From 15 September 2026 most visitors get 30 days visa-free, not 60. If you plan to live here for months or years, these are the real routes — with the numbers.
Updated September 2026
Thailand replaced its 60-day visa exemption with a 30-day one on 15 September 2026 (60 nationalities including the UK, EU, US, Australia; Russian and Chinese passports also get 30 days under bilateral agreements). One 30-day extension is possible at immigration for ฿1,900. That is fine for a holiday — it is not a way to live here.
For a long stay you need a visa built for it. Below are the five routes people actually use in Pattaya, what each costs, and the catch in each one. Wongamat Group handles the application with licensed partners and, more usefully, lines up the home, the car and the bank account so you arrive with everything ready.
Figures are the official requirements as of September 2026 — check the current rules when you apply.
For remote workers, freelancers with foreign clients, and 'soft-power' stays (Muay Thai, cooking, medical treatment). 180 days per entry, extendable once (฿1,900). Needs ฿500,000 in savings for 3–6 months, a criminal-record certificate and proof of address; fee ฿10,000. No work for Thai companies. The best value visa in Thailand right now.
฿800,000 in a Thai bank (held 2 months before, 3 months after) or ฿65,000 monthly income. Renew yearly for ฿1,900 with a 90-day address report. O-A (applied from home) also needs ฿3M / US$100,000 health insurance; the in-country Non-O route does not. The standard route for pensioners.
Four categories: wealthy global citizen (US$1M assets, US$500k in Thailand), wealthy pensioner 50+ (US$80,000/yr, or US$40,000 + US$250,000 invested), work-from-Thailand professional (US$80,000/yr from a foreign employer; US$40,000 with a master's), highly-skilled professional (17% flat tax). Fee ฿50,000, annual instead of 90-day reporting, work permit included where relevant.
Pay once, no financial tests: Bronze ฿650,000 / 5 yr · Gold ฿900,000 / 5 yr · Platinum ฿1.5M / 10 yr · Diamond ฿2.5M / 15 yr · Reserve ฿5M / 20 yr. Airport fast-track and concierge included. For people who want zero paperwork and can price it.
Non-B with a work permit (through a Thai company — see our investment guide), Non-O for a Thai spouse (฿400,000 deposit or ฿40,000/month), Non-ED for study. Case-by-case; we'll tell you honestly which one you actually qualify for.
The short answer, by situation.
DTV. Five years of coming and going for ฿10,000, provided you can show ฿500,000 in the bank. Bring a 12-month lease — proof of address is now part of the file.
Non-O retirement extension if you're happy with the yearly renewal and the ฿800,000 deposit; LTR Wealthy Pensioner if your income is US$80,000+ and you'd rather report once a year for ten years.
The main applicant on DTV or LTR; spouse and children under 20 come as dependants. Check the schools around Naklua before choosing the building — we cover them in the living-in-Wongamat guide.
LTR Wealthy Global Citizen if you'll hold US$500,000 of Thai property or bonds; otherwise a Thai company with a work permit (Non-B) or a Privilege membership while the company is being set up.
Come on the 30-day exemption, rent for a few months on a short lease, and apply for DTV or the retirement visa from a neighbouring country once you know you're staying. We'll keep the paperwork ready.
Whatever the visa, four things come up every time.
Your landlord or condo office must report you within 24 hours of moving in. We do this for every tenant we place — it's required for extensions and the 90-day report.
Needed for the ฿800,000 / ฿500,000 seasoning and for paying rent. Banks in Pattaya ask for a visa longer than a tourist entry plus a lease; we introduce you to the branches that open accounts for our clients.
Everyone on a long-stay visa (except LTR) reports their address every 90 days — online in five minutes once the first one is done in person at Jomtien immigration.
Leaving Thailand cancels a single-entry visa unless you buy a re-entry permit first: ฿1,000 single, ฿3,800 multiple. DTV and Privilege are already multiple-entry.
For the retirement route, yes: a 30-day entry can be converted to a Non-O in-country (with the deposit already seasoned), then extended for a year. DTV and LTR are applied for online or at a Thai embassy — most people do it from Vientiane, Penang or their home country.
Yes. Any lease is fine; in fact a 12-month lease is now useful as proof of address in the DTV file. Most Wongamat landlords prefer 12 months; some accept 6.
Staying 180+ days in a calendar year makes you a Thai tax resident. Foreign income remitted to Thailand can be taxable; LTR holders in most categories are exempt on foreign income. Get advice before you move large sums — we can refer you to an accountant.
We quote a flat fee per visa type before starting, and it's waived or discounted when you rent or buy through us. You'll always see the government fee separately.
The 30-day extension is same-day. A retirement Non-O takes about 2–4 weeks once the money is seasoned. DTV online approvals typically take 1–3 weeks; LTR 4–8 weeks; Privilege 1–2 months.
General information as of September 2026, not legal advice. Visa rules, amounts and fees change — the Thai Immigration Bureau and the embassy you apply through have the final say. We work with licensed visa agents and lawyers.
Say how long and roughly what for. We'll reply with the visa that fits, the documents you'll need, and a shortlist of condos that satisfy the proof-of-address rule.
Scan this QR code in WeChat to add us
wongamatgroup
Or scan this QR with your phone camera or the LINE app
@wongamatgroup