Moving to Thailand is easier than most people expect once you know the order of things: pick your visa first, then your city, then your home. We’ve lived here for years, and this guide walks you through each step, from your first arrival card to your first 90-day report.
Why so many people move to Thailand
Thailand gives you big-city energy in Bangkok, a slower, creative pace in Chiang Mai, and island life in Phuket and Ko Samui, all within a short domestic flight. Daily costs are friendly, healthcare is excellent, and Thai hospitality makes it easy to feel at home. For a detailed look at budgets, see our guide on how much money you need to live in Thailand.
Step 1: Choose the right visa
Your visa decides everything else, so start here. Thailand doesn’t have a single “move here” visa. You choose the one that matches why you’re coming.
- Visa exemption (short trips only): Since September 15, 2026, eligible tourists from 60 countries and territories get 30 days on arrival, and the old 60-day exemption no longer exists. It’s for tourism, not for settling in, so use it for a scouting trip.
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): This one is popular with remote workers, freelancers, and people coming for Muay Thai, Thai cooking courses, or medical treatment. It’s valid for five years, and each entry gives you up to 180 days, which you can extend once at immigration for up to 180 more. You’ll need bank statements for the last three months showing at least ฿500,000 (or the equivalent), or a sponsorship letter. You’ll also need proof that you live in the country where you apply and a criminal record check. The DTV doesn’t allow you to work for a Thai employer.
- Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay, often called the retirement visa): This is for people aged 50 and over who won’t work here. It gives you a one-year stay that you can extend year by year. You’ll need at least ฿800,000 in the bank, or a monthly income of at least ฿65,000, or a mix of the two totaling at least ฿800,000 a year. You’ll also need health insurance with coverage of at least ฿3,000,000 (US$100,000) and a medical certificate.
- Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa: This visa is for wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, remote professionals, and highly skilled professionals. It runs for 10 years (five, plus five more if you still qualify), includes a digital work permit where relevant, and replaces the 90-day report with a yearly one. Most categories ask for an average personal income of US$80,000 a year over the past two years and health insurance of at least US$50,000. You apply online, and endorsement usually takes about 20 working days.
- Non-Immigrant B (work): If a Thai company is hiring you, your employer will usually sponsor this visa and your work permit.
- Thailand Privilege: This paid membership comes with a long-term visa. Packages start with Bronze at ฿650,000 for five years and go up to Diamond at ฿2,500,000 for 15 years.
All Thai visas are applied for online through the official Thailand e-Visa portal (thaievisa.go.th), usually from outside Thailand. Requirements vary a little by embassy, so check your embassy’s requirements before you gather documents.
Step 2: Prepare for arrival
Every non-Thai traveler has to fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online no more than three days before arriving. It takes about 10 minutes. Make sure you use the official immigration site, because look-alike sites charge fees.
Step 3: Pick your city
- Bangkok: This is the place for careers, international schools, and the best transit. Neighborhoods vary a lot. On Nut is relaxed and good value, while Ratchada is lively and well connected.
- Chiang Mai: It has a creative community, cooler mornings, and mountain weekends.
- Phuket and Pattaya: These are best for beach life, with a large international community.
- Isaan: The northeast has quieter rural living, very affordable rents, and some of Thailand’s best food.
Spend a few weeks in your top choice before you sign a long lease.
Step 4: Find a home
Most newcomers rent a condo in the city or a house if they need more space. Read the contract for who pays for repairs and how much notice you need to give. Our complete tenant’s guide to renting in Thailand covers deposits, contracts, and what to check at viewing.
Step 5: Report your address every 90 days
If you stay in Thailand for more than 90 days in a row, you have to tell immigration where you live every 90 days. You can do it in person, by registered mail, or online within 15 days before, or seven days after, the due date. Your first report has to be made in person; after that, the online system makes it quick. LTR holders report once a year instead.
Step 6: Sort out healthcare and insurance
Thailand’s private hospitals are among the best in the region. Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok Hospital, and Samitivej Hospital are favorites with expats. Health insurance is a requirement for several long-stay visas, and it’s worth having even when it isn’t, since private care is paid out of pocket.
Step 7: Banking, transport, and daily life
Once you have a long-stay visa and an address, opening a Thai bank account becomes much simpler, and it makes rent, bills, and mobile banking easy. In Bangkok, the BTS Skytrain and MRT will get you almost everywhere, and ride-hailing apps cover the rest.
Step 8: Work legally
To work for a company in Thailand, you need both the right visa and a work permit from the Department of Employment. Teaching, technology, and hospitality are common fields for foreigners. Remote work for an overseas employer fits the DTV or the LTR Work-from-Thailand category instead.
Step 9: Schools for children
Bangkok and Phuket have strong international schools, including Bangkok Patana School, International School Bangkok (ISB), and UWC Thailand in Phuket. Apply early, since popular year groups fill up quickly.
Step 10: Settle into Thai life
A smile and a little patience go a long way. Greet people with a wai, take your shoes off before entering a home, and always show respect for the monarchy. Learn a few Thai phrases, join a local expat group, and you’ll feel at home faster than you think.
Rules change from time to time, so check the official visa and immigration pages before you apply.
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