aublumberg

Am on the new 3.25.1 and can’t change beyond 50k. Haven’t registered yet at a branch.

Bangkok Bank released a new app version which is more snappy and usability has improved. It also implements the “enhanced security by adding a facial recognition process for 1) transfer etc. of 50+k, 2) daily transaction totals 200+k and 3) raising transfer limits”. I don’t recall what my transaction limit was previously but it’s 50k now and when trying to raise it the app shows “if you want to proceed, please bring your passport and go to a branch”.

Back to the stone age then ... seriously hope not.

The Kbank app in its latest update has under Settings -> Facial verification with bank (Collect facial image for important transactions and other services with bank) newly added. When selecting it, a message is displayed “Sorry. Facial verification with bank is only for Thai customers.” Curious to observe how this will further evolve in the coming weeks …

FYI ... some interesting amendments (ahem ... expansions) to the list of target industries for LTR visa type Highly-Skilled Professionals. Previously: (1) Next-generation automotive industry; (2) Smart electronics industry; (3) Quality tourism industry; (4) Agriculture and biotechnology industry; (5) High value-added food processing industry; (6) Automation and robotics industry; (7) Aviation industry; (8) Biofuels and bio-chemical industry; (9) Digital industry; (10) Medical and comprehensive healthcare Industry; (11) Defense industry; (12) Direct and significant supporting industries for the circular economy, e.g., fuel production from wastes, water resource management, etc.; (13) Human resources development, and research and development for targeted industries; (14) Other targeted industries in line with the 20-year National Strategy and as approved by the Commission for National Competitiveness Enhancement for the Targeted Industries Policies. Now: 1) Automotive Industry 2) Electronics Industry 3) Affluent Tourism Industry 4) Agriculture, food, and biotechnology industry 5) Transportation and logistics industry 6) Automation and robotics industry 7) Aviation, aerospace, and space industry 8 ) Biofuels and bio-chemical industry 9) Petrochemical and Chemical Industry 10) Digital industry 11) Medical industry 12) National defense industry 13) Direct and significant supporting industries for the circular economy, e.g fuel production from wastes or water resource management, etc. 14) International Business Center (IBC) 15) Other industries in which the foreign applicants for the qualification endorsement must work with special expertise in one or more of the following areas: 1) Research and development in targeted industries or technologies, such as Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Advanced Material Technology, Digital Technology 2) Human resource development in science and technology at vocational or higher education levels 3) Application of artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics in business operations 4) Planning and development of digital systems to enhance business productivity and services 5) Financial or Marketing Analyst or Advisory Services. 6) Environmental and energy management 7) Management or Advisory of incubation programs, acceleration programs, innovation, and startup ecosystems 8 ) Alternative dispute resolution services. 9) Promotion and support of economic development, trade, and investment by foreign chambers of commerce and organizations promoting trade and investment from foreign countries.” Details on the BOI LTR website under Info Services -> Law & Regulations -> Announcement of the Office of the Board of Investment No. Por. 6/2566.

FYI for those wondering about opening a bank account on the LTR visa, the BOI website has launched a new section: LTR Visa Thailand - Opening Bank Account In Thailand (boi.go.th)

Application form for payment of electricity bill by direct debit from bank account (pea.co.th)

Correct, import of foreign currency exceeding the equivalent of USD15,000 has to be declared. See https://www.bot.or.th/Thai/FIPCS/Documents/FOG/2560/ThaiPDF/25600055.pdf

It's an option. Whether it's useful depends on the circumstances.

You can back it up with your fixed account which they freeze at your credit line.

Am a very recent UOB customer in addition to also having accounts at the usual local banks (BBK, K-Bank, SCB) and found their staff at UOB HQ on Sukhumvit refreshingly professional, commercially minded and modern to deal with during account opening and getting a credit card (no work permit and the usual local payslips, so most local banks just say "no"). Will see how it goes with UOB as an international alternative to the local banks going forward and who deserves more of my business ...

