Thailand Elite Visa Review: What You Should Know Before Applying (2023)

Thai Elite Visa Cover

Have you heard of the Thailand Elite Visa?

It was introduced in 2003 after the Thai government approved the Thailand Privilege Card project proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

It’s the most convenient visa to live in Thailand with.

How convenient is it?

In short, you can get a five- to 20-year visa straight away without having to deal with paperwork or visit the immigration office.

It’s also an underrated visa since people ignore it after hearing about the application fee.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at the Thailand Elite Visa, including its benefits, packages you can choose from, restrictions, and application costs.

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The Thailand Elite Visa program was shut down in September 2023. Since then, the Thai government has introduced a new program called the Thailand Privilege Card. It’s essentially a new version of the Elite Visa. You can read our in-depth review of the Thailand Privilege program to find out more information.

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Residence Program

Thailand Elite visa is a residence program allowing you to stay in Thailand from five to 20 years without having to worry about your visa conditions, paperwork, and extensions.

The Thailand Elite visa comes with various privileges, including access to airport pick-up services, privilege passport lanes, airport lounges, visa assistance, golf club memberships, and discounts on various services in Thailand.

The Thailand Elite Visa is run by Thai Government and aims to attract affluent visitors, businessmen, investors, and expats to stay in Thailand long-term. 

Who is it for? 

The Thailand Elite Visa is for anyone who lives or regularly comes to Thailand but doesn’t want to deal with Thailand’s bureaucratic visa system.

This includes digital nomads that don’t want to do visa runs, retirees who don’t want to be stressed with the new complicated regulations that have been regularly introduced, or investors or business people who need to fly in and out of Thailand several times a year. 

Benefits

Let’s take a look at the benefits that come with the Thailand Elite Visa. 

Long-Term Stays

The best part about the Thailand Elite Visa is that it allow syou to stay in Thailand for five to twenty years straight. 

Available to Everyone

The Thailand Elite Visa is available to anyone as long as they can pay the program fee. 

As of now, visa options for Thailand are quite limited for long-term stayers. There are a lot of people who can’t get a visa just because the Thai Government doesn’t have a suitable visa for them.

This is especially true for digital nomads. This group of people is having problems getting a legit visa. They aren’t employed by a company. They can’t get business visas. And they aren’t qualified for the SMART visa or LTR visa, which are the new visas that were first expected to be a visa for digital nomads.

Another group is those who want to retire in Thailand but haven’t reached the age requirements or other conditions required by the retirement visa.

There’s also another group like investors or business people who need to visit Thailand many times a year and find none of the current visa options suitable for them.

After you get the Thailand Elite Visa, you don’t need to worry anymore about your visa. You can stay in Thailand without having to do border runs or repetitively abusing tourist visas, which can result in later bans. 

Less Papaerwork 

Another great benefit of the Thailand Elite Visa is the visa assistance that can get you out of the bureaucratic system in Thailand.

Unlike other types of Thailand visas, you only need to give a copy of your passport to the Elite Visa agent. They will handle everything for you.

Then, you can go to your local Thailand embassy where they will affix your Elite Visa to your passport, and fly to Thailand.

If you are already here in Thailand, you still need to go to the immigration office. Again, you will meet the visa agent who will take you to a privilege passport lane, and handle everything for you.

The visa should be done within 30 minutes instead of spending at least half a day at the immigration office.

Because of this, there’s a group of people who go for Elite Visa despite being eligible for other long-term visas. They just want to avoid lines and the stress of dealing with visas.

Note that you still need to do 90-days reporting with the Elite Visa. But you can drop your passport at the agent’s office and let them handle it for you. 

Unchanging Regulations

The regulations of the Elite Visa barely change. Once you get your visa, you won’t need to worry about it anymore for at least five years. 

Airport Services

The Thailand Elite Visa program comes with airport services. The elite visa agent picks you up right inside the gate and escorts you to the fast-track lane at immigration. You can’t get this service from a normal airport transfer service.

airport aisle in Don Mueng airport.
You can get the Elite visa right at the airport when flying in or out Thailand.

You also get access to airport lounges in both departure and arrival halls at Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, and Phuket airports.

Discounts

Originally, the idea of the Elite Visa was raised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to bring high-end visitors to Thailand. Therefore, the Thailand Elite Visa program has partnered with many travel related service providers throughout Thailand.

