Thailand Privilege visa

What the Elite visa is

Thailand's Elite visa is a long-stay membership run by Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd., a state enterprise wholly owned by the Tourism Authority of Thailand; the packages were renamed Thailand Privilege in October 2023.

Instead of a visa fee, the Thailand Elite visa cost is one membership fee that covers the whole term, from 5 to 20 years depending on the tier.

Members get a multiple-entry Privilege Entry visa with a stay of up to a year each time they arrive. Want to know if it fits your plans? Ask Tanner.

The five tiers

One fee covers the whole membership, and the programme's official site lists the tiers below (checked October 2026).

The points pay for extra services listed in the programme's privilege book.

Membership packages sold before October 2023 are discontinued.

Is Bronze still on sale?

Bronze is still listed at ฿650,000 for 5 years on the official membership page (checked 4 October 2026), but it may close.

If Bronze has closed, Gold at ฿900,000 for 5 years becomes the cheapest tier.

Check the official site or call the programme before you apply, because the cheapest option may have changed.

Family members can join too, but the programme's own pages give different prices, so ask the programme for the current one. Ask Tanner which tier fits your stay.

What you get

You get a long, flexible stay for the whole term.

Stays longer than 90 days still need a 90-day report to immigration, as on other long-stay visas.

The programme's Member Contact Center runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in English and other languages (checked November 2026). Ask Tanner what else a member stay needs.

The airport assistant

The Elite Personal Assistant (EPA) is the programme's airport service for members, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and Phuket International Airport, the programme's own EPA page lists (checked November 2026).

Members book it 24 hours ahead: 24 hours before an arrival flight's estimated arrival time, or before the meet-up time for a departure.

It's a members' service, run by the state enterprise, so it comes with the card, not as a separate booking.

Ask Tanner to have the car waiting outside.

Privilege or the DTV?

Thailand Privilege and the DTV are both long-stay options, but the Privilege card costs far more and doesn't depend on remote work or an activity.

For most long-stay visitors, the DTV is the cheaper route. See our Thailand DTV visa guide.

Do you need it for a party trip?

No, you don't need it for a party trip: travellers from 60 countries and territories can stay up to 30 days without any visa.

For a week of villas, yachts and clubs, the free 30-day stay and the free arrival card are all you need. See our arrival card guide.

The card suits someone who comes back again and again, or lives part of the year here.

Pay for it only if Thailand is becoming your second home.

Can you work on it?

No, it isn't a work visa, so the card doesn't let you take a job with a Thai company.

To work for a Thai employer, you need a different visa and a work permit.

The programme does help members with everyday life, such as opening a bank account.

For remote work for employers outside Thailand, the DTV is the visa built for it.

Is it permanent residency?

No, the Elite visa isn't permanent residency: the card is a renewable long-stay membership for a fixed term of 5 to 20 years.

When the term ends, you can buy a new membership or switch to another visa.

It doesn't lead to Thai citizenship.

For anyone planning to retire here, compare it with the retirement visa options before you pay.

How to apply

You apply through the official programme or one of its authorised agents, with your passport and a background check.

After approval, you pay the fee and the Privilege Entry visa is affixed to your passport.

Use only the official site or an authorised agent, and never pay an unofficial middleman. Ask Tanner to plan the trip while you wait.

Thailand Privilege visa in short

• The Thailand Privilege visa, once the Elite visa, is a paid long-stay membership run by a TAT-owned state enterprise.

• It suits someone who comes back again and again; a party week needs only the free 30-day stay.
• One fee from ฿650,000 covers 5 to 20 years, with stays of up to a year each time.
• Apply through the official programme or an authorised agent, with your passport and a background check.
• It isn't a work visa or permanent residency, and stays over 90 days still need a 90-day report.
• Checked: November 2026

Plan your stay

It depends on your stay: a party trip needs only the free 30-day stay and the arrival card, while a second home here might justify the membership.

For the party, pick your cities, the villa, the boat and the club evenings. Our Thailand itinerary has 5-, 7- and 10-day plans.

Ask Tanner; he times the cars around your flights.