LTR Visa is Now available for Long Term Residency

[Ramilf]

1 hour ago, User3847385 said:

so I’m hoping everything will go smooth next week when I go there after arriving back in Thailand on my new passport.

Wish you luck! Plaese, write here how will things go with Embassy and Immigration office

[User3847385]

9 hours ago, Ramilf said:

Wish you luck! Plaese, write here how will things go with Embassy and Immigration office

Sure, will let you know how it went. 

[Pib]

14 hours ago, Oorinara said:

Got my LTR-H in mid Feb at OSOS, Bangkok.

 

Validity

- visa: 10yr

- work permit: 5 yr

- stay permit: 4.5 yr, sync with my passport expiry, with note that it ought to be 5 yr

 

Timeline

- early Dec: submitted application

- during Dec: more docs requested (on work and company info at most)

- mid Jan: pre-qualification received

- early Feb: canceled my previous visa

- mid Feb: LTR-H visa stamped

 

Update: Known LTR Visa Approvals as of 21 Feb 2023 "based only on posts in this thread I saw."  Added in bold text "Oorinara" who received his High Skilled Professional visa approval mid Jan 2023.   See his post above for more details.  Congrats!!!   

 

Poster & Date Final 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.  F Groenen - 22 Nov 2022

17.  smic - 28 Nov 2022

18.  Paul3456 - 30 Nov 2022

19.  anotherexpat4444 - 7 Dec 2022

20.  User3847385 - 8 Dec 2022

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

23. lextsy - 21 Dec 2022

24. Pib - 23 Dec 2022

25. Saraburi121 - 23 Dec 2022

26. khunjeff - 26 Dec 2022

27. TaiMaiTai - 4 Jan 2023

28. digitalnotmad - mid Jan 2023

29.  Oorinara - mid Jan 2023

30. & 31.  Ramilf (and family) - 20 Jan 2023

32. OneZero - 17 Feb 2023

33. pablo el sueco - 20 Feb 2023

 

[pepper402]

Does anyone know if I can get a Thai drivers license with my LTR visa?  I don't (yet) live in Thailand but could use a friends address if needed.  If it's possible, how would I go about doing this and how long would it take? Thanks

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, pepper402 said:

Does anyone know if I can get a Thai drivers license with my LTR visa?  I don't (yet) live in Thailand but could use a friends address if needed.  If it's possible, how would I go about doing this and how long would it take? Thanks

Yes, a LTR visa is a long term visa like a Non-immigrant 1 year visa. 

 

See below Thailand Dept of Land Transporation website on how to initially get a license or renew an expiring license.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/two-year-license

[OneZero]

Pib,

I know that when the first year is up for the early enrollees, we will get reports back about the address reporting process.  But based upon what you may already have learned, will the process be the same as 90 day reporting at local immigration office, with ability to do two weeks ahead or 7 days after?

 

Also, will the reporting date be fixed, like the Visa Issuance date is fixed, or will the address reporting date be shifted (like 90 day report) to 365 days after the day you just reported?

[Pib]

2 minutes ago, OneZero said:

Pib,

I know that when the first year is up for the early enrollees, we will get reports back about the address reporting process.  But based upon what you may already have learned, will the process be the same as 90 day reporting at local immigration office, with ability to do two weeks ahead or 7 days after?

 

Also, will the reporting date be fixed, like the Visa Issuance date is fixed, or will the address reporting date be shifted (like 90 day report) to 365 days after the day you just reported?

I don't know for sure....but I expect it will mirror the BoI SMART visa one year address reporting that can either be done in person at the BoI immigration at Chamchuri Square OR by mail.  And who knows, maybe in the future it will be expanded to allow online reporting....who knows.   Hopefully in the near future BoI will expand their LTR website with a lot more info....like the "lot more" info contained in below BoI SMART visa website link....see Paragraph 4.1 regarding methods to accomplish the 1 year address reporting. 

 

https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/how-to-manage.html

 

 

[GFunkDeluxe]

Hi everyone, just wanted to say a big thank you for this thread. My wife and I are currently putting together our LTR application and the information in here has been absolutely invaluable, it’s definitely much less daunting than it initially seemed.

