Many people desire to settle permanently in Thailand. It’s one of South East Asia’s most sought-after travel destinations. Foreigners who travel to the Land of Smiles frequently will eventually look for places to stay for an extended period of time. They enquire as to whether long-term visas are available or if they can apply to become Thai Permanent Residents. If this describes you, we will now address all of your concerns.
There are two options for long-term visas: the Elite Card Membership and long-term residency. They are not the same thing, though. In Thailand, there are different requirements for applying for and maintaining legal permanent residency than there are for Elite Card membership.
- What is Elite Visa or Elite Card Program in Thailand?
- Permanent Residence in Thailand
- Long-term Residence in Thailand: Recent Updates
- Difference between Permanent Residence and Elite Card in Thailand
- Permanent Residence or Elite Visa in Thailand?
What is Elite Visa or Elite Card Program in Thailand?
A long-term visa in increments of 5, 10, 15, or 20 years can be obtained by enrolling in Thailand’s Elite Card program. It begins at 500,000 baht for five years and rises to 2,000,000 baht for twenty years. There are eight different membership options, each of which offers different advantages.
The holder of this five-year multiple-entry visa, known formally as a “Privilege Entry Visa,” is applicable to enter and exit the country without obtaining further authorization. An annual stay is valid with each visa entry. At the Thai immigration office, visa holders who don’t wish to leave Thailand within a year can prolong their stay.
Those who don’t fall into a specific category yet wish to stay in Thailand permanently can benefit from this visa. For instance, they don’t meet the requirements for a retirement visa, don’t have business interests in Thailand, don’t have a Thai spouse, don’t want to attend school in Thailand, etc. These persons benefit from the Elite card. The Thailand Elite Visa enables the user to take advantage of a protracted stay in Thailand without worrying about extra costs like returning and forth to extend the validity of the visa or applying for a visa at each arrival.
Thailand Elite provides international travelers with the greatest national membership program. It is the only country membership program that provides rewards for business, leisure, and immigration. Thailand Elite can provide members amenities when they arrive in Thailand because it is a state-owned organization and a division of the Thai Tourism Authority.
Benefits of Thai Elite Visa
From the moment you arrive, you will benefit from VIP services and benefits as a member of Thailand Elite. These benefits are available to Thailand Elite members:
- Elite Personal Assistant service for airports
- Exclusive fast-track immigration lanes for arrival and departure
- Exclusive arrival/departure lounge
- Elite Personal Liaison to handle government requirements like the 90-day report and driver’s license submission and processing
- Opening bank accounts assistance
- 24/7 Elite Member Contact Center to help Thailand Elite members with service bookings, questions, and emergency contacts
- Legal, insurance, real estate assistant
- Discounts and booking at Thailand Elite partner hospitals, spas, restaurants, golf courses, and department stores, including King Power duty-free
Work Permit for Thailand Elite Visa
Thailand Elite may apply for work permits through the Elite Flexible Plus program.
The New Flexible Plus Program for Thailand Elite is for members who are willing to work and invest in Thailand. A minimum 10-year Thailand Privilege Card membership comes with a 1-million-baht membership fee.
Permanent Residence in Thailand
One may apply for permanent residence in Thailand after a specific period of time in the visa and work permit status. Once granted permanent status, one is free from the need for additional visas. You have to renew your non-immigrant visa on an annual basis. These visas consist of business, marriage, education, and retirement visas.
Despite being perpetual, it does not grant authorization to work. However, for each new job, you still need a work permit, even if you have permanent status. The rules for work permits are more lenient for permanent residents.
The residence permit is perpetual. However, it is revocable. However, re-entry permission (endorsement) is mandatory if you plan to leave and enter Thailand again.
If you have been a Permanent Resident for ten years, you can apply for Thai Citizenship.
Benefits of Permanent Residence in Thailand
Thailand offers a number of advantages for permanent residents, including:
- Without requesting an extension, you are permitted to remain in Thailand permanently.
- You can purchase a condo without a bank transfer by using your name on the paperwork for registering your home.
- Having permanent residency makes it simpler to obtain a work visa.
- Thai public business directors are electable.
- You are able to naturalize as a Thai citizen.
