What’s the application process, and how long does it take?

Stage 1 is background screening and approval. Once you’ve decided which tier to pursue (Bronze, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, or Reserve, with Reserve being invitation-only and rare), and whether you’re applying solo, with Next Members, or as a Next Member under an already-approved Core Member, Thailand Blueprint preps and packages all the documents in the client portal (opens in a new tab) in the exact format the company’s officers expect.

The application then goes to Thailand Privilege Card Company, which runs background checks against the Royal Thai Police, the Immigration Bureau, the Consular Department, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs databases. Thailand Blueprint tracks progress and updates you regularly, including immediately if more documents are requested. This stage is a security and immigration eligibility review only. There’s no financial qualification review and no employer review, which is what makes this path much faster than the LTR Visa. Approval usually comes through in 4 to 8 weeks, with the background check timing being the main variable depending on nationality.

Stage 2 is payment and visa issuance. Once the company approves you, you receive written approval and an invoice for the membership fee (and any Next Member fees). You have to pay the full fee within the deadline on the written approval, or the approval is automatically cancelled. No second chances, no extensions, no payment plans. Payment is by Thai Baht remittance to Thailand Privilege Card Company’s Krung Thai Bank account, and no bank charges can be deducted from the amount.

Once the company confirms it has the money, Thailand Blueprint sets up the visa issuance, either in Thailand at a major airport (coordinated with the EPA service on arrival) or through a Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad as a PDF e-Visa. The two paths have different mechanics, covered below.