great about Thailand’s Long-Term Resident Visa? To start with, it’s long. You get a visa valid for 10 years that allows for multiple entries, and you get access to the immigration fast track at Thai airports. Technically, you get a 5-year entry permit that is renewable once, but the end result is a visa that lets you live in Thailand for 10 years. Once it expires, you can simply apply again if you still qualify.
Most other long-term Thai visas require you to renew them each year, providing the required documentation and reapplying each time. This includes the standard Thai Retirement Visa.
The Thailand Elite Visa provides stays of 5 to 20 years and a wealth of VIP perks and benefits; however, it is technically a tourist visa. This means that, unlike with the LTR Visa, employment for a Thai company is not allowed. It’s a good option if your plan is just to relax in Thailand, but the LTR Visa is best for working professionals in Thailand.
This is also true of the new DTV Visa. It’s a tourist visa that enables you to work remotely while staying in Thailand with a 5-year duration, but employment in Thailand is forbidden, and it comes with no further benefits.
LTR Visa Stay Limits and 90-Day Reporting
With Thailand’s LTR Visa, there are also no stay limits, so you can come and go from the country as you please, or you can stay within the Kingdom’s borders for the entire duration of the visa.
Another popular benefit is the immigration reporting requirement. If you’ve held a long-term Thai visa before, you know that you have to report to Immigration every 90 days. With a Thailand LTR Visa, you only have to do this once per year.
The visa duration, lack of stay limits, multiple-entry permissions, and reduced reporting requirements make the LTR Visa one of the most convenient ways to live in Thailand as an expat. But these are just the base benefits.
Why the Thailand LTR Visa Benefits Are Ideal for Working Expats
As a visa targeted at foreigners who can help the Thai economy, the LTR Visa in Thailand also provides a wealth of employment and financial perks as well. These include:
- 100% exemption from Thai personal income tax for your foreign-sourced income regardless of when it is earned or if you bring it into Thailand.
- If you’re in the Highly-Skilled Professional stream, you can enjoy a flat 17% income tax rate on your Thai-sourced income, regardless of your actual tax bracket (which can go up to 35% depending on your annual income).
- The right to obtain a work permit and gain employment at a Thai company.
- Cheaper work permits and faster service at Thailand’s One Stop Service Center for Visas and Work Permits.
- Normally, Thai companies must hire 4 Thais for every foreign employee with a work permit, but you are exempt from this rule, making you a more attractive candidate.
So as you can see, if your goal is to grow your wealth and/or advance your career, Thailand’s LTR Visa enables you to do this better than any other Thai visa. If you qualify for this visa, you’ll have an easier time finding a high-paying position in Thailand, and you’ll be able to keep more of your money when tax season rolls around.
Professional Assistance with Applying for an LTR Visa in Thailand
Qualifying for the Thai LTR Visa in Thailand can be a long and difficult process. If it wasn’t, then everyone would get access to its superior benefits. However, with professional Thai visa consulting services from Siam Legal, you can ensure you get your LTR Visa smoothly with minimal risk of delay or rejection.
We’ve been helping expats secure the right visa for their needs for over 20 years, and we’ve helped foreigners from across the world secure their LTR Visas swiftly and successfully. Contact Siam Legal for an LTR Visa consultation and we’ll show you how you can get access to these great benefits and make your time in Thailand more convenient, comfortable, and profitable.
