Jump to content

LTR Visa is Now available for Long Term Residency


Recommended Posts

26 minutes ago, Pib said:

Like say it was almost 5 years later and it was time for the LTR mid-point/5 year renewal process and assuming another application (maybe a full application, maybe a mini application if BoI decides such) how could a person start another application from within there current online acct?  I just don't see any place to do it.

I don't think even BoI itself knows yet what the procedure will be in five years time, so it's still far too early to be worrying about technical details of how the process will work. 

 

Assuming they're still using the same system at that time, though - and that's a big if - they should be able to just change the status of each case to "documents requested", exactly as they've been doing each time they want more information during the initial adjudication phase. Once the status changes, the case will be open for additional uploads.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

I don't think even BoI itself knows yet what the procedure will be in five years time, so it's still far too early to be worrying about technical details of how the process will work. 

 

Assuming they're still using the same system at that time, though - and that's a big if - they should be able to just change the status of each case to "documents requested", exactly as they've been doing each time they want more information during the initial adjudication phase. Once the status changes, the case will be open for additional uploads.

In your online acct is it also displaying like mine....as in no place to start another application....LTR tab showing application still in process, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

Assuming they're still using the same system at that time, though - and that's a big if - they should be able to just change the status of each case to "documents requested", exactly as they've been doing each time they want more information during the initial adjudication phase. Once the status changes, the case will be open for additional uploads.

They should remove all the original uploads once a case is decided.  Just a huge security risk to have all the confidential financial information continually posted on the internet with just a simple password, not even 2-factor authorization.

Edited by K2938
  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For @Misty and others who have been approved for the LTR and then applied for an evisa at thaievisa.go.th in the USA (specifically LA consulate for me), would you mind answering a few questions about the process?

 

- They ask for the "Intended Date of Arrival", "Intended Date of Departure", and a flight number. Will there be a problem if I end up arriving and departing on different dates (and flight numbers) than what I specify in the application? This is a multi-year visa so I don't see why the dates matter.

 

- Related: Does the flight have to originate from my home country (the USA)? Since there are no direct flights to Thailand, I'd like to visit some other countries first before continuing to Thailand.

 

- Also Related: If I did visit other countries after applying for the evisa but before traveling to Thailand, that would result in additional stamps in my passport that don't exist at the time of evisa application, but they also want me to upload pictures of stamps in my passport as part of the application and I don't know if this needs to include those other countries I'll be visiting before continuing to Thailand.

 

- Similarly, they want to know where I will be staying in Thailand and even ask to specify "Additional Place to Stay in Thailand" like they want to know my complete itinerary. Will there be a problem if I end up staying somewhere else instead?

 

- There is an option to specify both a permanent address and a current address. What is this used for? Will they send me something in the mail?

 

- Related: I'm required to upload a document showing my residency to ensure I'm applying to the correct embassy/consulate. My driver license has an old address that doesn't match my permanent or current address - do they check that it matches exactly or is it fine as long as it's in the same state?

 

Sorry that's a lot of questions, many of which feel overly paranoid, but I keep hearing stories of the Thai immigration process being very rigid so I'm trying to play it safe. Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, ashkale said:

Used the LTR to re-enter Thailand first time since issued and the immigration officer said he had never seen this before and chatted with his colleague on what he shud actually stamp on the passport....

When I returned from the Phillipines after a trip out and back the I/O did have to have her supervisor come over to look at my PP and the ltr visa. They then stamped me back in to the original end date of the 5 year stamp.

 

Look at your end date on the stamp they gave you to confirm it's the 5 year end date.

Edited by ThailandRyan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

For @Misty and others who have been approved for the LTR and then applied for an evisa at thaievisa.go.th in the USA (specifically LA consulate for me), would you mind answering a few questions about the process?

 

- They ask for the "Intended Date of Arrival", "Intended Date of Departure", and a flight number. Will there be a problem if I end up arriving and departing on different dates (and flight numbers) than what I specify in the application? This is a multi-year visa so I don't see why the dates matter.

 

- Related: Does the flight have to originate from my home country (the USA)? Since there are no direct flights to Thailand, I'd like to visit some other countries first before continuing to Thailand.

 

- Also Related: If I did visit other countries after applying for the evisa but before traveling to Thailand, that would result in additional stamps in my passport that don't exist at the time of evisa application, but they also want me to upload pictures of stamps in my passport as part of the application and I don't know if this needs to include those other countries I'll be visiting before continuing to Thailand.

