ThailandFamily

SMART Visa for family members in Thailand

A visa for the lawful spouse and children of the principal SMART Visa holder. The family lives in Thailand for as long as the holder does and extends the visa together with them. The reporting requirements are lighter, and family members may work without a separate permit — with the right stamp. The relationship is evidenced by documents in English or Thai. This makes life in the country easier for the families of invited specialists, investors and representatives of the targeted industries.

Visa term

The term matches the validity of the principal applicant's visa.

Work

The spouse is entitled to work without a separate work permit.

Source: Thailand Board of Investment, FAQ section (smart-visa.boi.go.th)

Who can obtain this visa

The SMART Visa for family members is intended for the spouse and children of the principal SMART Visa holder.

Spouses of the principal holder

The lawful spouse of the principal holder (same-sex marriages are not recognised in Thailand)
The deposit may be held in the account of either spouse
They may work in any industry once a work permit is obtained

Children of the principal holder

Biological children under the set age (students may be older with proof of study)
Adopted children or children from another marriage (with a court order on custody)
They may live in Thailand for the whole term of the parent's visa

When the programme is not suitable

Same-sex spouses

Thailand does not recognise same-sex marriages in law; consider visas based on other grounds

Adult children

Adult children have to apply for their own SMART Visa or another visa reflecting their activity or investor status

Parents or other relatives

The programme covers only spouses and children; for other relatives consider alternative visas

What it costs

Bank depositAt least 3 months in the account of either spouse; it is not forfeited	180 000 THB
Medical insuranceThe minimum cover for the whole period of stay in Thailand	500 000 THB
Visa fee on issuePer year of stay	10 000 THB
Visa fee on extensionPer year of the extension	10 000 THB
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Visa fee on extension” branch replaces the “Visa fee on issue” line — 690 000 THB. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	690 000 THB

Paid separately

Fee for the qualification endorsement — No qualification endorsement is required for family members

Documents to gather

All documents must be uploaded in PDF format. Documents in languages other than English or Thai require a certified translation together with the original.

Documents on the family relationship (a marriage or birth certificate) in English or Thai
A copy of all passport pages of the principal holder and the family member
Proof of medical insurance (a minimum of 500000 baht for the whole period of stay)
A bank certificate confirming the deposit (180000 baht, held for a minimum of 3 months)
A court order on custody (if the child is adopted or from another marriage)
An official translation of the documents (if the originals are not in English or Thai)

How the process runs

Obtaining the SMART Visa O for family members takes from three weeks to a month once the complete set of documents is in place.

1
Preparing and collecting the documents
Prepare all the required documents on the family relationship, the financial evidence, copies of passports and medical insurance. Make sure the documents are in English or Thai or have a certified translation.
2
Uploading the documents to the system
Register on the portal smart-visa.boi.go.th and upload all the PDF documents. The system will carry out an initial check that the set is complete.
3
Consideration of the documents
up to 3 working days
The BOI administration checks that the uploaded documents are complete and correct. If the documents are incomplete the system will notify you that additions are needed.
4
Forwarding the documents to the relevant departments
3 working days
The BOI forwards the documents to the relevant government departments to check the qualification of the principal holder.
5
Consideration by the departments
up to 20 working days
The relevant departments consider the qualification of the principal holder and issue their decision.
6
Receiving the notice of approval
within 7 working days
The BOI sends an approval letter for the family members. The letter states the visa details and its period of validity.
7
Using the approval to obtain the visa
up to 60 days from approval
Submit the approval and the required documents to a Thai embassy or consulate to obtain the visa sticker in the passport.
8
Receiving the visa
Once the visa sticker is issued the family members may enter Thailand. The visa is valid until the same date as the principal holder's visa.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of the principal SMART Visa holder receive a visa for the same period as the principal applicant.

Spouses

A lawful spouse may be included in the visa if the principal holder has an active SMART Visa and provides a marriage certificate. Same-sex marriages are not accepted.

Children

Biological children under the set age may be included in the visa. Students continuing their education may be older than the set age where proof of study is available.

Adopted children

Children in respect of whom there is a court order on custody may be included in the visa on production of the relevant documents.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Reporting is once a year rather than every 90 days. The annual report is filed at the One Stop Service centre 15 days before the date on the notification card or within 7 days after it; the period runs from the issue of the visa or from the last entry. Separately, a status report is sent to the SMART Visa Unit by September each year. No re-entry permit is required.

Family members may extend their visa together with the principal holder. The extension requires updated proof of medical insurance and of the bank deposit. The visa fee on extension is 10000 baht for each family member for each year of the extension. The annual status report is required only for visas valid for more than a year and is filed within 15 days before the reporting date or 7 days after it.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	SMART Visa for family members	Digital nomad visa	Thailand Privilege Card
Visa term	The term matches the validity of the principal applicant's visa	A multiple-entry visa for up to 5 years, stays of up to 180 days with an extension of a further 180	The term depends on the package (5-20 years), multiple entry; renewal is through a new membership fee
Grounds	A derivative visa for spouses and lawful children of holders of SMART Visas in categories T, I, E and S	Remote work / courses (Muay Thai, cookery)	Purchase of a membership
Work	The spouse is entitled to work without a separate work permit	Not a work visa; working for a Thai employer without a work permit is prohibited	There is no right to work; a separate B visa and a work permit are required
Residence	Reporting is once a year rather than every 90 days	Lawful long-term stay, renting, bank accounts, medical care	There is no minimum stay; 90-day reporting

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Permanent residence is arranged separately, under an annual quota of 100 people per country of nationality. The applicant must hold a non-immigrant visa and have lived in Thailand on annual extensions for 3 consecutive years. The consideration fee is 7,600 baht and is non-refundable; the permission itself costs 191,400 baht, and 95,700 for the spouse of a permanent resident.

Frequently asked questions about SMART Visa for family members

Who can be a family member under SMART Visa O?

Family members are limited to the lawful spouse and children. They must provide official documents evidencing the family relationship. Same-sex marriages are not recognised in Thailand.

What is the maximum age for dependent children?

Children must be under the set age. There is an exception: if the child is still studying, proof of study is required.

Can the deposit be held in the account of only one of the spouses?

Yes, the deposit may be held in the account of either spouse. The account must have been open for at least 3 months.

In what language must the documents on the family relationship be?

The documents must be in English or Thai. If the originals are in another language, a certified professional translation is required together with the original.

May family members work in Thailand?

Yes, family members may work in any industry except the occupations prohibited to foreign nationals on the Ministry of Labour list. A work permit has to be obtained for this.

How long is the family members' visa valid?

Family members receive the same expiry date as the principal holder. If the application is filed later, the overall period of validity may be shorter than the principal holder's.

How do family members obtain a work permit after receiving the visa?

After receiving the SMART Visa O, family members have to apply for a work stamp through the portal smart-visa.boi.go.th, using the qualification update form.

Do family members need a criminal record certificate?

No, family members are not required to provide a criminal record certificate, unlike the principal SMART Visa holder.

Other ways to move to Thailand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Thailand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.