Full application guide & review to the Thailand Privilege (Formerly Thailand Elite Visa)
The Thailand Elite Visa is a simple (but costly) purchase, enabling an individual or a family to stay in Thailand for 5 to 20 years without dealing with the normal headaches of immigration and visa applications.
The Thailand Privilege Visa (formerly known as the Thailand Elite Visa) is a legitimate, legal way to purchase your stay in Thailand for up to 20 years, with minimal paperwork and visits to immigration offices. It’s arguably the easiest and only hassle-free way to stay in Thailand long term – but it comes at a cost.
If you’re struggling to meet visa requirements, or you’ve had enough of the bureaucracy and paperwork well known to Thailand long-stayers, the Thailand Privilege Visa may be an option for you.
Who’s it for?
The Thailand Privilege Visa was designed for those who either do not fit into other visa categories or would prefer to pay a cash lump sum in order to come and go as they wish, without any of the immigration hassles us long stayers have been faced with over the past years.
A good fit for the Thailand Privilege Visa would be:
- Location independent businessmen and women
- Anyone with enough money to retire but not meeting the age requirement for the retirement visa (50 years old)
- Frequent business travelers to or through Thailand who would prefer faster, easier access with no questions asked
- Individuals or families looking for an easy way to make Thailand their home
- Digital nomads with deep pockets who value convenience over cost
Eligibility
Almost anyone is eligible assuming you have enough money to pay for the membership, but there are a few conditions:
- Your application must pass a background check (performed by the immigration bureau)
- You must be in a healthy mental condition
- You must have never overstayed. Even if you receive approval on your background check, you’ll be denied entry later
- Your passport must have at least 3 blank pages and 12 months validity
- Clean criminal record (minor offenses assessed case-by-case)
Memberships & cost (2025 updates)
I don’t think the information presented on the Thailand Privilege website is easy to understand so I’ll break down your options here. The program underwent a complete restructuring in October 2023 when it rebranded from Thailand Elite to Thailand Privilege.
Current membership tiers
| Membership Tier | Price (THB) | Price (USD)* | Visa Duration | Annual Points | Family Add-On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze (Limited availability) | 650,000 | ~$19,000 | 5 years | 0 | Not available |
| Gold | 900,000 | ~$26,000 | 5 years | 20 | Not available |
| Platinum | 1,500,000 | ~$44,000 | 10 years | 35 | (฿500,000)** |
| Diamond | 2,500,000 | ~$74,000 | 15 years | 55 | (฿500,000)** |
| Reserve | 5,000,000 | ~$148,000 | 20+ years | 120 | (฿500,000)** |
*USD prices approximate based on current exchange rates
**Family member promotional rate valid until September 30, 2025 (normally ฿1-2 million)
Note: The Bronze membership is a limited-time tier available from December 15, 2024 to December 31, 2025. After this date, the entry-level option will be Gold at ฿900,000. Additionally, the standard ฿50,000 application fee is currently waived until December 31, 2025.
Old memberships (now discontinued)
The following Thailand Elite memberships were discontinued in October 2023:
- Elite Easy Access: 5 years / 600,000 baht
- Elite Privilege Access: 10 years / 1 million baht
- Elite Superiority Extension: 20 years / 1 million baht
- Elite Ultimate Privilege: 20 years / 2 million baht
- Elite Family Excursion: 5 years / 800,000 baht (min 2 persons)
- Elite Family Alternative: 10 years / 800,000 baht
- Elite Family Premium: Various durations / 1 million baht
Existing holders of these memberships maintain their benefits and can upgrade to the new structure with waived upgrade fees during promotional periods.
Benefits
The biggest benefit is being able to stay in Thailand without interruption. All memberships have the core benefits, whilst there are other benefits only for those on higher membership tiers.
Core benefits (all tiers)
Arrival greeting and golf cart – As the term ‘elite’ suggests, you’ll be treated with such status when you’re greeted by a lady in a gold dress and driven to the fast-track lane at immigration (Available at Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai airports). After helping you get stamped into the country, the assistants will help you retrieve your luggage and find your way to your car, train, or next flight.
Fast track entry and departure – No need to wait in the regular immigration queue. You can bring one immediate family member with you through the fast-track lane. Immigration processing typically takes under 5 minutes.
