oldcpu

What do you mean by maintained? The ONLY active annual requirement is to do an annual report to immigration, IF one has not exited and re-entered Thailand. The re-proof for finances is after 5 years. Until then one has a 5year !!! permission to stay. It is NOT a one year permission to stay. Do NOT be confused here. Now if you are talking about the 2nd five year permission to stay - no one yet knows for certain about that. Any financial proof (to be maintained for the past 5 years) at the 5 year point is simply not truly known at this point and there is only speculation on this forum. It stands to reason, if the LTR program is still in place in 5 years, and if say, BoI refused the second 5-year permission to stay because someones finances dipped below their initial 100% requirement to qualify, ie ... they failed to meet the requirement 100% during some period in those past 5 years ... Then if that denial of a second 5 year period of the permission to stay were to happen, then that said individual could simply apply for another 10 year LTR visa, and in that case proof going back 5 years is not required. So this bit about 'maintaining' annual needs to be taken with lots of grains of salt. As for other Visa types costing far less? NOT SO for the Type-O and Type-OA extension. Assuming one does NOT go for an agent, but one gets those visas year after year for 10 years, with multiple re-entry, they cost MORE than the LTR ! They cost 57,000 THB for 10 years as opposed to 50,000 THB for the LTR visa. So some of the other visas which are VERY common, DEFINITELY cost more than the LTR. This LTR visa is VERY much of value to a retiree who has the money. Look no further than (1) access to fast track @ immigration lines at airports, (2) no 90-day reports, (3) cheaper than equivalent duration Type-O/OA, and (4) tax exempt for money brought into Thailand (by Royal Decree) even thou one is in Thailand for >180days, and (5) no annual treks to immigration for extensions on one's permission to stay in Thailand. I can only assume you have not looked at this in any detail. I confess - I too was VERY skeptical at first, until a friend (who knows my finances) went through the details POINT by POINT , comparing to my previous Type-O and Type-OA visas, and I had to concede, the LTR was beneficial to me as a retiree. Also - in my humble opinion (IMHO) this Visa was not, and is not, by BoI, aimed at retirees who come and go and are not residents in Thailand. Note the word "resident" in Long Term Resident Visa. While some of those who come and go (and are in Thailand less than 180-days) may qualify for this LTR Visa, this LTR Visa was IMHO not intended by BoI for those foreigners.

The OP was asking about opening a Bank Account with only a Tourist Visa - and as noted, today, that is VERY very difficult. (It was not so difficult a decade ago). However, today, for someone on a non-immigrant Type-OA or Type-O visa, it is entirely doable to open a bank account in Thailand. One need not be married to a Thai. And now that banks are more familiar with the LTR visa, it also very doable for foreigners on that Visa to open accounts in Thailand. Thailand Banks do NOT treat foreigners from European states as criminals. If one has an appropriate Visa, the banks WILL open a bank account - as they want your money ... but only if you meet their conditions for the type of Visa a foreigner must have. The banks do not want to open accounts for tourists. Those tourists trying to buy a condo in Thailand do have a valid point - that its very difficult for them to buy such (without a Thai bank account) if the condo purchase is not direct from the developer. If the purchase is direct from the developer, then typically a Thai bank account is not needed.

From what I could read - that 'guide' does not provide advice - but rather it provides information - for the readers then to consider and come up with their own approach - or for the readers to seek actual advise from elsewhere. In Canada, when I prepare my income tax, I can get over 100 pages of a tax guide from the Canadian government - and not one word in that official Canadian Government 'guide' is considered advice by the Canadian government. You and I really interpret that 'guide' provided in this forum for expats on tax very very VERY differently.

From what I have read & videos (of Thai officials) watched, is the recent changes re: taxing money coming into Thailand, was not aimed at expats, but rather it was aimed at wealthy Thai who were avoiding paying tax on income, which the Thai government wanted to tax. This 'income tax' was NOT designed to tax the 'rich nor poor expats' like I believe you infer - for as pointed out , it was aimed at the wealthy Thai. It stands to reason that they would apply this tax law to all expat residents and not just Thai citizens (who also reside in Thailand). ... So expats are in essence 'collateral damage'. The LTR is a separate case, and it was put in place in the hope to attract wealthy foreigners to stimulate the economy. Presumably the thinking was that those who qualify for the LTR would invest & spend more money in Thailand than the average expats who can't qualify for the LTR. As to whether that is actually going to happen, and as to how this actually plays out in the next few years - well ... we will see, as this could all change. Further, as for well off expats not paying 1 baht in taxes for the rest of their life - I seriously doubt that. Seriously seriously doubt that. They will still be paying VAT, and they will still likely be paying tax in the home country(s) from which they derive their income. .