These partners are golf associations, hotels, travel agencies, department stores, cooking schools, and even Muay Thai camps.

By showing your Thailand Elite Card, you immediately get discounts for you, your family, and your guests. 

Thailand Elite Card

You will get a Thailand Elite card once you are approved for the Thailand Elite visa program. It’s like a membership card. You can use it to get all the benefits from the Thailand Elite Visa program.

Thailand Elite Visa Card

Other

With the 20-year visa package, you can play golf and have spa treatments 24 times a year free of charge at any golf associations or spas that are partners of the Thailand Elite program.

In addition, you can get one free health checkup a year and also have access to a member contact center who can provide support for anything you need while living your life in Thailand.

You also get access to the Thailand Elite Visa support center.

Restrictions 

You can’t get a work permit with the Thai Elite visa. Legally speaking, without a work permit, you can’t do any activity that generates income in Thailand. However, you are still able to hold company shares or invest.

You can still buy a car, invest in a condo, open a bank account, and get a driving license with it

Requirements

Everyone can apply for the Thailand Elite visa. 

The only thing you literally need is the application fee, which should be paid in full during the application.

Other requirements are:

  • You need to obey Thai laws.
  • You need to have a passport that isn’t Thai.
  • You can’t have any criminal background in any countries.
  • You haven’t declared bankruptcy. 
  • You aren’t of unsound mind, incompetence, or quasi incompetent.
  • You haven’t overstayed your Thai visa more than twice in the past

Costs

Cost is the main requirements of the Thailand Elite Visa. The application fee for the cheapest program, the Easy Access, is 600,000 Thai baht–around $20,000. It gives you a five-year visa and other benefits mentioned above.

The superior extension gives you a twenty-year visa for a 1,000,000 baht fee. 

Although the number seems high, it isn’t as high as you may think. 600,000 Thai baht for a five-year visa means you pay 120,000 baht per year or 10,000 baht per month.

If you aren’t eligible for a long-term visa in Thailand and need to do a visa run, you need to pay around 10,000 Thai baht on average for a three day, 2 night trip to a nearby Thai embassy outside of Thailand. And each visa runs gives you 90 days here, all for around 3,300 baht per month.

It’s definitely cheaper. But it doesn’t count the time you need to spend traveling back and forth. Or the stress you need to deal with at immigration offices.

In addition, visa runs aren’t entirely legal. Thailand can ban you from abusing it.

border between Thailand and Myanmar in Chiang Rai
You won’t need to do border runs anymore with the Thailand Elite Visa. 

You can opt for an education visa by taking a Thai language course. However, this option is now only available to those who seriously want to learn Thai. You need to attend classes regularly every week.

And you need to take a Thai language test at the immigration office when extending your education visa.

Membership Packages

You have seven different Elite Visa packages to choose from. All packages come with visa assistance, airport services, discounts, and the Elite card.

Their main differences are the amount of years you get to stay in Thailand, and other perks like access to golf courses and spas, health checkups, and airport transfers.

Here are the top three most popular Elite Visa packages. They are the most valuable in terms of cost and benefits.

Easy Access (5-Year Visa)

The Elite Easy Access package is the starting point for this program and let’s you stay in Thailand for five years. 

This package cost THB600,000. So, with this option, you pay THB10,000 per month for your visa. 

The Easy Access package also comes with 24 free airport pickups per year. This starting point is a good option for those who want to try the Elite Visa program. 

Superiority Extension (20-Year Visa)

The Superiority Extension package gives you a 20-year stay in Thailand for THB1,000,000. 

Many expats who plan to stay in the country for long-term go with this option because it’s the most valuable package in terms of visa fees and duration of stay. 

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With this package, it will cost you around THB4,166 per month.

The benefits are the same as the Elite Access package, minus the free airport pickup service. 

Family Alternative (Family Visa) 

The Family Alternative package is known as a family visa in the Elite Visa program

It’s a 10-year visa that costs THB800,000. 

The most outstanding feature of the Family Alternative package is that you can add your family members to the plan for THB700,000 baht per person, making it the cheapest option for those who want to live in Thailand with their family under the Elite Visa program. 

Family members include your spouse, parents, step-parents, children, and step-children. 

Package Comparison 

Check out the below table for a quick overview of the Elite Visa packages. 

