Ever since the Thai Government announced plans for Thailand Digital Nomad visa plans, a lot of people are curious to learn about it.
Thailand has always been a favourite place for Digital nomads because of its low cost of living, great food menu, nearby airport, fast internet connection and numerous coworking places.
If you live outside of Thailand and wish to travel to Thailand to work remotely from there, you must have a work permit issued by the Thailand Government.
This post will explain everything about Thailand’s Digital Nomad Visa, including what is Digital Nomad, why become a Digital Nomad in Thailand, or do you need a Visa to be a Digital Nomad in Thailand.
Without any further ado, let’s get started:
What is Digital Nomad?
Digital Nomad is a person who lives his or her life in a nomadic manner and keeps changing their workspace using digital communication technology.
Since they don’t need an office and a lot of materials to get the work done, they prefer to travel across the world and work remotely in hotels, cafes, coworking spaces, or recreational vehicles equipped with a fast internet connection.
While some nomads travel through numerous countries, others focus on staying at a place for some time and then head back to their homes.
According to the data mentioned on Wikipedia, almost 11 million American workers declared themselves Digital nomads.
Why Become A Digital Nomad In Thailand?
There are multiple countries that have always been a top choice for a digital nomad. One of them is Thailand.
The reason why most of the digital nomads prefer to stay in Thailand is it is a beautiful place covered with stunning beaches.
Apart from having beautiful beaches, here’s a list of reasons that attract digital nomads throughout the world.
- Thailand is an affordable country.
- It is pretty easy to get to any place in Thailand.
- People of Thailand are known for their hospitality.
- Each region of Thailand has a differen cuisine.
- It has hundreds of Island across the coast of Thailand.
- It has numerous co-working spaces with fast internet connections.
These are some of the reasons why the number of Digital Nomads heading to Thailand has increased significantly in the last couple of years.
How Many Types Of Visas Thailand Offers?
Similar to other countries or regions, Thailand does have multiple Visa plans depending on your duration of stay and purpose of visiting the country.
Here are all types of Visas that Royal Thai Embassies and Royal Thai Consulates-General issue:
- Transit Visa
- Tourist Visa
- Non-Immigrant Visa
- Diplomatic Visa
- Official Visa
- Courtesy Visa
To know the requirement and documents needed to get the above mentioned Thailand Visas, click on this link.
Is There A Thailand Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes, you will need to obtain a Tourist Visa to be a Digital Nomad in Thailand. The validity of this Visa is 60 days but it can be extended up to 90 days.
If you want to extend it further then you will have to apply for a Run Visa, where you have to head to a nearby country like Malaysia and apply for another Tourist Visa and stay for 90 days in Thailand.
The outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic hit Thailand’s tourist industry badly.
Prior to COVID-19, Thailand had more than 40 million visitors a year which would spend around $57 billion.
In 2021, the number of Tourist visitors in Thailand reduced to merely 400,000.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn is optimistic and expects the number of Tourists in Thailand to go up to 18 million in 2023.
If you are considering becoming a Digital Nomad in Thailand, there are two types of Tourist Visas that you can apply for — a Tourist Visa (TR Visa) and a Special Tourist Visa.
Tourist Visa (TR Visa)
There are a total of 64 countries that don’t need to have a Tourist Visa while entering Thailand under the Visa exemption rule.
Here’s a list of countries that don’t require Visa to enter Thailand:
- Andorra
- Argentina (90 days)
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Brazil (30 days and 90 days)
- Brunei
- Cambodia (14 days only)
- Canada
- Chile (90 days)
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea (30 days and 90 days)
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Myanmar (14 days only)
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Peru (30 days and 90 days)
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Russia
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Vietnam
If you live in any of these countries, you would not need to pay a penny for a Thai Visa.
Notably, the duration of this Visa is 30-day.
If you don’t live in any of these countries, you will have to pay around $60 USD for one or multiple entries.
The duration of this Thai Tourist Visa is 3 months and 6 months for single entry and multiple entries, respectively.
Once the validity of this Visa is concluded, you can reapply by doing Visa Run.
Special Tourist Visa
The Special Tourist Visa was introduced in October 2020 and it was only valid till September 2021 but it has now been extended to September 2022.
The duration of this Thai Visa is 90 days and can be extended up to 270 days but not going past 30 September 2022.