 

- Similarly, they want to know where I will be staying in Thailand and even ask to specify "Additional Place to Stay in Thailand" like they want to know my complete itinerary. Will there be a problem if I end up staying somewhere else instead?

 

- There is an option to specify both a permanent address and a current address. What is this used for? Will they send me something in the mail?

 

- Related: I'm required to upload a document showing my residency to ensure I'm applying to the correct embassy/consulate. My driver license has an old address that doesn't match my permanent or current address - do they check that it matches exactly or is it fine as long as it's in the same state?

 

Sorry that's a lot of questions, many of which feel overly paranoid, but I keep hearing stories of the Thai immigration process being very rigid so I'm trying to play it safe. Thanks in advance.

I can't help with your evisa questions since my LTR was inked into my passport in Thailand/at BoI immigration, but it would be interesting to know what type of LTR visa you got, the date you applied, and when you got the approval notice from BoI.  Plus, any other details you might want to provide like any request for additional docs, etc.  Thanks.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, pepper402 said:

@TaiMaiTai, I just applied for the e-visa at the LA Consulate and had the exact same questions!  And also wondered why any of this should matter.   I supplied all required documents and "estimated" some of the other information such as where I will be staying and my flight information.  The hardest part (which should have been the easiest part) was paying the $1,600.  All of my credit cards and debit cards were declined.  I had to complete the transaction with Chase fraud department on the line manually overriding the purchase.   I'll report back as soon as I hear anything that might be helpful for you.  - Pepper

Good luck @pepper402 and please let me know how it goes.

 

For the purposes of evisa approval, estimating things as you have seems like it could work. My worry is what happens when I actually arrive there - is my flight, hotel, 12 month travel stamps, etc stored in their system and would they compare it against my actual information? Judging by their IT problems, I'm guessing not, but I wonder if others here have real world experience with that.

 

I can also try contacting the LA Thai Consulate by Facebook on Monday as @Misty has suggested in other threads. Though I suspect they would only be able to answer questions about the evisa application process and not what happens with immigration in Thailand after I arrive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, anotherexpat4444 said:

How about the 90 day reporting . I think that is a big help of LTR where it is 1 year . ?

Agree...it's nice to go from 90 to 365 day reporting.   But my earlier post was "Purely from an annual fee standpoint" and not from the standpoint of the other nice/intangible benefits.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

Type: LTR "T"
Applied: Don't remember the exact date, but it was late November
Approved: January 4th
Additional docs: For proof of employment, I originally provided my offer letter but they wanted a currently dated and signed letter from my company stating my role and compensation. They didn't email me to notify when additional docs were needed - I only found out when logging in and noticing the alerts and status change.

Congrats. 

 

Yea, I also did not get any online acct notification or email when they asked for additional docs in late Nov 2022 regarding my LTR Pensioner application.  In my online acct it only appeared as a Status change and when looking in the Step 4/Upload area of my application where the vague request for additional docs existed.  No reason was given as to why my initially submitted docs was not good adequate; just a request for certain additional docs.

 

Now once I got the approval notice several weeks later in December then I did get online acct notifications and emails (and even one phone call) along with the status change in my online acct as BoI/Immigration needed a rescanned copy of my passport and a copy of my latest 90 day address report.

 

So, for all of your folks with LTR application still going thru the process "be sure to check your online acct daily" to see if there has been a status change and/or any requests in the Step 4/Upload area because you may not get any online acct notification message or email.   I got the impression from those folks who applied when the LTR application gate opened in September that a person would "always" get an email when additional docs were needed but it doesn't appear to work that way anymore.   Just be sure to check your acct daily/frequently.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

Type: LTR "T"
Applied: Don't remember the exact date, but it was late November
Approved: January 4th
Additional docs: For proof of employment, I originally provided my offer letter but they wanted a currently dated and signed letter from my company stating my role and compensation. They didn't email me to notify when additional docs were needed - I only found out when logging in and noticing the alerts and status change.

 

Update:   Known LTR Visa Approvals as of 9 Jan 2023 "based on posts in this thread I saw."  Added in bold text "TaiMaiTai" who received his LTR Work From Thailand visa approval notice 4 Jan 2023.  See his post above for more details.  Congrats to TaiMaiTai!!!

 

Although it appears approvals might be slowing down a bit since the end of 2022 I don't expect that is really the case but it's just the case of only some people who use Aseannow.com posting their results in this thread.  Remember, this list only accounts for those who have announced an approval in this thread.  I expect the well may be drying-up for those Aseannow posters who have LTR applications in process "and" also follow/post in this thread.  Heck, I see even TaiMaiTai is a brand new member of Aseannow and his post is much appreciated.