Benefits/ProgramEasy AccessFamily AlternativeSuperiority Extension
Year5 years10 years20 years
Fee (VAT included)600,000 baht800,000 baht1,000,000 baht
Additional Family Member700,000 baht 
Short Haul Transfer Service (within 80 km from airport)*24 times/calendar year

*For international flights only.

How to Apply for the Elite Visa

Applying for the Elite Visa is a straightforward process.

You have to fill in the application and include a copy of your passport and a passport-size color photo. Then, you send those documents to an Elite Visa representative.

The rep will forward these documents to Thailand Immigration, who will do a background check that takes roughly one to three months.

After that, you’ll get an approval letter and an invoice for the Elite Visa fee amount. Once you pay the fee, you should receive a welcome letter with your membership number within a few days.

Then, you can schedule a date with an Elite Visa rep to have the Elite Visa added to your passport at the immigration office.

If you’re not yet in Thailand, you can pick up your Elite Visa at the airport when you arrive here.

You can fill out this form to start the process.

How long does it take to get the Elite Visa? 

The whole application process takes around two to four months. 

Is it worth It?

The answer totally depends on you. If you‘re able to afford 10,000 baht a month and live hassle-free with this visa, then it’s totally worth it with all the conveniences you get.

On the other hand, if you’re eligible for other long-term visas and don’t mind dealing with paperwork and the bureaucratic system, then the Elite Visa isn’t for you.

Is it legit?

Thailand Elite Visa is totally legit. The program itself is run by the Thai government. 

Can you work with an Elite Visa?

Elite Visa holders aren’t allowed to get a work permit, which means that they cannot work in Thailand unless you are a part of the recently introduced flexible plus program.

On the other hand, it’s no problem to run or operate a business overseas with an Elite Visa, as long as the visa holder isn’t paid a salary or working for a company in Thailand.

What is the Thailand Elite Flexible Plus Program?

This is a new program that allows you to get a work permit and a non-B visa. This means you can work or run your company in Thailand.

There are two main requirements of the Thailand Elite Flexible Plus:

  1. You need to get the Elite Visa package that allows you to stay in Thailand for 20 years
  2. You need to invest $1,000,000 USD in Thailand within a year after getting your Thailand Elite Visa card. 

Can I get a work permit with the Elite Visa? 

Since the beginning of 2022, it’s now possible to get a work permit with the Elite Visa under the Flexible Plus program we mentioned above. 

Do I need to have health insurance?

As of now, you don’t need to have health insurance in order to apply for the Elite Visa. 

Do I need to have proof of funds?

Similar to health insurance, you don’t need to show any proof of funds. As long as you can pay the application fee in full and don’t have a criminal record, you should be able to get the Elite Visa without any problem.

Can I Get Thailand Tax Residency with the Elite Visa? 

Generally speaking, you’re a tax resident in Thailand if you stay in Thailand for more than 180 days in a calendar year.

By becoming a tax resident, you need to pay Thailand income tax for all of the income you make in Thailand. As for income made abroad, you don’t have to pay Thailand income tax as long as you do not transfer the money into Thailand during the same calendar year in which you earned that money. 

To get a Thailand tax certificate, you need to file Thailand income tax. 

Please note that tax is a complicated matter. It’s also different from expat to expat. So, it’s best to get advice from a tax advisor or an accountant

Can I apply for the Elite Visa if I’ve ever overstayed in Thailand?

While it can affect the results of your application, it’s possible to apply for the Elite Visa if you overstayed for only a few days and with good reason. Also, you must have left Thailand after overstaying and must have paid any associated fines.

I used to have either a non-O volunteer, non-MT (medical treatment), or non-ED (education) visa. Is it true that I can’t apply for the Elite Visa?

Sort of. If you ever had a non-O volunteer or non-MT visa, you might not be able to apply for the Elite Visa.

However, if you had a non-ED visa before, you can apply for the Elite Visa as long as the school you studied at is accredited by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Can I apply for the Elite Visa if I was ever late for a 90-day check-in?

Yes, you can apply for the Elite Visa if you weren’t extremely late for your 90-day check-in and you paid the fine.

Elite Visa vs. LTR Visa

With the official release of the long-term resident visa, known as the LTR visa, in September 2022, many people are wondering if they should apply for it or the Thailand Elite Visa. 

Here’s a quick comparison.

The LTR visa gives you 10 years in Thailand. However, it comes with strict requirements, such as investing at least US$500,000 in Thailand or working for a major company that pays you an annual salary of US$80,000. 