Best wishes in obtaining your LTR-WP. .

I never worried about running the A/C, even before we had solar panels ... I am a lucky guy as my Thai wife is careful with our money - but given we are not poor, most times she is far too careful, as before we had solar panels she did not want to switch on the A/C much (which I see as silly as we can't take our money with us, and we have no children to bequeath the money too ) ... but now have solar panels, she is now very happy to turn on the A/C a LOT more . So yes - I am very happy now we have solar panels - given the current heat in Thailand.

In Phuket a couple of years ago, I needed 'proof of residence' for my Thai driver's license renewal. However they were happy with my 'Yellow Book' (showing my condo ownership/residence) and with 'Pink-ID' (and my passport) and they did not ask for a TM-30.

Ok - so if under age-70, and if no Thai wife, then if you don't fly business class, you will likely have to suffer through the immigration lines. NOT having to suffer through those lines is a benefit, especially when they are long. When I departed Phuket in March of this year, there was a 30-minute to 45-minute foreigner line just to reach the immigration booths (so catch one's flight). It was sheer madness. People were panicking that they could miss their flights. ... Since there was no fast track line, I was able, with my LTR visa to show it at the Thai immigration line (which had NO ONE in line but they accepted 'fast track' people) and I could bypass that 30 to 45 minute foreigner wait. I consider that a useful benefit. I don't pay an agent ... I use that money for food and drinks instead. And while I don't begrudge those who want to use an agent, I still do note an LTR in this case (my not paying an agent) has saved me that money. I consider that saving a useful benefit. If the agent does not ask you for any documents, and if you stay in Thailand for 6 months (or shorter periods) then I assume you are regularly contacting your agent (or your agent contacting you) for either the 90-day report, or the TM-30 or for other aspects. With a 5 year permission to stay - I don't have to contact an agent multiple times per year. I don't need to phone an agent. An agent doesn't need to phone me. I don't have to leave Thailand every 90-days so not to have a 90-day report ... etc .. I consider that being able to stay peacefully. relaxing in my seaside condo, for 1 year full year with no such contact needed, a useful benefit. Many of us stay in Thailand MORE than 180 days a year. That implies tax residency. You don't have that, but many of us do. Hence it appears for those of us, having an LTR visa that the LTR-visa could turn out to be a significant benefit for reasons of taxes. Really significant. So maybe you don't see any benefits - but I dare say many of us do. I think its clear we would not have applied for (and obtained the LTR) if we did not believe there was a benefit. But I have said before and I will again. Thailand has many visa options, and LTR is not a visa for everyone. It is thou for some of us.

Indeed. I think thou most immigration offices don't require a TM30 for one's internal to Thailand travel if one always returns to one's normal Thai residence. I think it also possible (?) to postal mail a TM30 in addition to doing online. I believe it's only when one returns to Thailand from being outside of the country that a few (?) more immigration offices want a TM30 filed. Which brings up an interesting thought .. at present for most of the LTR visa holders, we deal with BoI and the immigration in the same building and floor in Bangkok. Does their TM30 requirements supercede any of our local immigration office requirements ( if different). I suspect this is a very mute question as this is all pretty minor.

Thanks - that's interesting to know (even if no longer applicable to me). When I did this a few years back (switching from Bangkok Bank to Krungsri bank) , I simply setup a new Krungsri account with the 800k THB in it for over a year, before switching from Bangkok Bank account (where I also maintained the 800k THB for the same year), and that also worked fine for Phuket immigration. My biggest 'worry' was it would be more difficult (for the new Krungsri Bank account, as opposed to the old Bangkok Bank account) to prove the new 800k in Krungsri came from outside of Thailand. The money did come from outside of Thailand, but the paper trail would have been complicated and a small annoyance to prove. Thankfully immigration never asked for that proof.