A big thank you for everyone keeping it so genuinely civil and helpful too, all too often these forums instantly devolve into needless feral arguments and sad little píssing contests.
I’ll report back on our application process and how it goes. Cheers ????

[Pib]

The 23 Feb 2023 Bangkok Post has a short article titled, "BoI Wants Businesses to Promote LTR Visas."   It has a few stats says 2,800 people have sought the visas since the LTR program rollout 1 Sep 2022, pensioners makes up 35% of the applicants, followed by work from Thailand applicants, etc.   

[Pib]

52 minutes ago, Pib said:

The 23 Feb 2023 Bangkok Post has a short article titled, "BoI Wants Businesses to Promote LTR Visas."   It has a few stats says 2,800 people have sought the visas since the LTR program rollout 1 Sep 2022, pensioners makes up 35% of the applicants, followed by work from Thailand applicants, etc.   

After reading the article again and where it talks "businesses," I think the BoI is talking their "Certified Agent (CA)" program we talked about earlier in this thread....see post below   That is, basically looking to certify agents to assist foreigners in obtaining an LTR visa....basically like a visa agent.    The BoI was to accept CA applications thru 31 Jan 2023....maybe since it's the late Feb 2023 maybe BoI has finished evaluating CA applications and will soon announce what companies can act as a BoI Certified Agent to assist/hand-walk people thru the LTR application process "for a fee"....a fee that is separate from the Bt50K fee you must pay the govt for the visa. 

 

 

 

[Pib]

I just noticed on the LTR webpage where the Wealthy Pensioner qualifications overviewed the BoI added a note in red text stating "earned" income (i.e., salary) will not be considered eligible income for the Pensioner visa. 

 

I don't know exactly how long that note has been there I just know it didn't use to be there although I think it was generally understood by most applicants qualifying income had to predominately pension/fixed income vs salary/wages/allowances. 

 

However, I expect some applicants who were close to fully retiring probably tried to use earned income in the application were it lists "Salary/Wages/Allowances" and  "Other" income to maybe meet the "majority" of the 80K USD total income requirement....especially those folks who may have already been drawing a pension(s) from a past jab but who was also still working part or full time. 

 

The Salary/Wages/Allowances income area may disappear off the Pensioner application if BoI wants to add another checkpoint to prevent the entry of salary/wages/allowances.....to further stress earned income is not eligible income to meet the Pensioner income requirement.

 

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

 

 

Partial Snapshot of Pensioner Application

 

[Misty]

11 hours ago, Pib said:

I just noticed on the LTR webpage where the Wealthy Pensioner qualifications overviewed the BoI added a note in red text stating "earned" income (i.e., salary) will not be considered eligible income for the Pensioner visa. 

 

I don't know exactly how long that note has been there I just know it didn't use to be there although I think it was generally understood by most applicants qualifying income had to predominately pension/fixed income vs salary/wages/allowances. 

 

However, I expect some applicants who were close to fully retiring probably tried to use earned income in the application were it lists "Salary/Wages/Allowances" and  "Other" income to maybe meet the "majority" of the 80K USD total income requirement....especially those folks who may have already been drawing a pension(s) from a past jab but who was also still working part or full time. 

 

The Salary/Wages/Allowances income area may disappear off the Pensioner application if BoI wants to add another checkpoint to prevent the entry of salary/wages/allowances.....to further stress earned income is not eligible income to meet the Pensioner income requirement.

 

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

 

 

Partial Snapshot of Pensioner Application

 

As always, thanks Pib for the new information.  BoI staff told me verbally that they don't consider amounts in line 1 (essentially earned income) of a US 1040 tax filing for Wealthy Pensioner applications. Probably good that they are clarifying this point on the website, to avoid confusion.

[Alotoftravel]

Interesting read 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/648860292128018/search/?q=ltr visa

[OneZero]

2 hours ago, Alotoftravel said:

Interesting read 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/648860292128018/search/?q=ltr visa

Quote: "Went today and arrived in dress-shorts - rookie mistake - had to go to the mall and buy a pair of pants "

Thanks for the heads up.  Guess I'll not show up in dress shorts & polo shirt, as originally planned (Bangkok is hot).  haha

PS, the polo shirt is ok, as stated so on backside of the Confirmation of Appointment form.

