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.
If you're building a tech-leaning company in Thailand, this is the visa made for you: no work permit, one immigration report a year, and a spouse who can work, too. If you're not a founder, skip ahead to the routes that replaced it.
What changed in 2025
The talent, investor and executive tracks are gone
Thailand's Cabinet cut the SMART Visa back to one track on January 13, 2025; the Board of Investment (BOI) announced the new rules on February 18, 2025. What's left is SMART S for startup founders and SMART O for their spouse and kids.
Some official pages and plenty of guides still describe the old four-year routes. Those applicants now go through the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa.
- Built for: founders of a certified startup in a targeted industry like digital, robotics, medical hub or food tech
- Not for: remote workers for U.S. employers (look at the DTV)
- Not for: employees of Thai companies or retirees (look at the LTR and retirement visas)
The money, as of September 2026
$17,900
Founder's deposit
600,000 baht, held 3 months
$5,400
Added per spouse or child
180,000 baht each
$300
Government fee per year
10,000 baht, paid in cash
2 years
Per grant
renewable while you qualify
Qualifying and applying
What BOI checks, and how the paperwork runs
What you need
- A startup company set up in Thailand and certified in a targeted industry by an agency such as the National Innovation Agency or the Digital Economy Promotion Agency
- At least 25% of the company's registered capital or a director seat
- The deposit held for three months before you apply, in a Thai bank or a bank back home
- Health insurance for you, your spouse and your kids for the whole stay
How it goes
- Get the startup certified.
- Apply to BOI's Smart Visa Unit for endorsement. The unit checks your file within 3 working days, and the certifying agency gets up to 20 working days. Emerhub, a company-setup firm, tells clients to expect at least 30 working days.
- Collect the visa within 60 days of endorsement at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad or in Bangkok.
Here's the catch: the company comes first
SMART S rewards a founder who's already set up; it won't set you up. Thai law treats a company as foreign once non-Thais hold more than 49% of its capital, which limits what it can do without an exemption. The U.S.-Thai Treaty of Amity gives American companies near-national treatment for most restricted activities. Settle the structure with a Thai lawyer before you count on that 25% stake.
Family
Your spouse can work, and your kids come along
A spouse and children under 20 get the same length of stay you do. Your spouse can work without a work permit, just not beyond your own work rights or in jobs Thailand reserves for Thais.
Same-sex couples: Thailand's marriage equality law took effect January 23, 2025, but BOI's FAQ still says same-sex spouses can't be dependents. Confirm with the Smart Visa Unit before you plan around it.
Living on SMART S
No work permit
Work in your certified business without one. A second company works too if it's endorsed. New roles get filed with the Smart Visa Unit.
Yearly reports
The 90-day immigration report becomes a yearly one, and BOI wants a status report each September.
No re-entry permit
Leave and come back without one, and use fast-track lanes at international airports where they exist.
Renew early
Apply at least 60 days before your permission ends. Renewal hinges on the company and your role still qualifying.
Tax at 180 days
Spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a year and you're a Thai tax resident. Foreign income earned since 2024 is taxed when you bring it in.
Don't overstay
The fine is 500 baht (about $15) a day, capped at 20,000 baht (about $600).
Not a founder?
Where the old SMART crowd goes now
Skilled workers and high earners: the LTR
Highly skilled professionals and people working remotely from Thailand need average personal income of $80,000 a year over the past two years. You get five years plus five more and a digital work permit, for 50,000 baht (about $1,500).
Remote workers: the DTV
The Destination Thailand Visa covers people working for employers outside Thailand, not Thai companies. It's valid five years. You'll show 500,000 baht in savings (the Washington embassy lists it as $16,000) and pay $400 there.
Retirees
Look at the Non-O and O-A retirement visas, or the LTR Wealthy Pensioner track at $80,000 a year in passive income.
People who can help
Baan Thai Immigration Solutions
Thailand Visa Services
Baan Thai Immigration Solutions handles Thai visa applications and relocation paperwork.
Padonda Ali
Thailand Local Guide
Padonda Ali is a Bangkok-based local guide who helps newcomers get oriented in Thailand.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people abroad sort out how they'll get and pay for care.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure brokers international health insurance for people living outside the U.S.
SMART Visa questions
Is the Thailand SMART Visa still available?
Yes, but only for startup founders (SMART S) and their families (SMART O). Thailand's Cabinet dropped the talent, investor and executive tracks on January 13, 2025, and the new rules were announced February 18, 2025. People who'd have used those tracks now apply for the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa.
Do SMART visa holders have to do 90-day reports?
No. The 90-day immigration report becomes a once-a-year report. Separately, BOI's Smart Visa Unit asks holders for a status report every September to confirm they still qualify.
How long can I stay in Thailand on SMART S?
Each grant is for up to two years and can be renewed as long as your startup and your role in it still qualify. Apply for renewal at least 60 days before your permission runs out.
How much money do I need for the SMART S visa?
The founder needs 600,000 baht (about $17,900 as of September 2026) in the bank for at least three months before applying, plus 180,000 baht (about $5,400) for each spouse or child who comes along. On top of that you pay 10,000 baht (about $300) per year of permission and carry health insurance for the whole family.
Will I owe Thai tax on the SMART S visa?
If you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a tax year, you're a Thai tax resident. Since January 1, 2024, residents' foreign income is taxed when it's brought into Thailand, so plan how and when you move money over with a tax advisor.
Does my spouse need a work permit on a SMART visa?
No. A SMART S founder's spouse can work without a work permit, though not beyond the founder's own work rights and not in occupations Thailand reserves for Thai citizens. Children under 20 can also come as dependents.
How long does the SMART Visa take to get?
BOI's Smart Visa Unit checks a complete file within 3 working days, and the certifying agency has up to 20 working days to respond. Emerhub, a company-setup firm, tells clients to expect at least 30 working days. After endorsement you have 60 days to collect the visa.
Can I get a SMART Visa to work remotely for a U.S. company?
No. SMART S covers work in a Thai startup certified by a government agency. Americans working remotely for foreign employers usually look at the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), or at the LTR's Work-from-Thailand track if they've averaged $80,000 a year in income over the past two years.
Not sure SMART S is your route?
Talk it through with an Expatsi advisor before you set up a company.
Why not you?