I read that - but that was for the documents needed if one does not leave the country and has to do a 1-year report at BoI. The other half of that was to do with a Thai driver's licence application (either TM-30 or legal document with regard to property where one is staying - I can't recall exact words). Still, I do believe none of that exempts the LTR visa holder from having to do a TM-30 when re-entering Thailand. Agreed - the requirement to submit a TM-30 is fuzzy at best - perhaps even worse than fuzzy. Yes - take care also. And the heat !! After 6 weeks in New Zealand and Australia, the humidity and heat when we arrived back in Thailand 2 weeks ago hit us like a red hot brick wall. Thank God that we invested in solar panels last summer, so we can turn on our A/C a LOT more than normal, and still have a 0 THB electrical bill. .

Yes - that response of SHA 22 BKK is relevant for reporting if after 1 year, one has still not left the country. Then one must fill in those appropriate forms as the 1-year reporting "counter" was never reset. However if one exits and returns, as has been noted, the clock/clock for 1 year restarts counting from the beginning again. Still, my understanding, and I would be happy to be proven wrong with a pointer to an official document, NONE OF THAT exempts an LTR visa holder from having to complete a TM-30. TM-30s are still, as far as I can determine required when one re-enters the country. And that TM-30 lists where one is staying. The confusing aspect for many of us with regard to TM-30s, is each immigration office appears to interpret the TM-30 requirement differently. Since as LTR visa holders, we have much less interaction with immigration, it is likely (?) this "TM-30" aspect is not a big thing and will never arise as an issue if not completed. In my case, I am very conservative, so I did (have my Thai wife for me) fill in an online TM-30 when I returned to Thailand a couple of weeks ago.

Just a clarification, If you have the LTR visa, and you leave the country within the year, and you return, you do NOT get a one year stamp. Rather you get a "permission to stay" stamp, which has (1) your re-entry date, and (2) your permission to stay date (repeated), where the permission to stay date is the same as the previous 'permission to stay' date in your passport when you obtained the LTR visa. For example, I obtained my LTR-WP visa in June 2023, with a permission to stay stamped for me to stay until 5-June-2028 (also with a multiple re-entry stamp valid to 5-June-2028). I subsequently departed Thailand 28-Aug-2023, and when I re-entered on 30-Sep-2023 (with a permission to stay again hand written in the entry stamp, until 5-June-2028), and this re-entry stamp meant I did not have to report again to immigration until 30-Sep-2024 ! I subsequently departed Thailand 11-March-2024, and when I re-entered on 21-April-2024 (with a permission to stay again hand written until 5-June-2028), and this re-entry stamp meant I did not have to report again to immigration until 21-April-2025. Possibly a mute point/clarification - but I want to try to be exact.

As has been pointed out , when one exits and re-enters Thailand, that resets the 1 year clock. As for reporting where you live once per year, when you re-enter Thailand, you still must do an online TM-30 which indicates to immigration where you are staying. There is nothing new there.

As pointed out - this was not the case when I applied. For self health insurance, I tried two different accounts, both easily exceeded the $100K US cash equivalent. One was a 'pure' trading account, and despite exceeding the cash requirement, it was rejected as it was a trading account. I then tried (what in Canada is called) a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). ... sort of like a USA 401k, where that 'Savings plan' account also had the prerequisite cash by a large margin (multiples). That was also rejected by BoI. In the end I pointed to a Foreign Currency Account in Thailand bank, that had the prerequisite amount and that was accepted. I did not want to use that Thai bank account initially, as I wanted to be able to tap into that account (and lower it below the $100k US equivalent). However, since I now use that account (for the $100K US$ self health insurance accepted now by BoI) I have restructured my finances a bit, such that I don't have to touch money in that account. But I am curious to learn (maybe in 4 more years time) if that restructuring on my part was really necessary.

