Moving to Thailand from the US, Canada or the UK

For remote workers, retirees and anyone weighing a long stay in Thailand. The visas most people use, the money each one asks for, and the rules that changed in 2026.

Thailand has long-stay visas built for two kinds of people: those who work remotely for clients or employers back home, and those over 50 who want to retire somewhere warm. Most of them let you stay for years, but almost none of them lead to permanent residence. Plan for a long stay on renewable visas, not a permanent move.

The main ways in

US, Canadian and UK passports all use the same Thai routes. These four cover most people.

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). This is the usual route for remote workers and freelancers. You show at least THB 500,000 in savings, plus proof of your remote job, your business or your freelance work. A six-month-plus course in a “soft power” activity, such as Muay Thai or Thai cooking, also counts. The visa lasts five years with multiple entries. Each entry gives you up to 180 days, which you can extend once at Thai Immigration. Then you leave and come back. A spouse and dependent children can apply as your dependants.

Retirement visa (Non-O-A, or Non-O with a yearly extension). You must be 50 or over. You show THB 800,000 in the bank, or income of at least THB 65,000 a month. The O-A, applied for from abroad, also asks for health insurance of at least THB 3,000,000, a criminal record certificate and a medical certificate. The other path is to enter on a 90-day Non-O and apply for a one-year extension at a Thai Immigration office. You cannot work on either.

Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa. This is a 10-year visa for higher earners. The remote-worker version asks for average personal income of at least USD 80,000 a year over the past two years. USD 40,000 is enough if you hold a master’s degree. Your employer must be a listed company or a large, established firm. There is also a pensioner version for people 50 and over with at least USD 80,000 a year in pension or investment income. The visa fee is THB 50,000 per person.

Thailand Privilege visa. You buy a membership instead of meeting an income or age test. Prices start at THB 650,000 for five years (Bronze). Membership gives no right to work and no path to residence.

People married to a Thai citizen can use the marriage visa, and people with a Thai job offer can use a work visa with a work permit. The work route’s salary and employer rules come from secondary sources and need confirming. See every route below for the full list.

What changed in 2026

Two changes matter if you read older advice.

• Visa-free stays are shorter. From 15 September 2026, US, Canadian and UK visitors get 30 days without a visa, down from 60. You can extend once. You need a Thailand Digital Arrival Card. This comes from news reports of the Royal Gazette announcement. Check the official Thai immigration source before you rely on it. A visa-free entry is for scouting trips, not for living or working.
• The DTV asks for more paperwork. From 31 August 2026, DTV applicants must add a criminal record certificate. They must also show permanent residence in the country where they apply. In practice, you apply through the Thai mission that covers your home country.

Money and tax

Visa fees vary by embassy. The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington lists USD 80 for a single-entry Non-O visa. DTV fees differ by mission. Check the price with the mission that covers you.

Tax is where many people get caught. If you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year, you become a Thai tax resident. Since 1 January 2024, Thai tax residents pay Thai income tax on foreign income they bring into Thailand. A draft relief has been reported but was not confirmed as law. The LTR visa lists a tax exemption for overseas income, but its conditions need checking with the Board of Investment.

US citizens also keep filing US tax returns on worldwide income wherever they live. Talk to a tax adviser who knows both countries before you move money.

Your first months

1. Choose your route from home. The DTV and the O-A are applied for online through the Thai e-Visa system, before you travel.
2. Order your criminal record check early. US applicants usually need an FBI Identity History Summary with a federal apostille. UK and Canadian applicants need a certificate from their own country.
3. Arrive and register. Fill in the Digital Arrival Card before you land.
4. Keep to your reporting dates. Retirement visa holders report their address to Immigration every 90 days.
5. Plan your renewals. DTV holders extend each 180-day stay once, then leave. Retirement holders renew each year while they still meet the money test.

What catches people out

• No permanent residence from most visas. DTV time and retirement extensions do not count toward Thai permanent residence. The BOI does not describe a residence path for the LTR either.
• Remote work does not mean Thai work. The DTV and the LTR remote-worker visa do not let you work for Thai employers or Thai clients.
• In-country retirement rules vary. Rules on how long the THB 800,000 must sit in a Thai bank come from secondary sources and differ between immigration offices. Ask your local office.
• Processing times are not published. No official page we read states DTV or LTR processing times. Leave yourself a margin.

Rules here changed twice in 2026. Treat this as general information, not legal or immigration advice, and confirm each step with the official source.