 

[tai4de2]

Waiting on my condo deal to close before applying for the WGC LTR visa…

 

Has the manner in which to prove the value of a real estate asset in the USA been covered here? I was thinking I could use the assessed value from my county, plus a copy of the deed. Or something.

[Pib]

3 hours ago, tai4de2 said:

Waiting on my condo deal to close before applying for the WGC LTR visa…

 

Has the manner in which to prove the value of a real estate asset in the USA been covered here? I was thinking I could use the assessed value from my county, plus a copy of the deed. Or something.

For property owned in Thailand it's based on the Land Office recorded sale value.   See  the post below from "oldcpu" who already research this regarding Thailand owned property.  

 

Now for foreign owned property I expect the same method would apply although I would hope if a person is getting an annual property tax bill which is based on the current govt-assessed value of the property then that value would be used vs a past sale value which could have been from many years ago.

 

Boi is basically looking for some official government document which states the property value versus just letting the applicant pick a valve.

 

 

[tai4de2]

Another question: has anyone successfully used a Thai government bond as part of the investment in Thailand for WGC? My condo won’t be enough and I will be looking for the lowest risk way of topping up to get to $500K.

 

Was thinking to try to open a Bangkok Bank government bond account. On the face of it that seems like it should make this dead simple…

 

Could another option be to buy another condo? Seems undesirable as I can only live in one of them at a time…

[Pib]

53 minutes ago, tai4de2 said:

Another question: has anyone successfully used a Thai government bond as part of the investment in Thailand for WGC? My condo won’t be enough and I will be looking for the lowest risk way of topping up to get to $500K.

 

Was thinking to try to open a Bangkok Bank government bond account. On the face of it that seems like it should make this dead simple…

 

Could another option be to buy another condo? Seems undesirable as I can only live in one of them at a time…

 

Below are a couple of earlier posts regarding buying govt bonds which may be helpful.  But I think you will find out buying bonds if a Thai citizen can be easy if bonds are available; but if not a Thai citizen it can be hard although it may look easy at first glance.

 

Post 1 from OldAjahn

Post 2 from oldcpu

 

[Misty]

15 hours ago, tai4de2 said:

Another question: has anyone successfully used a Thai government bond as part of the investment in Thailand for WGC? My condo won’t be enough and I will be looking for the lowest risk way of topping up to get to $500K.

 

Was thinking to try to open a Bangkok Bank government bond account. On the face of it that seems like it should make this dead simple…

 

Could another option be to buy another condo? Seems undesirable as I can only live in one of them at a time…

Yes, I know of a case where someone used a Thai gov't bond purchase in the secondary market as part of the investment for WGC. It was done through a senior bond trader at KBANK and with the direct help of BoI staff.  BBL should be fine, too.  Would suggest talking to the BoI directly and asking them for a contact at either bank.

 

 

[tai4de2]

14 minutes ago, Misty said:

Would suggest talking to the BoI directly and asking them for a contact at either bank.

Thank you, I sent an email to the BOI LTR folks to ask.

[oldcpu]

On 2/27/2023 at 5:27 PM, tai4de2 said:

Another question: has anyone successfully used a Thai government bond as part of the investment in Thailand for WGC? My condo won’t be enough and I will be looking for the lowest risk way of topping up to get to $500K.

I purchased 2 million THB in Thai government bonds, such that the bond purchase, and 50% of my Thai condo's value would meet the required amount.   That plus 50% of my condo purchase, gave me an amount over the needed $250K US$ equivalent Thailand investment for a Wealthy Pensioner.

 

For a Wealthy Pensioner, according the the LTR web site, one need not show $500K US$, but rather only show $250K US$ investment in Thailand plus an income of $40K US$ / year.  For global 'wealthy citizens' I guess the $500K US equivalent investment in Thailand is needed (?) ...  I am glad in this instance to be a pensioner (as a smaller amount is required for an investment in Thailand).

 

I have submitted an LTR application (after the middle of January) and the process is ongoing. I have been asked for additional documents twice. Once for a copy of the income tax paperwork (relevant T1) that I submitted to Canadian government. I had previously provided to BOI the Canadian government official acknowledgement/assessment of my taxes for 2 recent taxation years, that stated my global yearly income ... but BOI wanted my 'less official' copy of the T1 tax return that I submitted to the Canadian government. So I provided that.