 

Hopefully/maybe the BoI will release some stats soon reflecting info on the first four months of LTR applications 1 Sep - 31 Dec 2022 versus all of us trying to extrapolate/guess about LTR stats.

 

Poster & Date Approval Notice Rec'd

1.   BKKNono  -  15 Sep 2022

2.  ashkale  - 28 Sep 2022

3.  ThailandRyan  - 28 Sep 2022

4.  pepper402  - 29 Sep 2022

5.  gajah  - 30 Sep 2022

6.  Alotoftravel  - 4 Oct 2022

7.  James7  - 4 Oct 2022

8. & 9.  Misty (and family member)  - 4 Oct 2022

10.  mudcat  - 4 Oct 2022

11. & 12.  stuarty (and wife) - 4 Oct 2022

13.  Boomer6969  - 5 Oct 2022

14.  aublumberg - 12 Oct 2022

15.  JJJJJJJJ  -  8 Nov 2022

16.  smic - 28 Nov 2022

17.  Paul3456 - 30 Nov 2022

18.  anotherexpat4444 - 7 Dec 2022

19.  User3847385 - 8 Dec 2022

20. & 21.  Zuman - 16 Dec 2022 (and Mrs Zuman on 27 Dec 2022) 

22. lextsy - 21 Dec 2022

23. Pib - 23 Dec 2022

24. Saraburi121 - 23 Dec 2022

25. khunjeff - 26 Dec 2022

26. TaiMaiTai - 4 Jan 2023

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

Good luck @pepper402 and please let me know how it goes.

 

For the purposes of evisa approval, estimating things as you have seems like it could work. My worry is what happens when I actually arrive there - is my flight, hotel, 12 month travel stamps, etc stored in their system and would they compare it against my actual information? Judging by their IT problems, I'm guessing not, but I wonder if others here have real world experience with that.

 

I can also try contacting the LA Thai Consulate by Facebook on Monday as @Misty has suggested in other threads. Though I suspect they would only be able to answer questions about the evisa application process and not what happens with immigration in Thailand after I arrive.

Hi TaiMaiTai, Haven't had time to go through your previous post and answer it question by question, but here's a summary of what I did which may be of some help:

 

The really important detail in the LTR e-visa application seemed to be the BoI's Notification Letter. The other requested information is part of any e-visa application (or at least it was for my NonB e-visa) , but I'm not sure how important these details are for the LTR e-visa.

 

For me the actual arrival and departure dates were my actual dates.   I arrived in Thailand, stayed for 39 days and then went on a short trip to see friends for the holidays. However, before I had that holiday trip planned I'd asked the NY consulate if I should put in a 5 year period since the amount of time I would be permitted to stay would be 5 years.  They said no, just put in a best guess of my next trip, or maybe 90 days if I didn't have any specific plan.

 

I listed my place of residence as my actual place of residence.

 

The flight number was the for the last leg of my journey, from Europe to Bangkok.  My overall trip did originate in the US, but there was no where to list the first leg on the online application. No one asked about it.

 

I'm no expert, but as I wrote above, my best guess is the most important item is the BoI's Notification Letter. For a 10 year visa with five year period of stay, of course the dates of arrival/departure and residence may change. 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Pib said:

 

Update:   Known LTR Visa Approvals as of 9 Jan 2023 "based on posts in this thread I saw."  Added in bold text "TaiMaiTai" who received his LTR Work From Thailand visa approval notice 4 Jan 2023.  See his post above for more details.  Congrats to TaiMaiTai!!!

 

Although it appears approvals might be slowing down a bit since the end of 2022 I don't expect that is really the case but it's just the case of only some people who use Aseannow.com posting their results in this thread.  Remember, this list only accounts for those who have announced an approval in this thread.  I expect the well may be drying-up for those Aseannow posters who have LTR applications in process "and" also follow/post in this thread.  Heck, I see even TaiMaiTai is a brand new member of Aseannow and his post is much appreciated.

 

Hopefully/maybe the BoI will release some stats soon reflecting info on the first four months of LTR applications 1 Sep - 31 Dec 2022 versus all of us trying to extrapolate/guess about LTR stats.

