Cost of Living
First Month in Bangkok: Real Budget for New Expats
4 min read
Visa type
Long-Term Resident (LTR)
A Board of Investment visa for wealthy pensioners, remote professionals, investors, and highly skilled workers.
· checked against official sources below
Who this is for
Applicants who meet one of the LTR categories (Wealthy Pensioner, Work-from-Thailand Professional, Highly Skilled Professional, or Investor) and the financial or salary tests.
Overview
LTR is administered with the Thailand Board of Investment, not as a walk-in tourist product. Successful applicants receive a long validity visa with specified work-permit and tax treatments. Category tests (income, investment, insurance) are strict; refusal is common when bank evidence is thin. Each category — Wealthy Pensioner, Work-from-Thailand Professional, Highly Skilled Professional, and Investor — has distinct salary, asset, and insurance floors published on the BOI portal. LTR is not a shortcut around Thai employment law: local paid work still needs the permits tied to your category.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LTR visa fee (indicative) | 50,000 THB | Per person; confirm on the BOI LTR site |
How to do it
- 1
Choose a category and gather financial evidence
Pension, remote-work income, or investment documents must match the category you tick. - 2
Apply via the BOI LTR portal
Then complete visa endorsement and, if working, the related work authorisation. - 3
Maintain qualifying status
Annual reporting and insurance renewals are part of the programme. Falling below asset or income thresholds can affect renewal.
Documents
- Passport
- Category-specific financial evidence (pension, salary, or investment statements)
- Health insurance meeting LTR minimum coverage
- Employment or employer letter for skilled-worker categories
What changed
LTR is a BOI programme with category tests. Confirm income, insurance, and fees on the BOI LTR site before applying.
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