I have an LTR WP visa. I guess I was one of the early birds, May 2024.

 

Two questions:

 

-I don’t know my visa number. It seems to be a combination of numbers and Thai characters, hand written on my passport page.  So not sure. Certainly not the type of visa numbers you usually find on visa (and I have had a lot). Is there an easy way to get to know the LTR visa number? I need it for the TDAC..

 

- banks and insurances at home are coming down hard on me for a tax registration number in my country of residence. Failing to provide that number brings me references to „tax evasion“, „money laundering“ and so on. I am feeling half a criminal already… Last year I tried to get a tax number from Banglamung tax office but their advise was „if you don’t pay tax you don’t get a tax number. Full stop.“ Any advise on how to get a Thai tax number or at least a document from MoF that I don’t get a tax number?

23 minutes ago, Schorsch0815 said:

Last year I tried to get a tax number from Banglamung tax office but their advise was „if you don’t pay tax you don’t get a tax number. Full stop.“ Any advise on how to get a Thai tax number or at least a document from MoF that I don’t get a tax number?

I had the same problem with Banglamung Tax Office (I live in Wongamat so use the Naklua Office for registration and Jomtien office for filing) in 2022 so I told them that I was buying a condo and needed a TIN for paying property tax + I needed to reclaim withheld tax on my savings and they relented. 

5 hours ago, Schorsch0815 said:

-I don’t know my visa number. It seems to be a combination of numbers and Thai characters, hand written on my passport page.  So not sure. Certainly not the type of visa numbers you usually find on visa (and I have had a lot). Is there an easy way to get to know the LTR visa number? I need it for the TDAC..

First of all, this is not a mandatory field on the TDAC, so no, you don't need it for the TDAC, just leave it blank.

 

Second of all, the visa number does not contain any Thai letters or numbers.  It's literally the first thing at the top of the visa stamp in your passport, where is says "NO" and then has a number right next to it.  The first is the visa number followed by a / then the year it was issued.  So something like 500 / 65.  I'll admit mine is a little difficult to read as I cannot tell if the last digit is a 0 or a 6, but I think it's a 6.  Right underneath that is also your category, which for me is "T".  So I would probably enter my visa number something like 500/65T, or without the / if the online form doesn't accept it.

8 hours ago, SamSpade said:

needed a TIN for paying property tax + I needed to reclaim withheld tax on my savings and they relented

i have claimed bank interest, can you also claim property tax paid too 

18 minutes ago, Alotoftravel said:

i have claimed bank interest, can you also claim property tax paid too 

No, Property Tax cannot be reclaimed but I was advised to mention that I was looking to buy a Condo & so would need to pay Property Tax when applying for a TIN.

FYI, In my case, I never had a tin before I bought my condo years ago furthermore, nor was asked for tin when I pay my the property tax yearly .

Sent all the documents and fully qualify for the financial requirements. Yet they kept on asking each time for something more and more absurd. Ended up in asking for the health insurance to add a sentence that made no sense. Of course, I called it a day and told them to go to heaven. Will just come on visa waiver as usual or better go and spend me cash elsewhere in Vietnam where they are more welcoming and respectful. 

12 hours ago, Schorsch0815 said:

-I don’t know my visa number. It seems to be a combination of numbers and Thai characters, hand written on my passport page.  So not sure. Certainly not the type of visa numbers you usually find on visa (and I have had a lot). Is there an easy way to get to know the LTR visa number? I need it for the TDAC..

 

 

I have an LTR WP. The LTR # ( nnn/66) was printed clearly on the LTR.  Recently for my TDAC I printed something like nnn/66-LTR-P where nnn/66 is my LTR number. I can't 100% recall, I may have put the # after the letters.

12 hours ago, Schorsch0815 said:

I have an LTR WP visa. I guess I was one of - banks and insurances at home are coming down hard on me for a tax registration number in my country of residence. Failing to provide that number brings me references to „tax evasion“, „money laundering“ and so on. I am feeling half a criminal already… Last year I tried to get a tax number from Banglamung tax office but their advise was „if you don’t pay tax you don’t get a tax number. Full stop.“ Any advise on how to get a Thai tax number or at least a document from MoF that I don’t get a tax number?

 

I am on LTR-WP. I was also denied a tax ID from local tax office as I am bringing no money into Thailand ( I brought a lot in many years ago when I was a non resident). 

 

The tax office noted my Pink ID # could be my tax ID if they activated it.  But they saw no cause to activate it yet.