Arrival and departure lounges – The website states both arrival and departure but in reality, it’s just the departure lounge that’s familiar to most of us as a ‘lounge’. Only the visa holder can use the lounge, a child, spouse or friend will need to pay. (Note: This is now available at Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, and Chiang Mai airports)
Free international and domestic transfers – Free short-haul transfers from the airport to your hotel (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui). The maximum distance is 50km in Bangkok and can be used 24 times per year. Higher-tier memberships provide a round-trip service both to and from your residence.
You can bring one immediate family member with you – in my experience, they are ok with one friend, or partner too.
Elite membership assistance – Assistance opening a bank account, getting a driving license, filing 90-day reports, and “business networking” – though we’re not sure what business networking is, exactly. With the new Thailand Privilege structure, these services can be accessed using your annual privilege points.
The new privilege points system
Since the rebrand from Thailand Elite to Thailand Privilege in October 2023, the program uses a flexible points system for lifestyle benefits:
| Service Category | Points Required | Example Services |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Services | 1 point | 90-day report, spa treatment, shopping voucher |
| Premium Services | 2 points | Golf round, health screening, airport transfer |
| Ultra-Premium | 3+ points | Domestic flights, luxury experiences, private tours |
Points are credited annually based on your membership tier and don’t roll over, so use them or lose them.
Additional lifestyle benefits
- Golf: Access to 40+ world-class courses nationwide (typically 2 points per round)
- Spa Treatments: Pamper yourself at Let’s Relax, Oasis Spa, Angsana Spa, and more (1-2 points)
- Health Checkups: Annual medical exams at top hospitals like Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital
- Shopping: Discounts at King Power, Central, and luxury brands
- Dining: Special offers at selected restaurants and hotels
Drawbacks
- The Thailand Privilege Visa does not give you permission to work or apply for a work permit. Technically it’s a glorified Multiple Entry Tourist Visa
- You still need to file 90-day reports – although you can have Thailand Privilege do these for you using your points
- Each entry is for a maximum of 1 year, after which you either need to leave and come back or extend your stay for 1900 baht at immigration
- It’s expensive – there are now cheaper alternatives like the DTV visa for digital nomads
The process
Obtaining a Thailand Privilege Visa is easy, but it does take some time due to security checks and other formalities. You can expect it to take between 4-6 weeks from application to your first entry (faster than the old 6-9 weeks).
You can apply from anywhere, just keep in mind that it may take several weeks so you’ll need to have another visa arrangement if you’re planning to stay in Thailand whilst you wait.
Choose a membership
The first decision is which membership you need. This will depend whether or not you are alone, purchasing as a family and how long you want the visa to be valid. As previously mentioned, the cheapest option for an individual is now the “Bronze” membership for 650,000 baht (5 year stay) – but only until December 31, 2025. The option which gives you the most value for money is the “Reserve” membership for 5 million baht (20+ year stay), though that’s invitation only.
You’ll also want to take into consideration which benefits each membership comes with – if they are important to you.
Application
Register and apply on the official Thailand Privilege website. Important warning: There are lots of websites offering the same product, but they’re just resellers who charge the same price as going direct. While authorized agents can be helpful and don’t cost extra, many unofficial sites are simply middlemen. We recommend dealing directly with the official source. The official website is https://www.thailandprivilege.co.th.
After you’ve applied, the process has begun. You’ll receive a welcome email asking you to confirm you’ve never overstayed, how long the application is expected to take and to let you know your application has been sent to the immigration bureau for a background check. All of the important information presented in this post is also in the email.
Note: The standard ฿50,000 application fee is currently waived until December 31, 2025.
Payment
After your application has been approved (4-6 weeks), you’ll be updated by email with instructions to make payment. Your options are:
- Wire transfer / international transfer (takes up to 5 business days)
- Transfer from local bank account (2-3 business days)
- Online payment with credit/debit card using a link provided in the email
- Cryptocurrency through select authorized agents
After payment has been made, reply to your welcome email with a screenshot or photo of the receipt to confirm payment has been made.
Note the waiting times: It can take up to 5 working days to confirm your payment and another 5 working days to schedule your first arrival and Thailand Privilege Visa on arrival – therefore you should make payment 2-3 weeks prior to when you need it.
Finalizing visa stamp
You have three options to get your visa finally stuck in your passport. Keep in mind that some form of this information is all sent to you in emails after you apply.
1. On arrival – Either at Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang airport in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi is recommended as there’s better “personal assistance”, lounge and fast-track service). You can also use Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.
Note: Some nationalities require a Tourist Visa if they wish to get their Thailand Privilege Visa on arrival. This is the case if your nationality does not qualify for the 30-day exemption stamp.
