For retirees with solid passive income, the LTR Wealthy Pensioner Visa is one of the most streamlined, long-term Visa options in Thailand. You get up to 10 years of stay permission, heavily reduced reporting requirements, and the comfort of knowing you won’t have to renew your Visa every year to remain in Thailand.
It’s a great option — but it’s not for everyone.
The requirements are stricter than the traditional Non-Immigrant O Retirement Visa. But if you meet them, it's a very real pathway that many find to be worth the extra paperwork upfront for the peace of mind it delivers on the back end.
Here’s a full breakdown of what you get — and what’s required to apply.
1) The Key Benefits:
- 10 years of permission to stay in Thailand (issued as two 5-year segments)
- 90-day reporting reduced to 1-year reporting
- A clear digital application process through the Board of Investment (BOI)
- Tax exemption for overseas income
- And most importantly — no annual extensions if you’re approved. You’re set for 5 years at a time.
But to qualify, the bar is higher than Thailand’s traditional Non-Immigrant O or OA visas. Let’s take a look at what’s actually required.
2) The Financial Requirements:
Route 1: Full Passive Income Route
- Show USD $80,000 or more in passive income over the past 12 months
- This Income must be passive and unearned in nature such as earnings from pensions, annuities, dividends, royalties, or rental income
- Important: If part of your passive income is non-taxable and does not show up on the Tax Return you submit as part of your application, you can submit a letter of explanation stating this coupled with matching bank statements that show regular deposits on the non-taxable passive income to your bank account. This is something that lots of Retirees do as part of their application
Route 2: Lower Passive Income + Investment in Thailand
- Show USD $40,000–$79,999 per year in passive income AND show at least USD $250,000 invested in Thailand in one of the following items:
- Thai Government Bonds with at least 5 years of remaining maturity
- Freehold Condo Ownership
- Lease agreement issued by the Department of Land
- Usufruct agreement
- Stock Exchange of Thailand listed stocks held for at least 1 year at the time of application
- Equity in a Thai Company
3) The Health Insurance Requirement:
You must provide one of the following three options:
- Option 1 – Proof of health insurance with coverage of at least USD $50,000 for hospitalization and treatment in Thailand
- Option 2 – Proof that your country's government benefits program or social security program includes coverage for hospitalization in Thailand
- Option 3 – USD $100,000 in cash held in your name for at least 12 months.
Important Note: For Option 3 shown above... although the BOI references a Bank Statement on their website for proof of this, most people don't keep this much money in cash in a standard bank account (for obvious reasons). So, what some applicants do in this case is provide an additional letter of explanation and supporting documentation if they have 'Cash or Cash Equivalents' as an asset class as part of their Investments. This is what my colleagues Bob & Paula did, and both were approved for their respective LTR Visas.
4) Required Supporting Documents:
- Passport with at least 6 months validity remaining and least 2 blank pages available
- TM.6 Card (only required if you entered Thailand before July 1, 2022, or you entered via a land border)
- Formal Passport Photo taken within the past 6 months with white background. No glasses, hats, or accessories allowed.
5) Potentials (Case-By-Case Basis):
- Police clearance from your home country (not older than 3 months) OR:
- Thai Police Certificate from the Royal Thai Police
6) Additional Info:
- All documents must be in Thai or English. If translated, they must be notarized
- Application is submitted online via the BOI’s official LTR Visa portal
- The government fee is 50,000 THB, payable only upon approval
7) FAQ's:
1) Does Savings Count as Income?
Unfortunately, no. Even if you have more than USD $800,000 in investments, assets, cash, cash equivalents, and beyond... this specific visa requires recurring passive income.
2. My total passive income is more than USD $80,000, but less than this shows up on my tax return. What can I do?
You can still qualify — but you’ll need to write a letter explaining the situation and submit bank statements showing regular deposits that match.
3) Is there landownership benefits for LTR Visa holders?
No. You are treated the same as all other Foreign Visa holders when it comes to this. You can invest in Thai property such as Condos, Land Leasehold Agreements, Usufruct Agreements, etc., but so can every other foreign national. The LTR Visa does not provide any sort of exemption or special case here.
4) What are the benefits of an LTR Wealthy Pensioner Visa over a standard Non-O Retirement Visa?
The benefits really depend on what's important to you. Both are great options. That said:
- The LTR offers Longer Term Status (5-years vs. 1-year)
- The LTR offers Reduced Reporting Requirements (1-year vs. 90-days)
- The LTR has crystal-clear tax exemptions
- The LTR has a Multiple Entry Re-Entry permit built in (you must purchase this separately with a Non-O, though it is quite cheap)
8) Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, if you meet the requirements, the LTR Wealthy Pensioner Visa can make life in Thailand simpler, and more stable. You can learn more about it or even apply fully on your own through the official BOI website.
But if you're not sure whether you qualify or whether this is even the right fit, don’t worry. One of my closest friends here in Bangkok, Wat, runs the visa services side of Thailand Blueprint and helps people day in and day out with their visa applications — from the first conversation all the way through to final approval.
If you’d like him to take a look at your situation and let you know where you stand, just click here and book a free LTR eligibility assessment with him.
When you're ready, here's how we can help:
1. Get a clear Thailand relocation plan: We'll walk through your situation, goals, and map out a step-by-step plan to make your life in Thailand happen without guesswork or overwhelm. Practical advice from someone who's helped hundreds of people over the past five years do exactly what you're trying to do.
2. Get your Visa sorted without the stress: Your entire Thai visa application handled from start to finish. No paperwork headaches, no Immigration office chaos. Whether you're retiring, working remotely, moving with your family, or starting a business, we get you approved quickly so you can focus on actually living here.
3. Learn Thai that actually sticks: Join Teacher Fah's Thai Language Challenge. A 100-day structured program that's already helped over 900 expats build real speaking skills they can use daily. If you'd like to see my progress after her 100-day challenge so you know what you can achieve, just watch this video here. Enrollment is limited to 50 students per cohort to ensure personal attention. If doors aren't open right now, you can join the waitlist for first access.