 

Poster & Date Approval Notice Rec'd

1.   BKKNono  -  15 Sep 2022

2.  ashkale  - 28 Sep 2022

3.  ThailandRyan  - 28 Sep 2022

4.  pepper402  - 29 Sep 2022

5.  gajah  - 30 Sep 2022

6.  Alotoftravel  - 4 Oct 2022

7.  James7  - 4 Oct 2022

8. & 9.  Misty (and family member)  - 4 Oct 2022

10.  mudcat  - 4 Oct 2022

11. & 12.  stuarty (and wife) - 4 Oct 2022

13.  Boomer6969  - 5 Oct 2022

14.  aublumberg - 12 Oct 2022

15.  JJJJJJJJ  -  8 Nov 2022

16.  smic - 28 Nov 2022

17.  Paul3456 - 30 Nov 2022

18.  anotherexpat4444 - 7 Dec 2022

19.  User3847385 - 8 Dec 2022

20. & 21.  Zuman - 16 Dec 2022 (and Mrs Zuman on 27 Dec 2022) 

22. lextsy - 21 Dec 2022

23. Pib - 23 Dec 2022

24. Saraburi121 - 23 Dec 2022

25. khunjeff - 26 Dec 2022

26. TaiMaiTai - 4 Jan 2023

 

Great list!  It looks like in the period 7 Dec - 4 Jan there were 9 people in this thread who received their LTR visas.  Could this be an acceleration rather than a slow-down?

  • Like 1
  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

My worry is what happens when I actually arrive there - is my flight, hotel, 12 month travel stamps, etc stored in their system and would they compare it against my actual information?

Don't worry too much. Once the visa has been issued, no one will look at any of that ever again - all they'll see is the visa in your passport. And if you're applying at a Thai consulate abroad, that information will be in the files of the MFA, not BoI or immigration. The e-visa website asks all those questions, but they're basically irrelevant to the LTR category. As long as you have the BoI approval letter, a valid passport, and the issuance fee, you will get the visa and that will be that. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Misty said:

Great list!  It looks like in the period 7 Dec - 4 Jan there were 9 people in this thread who received their LTR visas.  Could this be an acceleration rather than a slow-down?

Could be...I hope so....more the better. 

 

Will be interesting to see how many get approved in January.  Right now we know of one approval which was TaiMaiTai on 4 Jan...a brand new AseanNow member.   But there could be a lot of folks getting approved, but unless they are AseanNow members "and" post in this thread we are unlikely to find out about the approval unless stumbling across the approval in another thread or forum. 

 

I hope BoI releases some stats on the first four months of the LTR visa program.   I know the approval numbers will be no where near the aspirational number the govt initially talked....I would just like to know from a curiosity standpoint what the LTR stats look like.  I'm sure the LTR program will be much more successful than the SMART visa program.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Don't worry too much. Once the visa has been issued, no one will look at any of that ever again - all they'll see is the visa in your passport. And if you're applying at a Thai consulate abroad, that information will be in the files of the MFA, not BoI or immigration. The e-visa website asks all those questions, but they're basically irrelevant to the LTR category. As long as you have the BoI approval letter, a valid passport, and the issuance fee, you will get the visa and that will be that. 

Thanks khunjeff, misty, and pepper402 for the various replies on the evisa and immigration process. I'll submit the app and let you know how it goes.

 

Also related to both the evisa process and the original BOI app process that Pib has been talking about, there was a discrepancy between the BOI LTR approval email and the actual Notification of Qualification letter I received - the email said it was valid for 60 days whereas the letter said it's valid until the end of the 10 year period. I would expect the letter to be more official than the email, but I don't feel like taking any chances so I'll be conservative and follow the 60 day guidance.

 

Also, the evisa website says not to apply for the evisa more than 3 months in advance of arrival date, which combined with the 60 day guidance gives a maximum 5 month window for ostensibly entering Thailand (though probably less since the letter may need to be valid for the duration of the evisa review process), though I'm guessing that 3 month time period applies more to the shorter term visas.

Edited by TaiMaiTai
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

Thanks khunjeff, misty, and pepper402 for the various replies on the evisa and immigration process. I'll submit the app and let you know how it goes.

 

Also related to both the evisa process and the original BOI app process that Pib has been talking about, there was a discrepancy between the BOI LTR approval email and the actual Notification of Qualification letter I received - the email said it was valid for 60 days whereas the letter said it's valid until the end of the 10 year period. I would expect the letter to be more official than the email, but I don't feel like taking any chances so I'll be conservative and follow the 60 day guidance.

 

Also, the evisa website says not to apply for the evisa more than 3 months in advance of arrival date, which combined with the 60 day guidance gives a maximum 5 month window for ostensibly entering Thailand (though probably less since the letter may need to be valid for the duration of the evisa review process), though I'm guessing that 3 month time period applies more to the shorter term visas.

