Two newer routes: one for substantial income or assets, one for people who work remotely and
are too young to retire.
LTR — Long-Term Resident
A ten-year visa in several categories, including a wealthy pensioner route and one for
remote work for a foreign employer.
Why it appeals: ten years rather than annual renewals, annual reporting instead of every 90 days, a digital work permit where the category allows work, and preferential tax treatment
in some categories.
Why it’s harder: thresholds considerably above the retirement visa, more documentation, a
longer process. Broadly — if your income is comfortably into six figures in US dollars, it’s
worth investigating. Below that, the retirement visa is simpler and cheaper.
DTV — Destination Thailand Visa
The first realistic long-stay option for people under 50.
- Valid five years
- 180 days per entry, extendable once by a further 180
- Around ฿500,000 in liquid funds held for several months beforehand — foreign currency
accepted - You leave and re-enter to reset
It is not residency and not continuous. You are expected to come and go.
Which, and what to buy
| Retirement | LTR | DTV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 50 | varies | none |
| Length | 1 year, renewable | up to 10 years | 5 years, 180 days at a time |
| Reporting | every 90 days | annual | on entry |
| Work | no | some categories | yes, for a foreign employer |
| Property fit | a home to live in | a home to live in | lock-up-and-leave |
The DTV changes the property advice. Six months a year in two stretches makes a villa
garden a maintenance problem rather than a pleasure. Either buy a condominium where the
building is managed for you, or buy the villa and put it under management — which means it can be earning while you’re elsewhere.
That last point changes the arithmetic of the purchase entirely.
Indicative and checked August 2026. Requirements for all three routes change.