- For non-Thai family members, you can even seek a stay extension and permanent residency.
There is a quota on the annual number of applications from each nationality under the existing system of permanent residency in Thailand. Each year, Thailand allows 100 permanent citizens from each nation. Additionally, there is a “window” of time during which they accept applications for permanent residence before it shuts until the next year.
How to Become a Permanent Resident in Thailand?
To become a permanent resident of Thailand, you must fulfill the following conditions:
- You must have held a Thai non-immigrant visa for three years prior to applying. Three additional annual extensions must be consecutive.
- You must fit one of these categories:
- Working/Business: Investment (minimum 3-10M Baht in Thailand).
- Humanity Reasons or support a family category: You must be related to a Thai citizen or immigrant who already has a residence visa as a husband, wife, father, mother, or guardian of a Thai kid under 20.
- Academic/Expert category: Those who want to work in Thai state universities, government research institutes, or state training institutes. To qualify as a foreign specialist (expert), the applicant must provide a Thai or foreign employment contract. In addition, before applying for a long-term visa, they must also have worked in “designated industries” for at least five to ten years.
You’ll get a blue book after the approval of your application for permanent residency in Thailand. After that, register your Thai address at the neighborhood Amphur to receive a house card. After a week, you can go to the neighborhood police station to apply for an alien (red book), which is the Thai national ID card equivalent. For this ID, re-registration is mandatory every year.
Long-term Residence in Thailand: Recent Updates
The cost of a long-term residency visa was cut in half by the Thai cabinet to 50,000 baht. However, this visa is for foreigners who are “competent” and desire to stay in Thailand for ten years. So, foreigners with high levels of skill can now apply for visas and pay 50,000 THB to live in Thailand for ten years. Additionally, they can also have up to four kids with their partners (under 20).
However, one needs to demonstrate that they have an income of $80,000 or more annually for at least two years before applying in order to get recognition as a high earner.
Those who participate in the program must have medical insurance with a minimum face value of $50,000 and a minimum term of ten months. Furthermore, a social security certificate that covers their medical costs in Thailand may also be provided. Please note that the applicant may alternatively utilize a $100k cash deposit held for 12 months as a substitute in a domestic or overseas bank account.
Difference between Permanent Residence and Elite Card in Thailand
In Thailand, there are different requirements for applying for and maintaining legal permanent residency than there are for Elite Card membership.
Once granted permanent residency, a person is no longer required to leave the nation and has few legal responsibilities. With the Elite card, such is not the case. While Elite cards do not expire, permanent residency does. Permanent residency, however, is reversible.
Like a protracted tourist visa, the Elite Card. Although elite status can persist for a long time, it is not a right to live there permanently in Thailand.
A visa is not a status of permanent residence. To obtain it, one must already have a visa.
Elite card status is not a prerequisite for seeking Thai citizenship; permanent residency is. It is not regarded as residency and is therefore one of the requirements to seek naturalization Thai citizenship because it is essentially a very lengthy tourist visa.
Obtaining a work permit while in Elite status depends on the situation and necessitates dealing with immigration once more. Work authorization is required with permanent residency as well, but the procedure is much simpler.
In contrast to Elite status, which does not require a re-entry permit (endorsement) to enter or exit the country, permanent residency requires specific actions to exit the country.
How to Decide whether a Permanent Residence or Elite Visa in Thailand?
The said documents serve a specific set of purposes. Whether you need a Permanent Residence or an Elite Visa in Thailand, completely depends on your objective to move to Thailand. After going through the previous section of this article, you must have been able to identify the difference between the two types of documents. For example, if you are seeking to have Thai citizenship in the future, you must apply for Permanent Residence, as in that case, Elite Visa is not going to help you.
Therefore, if you are planning to have any of the said documents, feel free to consult us as we will be able to provide you with the following support in your application process:
- Complete the documentation on your behalf.
- Translation of the documents.
- Notarization of your documents.
- Assist you in obtaining the tax documents.
- Linguistic support, if you are unable to communicate in the Thai language, many issues may turn up.
There may be many more perspectives and options on which we can support your Permanent Residence or Elite Visa application in Thailand. Therefore, book a free round of consultation with us today by emailing your requirement to [email protected].
