4-Year ‘Smart Visas’ Available Starting Feb. 1

[Coss 873]

BANGKOK — Starting Feb. 1, eligible foreigners in Thailand can apply for new, four-year visas, officials said Wednesday.

 

The long-awaited Smart Visa program, which will allow high-earning expats to maintain professional visas without needing to report to immigration every 90 days, received formal approval from the interim cabinet Tuesday. It’s intended to increase knowledge transfer and skill development in desirable fields such as technology and medicine.

 

“Smart Visas will be an important factor in pushing the country toward Thailand 4.0,â€

 

Duangjai Asawachintachit, secretary-general of the Board of Investment, said Wednesday.

 

 

Foreigners who meet the visa’s requirements can apply for them at Thai embassies in their respective countries or the One-Stop Service Center for Visas and Work Permits at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok.

 

Smart Visa holders must earn over 200,000 baht a month in specialized fields including automotives, electronics, medical tourism, agritech, food technology, robotics, aviation, biochem, digital technology and medical services.

 

They only need to check in annually rather than every 90 days and Smart Visas can be extended for four years rather than a single year at a time.

 

An aide who answered the phone for Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Itthipol Ithisaranachai of the Immigration Police said Wednesday that eligible foreign residents could file their applications at the start of next month.

 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/01/17/4-year-smart-visas-available-starting-feb-1/

[wasabi 0]

I wonder what is required to prove income eligibility. I exceed the income requirements on average but my income is project based and not always consistent. Some months I far exceed the requirement others might be less.

[radioman 264]

I wonder what is required to prove income eligibility. I exceed the income requirements on average but my income is project based and not always consistent. Some months I far exceed the requirement others might be less.

 

No way to guess but I'd wager it will be whatever it says on your work permit. Since that's bound to be a necessary requirement.

[Mekong 675]

It’s a pathetic play on words now going towards Industrie 4.0, basically IoT (Internet of Things) which ISA proposed 20 years ago, or should I say I proposed to ISA way back then (hey my commission doubles as a pension fund)

 

 

Thai version of it is here https://www.uih.co.th/en/knowledge/thailand-4.0

 

As one can see totally behind the curve Thai style but we don’t knock em for that, they try or should I say are trying

.

Personally I went for the 10 year visa, not work related just as long as over 50, not dropping dead, not wanted by Interpol, have health insurance and THB 3,000,000 one can drop into a Thai bank account

 

I have beenThai based over 25 years now, if I did not have $4,000/year to show for it I would fuck myself off to be honest

 

I have oft said “Why Money in Bank†when Tabien Baan and / or Chanoot shows more value? Blame Thaksin TRT (ThaiRak Thai) but TKF (Thai Kliaat Farang) ... I can sense I can get Flash started on this one

 

IoT, Industrie 4.0i it is bollox, i wrote about it last millennium and was laughed at so why should I take it serious now, I am basically sat smoking my pipe in my slippers saying “I told you soâ€

 

I wish I was sat in slippers smoking my pipe but still need to work ... Momey ... Partly, but I don’t trust those following me

 

 

 

 

[wasabi 0]

No way to guess but I'd wager it will be whatever it says on your work permit. Since that's bound to be a necessary requirement.

 

I run my own LLC which is just me doing contract work. Can I write my own work permit?

[cavanami 451]

I run my own LLC which is just me doing contract work. Can I write my own work permit?

You have the required number of Thai employees?

[Flashermac 1353]

It’s a pathetic play on words now going towards Industrie 4.0, basically IoT (Internet of Things) which ISA proposed 20 years ago, or should I say I proposed to ISA way back then (hey my commission doubles as a pension fund)

 

 

Thai version of it is here https://www.uih.co.t...ge/thailand-4.0

 

As one can see totally behind the curve Thai style but we don’t knock em for that, they try or should I say are trying

.

Personally I went for the 10 year visa, not work related just as long as over 50, not dropping dead, not wanted by Interpol, have health insurance and THB 3,000,000 one can drop into a Thai bank account

 

I have beenThai based over 25 years now, if I did not have $4,000/year to show for it I would fuck myself off to be honest

 

I have oft said “Why Money in Bank†when Tabien Baan and / or Chanoot shows more value? Blame Thaksin TRT (ThaiRak Thai) but TKF (Thai Kliaat Farang) ... I can sense I can get Flash started on this one

 

IoT, Industrie 4.0i it is bollox, i wrote about it last millennium and was laughed at so why should I take it serious now, I am basically sat smoking my pipe in my slippers saying “I told you soâ€

 

I wish I was sat in slippers smoking my pipe but still need to work ... Momey ... Partly, but I don’t trust those following me

 

Yep. When the retirement visa first came out, you could count a house or condo towards the 400,000 baht (soon upped to 800,000). You could even count Thai stocks and bonds. But that wasn't good enough for Takky. It had to be cash in the bank, and it had to stay there. That pissed off a lot of people, which was probably its intention.

[wasabi 0]

You have the required number of Thai employees?

 

This visa does not require any employees be they foreign or Thai. Only that you have the required skills and salary.

[Mekong 675]

Wasabi you are confu

 

 

I run my own LLC which is just me doing contract work. Can I write my own work permit?

 

Wasabi you are confusing Visa with Work Permit two entirely different beasts

 

You still require work permit which would entail either a) Working for a Thai Registered Company or b ) Setting up your own company since you are freelance it would be option b ) which requires minimum of 3 Thai employees and a minimum paid up capital to support the work permit.

 

This Visa is just replacing the current non-Imm “B†for $80,000 per annum plus earners in certain sectors

[radioman 264]

Unless they are making "special" arrangements, not obviously clear in what I've seen, the visa requires you have a defined salary, such salary suggests employment, which for a foreigner means a work permit. Which means a or b from Mekong's post. The other downside I see is that stating such a nice defined salary on a Thai work permit entitles you to pay a fair bit more than the minimum income tax. So the gov gets paid twice at your pleasure.

 

Hers's another thing. If you are a person of such means I would suggest you are likely quite mobile in the business sense. Certainly in the 15 years I had a work permit and associated Non-Imm B visa I never did a single 90 day report, which seems to be the only thing this "special" visa seems to ease. A multi re-entry permit, approx 4000 baht per year and a weekend in Sin-galore, KL or HK, or name your destination of choice, once every 3 months would likely be well with the means and probably a business necessity. Every time you exit and re-enter the 90 day clock gets reset, so whats the point?