 

For foreign and home country financial institutions that are demanding a Thai tax ID ( where I have same issue as you), I give them my Pink ID # with added caveat that it has not been activated yet as a tax ID.  They have all accepted that # with no issue. 

21 hours ago, Schorsch0815 said:

- banks and insurances at home are coming down hard on me for a tax registration number in my country of residence. Failing to provide that number brings me references to „tax evasion“, „money laundering“ and so on. I am feeling half a criminal already… Last year I tried to get a tax number from Banglamung tax office but their advise was „if you don’t pay tax you don’t get a tax number. Full stop.“ Any advise on how to get a Thai tax number or at least a document from MoF that I don’t get a tax number?

Just provide a random 13-digit number. Assuming you legitimately have not tax to pay in Thailand nothing detrimental can happen.

Apologies if this has already been asked & answered (We're almost up to 5,000 posts on this thread) but if I were to buy a Condo (In my name) off-plan which completes in 3 years and agree to pay the developer 10Million THB upfront, would that count as the $250K investment (I would have receipts from the Developer) or would I need to wait until the Condo completes & I have the yellow house book in my name?

 

1 minute ago, SamSpade said:

Apologies if this has already been asked & answered (We're almost up to 5,000 posts on this thread) but if I were to buy a Condo off-plan which completes in 3 years and agree to pay the developer 10Million THB upfront, would that count as the $250K investment (I would have receipts from the Developer) or would I need to wait until the Condo completes & I have the yellow house book in my name?

 

Highly recommend you ask BOI LTR.  https://ltr.boi.go.th/#contact

 

But IMO it would not be accepted as an investment because there is possibilities the buy could fail thru and you receive a refund of your deposit which then equals no investment in Thailand.

28 minutes ago, Pib said:

Highly recommend you ask BOI LTR.  https://ltr.boi.go.th/#contact

 

But IMO it would not be accepted as an investment because there is possibilities the buy could fail thru and you receive a refund of your deposit which then equals no investment in Thailand.

Thanks, I should add that the Deposit/"Booking Fee" is approx 600K (No refunds), the 10Million would be a downpayment on the remaining balance so whilst I might be able to get it back (by selling the Unit on) It would be an investment in Thailand... And you  could probably say the same about any investment in that you could always sell it once you've got the Visa.

 

I will reach out to BOI just wanted to ask on here to see if anybody has been through a similar scenario.

 

Thanks again, have read several posts of yours on this thread & really appreciate your contributions, can't wait to join the LTR family🙂

11 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

Thanks, I should add that the Deposit/"Booking Fee" is approx 600K (No refunds), the 10Million would be a downpayment on the remaining balance so whilst I might be able to get it back (by selling the Unit on) It would be an investment in Thailand... And you  could probably say the same about any investment in that you could always sell it once you've got the Visa.

 

I will reach out to BOI just wanted to ask on here to see if anybody has been through a similar scenario.

 

Thanks again, have read several posts of yours on this thread & really appreciate your contributions, can't wait to join the LTR family🙂

 

The investment must be maintained the entire length of the LTR visa; otherwise, the visa will be cancelled.  So, if you did sell you would need to replace it with another investment to maintain the LTR visa.  Now there would probably be a period of time where between the sell of one property and reinvesting it another property/LTR acceptable investment....so, a person would need to talk to BOI/immigration about that transition period which might only be a few days or maybe even hours when you don't have the required investment in Thailand....kinda like where a lot of Non-O extension of stay people have been refused an annual extension of stay renewal because the person dropped below a minimum visa requirement maybe only for a few minutes when technically the visa extension should have been cancelled if immigration had some magical way to immediately know when a person fails to maintain visa/extension of stay requirements.

 

Also, from the BOI LTR requirements doc it looks like BOI requires "ownership" docs....docs you don't get until the sale has fully completed....you have received the chanote. 

 

 

https://ltr.boi.go.th/index.html#what

 

Maintaining an LTR Visa

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://ltr.boi.go.th/documents/Required-docs-Wealthy-Pensioners-30-06-2025.pdf

 

i would appreciate some advice. I am currently in the UK and want to leave by the start of the new tax year in April 2026. I have a small online business which earns enough money for me to live comfortably in Thailand and with a bit left over to investment for my retirement. I want to apply for the LTR Visa. Will it be okay for me to continue running my online business in Thailand on the LTR Visa?

47 minutes ago, CFC said:

i would appreciate some advice. I am currently in the UK and want to leave by the start of the new tax year in April 2026. I have a small online business which earns enough money for me to live comfortably in Thailand and with a bit left over to investment for my retirement. I want to apply for the LTR Visa. Will it be okay for me to continue running my online business in Thailand on the LTR Visa?

