Verified 10 September 2026
Thailand LTR vs Thai retirement visa: fees and rules
Two routes, side by side. Each name below links to its full requirements page.
- Long-Term Resident Visa (Thailand LTR)
- Thailand's LTR is a ten-year residence track for high earners, pensioners and skilled professionals. Its health insurance floor is USD 50,000, materially lower than the retirement visa's, and a USD 100,000 deposit can be substituted for cover entirely.
- Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay) (Thai retirement visa)
- Thailand's O-A retirement visa is open from age 50 and requires health cover of at least 3,000,000 THB (USD 100,000) per policy year, from a Thai insurer on the TGIA long-stay list or a foreign insurer that can complete the Foreign Insurance Certificate.
| LTR | Thai retirement visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | thailand | thailand |
| Stay per entry | 5 years, renewable for a further 5 | 1 year |
| Total validity | 10 years | 1 year, renewable in-country |
| Government fee | ฿50,000 — Per person, as stated by the BOI LTR portal for collection in Thailand; the portal says the fee may be higher at Royal Thai Embassies/Consulates abroad or via e-visa. Checked 2026-10-02. | None |
| Income required | None | None |
| Savings required | None | ฿800,000 — or an income certificate showing a monthly pension of not less than 65,000 THB, or a deposit plus monthly pension totalling not less than 80,000 THB. A bank letter of guarantee is required with a bank statement |
| Deposit required | $100,000 — optional — substitutes for the insurance requirement | None |
| Minimum age | None | 50 |
| Health insurance | Required — $50,000 | Required — ฿3,000,000 |
| Processing time | Around 20 working days after qualification endorsement | 3–6 weeks |
| Apply from | Inside or outside Thailand, via the Board of Investment LTR portal | Outside Thailand, at the Thai embassy or consulate for your country of residence |
Choose the LTR if
- Ten years of certainty, against the DTV's five and the O-A's annual renewal.
- The insurance bar is half the O-A's, and can be replaced by a deposit.
- Comes with a digital work permit and reduced reporting obligations.
Choose the Thai retirement visa if
- Renewable indefinitely in-country once established, with no exit requirement beyond 90-day reporting.
- Permits a Thai bank account and long-term lease without the friction tourist stamps create.
- Dependants can be included.
Quick answers
- How much money does the Thailand LTR need compared with the Thai retirement visa?
- Thailand LTR: deposit $100,000. Thai retirement visa: savings ฿800,000.
- Which of the Thailand LTR and the Thai retirement visa requires health insurance?
- Thailand LTR: required, at least $50,000. Thai retirement visa: required, at least ฿3,000,000.
- How long can I stay on the Thailand LTR and on the Thai retirement visa?
- Thailand LTR: stay per entry 5 years, renewable for a further 5, total validity 10 years. Thai retirement visa: stay per entry 1 year, total validity 1 year, renewable in-country.
Keep reading
LTR last checked 10 September 2026; Thai retirement visa last checked 3 October 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.