I don't believe you can use Wise to send from Thailand to Europe, see https://wise.com/help/articles/2932335/guide-to-thb-transfers ("You can’t currently send money from THB."). I've only ever used Wise for Thailand inbound transfers. There are services to send money from Thailand to Europe, e.g. https://www.deemoney.com/ but no personal experience. Poland seems not listed on their website as yet.

Thank you @Boomer6969, have explored this further and it ended up being fairly straightforward with Bangkok Bank (Visa, 500k) and UOB (Mastercard, 900k) apart from the three dozen or so pages with signatures each time.

It's listed on the BoI LTR website. At Suvarnabhumi itself one of the categories to use Fast Track is 'Smart Visa' (also BoI administered), it doesn't specifically state 'LTR' on the posters but I've traveled in and out a couple times and no problem. If challenged say you have "Smart Visa LTR" or something.

Don't worry, the stamp you will get when entering Thailand will have 5 years only. Was the same for my visa issued by Royal Thai Consulate in Hong Kong.

Thanks much @Misty for sharing these updated figures. A slow drip with a lot of WIP.

Yes a couple other factual inaccuracies in the article. It also doesn't even mention the Royal decree 743 nor the Revenue Department notification 427, both listed on the BOI LTR website. So the LTR specifics are not duly considered in the article. This is not a surprise since the article is dated 14 Sep 2022 (and thus probably written a week or more prior) at which time the LTR had only just been launched and the info on the BOI LTR website was not as comprehensive as it is today. The majority of the aspects in the article are not dependent on LTR visa but are generally applicable. Similarly, I would expect the average person answering enquiries at the Revenue Department not to know the LTR specifics. It's just too new, and too rare. Here is a more relevant article from an expert firm specialised in Thai tax: Thailand Long Term Resident Visa Tax - SHERRINGS. I've contacted two of the global top four tax and accounting firms and both provide specific tax advisory on this point for around USD2,000 - 3,000. I haven't gone ahead with it at this point due to personal circumstances, but would recommend anyone who is planning to spend any more than 180 days a calendar year in Thailand under a LTR-T visa to consider seeking professional tax advise.

Yes, they would consider your % portion of the respective investments e.g. if you jointly 50/50 own a condo of 10m then they would account 5m for your application.

When the LTR program was launched in one of the webcasts back in Aug / Sep 2022, that question came up and BOI explicitly said that dividend payments or similar recurring investment returns do qualify for the Wealthy Pensioner assessment. That's the general statement, of course the details will depend on the level of documentation etc. that you can provide them with. But in general - yes it should work.

Has anyone with a LTR-T (WFTP) been able to get a proper credit card locally in Thailand? Normal requirement is to show local pay slips as one of the conditions to get one which obviously doesn't apply for us. We also don't have a traditional local work permit for reasons mentioned above in the threat. I've got a couple debit cards with the major banks here and am aware you can have a 'credit' card that must be secured by a savings account ... which is like a debit card at the end of the day. They also tend to come with fairly low spend limits like THB100 - 150k a month.

Definitely not they way is supposed to work ???? but who am I to argue. Mine is fixed date every time, 5 years from first entry. It may be due to the fact that you traveled via DMK and not BKK so maybe less LTR expertise.

Yes all three criteria

Not applicable to LTR-T

Very helpful chart, thanks for sharing. So when you are 'qualification approved' you're actually only half way through the full process in fact ???? This explains the relatively long duration from getting the 'approval' notice to the visa issuance. It also clarifies that the other government agencies come after 'approved' and are not part of that, hence 'qualification approved' only.