 

I suspect the answer is no, but perhaps others can correct me.

 

Nominally if one is going for the LTR and is working remotely (abroad) one will go for an LTR-Work-from-Thailand-professional.

 

For that LTR Work from Thailand professional variant, one needs to show an employment contract with (1) public company listed on a stock exchange or (2) a private company with at least 3 years of operation and combined revenue of USD 50 million in the last 3 years or (3) a wholly owned subsidiary of a public company listed on a stock exchange or a wholly owned subsidiary that holds 100% of the shares of a private company with at least 3 years of operation and a combined revenue of USD 50 million in the last 3 years.

 

I don't think any of those apply to you based on your post (ok - I could be wrong).  

 

To qualify for an LTR-WP (wealthy pensioner) one needs to show passive income and obtaining income from working is not passive income.

 

If you can show $1,000,000 US$ equivalent in assetts (and invest $500,000 US$ equivalent in Thailand) then maybe you could qualify for an LTR-Wealthy Global citizen, but I doubt that will appeal.  It has a rather 'high bar' to reach, and it typically does not appeal to many.  Further, i don't know what sort of assets are acceptable - and if this is something you would consider than perhaps others can note what they believe that (  'assets' ) entails. 

Oldcpu thanks for your reply. I can't apply using the Work from Thailand or High Skilled Professionals categories but can apply under the Wealthy Pensioner or Wealthy Global Citizen categories. I have looked at the LTR website but I am unclear if I can legally run my online business. I wont be doing any business with Thai companies and will only be wiring money to my Thai bank account to pay for my living expenses.

27 minutes ago, CFC said:

Oldcpu thanks for your reply. I can't apply using the Work from Thailand or High Skilled Professionals categories but can apply under the Wealthy Pensioner or Wealthy Global Citizen categories. I have looked at the LTR website but I am unclear if I can legally run my online business. I wont be doing any business with Thai companies and will only be wiring money to my Thai bank account to pay for my living expenses.

 

To the best of my knowledge, if you can meet the LTR-WP (wealthy pensioner) passive income requirements, then no one cares if you get extra earned income from working remotely.  It simply thou does NOT count toward your income proof for an LTR-WP.

 

All they want is proof you meet the LTR-WP requirements.  Your active income does NOT qualify as passive income.

 

From the BOI web site for the LTR-WP:

• Minimum unearned or passive income of USD 80,000 / year at the time of application (Note that earned income and salaries WILL NOT be considered for the personal income requirement for wealthy pensioners)  [note:  unearned or passive income includes, but are not limited to pension, rental, realized capital gain, dividend, and interest payments ]

• In the case that unearned or passive income is lower than USD 80,000 but not lower than USD 40000, the applicant is required to make additional investments of USD 250,000 combined in Thai government bonds OR direct investment in companies registered in Thailand OR Thai property

• Insured under a health insurance covering a minimum of USD 50,000 OR currently receiving social security benefits in Thailand OR deposit and maintain at least USD 100,000 in bank account balance under the applicant’s name for no less than 12 months

Many on this forum who express dissatisfaction with the LTR-WP have done so because of the health insurance requirement as much as they have expressed dissatisfaction and have struggled proving they meet the passive income requirement.

 

So bottom line is (1) you need to meet the passive income (your earned income does not count if applying for LTR-WP), and (2) have the private health insurance or the self health insurance to BoI satisfaction, and (3) they likely don't care if you are discretely working remotely via some outside of Thailand job.  

 

 

22 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

From the BOI web site for the LTR-WP:

• Minimum unearned or passive income of USD 80,000 / year at the time of application (Note that earned income and salaries WILL NOT be considered for the personal income requirement for wealthy pensioners)  [note:  unearned or passive income includes, but are not limited to pension, rental, realized capital gain, dividend, and interest payments ]

• In the case that unearned or passive income is lower than USD 80,000 but not lower than USD 40000, the applicant is required to make additional investments of USD 250,000 combined in Thai government bonds OR direct investment in companies registered in Thailand OR Thai property

 

Quoting myself here ... where i did read of someone who setup a company where they were the CEO, CFO and Treasurer ... ie a legal registered one-person company. Every year, they, per the law where they registered their company, they had to do formal minutes for an annual meeting (consisting of only themselves).

 

In their first formal company meeting, they recorded in the minutes that they were to give themselves a monthly dividend, that on a yearly basis exceeded 80,000 USD/year. That monthly dividend was deposited into their bank every year.