Not sure if this could explain some of the discrepancies, but the e-visa website is used for all types of visas, many of which are only valid for 90 days or less after entering Thailand.  The LTR visa is such a different animal maybe it just doesn't fit well into the box.  My understanding is that once you have the BoI Notification Letter, you have 60 days to use it to get the actual visa - either in Thailand at the BoI location (One Stop Service) or overseas through a consulate.  Once you receive the LTR e-visa, you'll see that it says the visa must be used by 10 years from the date it's issued.

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, TaiMaiTai said:

Also related to both the evisa process and the original BOI app process that Pib has been talking about, there was a discrepancy between the BOI LTR approval email and the actual Notification of Qualification letter I received - the email said it was valid for 60 days whereas the letter said it's valid until the end of the 10 year period. I would expect the letter to be more official than the email, but I don't feel like taking any chances so I'll be conservative and follow the 60 day guidance.

The email and letter are basically saying you are officially endorsed to receive the 10 year visa and you have 60 days to take the final step to actually get the 10 year visa issued which involves a little more paperwork and paying the visa issue fee.  If you take that final step within 60 days then the visa will be issued and is good for 10 years. 

 

If you do not take the required action within 60 days of having the visa issued at BoI Immigration or a Thai consulate then the visa is void....you'll have to start all over with a new application.  

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/8/2022 at 8:10 PM, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

People in that bracket are better off with the Elite visa, imho.

I meet the requirements but why on earth would anybody pay for an elite visa unless they are not 50 years old and have a strong desire to stay long term? I'm not throwing away 600,000 THB when I could just leave it in the bank and pay an agent to get me a retirement visa and then do my extensions.. or better yet get the visa and extensions myself which I've done at least 3 times in the last 10  years... folks who throw away money like that never become wealthy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

“Fees won’t be collected from foreigners with work permits” 

 

So I guess that means that us who are on a work-from-Thailand-professional visa will need to help pay for uninsured peoples accidents even though we ourselves are required to hold an insurance, seeing as apparently we are not allowed to receive a work permit (even though we are supposedly allowed to work here)


 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2480200/b300-tourist-fee-to-take-effect-in-june?fbclid=IwAR3MG8r-C-j-Abhe3EAcB28eo4x0Ikw4rQ4ITgrYw949lVOc7BzbkBAxnDw#lcrega0cs5d1f9646ic

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, User3847385 said:

“Fees won’t be collected from foreigners with work permits” 

 

So I guess that means that us who are on a work-from-Thailand-professional visa will need to help pay for uninsured peoples accidents even though we ourselves are required to hold an insurance, seeing as apparently we are not allowed to receive a work permit (even though we are supposedly allowed to work here)


 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2480200/b300-tourist-fee-to-take-effect-in-june?fbclid=IwAR3MG8r-C-j-Abhe3EAcB28eo4x0Ikw4rQ4ITgrYw949lVOc7BzbkBAxnDw#lcrega0cs5d1f9646ic

It's 300B. Surely there's bigger fish to fry.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mrmagyar said:

Interesting report Chris.

 

To my understanding, this seems to contradict what has been previously discussed and agreed upon in this thread.

 

I was going off Section 5 of this document, which I assumed to imply that tax was not due on income* not brought into Thailand in the year that it was earned: https://ltr.boi.go.th/documents/Royal Decree issued under the Revenue Code No.743 (EN).pdf

This article from a tax accountant is golden in all the tax implications of this visa (This told me everything and then I confirmed it next with the Thailand revenue department itself):

 

https://www.austchamthailand.com/tax-implications-of-remote-working-in-thailand/#:~:text=With few exceptions%2C a foreign,individual is a Thai resident.

 

Have a look under sections "Taxation of a work-from-Thailand professional visa holder"

and also "Double tax agreements (DTA)"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, DjChris28 said:

This article from a tax accountant is golden in all the tax implications of this visa (This told me everything and then I confirmed it next with the Thailand revenue department itself):

 

https://www.austchamthailand.com/tax-implications-of-remote-working-in-thailand/#:~:text=With few exceptions%2C a foreign,individual is a Thai resident.

 

Have a look under sections "Taxation of a work-from-Thailand professional visa holder"

and also "Double tax agreements (DTA)"

Ah yes ok.

 

I always forget that I'm working under the assumption that any income would not be remitted to Thailand in the year in which it was earned.

 

Under that assumption, I understand that there is no tax liability.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now




×
×
  • Create New...