Thailand's LTR visa: ten years for retirees with $80,000 of pension income
A 50,000 baht fee, no Thai bank deposit, and no Thai tax on the pension you bring in. The bar is high, and it gets checked twice.
The Long-Term Resident visa is run by Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI), and it was built for people whose money comes from abroad. Retirees apply under the Wealthy Pensioner category. In return you get a yearly check-in instead of one every 90 days, free movement in and out, and a Thai tax exemption on qualifying foreign income.
Match it to your money
Built for pension checks, not paychecks
The pensioner test counts pensions, annuities, dividends, interest and rent. Salary, consulting and freelance income don't count. You need to be 50 or older, and BOI wants to see the money: 12 months of statements, with U.S. tax returns as the strongest proof.
The numbers that decide it
$80,000
Passive income a year
qualifies you outright
$40,000
Passive income a year, lower tier
plus a $250,000 Thai investment
$50,000
Health coverage in Thailand
or $100,000 held for 12 months
50,000 baht
Visa fee per person, ten years
about $1,500 in September 2026
Health coverage
Medicare won't satisfy the insurance rule
BOI wants $50,000 of coverage for treatment in Thailand, a social security scheme that pays for care there, or $100,000 held in a bank account for 12 months. Original Medicare generally doesn't cover care outside the U.S., so most Americans buy an international policy or park the deposit.
LTR or the ordinary retirement visa?
The O-A retirement visa asks for 800,000 baht (about $24,000) in a Thai bank or 65,000 baht a month of pension, plus 3,000,000 baht (about $90,000) of health insurance. It lasts one year and costs $200 at the Los Angeles consulate. The LTR costs more up front but drops the Thai deposit and the 90-day reports. If your deposit has already sat in Thailand for years, the cheaper route may still be the better one, and you can switch to the LTR later without leaving the country.
What the LTR gets you
One report a year
You file form TM.95 once a year instead of every 90 days. The address notice (TM.30) is still due within 24 hours of arriving.
Come and go
No minimum stay and multiple re-entries, so a long summer back in the States doesn't put your status at risk.
A tax exemption
Royal Decree 743 exempts qualifying foreign income that Wealthy Pensioners bring into Thailand.
Family can come
A legal spouse and children under 20 qualify as dependents. BOI's 2025 brochure adds parents, with no cap. Each pays the same 50,000 baht fee.
Work if you want
An optional digital work permit costs 3,000 baht a year, about $90. Pay earned in Thailand is taxed at normal Thai rates.
Airport fast track
LTR holders get fast-track service at Thai airports.
How to apply
Endorsement first, then the stamp
You apply online to BOI, then collect the visa itself. Law firms quote about four to eight weeks for a complete file.
- Pick the right category; choosing the wrong one is the most common cause of delays
- Gather 12 months of statements and your U.S. tax returns, certified and translated into English
- Wait about 20 working days for BOI's endorsement
- Collect the visa within 60 days, at a Thai consulate abroad or the TIESC office in Bangkok
Here's the catch
The visa says ten years, but the first permission to stay is five. Between 120 and 60 days before it ends, you prove you still meet the income and insurance rules. There's no second fee and no automatic pass. And income you earned before the LTR was granted isn't covered by the tax exemption, even if you bring it in later.
People who can help with an LTR file
Baan Thai Immigration Solutions
Thailand Visa Services
Baan Thai Immigration Solutions handles Thai visa and relocation paperwork, from picking a route to filing it.
Padonda Ali
Thailand Local Guide
Padonda Ali is a Thailand local guide based in Bangkok who helps newcomers get to know Thai cities before they commit to one.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps Americans plan how they'll get and pay for care abroad.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure brokers international health insurance for people living outside their home country.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. tax returns for Americans living abroad.
LTR questions from retirees
Will Thailand tax my pension if I have an LTR visa?
Royal Decree 743 exempts qualifying foreign income that Wealthy Pensioners bring into Thailand. Income earned before your LTR was granted isn't covered, and you may still need to file a Thai return to record the exemption. You keep filing U.S. returns on your worldwide income, and under the U.S.-Thailand tax treaty, U.S. Social Security is taxable only in the U.S.
Do I have to live in Thailand a set number of days on the LTR?
No. There's no minimum stay, and the visa allows multiple re-entries. While you're in Thailand, you report to immigration once a year instead of every 90 days.
Can I use Medicare as the health insurance for Thailand's LTR visa?
No. Original Medicare generally doesn't pay for care outside the United States. The LTR asks for $50,000 of health coverage for treatment in Thailand, a social security scheme that covers care there, or $100,000 kept in a bank account for 12 months.
Can my spouse come with me on the LTR visa?
Yes. A legal spouse and children under 20 can come as dependents, each paying 50,000 baht. BOI's 2025 brochure also lists parents as eligible dependents, with no limit on the number.
Can I switch from a Thai retirement extension to the LTR?
Yes. You can move from a Non-O retirement extension to the LTR without leaving Thailand, which also frees you from the 800,000 baht Thai bank deposit the retirement route requires.
How long does it take to get Thailand's LTR visa?
BOI's endorsement takes about 20 working days once your file is complete, and you then have 60 days to collect the visa at a Thai consulate or in Bangkok. Law firms quote about four to eight weeks from start to finish.
How much does the Thailand LTR visa cost?
The visa fee is 50,000 baht per person, about $1,500 in September 2026, and it covers ten years. Each dependent pays the same fee. Consulates abroad may charge a little more because of exchange rates and local surcharges. The five-year recheck carries no second visa fee.
Can I work in Thailand on the Wealthy Pensioner LTR?
Yes. You can add an optional digital work permit for 3,000 baht a year, about $90. Money you earn from work in Thailand is taxed at normal Thai rates; the foreign-income exemption doesn't cover it.
Other ways to stay in Thailand
Thailand's Non-B visa: a Thai job or company comes first
It's the visa for Americans hired by a Thai employer, teaching in a Thai school, or running their own Thai business. The sponsor carries most of the paperwork.
Thailand's SMART Visa is now a founder's visa
Since February 2025 only the startup track is left: a certified Thai startup, a 25% stake or a director seat, and 600,000 baht (about $17,900) in the bank.
Not sure the LTR is your Thailand route?
Talk it through with an Expatsi advisor before you spend 50,000 baht.
Why not you?