Thailand, The Kingdom of Smiles offers foreign investors and their families privileged facilitations through the issuance of a renewable, five-year, multiple entry Thai residence visa.
To qualify, foreign investors are required to become a member of Thailand Elite, the first program of its kind worldwide developed by the Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, under the Royal Thai Government. Through the offering, Thailand Elite members can enjoy visits of ‘regular’ duration, i.e. 90 days, to visits as long as one year. Exclusively, members can stay in the country for an unlimited period, just as any Thai citizen, as the one-year stay extension can be renewed annually without the usual need to cross the border.
Thailand Elite’s residence program is also the only one of its kind to offer members the most premium of VIP services and facilitations, such as an expedited passport control process, complimentary limousine transfers, personalized support services for contacting Thai government and business agencies, privileges at luxury hotels, spas, golf courses, and international hospitals throughout Thailand, and a multilingual 24- hour member contact center.
While seven packages designed to meet applicants’ needs and desires are available, the following three are currently the most popular:
- Elite Ultimate Privilege: Offers a 20-year residence visa. The once-off fee is approximately USD 60,000 with an annual fee of approximately USD 600. The package includes VIP assistant services, government concierge services, and elite lifestyle services.
- Elite Privilege Access: Is designed for family applications and offers a 10-year residence visa for each family member. The once-off fee is approximately USD 30,000 for the main applicant and USD 22,500 for each dependant. There are no annual fees or age restrictions.
- Elite Easy Access: Offers a five-year residence visa. The once-off fee is approximately USD 15,000 and there are no annual fees or age restrictions. This option can also be upgraded to a higher-tier package. All in all, Thailand is doing a remarkable job of positioning itself as the ‘next best option’ for global citizens looking to improve their quality of life and international businesses seeking to optimize their investment potential.
