Moving Overseas After FIRE | Complete Guide to Thailand Long-Term Visa Costs & Conditions | 2025 Edition
On this blog, we introduce "moving overseas" as one of the options after achieving FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).
While we often focus on financial aspects such as the costs required for moving and living expenses abroad, moving to another country requires attention not only to money but also to the types of visas and conditions necessary for staying.
Since we Japanese citizens can travel to many countries without a visa for short-term stays such as tourism, those who have never lived abroad might not have a clear concept of obtaining a visa.
However, to stay long-term (i.e., to immigrate), obtaining a visa is essential.
In this article, I will explain in detail the costs and conditions for obtaining long-term visas in Thailand, where I currently live.
Main Types of Visas for Long-Term Stay in Thailand
For tourism purposes, Japanese passport holders can stay in Thailand for up to 60 days without a visa. To stay longer than that, obtaining a visa is mandatory.
The main visas applicable for FIRE immigrants are as follows:
- Retirement Visa
- Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite)
- DTV (Destination Thailand Visa)
- LTR (Long-Term Resident Visa)
- Education Visa
- Work Visa
I will omit the explanation of the Education Visa and Work Visa, as they are for studying or working in Thailand and deviate from what readers of this article likely want to know.
There are other long-term visas such as Marriage Visas or Volunteer Visas, but since the conditions are strict or specific, please check the Royal Thai Embassy's website if you are interested.
Below, I will explain the conditions and costs for visas 1 to 4.
1. Retirement Visa: Conditions & Costs
The Retirement Visa is a long-term visa available for applicants aged 50 or older. There are three types: 3 months, 1 year, and 10 years.
The 3-month visa is a Single Entry visa, meaning it becomes invalid if you leave Thailand during its validity.
The other two are Multiple Entry visas, meaning there are no restrictions on entering and leaving the country within the validity period.
Although proof of pension receipt or bank balance in Thailand is required, this is the lowest-cost visa among those introduced here.
The acquisition conditions and costs are as follows:
[Conditions]
- Applicant must be 50 years of age or older at the time of application.
- (For 3 months / 1 year): Proof of a bank balance in Thailand of at least 800,000 THB (approx. $23,500 USD) for the past 3 months, OR a monthly pension income of at least 65,000 THB (approx. $1,900 USD). (English certificate required for both)
- (For 5 years): Proof of a bank balance in Thailand of at least 3 million THB, OR a deposit of 1.8 million THB plus an annual income equivalent to 1.2 million THB.
[Visa Fee]
• 3 Months: 11,000 JPY (approx. $75 USD)
• 1 Year: 26,000 JPY (approx. $175 USD)
• 5 Years: 52,000 JPY (approx. $350 USD)
Note: The 3-month visa cannot be renewed within Thailand, but the 1-year and 5-year visas can be renewed once domestically, allowing for a stay of 2 years (for the 1-year visa) or 10 years (for the 5-year visa).
2. Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite): Conditions & Costs
Thailand Privilege, formerly known as the Elite Visa, grants long-term residency rights by paying a membership fee.
Memberships are divided into five tiers: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve, granting residency rights ranging from 5 years to 20 years.
The appeal lies not only in purchasing residency rights but also in receiving VIP treatment at airports and various privileges at facilities within Thailand.
There are no specific conditions for obtaining it other than the fee.
[Cost & Duration]
- Bronze: 5 years stay, 650,000 baht
- Gold: 5-year stay / 900,000 THB (approx. $26,500 USD)
- Platinum: 10-year stay / 1.5 million THB (approx. $44,000 USD)
- Diamond: 15-year stay / 2.5 million THB (approx. $73,500 USD)
- Reserve: 20-year stay / 5 million THB (Invitation Only)
Note: The higher the rank, the more benefits you receive. However, due to the pricing structure, if you just want a 20-year stay without extra perks, it is actually cheaper to renew the Gold membership every 5 years. I recommend checking the benefits carefully before deciding.