In the email to me early Oct it stated 60 days but not sure how strictly that would be enforced. Full details below. Again, their procedure may have changed by now, this was early Oct 2022. 3. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR LTR VISA ISSUANCE Once the Notification Letter for Qualifications Endorsement has been issued (within 1-2 working days after the additional documents and updated information have been submitted and considered valid), please make an appointment for the LTR Visa issuance at One Stop Service for Visa and Work Permit Center (OSS), 18th floor, Chamchuri Square Building, Bangkok via LTR Visa application system or contact the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General in case of making the appointment for visa issuance overseas*. Please note that the result of the qualifications endorsement for LTR Visa is valid for a period of 60 days upon receiving this email. Therefore, please collect the visa before the result expires, otherwise you must apply for the qualifications endorsement again. * E-Visa is available only in some Embassies/Consulates. To check if it’s available in your area of residency, please go to www.thaievisa.go.th . Moreover applicant must apply for e-Visa via a specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency. The applicant is required to upload documents that can verify his/her current residency. 4. COLLECT YOUR LTR VISA 4.1 Procedures for visa issuance at One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS) 1. Please prepare the documents, print out and fill in the immigration forms as follows, and bring them with you on the appointment date. Passport or document in lieu of passport of an applicant and a copy of passport or document in lieu of passport Passport or document in lieu of passport of the main LTR Visa holder and a copy of passport or document in lieu of passport (for dependants) Copy of documents proving relationship such as a marriage certificate, registration of child legitimization, household registration certificate or child adoption registration certificate, or other evidence from the government or relevant agency (for dependants) Application form for LTR Visa (TM.94) One passport size photo (4 cm x 6 cm) * white background, dressed in business attire (t-shirt is not allowed) without wearing glasses or headgear, taken within 6 months (a photocopy or poor quality photos will not be accepted) Notification Letter from the Board of Investment to the Immigration Bureau within 60 days from the issuance date of the endorsement letter Criteria and Conditions Acknowledgement Form for a Temporary Stay Permit in the Kingdom (LTR Visa) (STM.8) 2. Please be on time for your visa issuance appointment and bring with you the abovementioned documents. Contact the LTR visa staff at the reception counter of the One Start One Stop Investment Center (OSOS) for the documentation check. For applicants who have applied for Digital Work Permit, please print out the appointment confirmation document and the payment form from the LTR Visa system and bring them with you on the appointment date (in addition to the Immigration forms mentioned above) for Digital Work Permit issuance. 3. Follow the LTR visa staff’s guidance to receive LTR Visa from the Immigration and Digital Work Permit from the Department of Employment. *Please prepare the visa processing fee on the appointment date as follows. LTR Visa processing fee - 50,000 THB per person per 10 years Digital Work Permit processing fee - 3,000 THB per person per one year 4.2 Procedures for visa issuance at Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General For Visa Sticker 1. Kindly contact Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General of your choice to make an appointment for visa issuance 2. Please prepare the documents, print out and fill in the forms as follows and bring them with you on the appointment date. a. Passport with the remaining validity of no less than 6 months b. Notification Letter for Qualifications Endorsement from BOI with has been issued for no more than 60 days c. Copy of documents proving relationship such as a marriage certificate, registration of child legitimization (for dependents) d. Visa application form 3. Follow the guidance of a consular officer at each Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General to receive your LTR Visa on your passport. Visa Fee : LTR visa processing fee at each Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General is based on the fee in Thailand (50,000 THB per person per 10 years), but may vary and is usually more than the fee in Thailand, depending on the currency rate and the additional fee which might be applied in some countries. For e-Visa 1. Please submit the following documents via www.thaievisa.go.th a. Biodata page of Passport or Travel Document b. Declaration c. Photograph *taken within the last six months. If the photograph does not reflect your current appearance, you may be refused to enter the Kingdom of Thailand d. Letter from BOI e. Other documents as required 2. E-visa will be issued and be notified via email and your e-Visa account Visa Fee : LTR visa processing fee at each Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General is based on the fee in Thailand (50,000 THB per person per 10 years), but may vary and is usually more than the fee in Thailand, depending on the currency rate and the additional fee which might be applied in some countries. Note: This is an auto-generated email. Please do not reply to this email.