How to apply for Thailand Elite Visa

Check how you can apply for Thailand Elite Visa and move to Thailand long-term.

This post has been created in association with Henley&Partners – the global leader in residency by investment.

What is Thailand Elite Visa?

Thailand Elite Visa is a special type of visa granted to people who’d like to stay in Thailand for 5 – 20 years.

Find out more about Thailand Elite Visa from this post.

How much does it cost?

The cheapest visa is 600,000 THB and it allows you to stay in Thailand for 5 years. 20-year visas cost about 2,000,000 THB.

Check other options here.

How to apply for Thailand Elite Visa?

Here is how you can apply for Thailand Elite Visa without any problems.

Prepare your documents

You will need a set of documents:

• A scan of your passport with your photo and signature in jpeg.
• A scan of your photograph (ideally a passport photo) in jpeg and in colour.
• A scan of your current visa and entry stamp to Thailand.
• A scan of the application form signed by you.
• A scan of your marriage or birth certificate (only applicable when applying for a family program option). 
• Information about your current visa and its expiration date.
• Confirmation that you have at least 3 empty pages in your passport.
• Information if you have overstayed your visa. You can overstay your visa only once. If you have done it more than once, you won’t get the Elite Visa.

Filling in the application form

You cannot apply for Thailand Elite Visa at an embassy. You need to use a third party to do it.

I work closely with Henley&Partners, who are experts in these visas. Send me a message and I’ll send you the application form, which you will need to fill in.

The application form will require the following information:

• Your first and last name
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Country of birth
• Name on the card – This is the name you would like to have on the membership card
• Professional information – the name of your profession and addresses associated with it
• Picture – passport style photo with clear background
• Scan of your passport page

At this stage, you will also need to confirm that you have available funds to pay for the visa.

After filling in the application form, you will send it to me along with the scan of your photo and passport. I will send all of them for a review to Henley&Partners. I will check if everything’s in order. After that I will submit the application for you.

Approval letter and paying for the visa

It takes around 1-3 months to get your application approved. Once we get a green light, you will need to pay for your visa. You have maximum of 30 days to issue the payment.
You can pay it using an international or local bank transfer, or online using a credit card.

The agency will then confirm receiving the transfer and it will take them a few days to register you in the system.

Getting your visa

When your membership is approved you have three choices of how you can get the visa in your passport:

• Arriving at one of the airports on an international flight and receiving it at the immigration stand (only in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Phuket and Chiang Mai International Airports).
  • *The service at Phuket and Chiang Mai is currently suspended. 
• Going to the immigration office in Bangkok.
• Going to a local Thai Embassy or Consulate

If you choose the first option, you can also ask one of the staff from the agency to assist you when you land. You can also order a shuttle from the airport to your accommodation.

Remember to have your membership certification letter with you after landing in Thailand. The process of getting the visa at the airport will last from 10 to 45 minutes. Double check if you got the right visa!