LTR has many more benefits - but possibly for YOUR situation - they are not applicable. I assume when you travel, you always travel business class, or you have a Thai wife who always travels with you, such that you can go through a Thai immigration line when you travel out of country? or you simply don't travel out of country any more. I am age 70 (with Thai wife) and I still travel - as much as I can generate the energy to travel. Theoretically (if I didn't have a Thai wife or if I was under age-70), I think it fair to say the LTR visa would have saved me from suffering in about 3 hours of immigration lines when both leaving and entering Thailand. I assume ALL your income is covered by a Double Tax Agreement and hence you receive no benefit from the tax exemption (by Thai Royal decree) for any money brought into Thailand. This LTR tax exemption on money brought into Thailand, has the potential over coming years, to be a big benefit to some, dependent how the Thai implementation of some tax enforcement changes play out. I assume the online 90-day reports always worked for you (they never worked for me) and so since you say you don't travel much anymore , you can still do your 90 day reports online? In my case, before I had the LTR visa, the 90-day online NEVER worked. If I had not traveled recently, I would every 90-days have to drive to immigration (and potentially go in line with the hordes at immigration) to do a 90-day report. Since getting the LTR I have not had to do an immigration 'report' (other than my entering/leaving Thailand at the immigration booth). Can you submit your documentation (for your extensions) online to your agent ? (ie sit on a chair on your seafront accommodations balcony with your feet up, sipping a glass of wine)? I could to that with my LTR application. I do note my friends on type-O visas can mostly do such with their agents (to whom they give power of attourney for their visas) except they are required yearly to physically visit their agent a couple of times AND despite having an agent they are still required to go to immigration yearly to pick up their passport with their extensions. Perhaps other agents handle this differently. I confess - when the LTR-WP (wealthy pensioner) visa was announced I too was a BIG skeptic. A couple of my friends strongly recommended the LTR-WP visa to me and I shrugged off their recommendations, stating it had no tangible benefits over my new (then) Type-O non-immigrant visa (as i had recently switched to the Type-O from a Type-OA). One of my friends, who knows my financial situation, challenged me, point by point, to prove my rejection of the LTR-WP. As a result, after a point by point review, he convinced me I was wrong (given my financial status) to reject the LTR Visa. That point by point check also convinced me that the LTR visa is not helpful for some, but for others it is very good. I suspect BoI had some specific guidelines they had to follow for the LTR visa qualifications ... and they in my view deliberately limited the LTR to those in strong financial situations with a substantial very liquid portfolio (but not in stocks/foreign-property/nor foreign company ownership) and a strong consistent financial source of money (from either major companies or passive income from government or major companies - and likely not from astute stock trading). Clearly there were exceptions on this, but in general, I believe they deliberately did not include the vast majority of expatriates, whose finances are more subtle/illusive as to how it is structured. The finances of many expatriates and foreigners being more illusive, BoI, likely for good reasons (to eliminate their own administrative verification efforts) decided to not expand the LTR qualification to include the wealthy whose source of money was more difficult for them to be assured of future stability. A case in point - they reject the $100k US$ equivalent for health insurance in a trading portfolio, even if a massive amount of money in that account is cash (5x or more of that $100k US$ equivalent) just because that cash is in an account with stock trading functionality. BoI drew a line to reject cash in any stock trading portfolio. I do note, that Thai immigration still kept all the other visa types after the LTR visa was introduced - and for those potential or existing expatraites whom the LTR visa makes no sense (due to how their wealth is structure, or how they receive their wealth) , I note that there are other options to stay in Thailand, with the other visa types.

The beauty of the LTR visa is it is valid for 10 years. No need to go for an agent EVERY YEAR. No need to pay an agent - EVERY YEAR. Further, one can apply for the LTR-visa - where in my case I uploaded all the documents with a laptop computer from my condo balcony (with a great sea view) with my feet up, sipping a glass of wine. Why pay an agent - as I meet the requirements and I don't have to wait at immigration ? I do thou, have a couple of good friends who share your view and always use an agent. They easily meet the Type-O visa financial requirements, and they do NOT want to wait with the hordes at immigration ever year. So EVERY YEAR they pay an agent (which includes handing over 'power of attorney' to the agent for the Type-O visa extensions) and this reduces my friends travel EVERY YEAR to 1 or 2 trips to see the agent, and 1 trip to immigration to pick up the passport when the extension stamp is in place. Each to their own - but I note the LTR visa is for 10 years ( with financial proof and likely a trip to Bangkok to have next 5 year stamp applied needed). I much prefer that over yearly going for a 1-year extension via an Agent. Again - each to their own.