Unlike the Tourist Visa, obtaining Special Tourist Visa is a bit difficult. However, if you meet the requirements, you can stay in Thailand for up to 270 days without doing Visa Run.
To get a Thai Special Tourist Visa, you will have to spend $76.
How To Apply For Thailand Digital Nomad Visa?
Since there is no specific Thailand Digital Nomad Visa available at the moment, you will have to apply for Tourist Visa to enter Thailand.
Before you skip reading this post and apply for Digital Nomad Thailand Visa, make sure to check its requirements.
Since the requirement of applying for a Thai Tourist Visa is different for each country, click on this link and select your country.
When you do so, you will be taken to you a page where you will get all the information about the requirements and documents needed to get a Thai Digital Nomad Visa.
Here are the basic requirements to apply for Thailand Digital Nomad Visa:
- Make sure you have a valid passport with 6 months left.
- Make sure you have a confirmed return ticket.
- Make sure you have a passport size photo of yours.
- Make sure you have proof of adequate finances. The minimum money you should have to visit Thailand is $602 or (20,000 Thai Baht)
Note: The above requirements are likely to be changed in the future.
Do I Need A Work Permit To Be A Digital Nomad In Thailand?
Yes, you need a work permit to be a Digital Nomad in Thailand.
There might be numerous Digital Nomads working in Thailand on Tourist Visa, which is not permitted in Thailand.
If you are considering to be a Digital Nomad and working remotely in Thailand then make sure you have a work permit issued by the Thai Government.
Apart from having work permits, you will have to pay taxes to the Thai Government if you work remotely in Thailand.
Irrespective of which country you belong to, if work remote in Thailand, you will have to meet the following requirements:
- To have a appropriate Visa
- To have a work permit
- To pay taxes.
The Thai Embassy has a specific page where that have explained everything about Thailand Digital Nomad Visa.
Best Digital Nomad Cities In Thailand
Thailand is arguably one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Similar to other countries, there are some cities that attract the most tourists and Digital Nomads.
If you are considering to be a Digital Nomad in Thailand but wondering which cities are the best then don’t worry, we have got you covered.
Here are some of the best cities in Thailand:
- Bangkok
- Krabi
- Chiang Mai
There are plenty of other cities as well in Thailand but the reason why have mentioned only three is that these are places where you will find affordable co-space, hotels, and fast internet connection that would not affect your work.
Which Countries Have Digital Nomad Visas?
Thailand is not the only country where you can travel as a Digital Nomad.
Yes, there are plenty of countries that offer Digital Nomad status as well.
There are a plethora of beautiful countries that offer Digital Nomad Visas but they might be not as affordable as Thailand.
However, if you love working remotely from different countries then you can head to the following countries as well:
- Portugal
- Dubai
- Germany
- Czech Republic
- Barbados
- Croatia
- Costa Rica
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Do Digital Nomads Pay Taxes In Thailand?
Ans: Yes, Digital Nomads in Thailand need to have an appropriate Visa, Work Permit and pay taxes.
Q2. Can I Work Remotely In Thailand?
Ans: Yes, you can work remotely in Thailand but in most cases, it is considered illegal.
Q3. Is It Illegal to Be A Digital Nomad?
Ans: No, it is 100% legal to be a Digital Nomad.
Q4. How Can I Stay In Thailand For One Year?
Ans: To stay for one year in Thailand, you will have to apply for an extension but the extension must be for Business, Education, Marriage or Retirement.
If you already have a Tourist Visa, you will have to convert it into non-immigrant status first.
Q5. How Do I Live Permanently in Thailand?
Ans: To become a Resident of Thailand, you will have to fulfil the following requirements:
- You must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of your application.
- If you have multiple NON-Immigrant Visas, you would not be able to apply for them.
- You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify.
- You must be a holder of a non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting your application.
- You must be able to meet one of these categories to apply for PR status in Thailand:
- Investment category (minimum 3 – 10 Mil. Baht investment in Thailand)
- Working/ Business category
- Support a family or Humanity Reasons category: In this category, you must have a relationship with a Thai citizen or an alien who already possess a residence permit as a husband or wife; a father or mother; or a guardian of a Thai child under 20 years of age.
- Expert / academic category
- Other categories as determined by Thai Immigration
That’s everything you need to know about Thailand Digital Nomad Visa.