Thailand Permanent Residency: Qualifications & How to Apply

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If you’re ready to make the lifelong move to Thailand, then Permanent Residency is an option! This opens you to a lot more options and freedoms within Thailand that you wouldn’t have as a non-immigrant visa holder. For example, you don’t have to get a visa extension, you can buy property and get work permits more easily, you can get a high-level position with a Thailand-based company, and more.

It can take about a year from application to approval, and only 100 Thailand Permanent Residence offers are given per year to each nationality—so the process can be very competitive.

Thailand Permanent Residency Qualifications

Your basic qualifications for Thailand Permanent Residency are that you must:

Have spent three consecutive years in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa
Have a valid work permit spanning three years’ minimum from the date of your application
Earn 30,000 Baht per month (about $825) if married to a Thai spouse for at least five years, or 80,000 Baht per month (about $2,200) if single

Thailand Permanent Residency Categories

You can apply for permanent residency under four categories:

Investment
- To qualify for Permanent Residency through investment, you must invest at least 3 million Baht (about $82,500) into a Thai company
Business or work
- You must have had a Thailand Work Visa and Work Permit for at least three years, have worked for your current company for at least one year and can show that you have an Extension of Stay based on your employment, and you must have a monthly salary of at least 80,000 Baht (about $2,200) for the past two years, or an annual income of at least 100,000 Baht (about $2,800) for the past two years
Family member of a Thai citizen
- You must be an immediate family member (parent, child, or spouse) of a Thai citizen
Expert or academic
- To qualify for this option, you must hold a Bachelor’s degree or be employed in your current position for the past three years
Other categories defined by Thailand Immigration

If you’re interested in citizenship, you’re eligible to apply after having lived as a Permanent Resident in Thailand for five consecutive years.

Thailand visa rules are constantly changing, so make sure to check with the Embassy of Thailand to understand the most current application requirements, costs, and eligibility rules. For further reading, click here.

Thailand COVID Travel Requirements

As of October 1, 2022, Thailand has lifted its COVID travel restrictions. You don’t need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter, and you don’t have to stay in the sandbox. Of course we recommend exercising reasonable caution during travel to any destination and being respectful of your fellow humans.

Other Thailand Visa Options

Featured image via Unsplash.

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