Thailand Sets Family Sponsorship Rules for Long-Term Visa Holders

Thailand has announced the conditions under which holders of its Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa can sponsor family members to join them in the country. The LTR Visa program, offered by Thailand's Board of Investment, aims to attract high-potential individuals by providing various tax and non-tax benefits.

There are four categories of visas: Wealthy Global Citizen, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, and Highly Skilled Professionals. Eligible dependents, including spouses and children under 20, can apply for a dependent visa, with a cap of four dependents per LTR holder.

Each dependent must meet specific criteria, such as holding health insurance with a minimum coverage of USD 50,000, being enrolled in Thailand's social security system, or maintaining a bank deposit of at least USD 25,000 for 12 months. Notably, Thailand now recognizes same-gender marriages for dependent visa applications, allowing couples in legally recognized same-gender marriages to apply under the same conditions as opposite-gender spouses.