 

More recent BOI asked for a Or.Chor-16 document as proof of the 'purchase of sale' of my condo (a land office document which lists my name and my wife name as buyers of the condo, and lists the purchase price).  Previous I had provided the 'real estate' agent's signed purchase to buy/sell, but they didn't want that. BOI wanted the land office purchase/sale document.  That document is 100% in Thai (the Or.Chor-16) and I confess I didn't even know it existed, but my Thai wife did, once I pointed out to her what the BOI requested, she pulled out the document. So I scanned it and I uploaded that today.

 

Still, I expect to be requested more documents in the future.

 

Edit: I was asked for either an Or.Chor-16 or an Or.Chor-23.  I think (but I am not certain) that the land office issues an Or.Chor-16 if one is buying a foreign freehold condo off of a previous foreign owner, ... but if one is buying a foreign freehold condo off of a developer, then the document is an Or.Chor-23.  I do NOT know if that is correct, but that is what my Thai wife suspects.  She could be wrong on this.  As near as i can tell, I don't have an Or.Chor-23 for my foreign freehold condo.

 

On 2/27/2023 at 5:27 PM, tai4de2 said:

 

Was thinking to try to open a Bangkok Bank government bond account. On the face of it that seems like it should make this dead simple…

Earlier in this thread is my account as to what I went through to buy 2-million THB in Thai government bonds via Bangkok Bank, The 'twist' Bangkok Bank thru at me was the branch manager wanted to see my "yellow book" and "pink ID" as proof of my residence in Thailand.  I suspect that is NOT necessary, but since he asked for it, and since I had such, I simply provided such without any comment. 

 

For my 'pink Thai ID',  Bangkok Bank used the # on my 'Pink ID' as my 'tax number' for their computer entry for the bond purchase.  I have no idea if that was the correct number (as to the best of my knowledge I don't have a Thai tax number).  Bangkok Bank claim one needs such a tax number to purchase a Thai government bond.  I suspect such may not be necessary, but why "fight city hall" when I already had such documents?

 

Please - no flames from the yellow book and pink ID haters.  I simply was looking for the easiest path since I already had said documents.

 

On 2/27/2023 at 5:27 PM, tai4de2 said:

 

Could another option be to buy another condo? Seems undesirable as I can only live in one of them at a time…

Buying another condo?  I would avoid such if all possible.  For me, if such was needed, I would not have applied for an LTR.

[Misty]

9 hours ago, oldcpu said:

For a Wealthy Pensioner, according the the LTR web site, one need not show $500K US$, but rather only show $250K US$ investment in Thailand plus an income of $40K US$ / year.  For global 'wealthy citizens' I guess the $500K US equivalent investment in Thailand is needed (?) ...  I am glad in this instance to be a pensioner (as a smaller amount is required for an investment in Thailand).

Yes, the investment requirement for the WGC is higher at $500k. WGC can make sense for younger folks who are still working.  But if you're retired and over 50 the Wealthy Pension is a more cost effective alternative. 

 

 

[tai4de2]

10 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Bangkok Bank claim one needs such a tax number to purchase a Thai government bond.  I suspect such may not be necessary, but why "fight city hall" when I already had such documents?.

Indeed this is what I was told yesterday at Bangkok Bank as well. 
 

I worked and paid taxes in Thailand decades ago and so must have had a TIN… and I was in fact able to get an official TIN card printed at the Revenue Department branch yesterday simply by showing my passport. (Aside: this felt somehow miraculous.)

 

Will try again at Bangkok Bank today. Let’s see what excuse they have today for not opening the bond account…

[tai4de2]

4 minutes ago, Misty said:

Yes, the investment requirement for the WGC is higher at $500k. WGC can make sense for younger folks who are still working.  But if you're retired and over 50 the Wealthy Pension is a more cost effective alternative. 

I would love to go for WP instead of WGC but I am in a transition phase: I don’t have the retirement income flowing yet, but can still use salary from last year for WGC even though my income in 2023 will be around zero. 
 

