Thailand Elite Visa for Long-Term Stays and Residence

This article is a guide to help you obtain your Thailand Elite Visa for 5- to 20-year stays or residence in Thailand. Read the review of the benefits, requirements, costs, application paperwork and procedures. You are welcome to book a FREE consultation with our experts by directing your questions to our e-mail address given above.

The Thailand Elite Visa is a privileged residence program of the Thailand Government offering multiple entry long-term tourist Visas for investors, businessmen, expats, and visitors. This fast-track application and compliance check instrument was launched in 2003 on the initiative of the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports and has subsequently become very popular.

Who can benefit from the Thailand Elite Visa?

Requirements for the Thailand Elite Visa Applicants and Holders

Anybody can apply – persons of any age, gender, nationality, marital, professional, education status.  Before/after the Visa is issued (as long as the Thailand Elite Visa  is valid), the visa  holder needs to comply with the following requirements:

• avoid being sentenced to imprisonment by a judgment /legal order of a Thailand court/foreign court (except for an offense committed through negligence or a misdemeanor);
• avoid the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Thailand government/foreign government;
• avoid being listed as a person under the control of the Thailand government/foreign government;
• avoid being adjudicated bankrupt;
• avoid being declared mentally ill, incompetent/ quasi competent;
• avoid being recognized as a person capable of disturbing the peace/public safety of the Kingdom;
• avoid getting banned from staying in Thailand territory for violating immigration laws/other laws of this state;
• enter/exit the country through the channels, checkpoints, stations/areas specified in the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 and other laws related to immigration;
• comply with the border check, submit data according to the required forms, methods, terms;
• hold a valid passport where the Thailand Elite Visa will be affixed by the Thailand embassy/consulate/Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Thailand Elite Visa  Prices

Thailand Elite Visa Types:	Thailand Elite Visa validity period, years	Price in Thai Baht, mln
Thailand Easy Access (sole applicant)	5	0.6
Elite Family Excursion (family of 2)	5	0.8
Surcharge for an extra family member		0.3
Elite Family Alternative (sole applicant)	10	0.8
Surcharge for an extra family member		0.7
Elite Privilege Access (sole applicant)	10	1
Surcharge for an extra family member		0.8
Elite Superiority Extension (sole applicant)	20	1
Elite Ultimate Privilege (sole applicant)	20	2.14

Benefits of the Thailand Elite Visa

The Thailand Elite Visa comes with the following types of bonuses:

• Unique immigration tool: beneficiaries receive a multiple entry visa for the unlimited number of entries into Thailand (no visa runs will be needed) allowing an uninterrupted stay during the entire validity period. The passport is stamped for 365 days on arrival – at any Thailand border checkpoint.
• Benefits on arrival/departure: VIP-welcome, Elite Personal Assistant (EPA), airport transportation services. Transfer through the VIP corridor to the expedited immigration formalities and passport control zone. Access to the VIP lounge area.
• Public Concierge: assistance with filing a 90-day immigration report, obtaining a driver’s license, and opening a bank account.
• Other benefits: special discounts and bonuses offered by the King Power Duty-Free chain, golf clubs, spas, medical centers, hotels, restaurants, bars, and several retailers.

Let us consider different Thailand Elite Visa types and their advantages 

Documents to Be Submitted with the Application for the Thailand Elite Visa

The Thailand Elite Visa is issued to foreign nationals who apply by submitting a package of the following documents:

• a passport with the minimum validity for 12 months and three blank pages;
• a photo (2×2 inches, other requirements apply);
• for a family with members under 20, copies of documents confirming the relationship with the legal representative/holder of the Thailand Elite Visa (marriage certificates, birth certificates) will be required for such members;
• a completed Application Form for the Thailand Elite Visa.

The Thailand Elite Visa application procedure

1. The applicant needs to fill out the application form, sign it, attach the required documents (see above).

2. The compliance, immigration, and criminal background checks take from 1 to 3 months. 

3. The application is approved if the due diligence proves to be successful. 

4. The applicant pays the fee for the selected Visa type (bank transfer, cash/credit card payment accepted). The payment receipt/payment confirmation needs to be submitted.

5. Before the payment confirmation, the applicant’s data is entered into the relevant state databases. 

6. The applicant receives the welcome letter and is officially assigned the appropriate immigration status. 

7. The applicant gets the Thailand Elite Visa affixed to his/her passport (the Visa is a sticker).

Where can you get the Thailand Elite Visa sticker affixed to your passport? 

There are currently 2 options available, and one is temporarily suspended:

1. Any diplomatic mission of Thailand abroad (consulate/embassy) – either in your home country or any other jurisdiction;

2. A branch of the Thailand Immigration Bureau (in Bangkok);

3. The Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok), Phuket, and Chiang Mai airports in case of arrival by an international flight (please note that this service is temporarily unavailable).

The place and date of the issuance of a Thailand Elite Visa must be coordinated with the relevant contact center at least 5 working days before the intended date of receipt.

Cancellation of the immigration status

Thailand Elite Visa can be revoked. The termination of the immigration status is possible in the following cases:

• when the holder fails to comply with the requirements listed above (look up the “Requirements for the Thailand Elite Visa Applicants and Holders”);
• when it becomes known that the holder provided false/inconsistent information when applying for the immigration status;
• if the Thailand Elite Visa program gets terminated by the government: when the competent government authority issues and publishes an order, rule, regulation, law suspending the immigration service provider serving the Thailand Elite Visa holder (the beneficiary is notified in advance in writing).

Tax information for foreigners interested in the Thailand Elite Visa 

The fact of participation in the Thailand Elite Visa program is not the basis for imposing additional tax obligations on the beneficiary. But the status of a Thailand tax resident due to a long stay in this jurisdiction entails certain consequences.

This status is granted to individuals who remain in Thailand for more than six months (183 days) in a calendar year. Fiscal residents of the jurisdiction are required to pay personal income tax on Thai and worldwide income. The amount of the fee payable is calculated on a progressive rate scale (up to 35%).

Disadvantages of the Thailand Elite Visa 

• the total costs of obtaining the appropriate immigration status are quite expensive;
• the Thailand Elite Visa does not come with the work permit;
• the program does not allow Thailand Elite Visa holders to become temporary/permanent residents or citizens of the host country;
• beneficiaries are required to report to the Immigration Office quarterly, just like other expats (the Thailand Elite Visa holders can leave their passports at the office of the immigration agent/consigliere who will take care of the formalities);
• it is forbidden to buy land in Thailand (this rule applies to all foreigners);
• interesting alternatives are available to retirees. Persons aged 50+ may apply for a Retirement Visa by depositing 800,000 baht in a Thailand bank, this balance needs to be renewed annually. The cost of this arrangement is 1900 baht. While staying in Thailand, the holder is not allowed to use this deposit. However, this money can be withdrawn from the account at any time and if the retiree relocates to another country. There are no attractive alternatives to the Thailand Elite Visa for persons under 50.

Expert support for obtaining the Thailand Elite Visa 

The application process for the Thailand Elite Visa program is simple and straightforward. This scheme is the most convenient option for gaining access to Thailand. But applicants are not allowed to apply on their own: the help of a licensed immigration agent is required.

You are welcome to contact us at the e-mail address given above this aricle if you would like to apply or learn more about the Thailand Elite Visa. You can order a FREE consultation with InternationalWealth experts, and they will help you apply to the Thailand Elite Visa office.