On the other hand, the application process for the Thailand Elite Visa is much easier if you can afford the package – and with it, you don’t have to pay income taxes in Thailand. 

Therefore, if you don’t want to invest a lot of money in Thailand or work here full-time, the Thailand Elite Visa is the better option.

Elite Visa Experience

An Expat Den reader just successfully got the Elite Visa for himself and wanted to share his experience to other readers.

“The process of applying for and getting approved for the Elite Visa was super smooth. Once you send in your elite visa application they forward it to immigrations for a background check. They told me the background check would take 2-3 months. In my case I received the approval letter one month after sending in the application.

From there they sent me instructions on how to settle the payment for the visa. Two days after making the payment I received a payment confirmation and was able to schedule an appointment with Thailand Elite at Chaengwattana Immigration. I met the Thailand Elite staff outside the immigration office where they picked up my passport. I waited outside and within 20 minutes they returned my passport with the visa affixed.

Overall the process was very convenient. The Thailand Elite staff speak very good English so it’s easy to communicate with them. Lastly, the fast lane service at the airport is a nice little bonus.”

How to Get it

You can apply for the Thailand Elite visa anywhere. All you need to do is to send a soft copy of your passport to the Elite Visa agent. Then, they will work with Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the consulate from your country to do a criminal background check.

Once it’s done, you need to transfer the application fee, wait a few days, and then get your Thai Elite Membership ID number.

After that, if you’re in Thailand, you can go to the immigration office, meet a visa agent, and get the Elite Visa right away.

If you’re outside of Thailand, you can get the Elite Visa at your local Thailand embassy.

The whole process takes around three months. But it’s often much faster than this. In certain cases, it even takes less than two weeks.

You can even do it while on a connecting flight from Thailand to another country.

Your Elite visa duration will start after you receive the approval letter, you the application fee in full, and receive the welcome letter.

The process of applying for the elite visa is very easy and straightforward. It’s the most convenient visa option in Thailand.

Elite Visa Shutting Down

In July 27, 2023, we received an official letter from the Elite Visa officials stating that they would close all Elite Visa applications on September 15th, 2023, 4:30 PM (Thailand time) for the following packages:

  • Elite Ultimate Privilege
  • Elite Family Premium
  • Elite Privilege Access
  • Elite Family Excursion
  • Elite Family Alternative
  • Elite Easy Access
  • Elite Superiority Extension
  • Elite Maxima Health

These were basically all of the current Elite Visa packages.

After that, new membership packages, the Thailand Privilege Card, was released on October 1st, 2023.

Avatar photo
Saran Lhawpongwad is a Bangkokian by birth. He loves to share what he learns based on his insights living and running business in Thailand. While not at his desk, he likes to be outdoors exploring the world with his family. You can connect with him on his LinkedIn.

69 thoughts on “Thailand Elite Visa Review: What You Should Know Before Applying (2023)”

  1. Hello, what does “operate business” mean? If a freelancer supplies its foreign customers via the internet with a computer from thailand and pay income tax abroad does he have to pay taxes in thailand, too with a Elite Visa?

    Reply
  2. I’m under 50 and self-funded. I’d be interested in renting long term, getting a license and bank account, and buying a motorcycle.

    Does your comment apply to this as well? Is it possible to accomplish the above without the Elite Visa. Acutally, I should first confirm that it IS possible WITH the Elite Visa.

    Respectfully,
    Andy

    Reply
    • It’s mainly about the application fee. As long as you have no criminal background and are able to afford it, you should be able to get it.

      Reply
  3. After obtaining the Elite visa, is it necessary to apply for a multiple re-entry permit ?
    Based on traveling in out of Thailand several times during the 12 months period

    Reply
  4. Also I read that assistance with 90 day visa checkin (I.e. someone does this on your behalf) that comes with the elite visa is only available in Bangkok. Can you confirm whether this aspect of the program extends to Chiang Mai or other parts of Thailand?

    Reply
  5. Some of the longer elite visas say 5 years but can be renewed a number of times. Is the initial fee paid for the elite visa the only time payment is made? Eg, the 10 year Elite privilege visa has validity of 5 years and renewable for another 5 years. It costs 800,000 baht. Is this the cost for a full 10 years with this visa or does that amount have to be paid again to get the second five years?

