Digital Nomads in Thailand earning a high salary should be able to apply for the 4 year Smart Visa that Thailand will introduce next month. Targeted at high expertise foreigners & entrepreneurs to stay a longer time in Thailand.
“More than any other type of visa, the Smart Visa will give the most benefits and privileges. You will be able to stay for a long time and bring your family over,” said Lt. Col. Thanarak Boonyaratkarin of the Immigration Bureau Police.
Around mid-January the smart visa applications should be available in Thai embassies worldwide and even the One-Stop Visa & Work permit center in Bangkok. Online applications for the visa are being planned for late 2018, according to a report in state media citing government spokesman Sansern Keawkamnerd. The eligibility criterion currently seems to be 200,000 baht a month of income and people in specialized industries such as tech, robotics, health care and more. The exact speciality areas for the eligibility would be interesting to see when the applications are made available. The most interesting part is that entire families would be eligible for the four year visa.
This definitely won’t be able to accommodate most Digital Nomads currently working in Thailand. Especially foreigners working in the drop shipping business or content/marketing freelancers. More details on the Smart Visa for Digital Nomads can be found here.
Source: Phuket Gazette & Khaosod
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