ThailandEntrepreneur

SMART Visa «Startup» in Thailand

A visa for foreign entrepreneurs launching a technology business in Thailand's targeted industries. The programme takes both those whose company is not yet registered in the country and those whose start-up has already been set up and certified by the relevant agency. The holder works in their own certified company without a separate permit and visits the immigration service less often. The spouse and children live with them, and the spouse is entitled to work without a permit.

Visa term

Up to 2 years, renewable.

Work

A work permit is not required for the accredited business.

Residence

Reporting once a year instead of every 90 days; no re-entry permit is required.

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

Which SMART Visa S track to choose

The route depends on whether your start-up is registered in Thailand at the time of the application.

The start-up is not yet registered

You submit a pitch deck with a plan for setting up the business in Thailand instead of company registration documents
You receive a short-term visa with the right to extend it once for the same period
Once the company is registered and certified you move to the longer type of visa

The start-up is already registered and certified

You confirm a shareholding of at least 25% in the company or the position of director
You receive the longer type of visa with the right to extend it an unlimited number of times
You need no work permit for activity in your own certified company

When the programme is not suitable

You are an employee of a Thai company and hold no share in the business

Consider the SMART Visa T category — for highly qualified employed specialists

You want to invest in an existing Thai business rather than launch a start-up

Consider the SMART Visa I category — for investors

You have neither a shareholding of 25% or more nor the position of director in the company

First increase your shareholding or take up the position of director — without this the criteria of the SMART Visa S programme are not met

What it costs

Fee for issuing a visa for a term of 6 monthsThe same rate applies to a visa for a term of 1 year	10 000 THB
Fee for issuing a visa for a term of 1 year and 4 monthsThe rate is 10,000 baht for each year of the visa, so the total rises with the length of the term	20 000 THB
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	30 000 THB

Paid separately

A deposit of 600,000 baht in a bank account — This is a financial requirement, not a fee — the money remains the applicant's property in their own account
A medical insurance policy — Arranged separately with an insurance company and not included in the state fee

Documents to gather

What goes into the set of documents depends on whether the start-up is registered at the time of filing.

An application for prior approval (endorsement) and an application form with the documents attached in PDF format through the portal smart-visa.boi.go.th
A pitch deck describing the team, the target audience, the product, the business plan in Thailand, the plan for registering the company and the revenue model — for the 6-month visa, if the company has not yet been set up
Financial proof of a deposit of at least 600,000 baht (or the equivalent) held in an account for at least three months
Proof that the start-up has been certified by the relevant agency, for example the National Innovation Agency — for the longer type of visa
A medical insurance policy covering the whole period of stay in Thailand

How the process runs

The process runs in two stages: first the start-up receives prior approval (an endorsement), then the visa itself is issued.

1
Registration and online filing of the set of documents
The applicant completes the application form and attaches the required documents in PDF format through the portal smart-visa.boi.go.th.
2
Checking of the application and the decision on the endorsement
no later than 30 working days
The SMART Visa Unit gives notice of the outcome no later than 30 working days after receiving the complete set of documents; the notice of approval is valid for 60 days.
3
Filing the application for the visa itself
7–14 working days when filed abroad
Within 60 days of the endorsement the visa application has to be filed — abroad through the e-visa system of Thai embassies and consulates, or in Thailand at the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center (TIESC); a fee of 10,000 baht for each year of the visa is paid on filing.

Who you can bring with you

The deposit and the period of stay of family members are tied to the type of visa held.

A spouse

Receives permission to stay in Thailand for the same term as the visa holder and may work without a separate work permit; a deposit of at least 180,000 baht (or the equivalent) held in an account for at least three months is required.

Children

Receive permission to stay in Thailand for the same term as the visa holder; a deposit of at least 180,000 baht held in an account for at least three months is also required for each child.

Renewal and the grace period

The 6-month visa may be extended for the same period only once — after that the holder has to move to the longer type of visa by registering and certifying a company in Thailand. The two-year type of visa may be extended an unlimited number of times if the applicant still meets the original conditions — a shareholding of at least 25% (or the position of director) and the other criteria of the programme. The extension application is filed no later than 60 days before the current visa expires, at the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center (TIESC), with a fee of 10,000 baht for each year of the visa.

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 «Startup»	Digital nomad visa	Thailand Privilege Card
Visa term	Up to 2 years, renewable	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 visa for foreign entrepreneurs setting up a start-up in Thailand's targeted industries	Remote work / courses (Muay Thai, cookery)	Purchase of a membership
Work	A work permit is not required for the accredited business	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 once a year instead of every 90 days; no re-entry permit is required	Lawful long-term stay, renting, bank accounts, medical care	There is no minimum stay; 90-day reporting

Frequently asked questions about SMART Visa «Startup»

Can I apply for a SMART Visa S if the start-up is not yet registered in Thailand?

Yes. In that case a visa for a term of 6 months is issued, and instead of company registration documents you have to attach a pitch deck describing the team, the product, the target audience, the business plan in Thailand, the plan for setting up the company and the revenue model.

Can the spouse of a SMART Visa S holder work in Thailand?

Yes, the spouse receives permission to stay in the country for the same term as the visa holder and may work without a separate work permit.

Will an account with a foreign bank do for the 600,000 baht deposit?

Yes, the deposit may be held in a foreign or a Thai account — all that matters is that the sum has been in the account for at least three months.

What happens if the shareholding in the start-up turns out to be less than 25%?

In that case the application for the longer type of visa cannot be approved: you have to either increase the shareholding to 25% or more or take up the position of director of the company.

What determines the size of the fee for issuing the visa?

The fee is calculated at a rate of 10,000 baht for each year of the visa's validity: for example, a 6-month visa costs 10,000 baht, while one for 1 year and 4 months costs 20,000 baht.

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.