 

After doing this for a couple of years, showing they had 2 years of bank records showing monthly deposits, and they had the minutes of the meeting noting they were to be paid the dividend. Purportedly this was acceptable to BoI.  

 

The downside (which they never posted about), is that there is an annual fee for a registered company, and also, dependent on their country of residence, for those two years those monthly dividends from their company, would be taxable to their country of residence.

 

So this may or may not be a financial restructuring suitable for you. 

 

If you think it is doable, you could call BoI and ask if a company in which you own shares (own 100% in your case) regularly pays you dividends (and you can prove by bank records) , do these dividends qualify for passive income for the LTR-WP.  

3 hours ago, CFC said:

I have a small online business which earns enough money for me to live comfortably in Thailand and with a bit left over to investment for my retirement. I want to apply for the LTR Visa.

Do you have the equivalent of $80,000 USD per year in passive income in order to qualify for the LTR Wealthy Pensioner's visa? I don't think your small online business income will qualify.

3 hours ago, JohnnyBD said:

Do you have the equivalent of $80,000 USD per year in passive income in order to qualify for the LTR Wealthy Pensioner's visa? I don't think your small online business income will qualify.

JohnnyBD you are correct the profits from the online business doesnt count towards the passive income. I have some properties that I rent out that covers the $80K per year.

Oldcpu thanks again for your replies. 

9 hours ago, CFC said:

i would appreciate some advice. I am currently in the UK and want to leave by the start of the new tax year in April 2026. I have a small online business which earns enough money for me to live comfortably in Thailand and with a bit left over to investment for my retirement. I want to apply for the LTR Visa. Will it be okay for me to continue running my online business in Thailand on the LTR Visa?

If you cannot legally work on the LTR visa, then just get a DTV visa.  Easier to get anyway

9 hours ago, K2938 said:

If you cannot legally work on the LTR visa, then just get a DTV visa.  Easier to get anyway

Thanks for the info I will look into the DTV Visa. 

The research I did on the DTV visa said you cant open a bank account. It looks like I will go for the LTR option. The biggest problem with Thailand in my opinion is how often the Thai government changes the laws/rules. There is more chance of them changing the DTV visa if they think people from certain countries are exploiting it. In my opinion less chance of this happening with the LTR Visa. With the LTR Visa, if you spend more than 180 days in Thailand in 1 tax year. Do you need to file a tax return?

1 hour ago, CFC said:

With the LTR Visa, if you spend more than 180 days in Thailand in 1 tax year. Do you need to file a tax return?

 

It depends on LTR- Visa type and depends on the income source.

 

If the income is Thai sourced  income from inside Thailand, then yes, if you exceed the required assessable income threshold for filing a Thai tax return  (from Thai sourced income) you have to file a Thai tax return.

 

If on an LTR-WP or LTR-WC and your only income is foreign sourced as covered by the Royal Decree ( and any Thai sourced income is less than the tax filing requirements),  then no you do not.

 

 

Oldcpu, thanks for the great info. What is the required assessable income threshold?

8 minutes ago, CFC said:

Oldcpu, thanks for the great info. What is the required assessable income threshold?

Basically it's $80k usd. 

Many threads regarding this. 

You  could also consider DTV

 

 

16 hours ago, CFC said:

Oldcpu, thanks for the great info. What is the required assessable income threshold?

 

I think Dr.Jack54, when he notes $80K US, is referring to the nominal income needed to get a LTR-WP visa (with no money invested in Thailand).

 

Reference the Thailand assessable income threshold for filing a Thai income tax return, to my mind it is not 100% straight forward.

 

My understanding (which may be wrong), is based on my understanding of current Thai tax law,  any expat who qualifies as a tax resident (staying in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year) may be required to file a Thai personal income tax return if their total gross assessable income from all worldwide sources (AND remitted to Thailand in that calendar year) exceeds 120,000 Thai Baht for that tax year.

 

Note the word "assessable" income.  Double tax agreements can in cases make some remitted to Thailand foreign income not assessable.

 

Income not remitted to Thailand is not, at present time, considered assessable income for Thai taxation purposes. 

 

I think (albeit not certain) this single threshold applies regardless of marital status or income type (employment, business, rental, etc.). While certain administrative form instructions mention other figures for married couples,  I believe that this THB 120,000 assessable income benchmark is the definitive legal filing obligation for an individual tax resident.  ... I type that with a qualification - noting i could have that number wrong. 

