Before you start

A passport valid at least 6 months (often 12+ for long-stay visas) with blank pages.
Most long-stay visas (DTV, LTR, ED, retirement Non-O/O-A) must be applied for from OUTSIDE Thailand via the e-Visa portal (thaievisa.go.th) or BOI — you generally cannot start them while already in-country on a tourist entry.
A Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) filed online within 72 hours before every arrival (replaced the paper TM6 on 1 May 2025).
A confirmed Chiang Mai address — your landlord/host must file a TM30 residence notification, which immigration checks before processing extensions and 90-day reports.

Step-by-step

1
Pick your route and meet the financial threshold
DTV (most nomads): 5-year multiple-entry, 500,000 THB in personal savings held ~3 months. LTR (wealthy/skilled/retiree/WFH): 10-year, e.g. Work-from-Thailand Professionals need USD 80,000/yr income for 2 years + USD 50,000 health insurance. Retirement Non-O (age 50+): 800,000 THB in a Thai bank or 65,000 THB/month pension. Non-ED (Thai-language study, very popular in Chiang Mai). Non-B + work permit (employment). Short stays: 60-day visa-exempt entry. Crypto, business and securities accounts are NOT accepted as proof of funds.
OnlineWho: Applicant1-3 weeks gathering documents; funds should be 'seasoned' in the account ~3 monthsBank statement / document fees only at this stage
2
Apply via the Thai e-Visa portal (or BOI for LTR) from outside Thailand
For DTV, retirement and most Non-Immigrant visas, create an account at thaievisa.go.th, select the visa (DTV categories: Workcation, Thai Soft Power, or Dependent), upload passport, photo, proof of funds and supporting docs (employment/freelance contracts, Muay Thai/cooking enrolment, or MOE letter for ED), and pay online. LTR is applied for separately through BOI's LTR portal (ltr.boi.go.th) with an endorsement step. You cannot apply for these from inside Thailand on a tourist stamp.
OnlineWho: Applicant (or a Chiang Mai visa agent for ED/retirement paperwork)DTV ~2-4 weeks; LTR ~4-8 weeks including BOI qualification endorsementDTV ~10,000 THB (~USD 290); LTR 50,000 THB per person (~USD 1,450); Non-O retirement ~2,000-5,000 THB
3
Enter Thailand and validate your stay in Chiang Mai
Arrive within the visa's validity window with your TDAC filed. On a DTV you get up to 180 days per entry; LTR a 5-year stay permit; retirement/ED a 90-day initial stamp converted to a 1-year permit. Within 24 hours of moving into your Chiang Mai accommodation, your landlord/host (or a condo office) must file the TM30 — many nomads do this themselves online. Keep the TM30 receipt; you'll need it for every subsequent immigration transaction.
In personWho: Applicant + landlord/accommodation owner (for TM30)TM30 within 24 hours of arrival/move; immigration desk visit 2-3 minutes (drive-thru) to 1-3 hours in peak seasonTM30 free (late-filing fine ~800-2,000 THB)
4
Stay compliant: 90-day reports, extensions and re-entry permits
Every 90 days of continuous stay you must report your address (TM47) — online, by post, via the immigration app, or in person at the Chiang Mai Immigration Office at 71 M.3 Airport Road, Suthep (the old Promenada/Central Festival office moved; main services are now near the airport with a drive-thru). DTV holders can extend one stay by 180 days for 1,900 THB; ED holders extend every 90 days (1,900 THB) with 80%+ attendance; retirees renew the 1-year permit annually. Before any trip abroad on a single-entry permit, buy a re-entry permit (1,000 THB single / 3,800 THB multiple) or your permission to stay is cancelled. DTV and LTR are multiple-entry, so no re-entry permit needed.
In personWho: Applicant90-day report due within a 15-day window around the 90-day mark; do extensions before the stamp expires90-day report free; extension 1,900 THB; re-entry permit 1,000/3,800 THB

Documents you’ll need

Passport (6-12 months validity) plus copies of the bio page and current visa/entry stamp
Recent passport-style photo (white background)
Proof of funds: official bank statement — DTV 500,000 THB held ~3 months; retirement Non-O 800,000 THB; LTR per-category income/asset/insurance evidence
DTV supporting docs by category: employment/freelance contract or portfolio (Workcation), or enrolment in a Muay Thai gym / Thai cooking / Thai language program (Thai Soft Power)
ED visa: Ministry of Education (MOE) acceptance letter from a licensed Chiang Mai language school (~15 business days to issue)
TM30 residence notification receipt (filed by landlord/host)
TM47 form for 90-day reporting; TDAC (Digital Arrival Card) confirmation for each entry

Things most newcomers don’t know

Apply for the DTV (and most long-stay visas) from OUTSIDE Thailand — you cannot start them on a tourist stamp, so plan the application before you fly to Chiang Mai or do it during a trip home / a neighbouring country.

The e-Visa portal thaievisa.go.th handles DTV worldwide, but it still requires proof you are applying from outside Thailand. People already on a 60-day visa-exempt entry often have to leave (e.g. to Vientiane or Penang) to lodge the DTV.

Source: Thai e-Visa portal (thaievisa.go.th) / MFA DTV checklist

The Chiang Mai Immigration Office is no longer at Promenada mall — it moved to 71 M.3 Airport Road near Chiang Mai International Airport, with a drive-thru/walk-thru for 90-day reports.

Old guides (and Google's top results) still point to the Promenada location, which is closed — going to the wrong place wastes a morning. The airport office runs a ticket system that fills early in high season; arrive before 08:30 or file your 90-day report online to skip it entirely.

Source: Chiang Mai Immigration Office (chiangmai.immigration.go.th)

The TM30 is the quiet gatekeeper: immigration will refuse your 90-day report or extension if your address isn't on file, so confirm your landlord has filed it (or file it yourself online) the day you move in.

Many Chiang Mai condos and Airbnb-style hosts don't file the TM30 by default. A missing or out-of-date TM30 is the single most common reason nomads get bounced at the counter, and late filing carries a fine.

Source: Thailand Immigration Bureau (immigration.go.th) — TM30 residence notification

Common mistakes to avoid

Treating the DTV like a work visa for LOCAL income — it only covers remote work for clients/employers OUTSIDE Thailand; taking Thai employment requires a Non-B + work permit
Letting proof-of-funds fail the seasoning test: the 500,000 THB (DTV) or 800,000 THB (retirement) must sit in the account for months — a last-minute transfer is routinely rejected, and crypto/brokerage balances don't count
Missing the 90-day report or filing outside the 15-day window — fines apply, and repeated lapses can complicate future extensions
Leaving Thailand on a single-entry retirement/ED visa WITHOUT buying a re-entry permit first — doing so cancels your permission to stay and forces you to start over
Assuming visa-exempt entry is unlimited: since 13 November 2025 the 60-day exempt stay can only be extended 30 days then 7 days, capped at twice per calendar year, and frequent back-to-back entries draw scrutiny

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.