The Smart Visa Thailand for Foreign Nationals

At the present time, Thailand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. For that reason, everyone dreams of visiting, retiring, or setting up a family or a business here. So, no wonder as in this Asian country, we find amazing landscapes, rich culture, welcoming citizens, a civilized country, a friendly environment, and a huge financial potential. 

Above all, the Thai government understands foreign nationals who want to live here permanently or for a while. So, that’s why they provided ex-pats with a variety of visas they can apply for depending on the reason they want to enter the country. 

Equally important, the most known of them are the Tourist Visa, the Retirement Visa, and the Non-immigrant Visa. So, in the past few years, there have been introduced some special types of visas designed for a certain category of immigrants.

Above all, one of them is the Smart Visa. This is a new type of visa created for highly skilled entrepreneurs who intend to invest or work in the Kingdom of Thailand. To discover more about the SMART Visa program in Thailand and how you can obtain it, continue to read this article. It will inform you about anything you need to know.

What is the Smart Visa program in Thailand?

So, Smart Visa Thailand is more likely a program created for people who want to contribute to Thailand’s development. However, it has been officially recognized as a visa since its launch in 2018. Its purpose is to attract foreign nationals who can contribute to the country’s development in some targeted industries. But the benefits are not only for the country but for the foreigners as well. For that reason, they can evolve and progress considerably within a country in continuous growth.

Whether an entrepreneur decides to invest in a Thai company, set up his own company, or is a highly skilled person, they have the right to practice certain activities in Thailand for 4 years with the help of Smart Visa of Thailand.

To be eligible for a Thai SMART Visa you have to be a skilled worker, an investor, an executive, or an entrepreneur in one of the following industries:

•  Next-generation Automotive
•  Smart Electronics
•  Affluent, Medical, and Wellness
•  Agriculture and Biotechnology
•  Food for the future
•  Automation and Robotics
•  Aviation and Logistics
•  Biofuels and Biochemicals
• Digital
•  Medical Hub
•  Alternative Dispute Resolution
•  Human Resource Development in Science and Technology
•  Environmental Management and Renewable Energy

Types of Thai Smart Visas

At the present time, the Smart visa encompasses a variety of industries and permits individuals to perform three different activities accordingly. So, these activities refer to work, investment, or starting a company. Therefore, the Smart Thailand Visa categorizes into four main categories based on specific activities. For that reason, here they are and what you have to fulfill to qualify for them:

1. Talent Visa – “T”
This visa covers the domains of science and technology. Only experts who earn 100,000 baht per month can apply for it. Also, to obtain it, you must work for one of the ten target industries and hold a work contract with at least one year of validity.

2. Investor Visa “I”
This Smart Visa program is available to foreign investors who intend to invest in a company from one of the ten targeted industries. The investment, totaling 20 million baht, aims to enhance their technology for manufacturing processes or service delivery.

3. Executive Visa “E”
If you are a senior manager that has a Bachelor’s degree, ten years of experience, and can earn 200, 000 baht per month. Then you are suitable for this specialized program. As the two categories mentioned above, you also must be employed by one of the ten relevant fields and have a work contract with one-year validity.

4. Startup Visa “S”
Also, entrepreneurs who want to set up a business in Thailand are encouraged. They can obtain a special visa them if they deposit 600,000 baht in Thailand, have health insurance, and look to start a business in one of the ten targeted industries.

There is also a special type of visa that falls into this category. The SMART Visa “O” is designed for the spouse or the child of the holder of one of the visas above. Therefore, your children over 18 and your spouse will have permission to stay in Thailand with you. And despite that, they can work without a work permit.

Benefits of Thailand Smart Visa

 SMART visas come with a long list of benefits for their holders. They are way more advantageous than the benefits of any other type of visa:

• 4-year permission of residency in Thailand;
• no Work Permit is needed to perform your activity;
• one-year check-ins at immigration instead of 90 days;
• work eligibility for spouses and children over 18 without the need for work permits;
• no re-entry permit applications.

How to obtain this Visa?

As it is a special type of Thai visa, the process of obtaining it is different from all the other types of visas. It requires specialized qualifications that must be verified and endorsed by authorities. But, don’t be scared. You can ask for the help of an agency to deal with the process. The first thing to do to obtain a SMART visa in Thailand is to apply for it as follows:

1. Create an account on the SMART visa website;
2. Complete the online application form and send it to the same website;
3. Submit electronic copies of the required documents;
4. The agency you work with will endorse your qualifications and notify the One-Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit of the decision;
5. The OSS will inform you about the outcome of your application;
6. You place the Qualification Endorsement Letter and physical copies of the required documents at the following: A Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate if you live abroad, at the Immigration One-Stop Service for Visa and Work Permit in Bangkok, The EEC Labor Administration Center in Chonburi.

The applicant for a SMART visa in Thailand must have the required qualifications according to the specific criteria mentioned by the office of the Board of Investment.

At this point, they will be verified by a specialized agency. Once the technical endorsements have been obtained, you will receive a letter of qualification endorsement which the applicant must present at the Royal Thai Embassies or Royal Consulate.

The application process may last up to a few months. Firstly, the initial online application has a duration of 3 days. Then processing the endorsement of your qualification may take 30 working days, while proceeding with the Smart visa will last between 2 and ten days. 

The duration of obtaining a Smart Visa in Thailand depends on the office in which you apply. Also, checking your qualifications may last a while. That’s why you should bring all the documents that can prove your eligibility.

Documents required for Thailand Smart Visa 

• SMART visa application form
• -Valid Passport
• Proof of a clean criminal record in the form of a police certificate from your home country. It must be issued by police authorities and certified by a Notary Public.
• Health Certificate that proves that you have not been infected with one of the prohibited diseases for the past three months. This must also be certified by a Notary Public.
• Copies of academic qualifications related to your area of expertise
• Copies of projects, publications, or awards that can prove your eligibility
• Letter from your previous job
• A service contract with a minimum duration of one year, that shows your position and salary (for SMART visa T)
• The annual report of the hiring company (for SMART visa T)
• The company’s list of shareholders (for SMART visa I)
• The company’s annual report (for SMART visa I)
• Employment or service contract with a minimum duration of one year that shows position and salary (for SMART visa E)
• The company’s annual report (for SMART visa E)
• The company’s list of shareholders that is not older than 3 months (for SMART visa E)
• Overview of business plan (for SMART visa S)
• Company’s list of shareholders which is not older than 3 months (for SMART visa S)
• Annual report of the company (for SMART visa S)
• Proof of deposit of 600,000 baht in a Thai bank account or your country of residence (for SMART visa S)
• Proof of health insurance for the period you stay in Thailand (for SMART visa S)
• Passport Copy of the SMART visa holder (for Smart visa O)
• Proof of family relationship (for Smart visa O)
• Employment or service contract with at least one-year duration (for Smart visa O)

Foreigners wanting to apply for a SMART Visa in Thailand can contact us for advice and full assistance.

We will help you start with your application and during your stay in Thailand. Our consultants are professionals in helping foreign nationals regarding visas and many other services. You can count on our guidance and help in obtaining the Thai SMART Visa.