Thailand 5, 10 and 20-year visas compared
Three Thai visas run for 5 years or longer. The DTV is valid for 5 years but each stay is capped at 180 days plus one 180-day extension. The LTR runs 10 years (5 + 5) if you meet its income or asset test. Thailand Privilege memberships cover 5, 10, 15 or 20+ years depending on the tier, for a one-off fee of 650,000 to 5,000,000 THB. The retirement visa is shorter: 1 year at a time, renewed yearly.
If you want to stay in Thailand for years rather than months, three visas last 5 years or more: the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), the Long-Term Resident visa (LTR) and a Thailand Privilege membership. They work very differently. One is a travel visa with long stays, one is a residence programme with an income test, and one is a paid membership.
All figures below were read on the official pages listed under Sources on 25 October 2026.
The three long visas side by side
| DTV | LTR | Thailand Privilege | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How long | Visa valid 5 years | 10 years (5 + 5) | 5, 10, 15 or 20+ years by tier |
| Stay per entry | 180 days, extendable once by 180 | Ask in your enquiry | Ask in your enquiry |
| Money | 500,000 THB in savings | Usually USD 80,000 a year in income | Membership fee 650,000 to 5,000,000 THB |
| Work in Thailand | No Thai employers or Thai clients | Digital work permit in most categories | Not confirmed on the official site |
| Visa fee | Set by each embassy (London: GBP 300) | 50,000 THB if collected in Thailand | Ask in your enquiry |
5 years: the DTV
The DTV is valid for 5 years with multiple entries. The catch is the stay length: the London embassy lists 180 days per entry, extendable once inside Thailand by up to 180 days. After that you leave and re-enter on the same visa. It suits remote workers and people doing Thai activities such as Muay Thai, not people who want to settle. You need at least 500,000 THB, which London puts at GBP 12,000.
Thailand Privilege’s two cheapest tiers, Bronze (650,000 THB) and Gold (900,000 THB), also run 5 years. One official guide calls Bronze a limited time offer, but the official site gives no end date.
10 years: the LTR and Privilege Platinum
The LTR from the Board of Investment gives 5 years, then 5 more if you still meet the conditions. Every condition must be kept for the whole time, including income, investment and insurance. Most categories ask for an average personal income of USD 80,000 a year. In return you can get a digital work permit in most categories and report your address once a year instead of every 90 days. You pay 50,000 THB per person when you collect the visa in Thailand; the Board of Investment says collecting it abroad may cost considerably more.
Thailand Privilege Platinum also covers 10 years, for 1,500,000 THB. We did not find an income test for it on the official site; the qualification is the membership fee.
15 and 20 years: Thailand Privilege
Only Thailand Privilege goes beyond 10 years: Diamond is 15 years for 2,500,000 THB and Reserve 20+ years for 5,000,000 THB. Official Thailand Privilege guides say members may not take local employment, except through the Flexible Plus Program (USD 1 million minimum investment), so check this before you plan any work in Thailand.
And the retirement visa?
The retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O-A) is not a long visa in this sense. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a stay of 1 year from first entry and a yearly extension in Thailand while you still meet the money rule of 800,000 THB in the bank or 65,000 THB a month. You renew every year. Work is not allowed.
Which one fits
- You earn well, want to work or invest in Thailand: look at the LTR.
- You want 10 to 20 years with no yearly paperwork and can pay up front: look at Thailand Privilege.
- You work remotely and want long stays without settling: look at the DTV.
- You are 50 or over and can show 800,000 THB: the retirement visa costs far less, but renews yearly.
If more than one fits, the partner law firm can compare them against your passport, income and plans.
Sources
- Thailand Privilege, official site
- Board of Investment, LTR visa
- Royal Thai Embassy London, Destination Thailand Visa
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay)
Read on 25 October 2026. Visa rules and fees change and embassies set some of their own. This article is general information, not legal advice; see how we research and our disclosure.
Related guides
Questions people also ask
Is there a 10-year visa in Thailand?
Yes. The Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa gives 5 years and then 5 more if you still qualify, 10 years in total. Thailand Privilege also has a 10-year tier, Platinum, at 1,500,000 THB.
Is there a 20-year visa in Thailand?
Thailand Privilege's Reserve tier is listed at 20+ years for 5,000,000 THB on the official Thailand Privilege site, checked 25 October 2026. None of the government visas we compared runs that long.
Is the DTV really a 5-year visa?
The visa itself is valid for 5 years with multiple entries. Each entry gives up to 180 days, extendable once by up to 180 days, after which you leave and can come back on the same visa.
Does Thailand have a golden visa?
None of the official pages we read uses the name. When people say Thailand golden visa they usually mean a long visa bought or earned with money, which here means Thailand Privilege or the LTR. That is our reading of how the term is used, not an official definition.