No, it reads to me that the immigration individual made a mistake asking you to return in 90-days and they are likely unfamiliar with the LTR Visa. The first time I re-entered Thailand with an LTR visa at Phuket, it created a big 'buzz' of excitement, and a bit of a huddle of a few IO, as they rarely see an LTR visa in Phuket (according to what my Thai wife was told by one of the IO). That was early last autumn last year. Then about 2 weeks ago, when I re-entered Thailand with an LTR visa (again at Phuket), I passed to the IO my passport opened at the LTR visa page, and made a point of VERY politely indicating the LTR-Visa stamp when I handed it to the IO (because my passport has many stamps and I was afraid the IO might miss the LTR visa stamp). The IO stared at the LTR-WP visa stamp for a long time then the IO held it up to the glass to the adjacent IO booth. That IO in the adjacent boot stated "LTR ( + something in Thai ) and then walked around to the immigration booth where I (and my IO) were at, and from what I could understand explained to 'my IO' as to how to handle an LTR visa. So its clear to me the LTR visa is still 'relatively new' and hence I believe those 90-day report comments are simply from an IO who is NOT yet familiar with the LTR visa. If it were me, and if that 'return in 90-day request' were to happen, I would VERY POLITELY ask for confirmation from the IO's boss as to the 90-day report request being needed (politely pointing out a reference page on LTR visa requirements) , as it is clear that a 90-day report is not a nominal requirement for an LTR visa. This LTR visa is still new - and some learning (and some mistakes) are likely still being made.

Re: the one year report - there is nothing new there. Its NOT a financial report. It is very similar to the 90-day report in content, and it is a a BIG improvement over the 90-day. Further, the bit about 'caution about losing one's LTR visa' is in my view, only to remind one not to go for a 2nd visa while the LTR visa is still valid. I see that as pure common sense. ie. don't show up at immigration with a new passport (that does not have LTR visa stamp transferred yet) and enter Visa Exempt, or enter in a different Visa in the old or new passport (while one's LTR was still valid). .... Or if one has a passport with MANY pages filled after the LTR visa stamp, one should pay attention at immigration, to ensure the LTR visa stamp is seen by the IO at the 'border' immigration. My passport has a LOT of stamps from my travel. When I enter Thaliand @ immigration, and when I hand my passport to the IO, ... I have my passport opened at the LTR stamp page (which has my 'permission to stay' in Thailand date clearly marked) and I do my best to ensure the IO does not miss that LTR stamp. In my view any other interpretation as to an LTR visa becoming invalid is simply incorrect speculation. I believe the one thing there is not 100% clear yet, is for those on a LTR-WP with self insurance ( >$100K US$ equivalent in a bank somewhere in the world) , when the 5 year point comes up (in one's permission to stay) and finances have to be proven again, does that $100k US$ equivalent have to have been maintained for the entire 5 years? or can it dip below the $100K US$ equivalent, and then only be topped up a couple of years before the 5-year financial check? That $100K US$ equivalent maintenance is not an issue for some of us (after all this is a WEALTHY (emphasis) pensioner visa, but for those 'on the border line of meeting LTR' financial requirement that amount of money maintenance might be an issue. My suspicion is if one does not have the $100K US$ equivalent (for self health insurance) at the 5 year point, that one will likely be allowed to buy health insurance a a work around. There may be other possible ways as well to approach this. If one does not have the money after 5 years, Thailand has many other Visas one can choose from.

As noted, this IS a hot topic. Its a lot of running around to get the "pink ID" and as others have pointed out, its utility can be questioned. I fully agree there. But .... The one time I found it VERY useful, when NOTHING else would work (at that time), was trying to buy Thai Government bonds to make up the last remaining portion of my investment in Thailand for an LTR-WP visa. I tried various banks (to either buy the bonds direct or via a 3rd market) (ie SCB, UOB, Krungsri, and some others) and ONLY Bankgok Bank in Central Festival of Phuket would let me buy such, but ONLY if I could show them a Pink ID (according to their bank manager). Don't shoot the messenger. I offered copies of my Thai drivers license. Not acceptable to the bank manager. I offered copies of my passport with the Type-O visa stamp (and 4 months left in type-O extension). Not acceptable to the bank manager. I offered proof of my condo purchase (copy of deed). Not acceptable to the bank manager. How about my Yellow Book? Nope. According to the bank manager, not without the Pink ID. I asked what else could I provide instead of the Pink-ID? The response? He would only accept a "pink-ID". Nothing else acceptable to him. I decided to stop trying to fight city hall at that point, so I pulled it out my Pink-ID on the spot , showed it, and he advised his bank tellers to process my application to buy the Thai government savings bonds. ... Now don't get me wrong - Thai savings bonds are NOT a great investment if one wants the interest. Just the contrary. But the interest on bonds was not the point of the exercise in buying these bonds. The point was to buy 'just enough' to put me over the amount needed to qualify for the LTR-WP visa. I suspect it is possible to buy Thai government bonds without showing a Pink-ID, but I can say unequivocally that the pink-ID was the only item that would work at a Thai Bank in Central Festival in Phuket. BUT to re-iterate what others have noted - its a lot of effort to get the 'pink-ID' where the utility can in the most part be questioned. However it is NOT useless all the time. Sometimes, this being Thailand, one can be surprised.