What I like about LTR vs retirement extension is the ability to get a work permit on LTR, and exemption from the 4:1 ratio. This opens up possibilities for forming a company and issuing myself a work permit. 

[Misty]

43 minutes ago, tai4de2 said:

I would love to go for WP instead of WGC but I am in a transition phase: I don’t have the retirement income flowing yet, but can still use salary from last year for WGC even though my income in 2023 will be around zero. 
 

What I like about LTR vs retirement extension is the ability to get a work permit on LTR, and exemption from the 4:1 ratio. This opens up possibilities for forming a company and issuing myself a work permit. 

Yes - exemption from the 4:1 ratio, plus not having to do annual NonB visa extensions (which has become an increasingly dysfunctional process) as well as  annual work permit extensions are huge bonuses of the LTR.  The 5 year digital work permit is truly a huge improvement.

[Misty]

53 minutes ago, tai4de2 said:

Indeed this is what I was told yesterday at Bangkok Bank as well. 
 

I worked and paid taxes in Thailand decades ago and so must have had a TIN… and I was in fact able to get an official TIN card printed at the Revenue Department branch yesterday simply by showing my passport. (Aside: this felt somehow miraculous.)

 

Will try again at Bangkok Bank today. Let’s see what excuse they have today for not opening the bond account…

Best wishes at BBL, hope it goes well.  But bear in mind that the customer facing folks at bank branches may just say "no can do" endlessly and no matter what, until the BoI gets directly involved.  At least that's what happened in the case I know about.  Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

[Misty]

11 hours ago, oldcpu said:

For my 'pink Thai ID',  Bangkok Bank used the # on my 'Pink ID' as my 'tax number' for their computer entry for the bond purchase.  I have no idea if that was the correct number (as to the best of my knowledge I don't have a Thai tax number).  Bangkok Bank claim one needs such a tax number to purchase a Thai government bond.  I suspect such may not be necessary, but why "fight city hall" when I already had such documents?

In the case I know of, the Thai tax number was needed because the Thai government bond pays interest. Thai income tax is withheld on that interest. The withheld tax has to be reported to the Thai Revenue Department at the time of withholding.

[Pib]

11 hours ago, oldcpu said:

For my 'pink Thai ID',  Bangkok Bank used the # on my 'Pink ID' as my 'tax number' for their computer entry for the bond purchase.  I have no idea if that was the correct number (as to the best of my knowledge I don't have a Thai tax number).  Bangkok Bank claim one needs such a tax number to purchase a Thai government bond.  I suspect such may not be necessary, but why "fight city hall" when I already had such documents?

While for a Thai citizen their 13 digit Thai ID card number is also their tax number, for a non-citizen/farang it's "not" their Pink ID card number, passport number, etc., but a 13 digit number issued by the Thai Revenue Dept.     

 

But it shouldn't be no big deal that the bank used your Pink ID card number.  When it comes time for you to file a tax return to possibly get a refund of any tax withheld for bond interest the Revenue Dept will issue you a tax number then.   Or you can go get one from the Revenue Dept now.  

[tai4de2]

2 hours ago, Misty said:

Best wishes at BBL, hope it goes well.  But bear in mind that the customer facing folks at bank branches may just say "no can do" endlessly and no matter what, until the BoI gets directly involved.  At least that's what happened in the case I know about.  

I totally hear you on that... 
 

That said… success at Bangkok Bank this morning! I am now in possession of a bond holder number from the bank and a bond account passbook. 

I have not yet been able to add the account to my mobile banking app but the fellow said I need to wait a day before that becomes possible. And of course actually BUYING a bond even once I should be able to might become a whole new adventure. 

[Misty]

1 hour ago, tai4de2 said:

I totally hear you on that... 
 

That said… success at Bangkok Bank this morning! I am now in possession of a bond holder number from the bank and a bond account passbook. 

I have not yet been able to add the account to my mobile banking app but the fellow said I need to wait a day before that becomes possible. And of course actually BUYING a bond even once I should be able to might become a whole new adventure. 

That's great news, I'm glad to hear you've made progress towards buying the bond. The procedure you describe is different from KBANK's - there was no bond account passbook in that case.  Please post how it goes with getting the actual bond.