2. Chaengwattana Immigration Office – You can get the Thailand Privilege Visa from Chaengwattana without leaving Thailand. Normal business days will apply. You can schedule this with Thailand Privilege in your email correspondence.
3. Thai Embassy or Consulate – You can now also obtain your visa at Thai embassies and consulates worldwide.
This is very important: You must cancel any existing Non-Immigrant visa you have before you can receive your Thailand Privilege Visa.
Non-Immigrant Visa must be canceled before Thailand Privilege Visa is validated. Members have to take responsibility for the cancellation of Non-Immigrant Visa on their own, and then apply for the 7-day stay extension in order to validate Thailand Privilege Visa.
Remember: both options above need to be exercised within 30 days of your membership being activated and scheduled at least 5 days in advance.
Thailand Privilege vs other long-term visa options
How does Thailand Privilege stack up against other options? Here’s my honest comparison:
| Visa Type | Duration | Cost | Work Rights | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand Privilege | 5-20 years | ฿650K-5M | No | VIP treatment seekers |
| LTR Visa | 10 years | ฿50,000 | Yes (digital) | High earners |
| DTV (Digital Nomad) | 5 years | ฿10,000 | Remote only | Budget-conscious nomads |
| Retirement O-A | 1 year | ฿800K deposit | No | Retirees 50+ |
| Smart Visa | 4 years | Income requirements | Yes | Tech professionals |
Current promotions
The Thailand Privilege program (formerly Thailand Elite) has several limited-time offers running in 2025:
- Bronze Membership Extended: Available until December 31, 2025 (last chance for entry-level pricing)
- Family Member Discount: Only ฿500,000 per family member instead of ฿1-2 million (until September 30, 2025)
- Application Fee Waived: Save ฿50,000 (until December 31, 2025)
- Free Upgrades: ฿100,000 upgrade fee waived (until June 30, 2025)
- Legacy Elite Member Special: Upgrade to Bronze for only ฿450,000 (until May 2026)
Family membership options
Want to bring the family? Here’s what you need to know:
- Available for Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve tiers only
- Promotional rate: ฿500,000 per family member (significant savings from regular rates)
- Family members get the same visa duration as primary member
- Separate privilege points allocation for each member
- Includes spouse and children under 20
Banking and property benefits
Thailand Privilege membership (formerly Thailand Elite) opens important doors:
Banking services:
- Guaranteed bank account opening with Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank
- Staff accompanies you to the bank
- Process takes 3-5 working days with advance booking
- Access to wealth management services
Property rights:
- Purchase condominiums (standard foreign ownership rules apply)
- 30-year land lease agreements (renewable)
- Property purchase consultation services
- Legal support for transactions
Is it worth it?
Here’s our honest take after previously having the visaand talking to dozens of other holders: The Thailand Privilege Visa isn’t cheap, but for the right person, it’s absolutely worth it.
It’s worth it if:
- You fly in/out of Thailand frequently (those VIP services are gold)
- You hate dealing with visa runs and immigration hassles
- You want guaranteed long-term residency without annual renewals
- You can afford the upfront cost without financial strain
- You value convenience and premium service
- You’re under 50 and don’t qualify for retirement visa
It’s not worth it if:
- You’re happy doing border runs or visa extensions
- You qualify for a cheaper long-term visa option (DTV, LTR, etc.)
- You’re unsure about staying in Thailand long-term
- The membership fee would stretch your budget
- You need work rights in Thailand
Contact information
Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited
110/2 North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Phone: +66 (0) 2352 3000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.thailandprivilege.co.th
24/7 Member Support: Available in English, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean
The bottom line
The Thailand Privilege Visa remains the gold standard for hassle-free, long-term residence in Thailand. It’s expensive. But if you value your time, hate bureaucracy, and want to feel like a VIP every time you enter Thailand, it’s hard to beat.
With the Bronze membership ending soon and multiple promotions running, 2025 might be the best time to join. The program has nearly 40,000 happy members from over 50 countries – and there’s a reason they keep renewing.
Whether you’re a young retiree, digital nomad with deep pockets, or just someone who’s fallen in love with Thailand and wants to make it home, the Thailand Privilege Visa offers a level of convenience and luxury that’s simply unmatched by other visa options.
Our recommendation: If you’re considering the Thailand Privilege Visa (formerly Thailand Elite), act before December 31, 2025. Between the Bronze membership deadline, waived application fees, and family discounts, you could save over ฿500,000.