    Also, if you got the five year elite visa, can you later upgrade to a 10 or 20 year elite visa (eg, if you decide you will stay in Thailand long term. If this is possible, can you just pay the difference in fees or would you need to pay the full amount for the upgraded visa. I hope this makes sense.

    Reply
  6. So is it better to apply while in Thailand or in my home country{US)? Closest Thai consulate is 1000 miles away. Also curious if I apply here I have no idea how to plan for flight as I don’t know when the application would be approved? Sounds like the visa clock starts as soon as your payment is made so would lose some time from my visa stay.

    Reply
  7. Hi,

    I have applied for and been accepted to receive an Elite Thai Visa. I am preparing to send payment. In the meantime, I was reading through the comments here. One comment caused me to think of a question. I will not be working in Thailand. My income originates from my home country. But, if I am in Thailand for more than 180 days per year, will I be required to pay income taxes in Thailand. If so, I need to understand my home-country tax implications. Thank you.

    Reply
  8. Hi
    Does anyone have any advice for how I would go about rectifying an 4 year overstay please?
    88 year old man, who now needs care and wants to come home?
    Is airport and fine the way to go? He’s frail and incarceration would kill him I think.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • If he doesn’t have any plan on coming back to Thailand, it should be fine by just paying fine at the airport. However, you need to check the travel restrictions as well since I assume he’s still unvaccinated.

      Reply
  9. I have the Elite visa and it’s very easy to get but don’t expect special or preferred treatment with it. It’s pretty much a glorified tourist visa because the Thai people don’t understand the marketed significance of it. I pull it out at some places I expect a discount and they claim to not even know what it is. So far for me, the only benefit I have gained so far was being fast tracked at the airport coming into the phuket Sandbox.

    Reply
  10. If i am a dual national and have 2 passports. Am I able to transfer the Elite Visa sticker from say a European Passport to an Australian passport??

    Reply
  11. I’m currently here in Phuket on an O visa from USA 90 days and suppose to convert to marriage before 90. I arrived March 18 and am considering elite visa since marriage is becoming painful…

    Reply
    • Sorry. My question is is this possible? And how long is the processing time before the visa gets approved? Also how long does the background check and other pre approval checks take?

      Reply
      • It should be possible to do it in Thailand at the moment. Regarding how long, that depends. It can be less than two weeks or a few months.

        Reply
  12. Do not have to visit embassy my visa was attached via recorded mail and all other documents etc via email

    Reply
  13. Is it possible to get this if bankruptcy happened 10-15 years ago? That happened to my father, but he’s thinking of going to Thailand for a long time.

    Reply
  14. Dose anyone know the exact process for affixing the Thai Elite Visa in London at this time? Once you have the membership number and welcome letter do you need to go to the embassy?

    Reply
    • Yes, you still need to go to the embassy to have your elite visa affixed on your passport. You can contact the elite visa member service to help you up an appointment with the embassy.

      Reply
  15. Can I get the elite visa in my passport in Holland before flying to Thailand. I do not wish to go though the problems of getting a tourist visa if I pay this large some.

    Reply
  16. Hi, do you or your contacts expect them to introduce a proof of funds or salary in the future? And if so, would that effect people who already got granted an Elite Visa?

    Reply
    • No, I don’t think the visa is going to have any financial requirement in the future except for the application fee. Even if it does, it shouldn’t have any effect to the current Elite visa holders.

      Reply
  17. You can get the visa attached to your passport in your own country. I did it in London. Also they are not meeting members at the airport whilst the pandemic continues.

    Reply
  18. Well informative. Just a small query though on the ’90-days reporting’. Does this mean that one should not be away from Thailand for more than 90 days or every 90 days during one’s stay in Thailand, you should do the reporting? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Let’s say that if you stay in Thailand all the time, you should do it every 90 days. But when you leave Thailand, your 90-day check-in date is reset. For example, if you leave Thailand on October 16 and come here again on October 20, your 90-day check-in date is going to be 90 days after October 20.

      Reply
  19. If you leave Thailand via land border once in a year does this mean no imigration visit and 1900 baht payment

    Reply
  20. Hi, I have a question.
    Currently, I have education (ED) visa from one of the Thai University and I am now in Bangkok, Thailand. If I want to change Elite Visa, do I need to go outside Thailand?

    For Elite Visa fee, If I want to apply standard package, Can I pay Yearly or Monthly?

