What is Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)?

Remote workers and freelancers earning abroad, plus people here for Thai soft-power activities — Muay Thai, cooking courses, medical treatment — and their dependants. It lasts 5-year multiple-entry visa. Each entry allows up to 180 days, extendable once in-country for another 180. None. The DTV is a long-validity visitor visa, not a residence permit, and does not lead to permanent residence.

What is Thailand's Non-Immigrant B visa + work permit?

Anyone employed by a Thai company. The visa and the work permit are two separate documents and you need both. It lasts visa typically issued for 90 days, then extended to 1 year in-country and renewed annually. Permanent residence becomes possible after 3 consecutive years on annual extensions, subject to a small annual quota per nationality.

What is Thailand's Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa?

Wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, work-from-Thailand professionals employed by large foreign companies, and highly skilled specialists. It lasts 10 years, issued as 5 years renewable for 5 more. Not a permanent-residence route, but the longest-horizon status available short of PR.

What is Thailand's Retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O / O-A)?

People aged 50 and over who want to settle in Thailand without working. It lasts 1 year, renewable annually and indefinitely. Does not lead to permanent residence; it renews indefinitely instead.

GlobeQuest

Moving from Armenia to Thailand

What your passport gets you at the border — and what it takes to actually stay.

Armenia

ThailandShort stay

Visa on arrival

Armenia passport holders can get a visa on arrival in Thailand — no application before you fly, but expect a fee and a queue at the border.

This is short-stay visitor policy only. It does not let you work, study or settle in Thailand — that needs a residence permit.

Passport Index · updated 17 February 2026Thailand's official immigration service

Long stay

How you actually move to Thailand

Digital nomadHigh confidenceVerified July 2026

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)

Remote workers and freelancers earning abroad, plus people here for Thai soft-power activities — Muay Thai, cooking courses, medical treatment — and their dependants.

What you need

At least THB 500,000 (or foreign-currency equivalent) held in a savings account, evidenced by 3–6 months of official bank statements
Evidence for your chosen category: remote employment or freelance contracts for Workcation, or course/treatment booking for Soft Power
Passport valid 6+ months

How long it lasts: 5-year multiple-entry visa. Each entry allows up to 180 days, extendable once in-country for another 180.
Path to permanent residence: None. The DTV is a long-validity visitor visa, not a residence permit, and does not lead to permanent residence.
Cost: Around THB 10,000 for the visa; the in-country 180-day extension costs extra.
Processing time: Typically a few weeks through the e-Visa portal, varying sharply by embassy.

Worth knowing

Cryptocurrency holdings and brokerage statements are not accepted as proof of funds — it must be a bank savings account.
The DTV does not permit working for a Thai employer or earning Thai-source income. That still requires a work permit.
Requirements are interpreted differently by different embassies; some demand statements issued within 7–30 days of submission.

Sources:Thai e-Visa Official Portal

Work / sponsoredMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Non-Immigrant B visa + work permit

Anyone employed by a Thai company. The visa and the work permit are two separate documents and you need both.

What you need

Job offer from a Thai company meeting the registered-capital and Thai-to-foreign staff ratios
Degree and supporting employment documents
Medical certificate
Company documents filed with the Department of Employment for the work permit

How long it lasts: Visa typically issued for 90 days, then extended to 1 year in-country and renewed annually.
Path to permanent residence: Permanent residence becomes possible after 3 consecutive years on annual extensions, subject to a small annual quota per nationality.
Cost: Visa plus work-permit fees; the employer's compliance burden is the larger cost.
Processing time: Several weeks, plus the 90-day reporting cycle once you are resident.

Worth knowing

The employer must maintain the required ratio of Thai employees per foreign worker — small companies often cannot.
90-day reporting is a hard obligation with fines for lapses.

Sources:Thailand Immigration Bureau Thai e-Visa Official Portal

InvestmentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa

Wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, work-from-Thailand professionals employed by large foreign companies, and highly skilled specialists.

What you need

Category-specific thresholds on income, assets or investment set by the Board of Investment
Health insurance or a deposit meeting the stated coverage
For the work-from-Thailand category, employment with an established foreign company meeting revenue tests

How long it lasts: 10 years, issued as 5 years renewable for 5 more.
Path to permanent residence: Not a permanent-residence route, but the longest-horizon status available short of PR.
Cost: THB 50,000 for the 10-year visa, plus the digital work permit where applicable.
Processing time: BOI endorsement takes around 20 working days, then visa issuance.

Worth knowing

The work-from-Thailand category imposes revenue tests on your *employer*, which rules out most startups and freelancers.
LTR holders get a 17% personal income tax cap in the skilled-professional category and are exempt from 90-day reporting.

Sources:Thailand BOI — Long-Term Resident visa

RetirementMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O / O-A)

People aged 50 and over who want to settle in Thailand without working.

What you need

Aged 50+
THB 800,000 in a Thai bank account seasoned for the required months, or THB 65,000/month income, or a combination
Health insurance with the mandated minimum coverage for the O-A category
Criminal record and medical certificates for O-A

How long it lasts: 1 year, renewable annually and indefinitely.
Path to permanent residence: Does not lead to permanent residence; it renews indefinitely instead.
Cost: Visa and annual extension fees are modest; the seasoned bank balance is the real requirement.
Processing time: Weeks for the initial visa; extensions are handled at your local immigration office.

Worth knowing

Working on a retirement visa is prohibited, including remote work in the strictest readings.
The bank balance must be seasoned before and maintained after the extension — immigration checks both.

Sources:Thailand Immigration Bureau

On the ground

Where you'd land in Thailand

Bangkok

Frenetic, affordable Asian hub for nomads and builders.

Full Bangkok guide

Chiang Mai

Temples, mountains and the world's original digital-nomad capital — astonishingly cheap, deeply chill Lanna living, now with a 5-year nomad visa (mind the burning season).

Full Chiang Mai guide