DTV vs LTR, Thailand Privilege (Elite), retirement and ED visas (2026): what the official pages say
The DTV costs £300 in London for 5 years of stays of up to 180 days with 500,000 baht in savings, while the LTR visa costs £1,500 for 10 years in London (fee list of 1 September 2022; the BOI gives 50,000 baht, about €1,327, if the visa is collected in Thailand, and says it can be considerably more expensive abroad) and asks remote workers for an average income of USD 80,000 a year over the last two years (less in some cases), the retirement O-A visa costs £150 for 1 year with 800,000 baht or 65,000 baht a month, and Thailand Privilege membership starts at THB 650,000 for 5 years (Royal Thai Embassy in London, Thailand Board of Investment and Thailand Privilege, read on 9 November 2026).
DTV fee in London, 5 years: £300
Sources: Royal Thai Embassy, London: Destination Thailand Visa (updated 8 September 2026); Royal Thai Embassy, London: Visa Fees (updated 1 September 2022); Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd.: Bronze membership. Read on 9 November 2026.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports what the official pages of the Thai embassies and consulates said on the date we read them. Each mission decides on its own applications and can ask for more documents or an interview; paying the fee does not mean the visa will be granted, and the fee is not refunded. Check the official page of the mission and the Thai e-Visa website before you apply.
DTV compared with Thailand's other long-stay visas
Fees are those of the Royal Thai Embassy in London, in pounds (the fee list was last updated on 1 September 2022; the DTV fee is on the DTV page); other missions charge in their own currency. Thailand Privilege is a membership, not a visa fee. Quotes are the official wording.
| Visa | For whom | Validity and stay | Fee | Money or income asked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTV | Remote workers, soft power activities (Muay Thai, cooking, medical treatment), spouse and children of DTV holders | “Visa Validity: 5 years / Multiple Entries”; “Period of Stay: 180 days per entry”, one extension | £300 | “Financial evidence: amount of no less than £12,000 (500,000 THB) (e.g., bank statements)” | source |
| LTR (Long-Term Resident) | Four types: “Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, and Highly skilled Professionals” | “Permission will be granted to stay in Thailand the first time for five years which can be extended for 5 more years if qualifications are met” | £1,500 (London fee list, 1 September 2022); BOI: “The processing fee for the 10-year visa with multiple entry is 50,000 Baht per person in case of collecting LTR Visa in Thailand” (about €1,327); collected abroad, “the fee may vary and considerably be more expensive than 50,000 THB per person per 10 years” | Remote workers: “Minimum average personal income of USD 80,000 / year in the past two years”; pensioners: “Minimum unearned or passive income* of USD 80,000 / year at the time of application”; “Insured under a health insurance covering a minimum of USD 50,000” | source |
| Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite) | Membership programme of a state enterprise (“with TAT as its sole shareholder”); Los Angeles lists a “Visa for Non-Thai nationals who hold a Thailand Elite /Thailand Privilege Card” | Bronze membership: 5 years | THB 650,000 membership fee (Bronze) | The Bronze membership page does not write an income or savings threshold | source |
| Retirement O-A | Retirement long stay | “NON-IMMIGRANT VISA TYPE O-A (For retirement long stay: valid for 1 year / Multiple entries)” | £150 | “Financial evidence showing monthly income of no less than 65,000 THB (£1,500) or having the current balance of 800,000 THB (£18,000)”; health insurance “with the insured sum of no less than 100,000 USD or 3,000,000 THB” | source |
| Retirement O-X | Retirement long stay | “NON-IMMIGRANT VISA TYPE O-X (For retirement long stay: valid for 5 years / Multiple entries)” | £300 | “fixed deposit of no less than 3,000,000 THB” in a Thai bank | source |
| Education (ED) | For “students of educational establishments in Thailand approved by Thai authorities” | “The ED Visa is valid for a single entry into Thailand”; “They will be allowed to stay in Thailand for a period of up to 90 days, counting from the date of entry” | £60 (Non-Immigrant, single entry) | Financial evidence such as bank statements or a sponsor letter (no amount written) | source |
Sources: Royal Thai Embassy, London: Destination Thailand Visa (updated 8 September 2026); Royal Thai Embassy, London: Visa Fees (updated 1 September 2022); Thailand Board of Investment (BOI): LTR Visa; Royal Thai Embassy, London: Long Term Resident Visa (updated 9 April 2024); Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd.: Bronze membership; Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd.: Who We Are; Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles: Visa Types / Visa Fees / Validity (updated 1 September 2026); Royal Thai Embassy, London: Retirement Visa (updated 4 April 2024); Royal Thai Embassy, London: Education Visa (updated 17 July 2024). Read on 9 November 2026.