    Reply
  21. Hi am from Madagascar can i get that card and do i need to aooly for tourist visa before bording?
    Airline will refuse bording witout a visa

    Reply
  22. I’m currently in country enjoying the generosity of the visa amnesty. It’s August 30th. If I apply while in country, I suspect acceptance would not come until after 26 Sept and amnesty expiration. If it could be completed, great, but if not—and I do not wish to exit the country—would another type of visa serve as a holdover until my Thai Elite Visa was granted?

    Also, is there any way an application for someone currently in Thailand could be expedited?

    Thank you for any information you can provide.

    Reply
  23. Can you tell me if I would be able to pay my Elite Visa fee with my credit card? I would love to get the points as well. Thank you.

    Reply
  24. i am currently in Thailand with a B visa no working. my visa will expire on November 5. Can
    i get Thai visa before then so I do not need to leave the country?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • It’s possible to get a visa issued before that date. You can fill out the form above to get in touch with the Elite visa representative and have all of your questions answered or get started with applying the Elite visa.

      Reply
  25. Hi, apologies for this stupid question, do you allow South Africans to apply for the Elite visa? And is it THB800 000 per person. What do you consider a retirement age?

    Reply
    • It’s possible for South Africans to apply for the Elite visa. Cost depends on the program that you choose. And you can apply for the visa no matter how old you are.

      Reply
  26. If I obtain an Elite visa, does the start date begin on the date of receipt of the visa in the UK or on the day of my arrival in Thailand when using the visa for the first time. Sorry if it’s a silly question, but it’s important because as I understand things – the Elite Visa holders are still not permitted to enter the Kingdom, but probably will be in the near future, so I obviously don’t want to waste the allotted time on my visa if I am unable to use it. Thankyou.

    Reply
    • The starting date is when you get a welcome letter from the Elite visa program. However, currently they know that you are unable to enter Thailand yet. So, they give an additional 6 months on top of the duration period if the payment is made before Sep 30, 2020.

      Reply
  27. It literally means that the elite visa holders are unable to enter Thailand yet.

    According to the above comment in your article, is it pointless to apply for the elite visa currently until Thailand lifts ban on foreign visitors?

    We’ve purchased a condo in Rawai, Phuket and are eager for entry asap. We’re USA citizens stranded in Malaysia since their lockdown took effect on Mar 18th. We came here from Phuket after the 30 day stay under social pass.

    Reply
    • Yes, as of now, even the Elite visa holder is unable to enter Thailand. But I believe that more details on the how the Elite visa holder will be able to enter Thailand should be released soon since Thailand Government officially allow that.

      You can wait until we know more on the requirements. But please do note that the elite visa application process takes around 1-3 months.

      Reply
  28. I’m from Egypt and i need a visa to enter Thailand. Should i apply for a tourist visa and travel to Thailand first ,or can i get the elite visa right away from my country?

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, currently Egyptian is unable to get the Elite visa. It’s one of the restricted countries for Thailand Elite program. However, this may change in the future.

      Reply
    • if you have wife and child and need ten year visa you shell out 48,000 USD plus some legal fees. You can live in UAE with 3 years investor visa costing 5000 USD for 3 people and get it renewed every 3 years. So in 15,000 USD you get 9 years residence permit. Also it includes a company and you can do bank accounts and business , which you as egyptian cannot in thailand with ELITE visa

      Reply
  29. I’m looking at Samui to retire are there golf and spas there affiliated with the elite visa? Also is their an agent on the island

    Reply
    • Not specifically – but I would recommend reaching out to see if any open questions can be handled by e-mail or phone. My experience with law firms and agents in Thailand is that you’ll find the most capable ones in Bangkok and few exceptions aside (e.g. property issues), I’d go with Skype/phone with a Bangkok company over an in-person ‘local’ one outside of the capital.

      Reply
  30. thank you for this. What is the average fee charge by the agent who process the Thai Elite visa for us? And is there any other legal fee that we have to pay to get the visa?

    Reply
    • You don’t have to pay any fee to the agent. You would have to pay for the membership fee and that should be all.

      Reply
  31. If I understand correctly. When you have an Elite visa, you still need to report every 90 days. This is done by a visa agent to take the burden off one’s shoulder. Does this mean that each 90 day reporting will cost 1 900 baht? Or is this fee included in the Elite package?