3. DTV (Destination Thailand Visa): Conditions & Costs
The DTV is a new long-term visa designed for Digital Nomads and Freelancers, valid for 5 years.
However, the maximum stay per entry is limited to 180 days, extendable once within Thailand.
In other words, while the visa is valid for 5 years, you must leave the country at least once every 6 months or 1 year.
This might seem troublesome, but since many immigrants travel to neighboring countries or return home temporarily, it is not a overly strict condition.
The conditions and costs for obtaining DTV are as follows:
[Conditions]
- Proof of financial assets of at least 500,000 THB (approx. $14,700 USD).
Must fall under one of the following:
- Company employee allowed to work remotely in Thailand.
- Business owner.
- Digital nomad/freelancer with income.
- Participant in courses to learn Muay Thai or Thai cooking (long-term).
[Visa Fee]
• 52,000 JPY (approx. $350 USD)
This is suitable for those who continue to pay taxes as corporate representatives or sole proprietors after FIRE, but it may be difficult for those who do not intend to work at all.
Also, since the required documents are more numerous and more complicated than for the two visas mentioned above, if you are interested, please be sure to check the embassy's website yourself.
4. LTR (Long-Term Resident Visa): Conditions & Costs
The LTR is a long-term visa sometimes called the "Wealthy Visa."
Although the requirements are high, it offers a 10-year validity and benefits similar to Thailand Privilege, such as Fast Track usage at airports.
It targets high-income earners and highly skilled professionals, aiming to grow Thailand's economy by attracting high-potential foreigners.
The requirements and application fees are as follows:
[Conditions]
- Total assets (domestic/international) of at least $1 million USD.
- Annual income of at least $80,000 USD for the past 2 years.
- Investment in Thailand of at least $500,000 USD.
(※ For those aged 50+, total asset requirements are waived, and investment/income thresholds are lower.)
[Visa Fee]
• 260,000 JPY (approx. $1,750 USD)
Those working in industries that will be essential for the next generation of Thailand, such as robotics and the digital industry, can also obtain an LTR, but this requires proof of employment in Thailand, so we will not go into detail here.
For Trial Migration, a Tourist Visa is Recommended
If you are moving to a country other than Japan, not just Thailand, I recommend doing a "Trial Migration" for a short period before moving permanently.
It is hard to judge whether a country is suitable for long-term stay without actually living there.
Thailand allows a stay of up to 90 days (60 days visa exemption + 30 days extension) for tourists, so a tourist visa is perfect for a trial run.
Three months is enough time to verify if the overseas life suits you and to realistically imagine the costs involved.
This can reduce failures and regrets after moving, so I highly recommend planning this if you have the funds and time.
I have also summarized recommended destinations and preparations for moving abroad in the article below, so please take a look.
Moving abroad with FIRE | Recommended countries and preparations to avoid failure – Julius Co., Ltd.
Summary
In this article, I explained the details of visas for long-term stays in Thailand, including types and conditions.
I currently reside in Thailand on a work visa, but after retiring, I plan to stay in Thailand by obtaining one of the visas introduced here.
Not only Thailand but many other countries in Southeast Asia offer long-term visas if you have a certain amount of assets.
Those considering moving overseas after FIRE should check the visa types and conditions of their candidate destinations and keep in mind the need to build assets for that purpose.
Note: This article is based on information as of March 15, 2025. Please check the following reference site for the latest information. Reference: https://site.thaiembassy.jp/en/visa/type/
Author: Yuki Ishida
Writer based in Thailand
In 2017, I fulfilled my long-cherished desire to move to Thailand and have been working as a sales and career consultant at a Japanese staffing company there.
I began my activities as a writer in 2019 and mainly share information useful for living in Thailand and moving abroad through both domestic and international media. Based on my own experience of relocating overseas, I strive to provide realistic information to help those planning to move abroad avoid regrets, and I write with this motto every day.
The media I have contributed to so far are not limited to Thailand-related topics, but also cover a wide range including domestic and international travel, local governments, food manufacturers, and educational institutions.