I am not convinced BoI know when a tax return should be available - at least NOT in my case. I suspect it depends on more than just one's stay in Thailand for I have been in Thailand since 2019 (and applied for LTR-WP in mid-Jan-2023). In the case of the Wealthy Pension LTR visa, I suspect the source of one's retirement income plays a factor. BoI know that for foreigners living in Thailand, that there will likely be withholding tax on one's pension, and then one might (or might not) have to file a tax return for that country. Case in point: I obtain a small German pension, and the German government sent me a letter asking me NOT to file a tax return to them, as that pension was too small for them to bother for a non-resident of Germany. However, on the other-hand, I also obtain a similar financial sized Canadian Old Age Security payment, but the Canadian government ALWAYS wants a tax return. The due date for the Canadian tax submission is end-April for income of the previous year. I applied for LTR-WP visa in mid-January-2023, while tax returns for Canada are not required until end-April-2023. I did not include my German pension in my proof of income, as I did not need to show that income to prove I met the financial requirements (as I exceeded such with Canadian Old Age Security + a European government organisation pension). I did include proof of my Canadian Old Age security as part of my income proof and I provided official government proof of that. I also included official proof of the European government organisation pension. I did not include any tax returns immediately as I provided government proof of the incomes. BoI immediately contacted me and asked for the previous two years of tax returns. I replied again with my proof of income, and they again insisted on a tax return. I had Canadian tax returns for year 2020, and 2021 (which "fortuitously" also note the amount of the total of all my global income - Revenue Canada demands one state their global income) , and I immediately sent Canadian government tax assessments from returns to BoI for 2020 and 2021 (within less than a few hours of BoI asking again for the tax returns). BoI within a couple of days then asked for a year 2022 tax return !! This was still mid January and that 2022 tax return was not even due until end-April 2023. ie not due for more than 3 months !! In the end (it took me time) to get the receipts to prepare and submit a year 2022 tax return to Canada (and get the official Canadian Revenue department official assessment notification) - and provide that to BoI, ... but frankly, I don't think BoI do know, like you state. Why would they insist if not due for > 3 months? BoI know some things, but I think they get the different details mixed up. After submitting my 2022 Canadian tax "official" return assessment notice of tax filed (from the Canadian government) proving to BoI I exceeded the global income requirement, BoI then asked for the Tax document for a Canadian Pension !! I had NEVER mentioned my getting a Canadian government pension and further, I did not YET get a Canadian government pension then (although I was eligible for such). Rather I had provided ALL the tax paperwork for Canadian Old Age Security. So I had to then had to write an explanation letter to BoI noting that even thou I was age-69, I had deferred receipt of my Canadian pension to age-70. I also (very very politely) noted again to BoI that I already exceeded the passive income necessary for the LTR-WP visa, and that proof of a Canadian pension should not be necessary. BoI finally then accepted my income proof. So I am not convinced the BoI know all about different countries and their tax returns - rather I think they have bits and pieces and they make a best guess ... and sometimes they guess wrong ... - although I do concede they are likely learning this very fast.

All this because you dislike paying a small amount of money for a translation? Translation is not very expensive. If you can't afford the translation, then like you note, an LTR visa is likely not for you IMHO. Fortunately Thailand has many other Visa options for you, as LTR is not the only one. Although I caution you, given your dislike to pay for translations, not to go for a Visa (or permission to stay extension on a visa) for reason of marriage if you were married to a Thai spouse outside of Thailand. In that case (visa/extension for reason of marriage to a Thai spouse) you will need not only translations of your passport and translations of your foreign marriage certificate, but you will also need certification at your country's consulate/embassy in Thailand for the marriage certificate, and also need the Thai foreign affairs office in Bangkok to bless it all, and then you will need to have to register your foreign marriage (with this certified paperwork as proof) in a local Thai office. That translation effort is MASSIVELY greater than any LTR visa translation requirement. Not worth for it for you ONLY, given your dislike to spend even a small amount of money for a translation. For some of us it is a great improvement. No more 90 day reports. No more going to immigration once a year for an extension. Access to Fast Track line at the airport immigration for our multiple per year international travel. And its cost is approximately equal to a non-immigration Type-O or Type-OA (with multiple re-entry) when they are amortized over a 10 year period. Plus - the LTR has a tax "break" (by Royal Thai Decree) where money brought into Thailand from abroad will not be taxed by Thailand if on an LTR visa. One can not say the same about a tax break for other Thai Visa holders in cases where there is no Double Tax Agreement (DTA), or inadequate DTA, with the country in which their foreign income is sourced. LTR is definitely 'worth the game' for some of us.