    Reply
    • Hey Gabi,

      Yeah, you still need to report every 90 days even with the Elite Visa. It’s called 90-day notification. You can ask the visa agent to do that or do it yourself.

      And you don’t need to pay for the 90-day notification no matter which visa you are holding.

      Reply
  32. Hello.If I apply for a ThaiElite visa in the Uk before my trip to Thailand would I still need to apply for a 30 day visa to allow me entry into Thailand to collect the Elite visa?
    Sorry for the stupid question.

    Reply
    • We asked some info from the Elite Visa representative on your case. And here’s their answer:

      “If applying from outside of Thailand a client would provide us with their completed application, high resolution passport quality jpg photo, scan of data page in their passport, scan of any current Thai visa and/or recent entry/exit stamp into Thailand. We submit these details to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and after their visa has processed, we will receive their approval letter (this is essentially just a request for payment). Our client then transfers funds to the Thailand Privilege Card company and in about 3-5 business days receive their welcome letter. Once they receive their welcome letter they can book an Elite Personal Assistant to meet them at their gate at Suvarnabhumi airport upon arrival. The assistant will escort them to immigration fast track where they will have their Elite visas affixed. So, there is no need to apply for a visa in advance if applicants nationalities allow them to receive a visa exemption of a visa on arrival. Those applicants who need a visa to enter Thailand must acquire a tourist visa in advance of arrival into Thailand to have their Elite visa affixed at Suvarnabhumi. ”

      Hope this helps!

      Reply
  33. 5 year Elite requirements & privliiages..

    1…Do I need to have Thailand health insurance coverage ?
    2..does the Elite include a multi entry visa ..?
    3…Do I need to report to immigration each 90 days or yearly ?
    4…Can I drive with my foreign drivers license

    Reply
    • Hi Peter,
      To your question:
      – Nope, you don’t need to have health insurance for the elite visa.
      – The Elite Visa is a multi-entry visa itself.
      – Yes, you still need to do the 90 days reporting. But the Elite visa agent can do that for you as well.
      – If you want to drive in Thailand, it’s better to get IDF or a Thai driving license. Since you already have the driving license from your home country, it’s quite easy to get a Thai driving license. You can find out more from this article: https://expatden.com/thailand/thai-driving-license/

      Reply
  34. If you have a minor conviction from over 30 years ago that would stop you from applying for elite visa

    Reply
  35. It seems that there are two 20 years different cards.
    One at 1 M is called Xuperiority extension,
    one at 2 M which is full package.

    If the first one is called “extension”, it does logically means that you have to get already one card before that one isn’t it ?
    Or do I understand wrongly, and I could opt for this 20 years card at first ? I don’t need at all the reductions and other prestations of the full package anyway.

    Reply
  36. Hello, thanks for this clear presentation. But are you sure of the fee for the 20 years Elite card ?
    I red on some other pages that the price could be 2 millions bath, not 1 million. It’s a huge difference, so please confirm.

    Reply
    • There around 7 types of Elite visa in total. And there’s one option allowing you to stay here for 20 years for a one-million baht fee. And there’s also another option that you give you 20 years in Thailand but coming with 2 millions baht. But it also comes with other privileges.

      Reply
  37. Too bad the Thai government rips off foreigners with their crazy rules and fee’s. Just think how much more money their country would take in if they did not cause so much hassle and scare folks away.

    Reply
    • Thailand has a difficult path to residency and citizenship – more so than many other countries. However, in terms of permission to stay in the country, it’s a lot more lenient than other places I stayed in. Something like the Elite Visa simply doesn’t exist (or, at least not legally and at that price) in pretty much any country I visited so far.

      In addition, Thailand has a lot of exceptions when it comes to taxing worldwide income, making the tax burden for a lot of expats a lot lower than in many other countries with a ‘more systematic immigration system’. Yes, the country has a bit of extra bureaucracy, but sometimes it also works in your favor.

      Staying in a country other than your home country always tends to come with a bit of extra hassle. There are some countries who have taken pretty big steps in reducing that (e.g. Georgia, Estonia) and I would hope that bigger countries will follow. For now though, I still think that Thailand is in the more ‘lenient with long-term visitors’ category.

      Reply
  38. You have to do a 90 day report, you only get a 2 year driver licence with a 5 year visa. You still need to get an immigration stamo each year costing 1900 baht if you stay in Thailand for a year

    Reply

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