 

But ... but ... again, note the word assessable income.  This is key and there have been massive (dare i say endless) debates on this forum as to what is assessable and what is not assessable income.

 

The view of most (all ?) LTR-WP and LTR-WGC visa holders, is that any foreign income brought into Thailand is NOT assessable income, per Royal Decree 743.  Even that view has some who very strongly disagree, as some claim (assuming there are no relevant Double Tax Agreements) that the tax exemption only applies to one year of foreign remitted income (specifically income from the previous tax year) per their interpretation of the Royal Decree 743. They claim income from any other tax year is not protected by the Royal Decree 743.   Others (on this forum and also Thailand's BoI in their statements) and myself (for example) disagree, and we believe it applies to all remitted forum income (if on LTR-WP/WGC) and not just exempt for strictly one year of income.

 

I also note, even some very specific Thailand sourced income is not to be included in the assessable income category for deciding if a Tax return is needed. Case in point ? if one receives large amount of interest from a Thai bank, where that Thai bank previously deducts a 15% withholding tax on the interest, then according to Thai tax law, the tax obligation for that interest is met, and it need not be included when considering assessable income for assessing if a Thai tax return is needed.  I suspect many are not aware of that (or even disagree with such)

 

I think it fair to say, there is a LOT of discussion and debate on this topic.

 

I don't think this sub forum the place for such a discussion.

 

My recommendation, if you wish to dive further into it, is post in the finance section of this forum, and not on this immigration subarea of the forum.  You likely will create a VERY lively discussion in any such post, as it pulls out the trolls and all sorts of interested parties.

 

Best wishes in your deliberations.

 

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

 

I think Dr.Jack54, when he notes $80K US, is referring to the nominal income needed to get a LTR-WP visa (with no money invested in Thailand).

 

Reference the Thailand assessable income threshold for filing a Thai income tax return, to my mind it is not 100% straight forward.

 

My understanding (which may be wrong), is based on my understanding of current Thai tax law,  any expat who qualifies as a tax resident (staying in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year) may be required to file a Thai personal income tax return if their total gross assessable income from all worldwide sources (AND remitted to Thailand in that calendar year) exceeds 120,000 Thai Baht for that tax year.

 

Note the word "assessable" income.  Double tax agreements can in cases make some remitted to Thailand foreign income not assessable.

 

Income not remitted to Thailand is not, at present time, considered assessable income for Thai taxation purposes. 

 

I think (albeit not certain) this single threshold applies regardless of marital status or income type (employment, business, rental, etc.). While certain administrative form instructions mention other figures for married couples,  I believe that this THB 120,000 assessable income benchmark is the definitive legal filing obligation for an individual tax resident.  ... I type that with a qualification - noting i could have that number wrong. 

 

But ... but ... again, note the word assessable income.  This is key and there have been massive (dare i say endless) debates on this forum as to what is assessable and what is not assessable income.

 

The view of most (all ?) LTR-WP and LTR-WGC visa holders, is that any foreign income brought into Thailand is NOT assessable income, per Royal Decree 743.  Even that view has some who very strongly disagree, as some claim (assuming there are no relevant Double Tax Agreements) that the tax exemption only applies to one year of foreign remitted income (specifically income from the previous tax year) per their interpretation of the Royal Decree 743. They claim income from any other tax year is not protected by the Royal Decree 743.   Others (on this forum and also Thailand's BoI in their statements) and myself (for example) disagree, and we believe it applies to all remitted forum income (if on LTR-WP/WGC) and not just exempt for strictly one year of income.

 

I also note, even some very specific Thailand sourced income is not to be included in the assessable income category for deciding if a Tax return is needed. Case in point ? if one receives large amount of interest from a Thai bank, where that Thai bank previously deducts a 15% withholding tax on the interest, then according to Thai tax law, the tax obligation for that interest is met, and it need not be included when considering assessable income for assessing if a Thai tax return is needed.  I suspect many are not aware of that (or even disagree with such)

 

I think it fair to say, there is a LOT of discussion and debate on this topic.

 

I don't think this sub forum the place for such a discussion.

 

My recommendation, if you wish to dive further into it, is post in the finance section of this forum, and not on this immigration subarea of the forum.  You likely will create a VERY lively discussion in any such post, as it pulls out the trolls and all sorts of interested parties.

 

Best wishes in your deliberations.

 

Thanks for the great reply. Lots of good information. Last article I read said the tax laws are going to be changed again in Feb 2026. I wont be applying for my LTR visa before then. I will wait to see what happens in Feb 2026 and then go from there. Will  speak to tax specialist when I am next in Thailand.