I did not use an agent to get the LTR Visa. I did most my document submissions to BoI electronically, uploading via Internet, from my seafront condo balcony, with my feet up, sipping a glass of wine. It took me longer than most to get the LTR visa, as I more or less very slowly fed information to BoI on my finances, tooth and nail (as i didn't want to reveal my full financial state). The biggest delays for me was (1) BoI wanted government response/proof of my income from my latest foreign income tax return (which I had not yet submitted - and that took me time to put together, submit a tax return to the foreign government, and get the foreign government income confirmation response), and (2) BoI wanted a copy of a Thai Government bond certificate (which is not nominally issued any more, but rather one is provided a bond book by the banks). After a few weeks of no progress I finally was able to get the Thai bank to write a 'to whom it may concern' letter to BoI about the bond and also get the Thai bank to edit my bond book to add the detailed bond information BoI wanted to see (where that information is not nominally in a bond book, but it is in a bond certificate). Still pretty much most of the delays boiled down to me slowly feeding BoI the information they wanted, avoiding to provide a full reveal of my financial status. I don't think an agent will offer any advantages here - one still need to provide the financial proof to the agent.

There are different types of LTR Visa ... Not all of them require an investment of $250,000 US$ equivalent. For example, if one is applying for the LTR-WP (wealthy pensioner) and if one has a passive/pension income of $80k US/year, then one need not show such an investment in Thailand. As you point out, it is possible to purchase a foreign freehold condominium unit in Thailand, and that condo unit will be in the foreigners name - and such a condo is considered an investment for LTR visa purposes. If the purchase price of one's condo is not enough to meet the $250K US$ equivalent, then one came make up the difference with other investments in Thailand. For example, in my case I simply purchased 2-million THB in Thai government bonds to make up the difference (after my 50% ownership of a condo) to meet the $250K US$ equivalent investment in Thailand. ... Having typed that - I don't consider buying Thai government bonds a competitive investment, but it does meet the Thai LTR-WP investment requirements, and for some of us, such an amount is not a big thing. My view is in the case of the LTR-WP (wealthy pensioner) visa, it is called 'wealthy' for a reason. Possibly for you to get the best advice on an LTR visa, if the long thread is too much for you to wade through, it could help for you to point out exactly what LTR variant you are looking at. Else you could get replies that are not relevant to your situation.

Once again, I left Phuket and then returned to Phuket, this time after a 6-week visit to New Zealand and Australia (myself having an LTR-WP visa). Again - I did not spot a 'Fast Track' line in Phuket airport immigration (at arrivals), but I was with my Thai wife, so we entered the Thai line area, which again had no one waiting in line. The foreigner line thou was not as bad this time, maybe only a 5 to 10 minute wait for any in the foreigner line. There were two booths side by side for the Thai line, and I went through one and my wife through the other booth. The IO looked at my LTR visa, looked again, and then looked again, then looked again. Then they knocked on the glass window to another adjacent IO booth (likely a more experienced IO in that booth) and showed them through the glass my LTR visa stamp. The IO in the other booth stated "LTR" plus some Thai, and that IO quickly came around to the booth where I was waiting, and gave the IO in my booth, what I believe to be some instructions. The IO in the booth where I was waiting then very carefully stamped my entry into Thailand, and hand filled in the 'permission to stay' date (which was the same date as my previous permission to stay date ... just 4 years from now). When I received my passport back, I took a quick look, confirmed the 'permission to stay date' was correct, and I gave the IO a polite wai, to which he wai'd back ... and I was through immigration. It was a bit slow for me to go through as it appears the Phuket IOs still are not all that familiar with the LTR visa. Still there was a very good level of politeness and effort to be professional. I am happy how the entry went. .