How they differ
- DTV vs LTR: the LTR is approved first by the Board of Investment (London: applicants “will have to submit their application and documents online with the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI)”), lasts longer and gives more rights, such as “Permission to work in Thailand (Digital Work permit)” and, as the BOI writes, “Tax exemption for overseas income”; it asks for high income or assets. The DTV asks for savings of about 500,000 baht and does not allow work for Thai employers.
- DTV vs Thailand Privilege (Elite): Privilege is a paid membership run by Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd. (“We are a state enterprise dedicated to offering exclusive membership programs designed to provide long-term visas”); the Bronze membership costs THB 650,000 for 5 years, against £300 for a 5-year DTV in London.
- DTV vs retirement visa: the O-A and O-X visas are for retirement and ask for more money (“Financial evidence showing monthly income of no less than 65,000 THB (£1,500) or having the current balance of 800,000 THB (£18,000)” for the O-A) and health insurance; the DTV has no age condition on the pages we read and asks for 500,000 baht. The BOI's LTR for pensioners is for “Retirees aged 50 years and older who have an annual pension or stable passive income”.
- DTV vs ED visa: the ED visa is for students of approved schools, single entry, up to 90 days, and “The extension of stay is at the discretion of the immigration officer”. For Muay Thai or Thai cooking courses the DTV soft power category gives 5 years of entries (see soft power activities).
Health cover for a long stay
AffiliateNone of the DTV pages we read asks for health insurance (they ask for a passport, a photo, proof of residence, bank statements, a criminal record certificate and proof of the purpose of your stay). A DTV allows stays of up to 180 days per entry. If you want health cover for a long stay, compare policies before you travel.
See SafetyWing nomad insurance (opens in a new tab)
SafetyWing sells travel medical insurance for travellers and nomads online. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Insurance is not a DTV requirement on the pages we read and does not change the decision on your visa.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between the DTV and the LTR visa?
The DTV (£300 in London) lasts 5 years with stays of up to 180 days per entry and asks for about 500,000 baht in savings. The LTR (£1,500 in London, or 50,000 baht per person if collected in Thailand, according to the BOI) lasts 5 years plus 5, is approved by the Board of Investment and asks, for example, remote workers for an average income of USD 80,000 a year; the BOI lists permission to work in Thailand (digital work permit) among its privileges.
DTV or Thailand Privilege (Elite): which costs less?
The DTV: £300 in London for 5 years. Thailand Privilege membership starts at THB 650,000 (Bronze, 5 years).
DTV or retirement visa if I am retired?
The retirement O-A visa (£150 in London, 1 year) asks for 800,000 baht in the bank or 65,000 baht a month and health insurance of at least USD 100,000; the DTV asks for 500,000 baht and has no age condition, but stays are limited to 180 days per entry plus one extension.
DTV or ED visa for a Muay Thai or language course?
The ED visa is single entry for up to 90 days (£60 in London for a single-entry Non-Immigrant visa); the DTV covers soft power activities such as Muay Thai for 5 years with stays of up to 180 days, for £300 in London.
More about the Thailand DTV visa
Thailand DTV visa: all embassies and consulates · Digital nomad visa income requirements · Visa income calculator