A Thailand family visa may be required if you plan to migrate to the country with your spouse and children. The Kingdom of Thailand’s visa program offers several possible options for issuing residence permits to foreign nationals. Let's consider who needs a family visa, whether it is possible to get it by buying an apartment in Thailand, and what the advantages and features of obtaining it are.
Content:
- Why do you need a visa?
- Basic questions regarding a family visa
- Four more ways to bring the family over
- Does buying property give you a visa
- Thailand family visa requirements
- What changed by 2026
- Legal assistance in preparing documents and purchasing real estate
- Frequently asked questions
Why do you need a visa?
Requirements for obtaining a residence permit vary depending on the applicant's nationality, the amount of time they plan to spend in the country and the purpose of the visit. Most European nationals do not require a separate permit to enter the country: you may now stay for up to 60 days without a visa and extend that once by another 30 days for 1,900 baht ($57), but for no more than 90 days within any 180. In May 2026 the government approved a return to 30 days; the rules take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette, which has not happened yet. If a longer period is required, you cannot do so without a visa, otherwise, the foreigner will face deportation. There are several visa permit options:
- tourist visa valid for 60 days and extendable by another 30
- multiple six-month visas
- non-immigrant option allowing you to stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days
- long-term visa under the Thailand Privilege programme, called Thailand Elite until 2023
Each of these options has unique time limits and features.
Difference between a family visa and a tourist visa
The main differences between a Thai family visa and a tourist visa are the validity period and the purpose. Tourism does not allow you to stay in the country for a long time, which is not suitable for expat family members. For those planning to immigrate, work or study, a long-term permit is required. This is the main advantage of a family visa in Thailand. To obtain it, one of the spouses must be officially employed by a Thai company and have the appropriate permit.
The whole family will be able to move to Thailand under the Thailand Privilege programme. Its detailed description will be given below.
Unmarried ex-pats can be betrothed to a Thai citizen. This will also be the basis for issuing a family visa.
Basic questions regarding a family visa
There are three options for getting a family visa. The first involves marriage to a citizen of the country. In this case, the spouse can apply for an annual marriage license which will be extended as long as the couple is married. Having such a visa allows one to live in the Kingdom as well as obtain a work permit. The foreign spouse is asked to show THB 400,000 ($12,080) in a Thai bank account or a monthly income from THB 40,000 ($1,208). The money must sit in the account for at least two months before the application.
Also, a family visa can be obtained by the spouse and children of a specialist invited to work in a Thai company. To do this, you will need to confirm your relationship and provide a copy of a local bank statement proving that you have enough money to live (THB 20,000, $604, per month per person). This visa is tied to the employee’s own status: if the job or the work permit goes, so does the family’s ground for staying.
The third option for moving with a family is a Thai privilege visa. It is issued under the Thailand Privilege programme. Its validity period ranges from 5 years to 20 years. What does a family visa in Thailand give in this format? Saving time, since the resident and their immediate relatives do not need to leave the country every 90 days, as provided for in other visa options. Visa holders also receive access to high-quality services, including transfers, annual medical examinations and the opportunity to visit sports centres and entertainment venues. Packages run from THB 650,000 ($19,625) for 5 years to THB 5 million ($151,000) for 20 years, and family members are added for a separate fee. The programme sets no income requirement.
Another thing to consider is that this permit does not limit the ability to buy an apartment or villa in Thailand and live in the country, but does not give the right to work or run a business. Income can only be investment income received from shares or securities.
Four more ways to bring the family over
The three classic options do not cover every situation. Since 2024 there are routes that older guides do not mention.
| Your family situation | Visa | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents work remotely for companies abroad | DTV and DTV Dependent | THB 10,000 ($302) each, children under 20 included; 180 days per entry and a further 180-day extension for THB 1,900 |
| High income earned abroad | LTR with dependants | Spouse and children under 20, THB 10,000 per person; the cap on dependants was lifted in 2025, and a single annual report replaces the 90-day one |
| A child studies at a Thai school | Non-Immigrant ED or ED Plus | The child’s status does not depend on the parents’ permitted stay; the school reports attendance monthly |
| Completed housing bought from THB 3 million | Property visa | Three months at first, then annual extensions, family included; no right to work |
Does buying property give you a visa
For years the answer was no: property in Thailand gave a foreigner no status at all. That changed on 1 October 2025, when the Immigration Bureau issued orders making a purchase from THB 3 million ($90,580) a ground for a long stay. The visas themselves started being issued on 1 February 2026.
- The unit must be completed and already registered in the buyer’s name — off-plan projects do not qualify.
- You get three months at first, then annual extensions, renewed every year.
- The family can come along, but the visa grants neither permanent residence nor the right to work.
- You will also need a letter from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports confirming your long-stay status.
"Families often build the whole visa around one spouse’s job and miss that everyone else’s status hangs on it. One dismissal and the wife and children have a week to find new grounds. Where possible, we suggest relying on something that does not depend on an employer."
— a specialist in transaction support and relocation
Thailand family visa requirements
To obtain a family visa to Thailand, those who are married to a Thai citizen will need to:
- apply for a non-immigrant visa
- provide a document confirming the opening of a bank account no later than 2 months before applying for a visa
- submit a visa application to the immigration service
The Thailand visa application process takes 30 days.
Family members of an ex-pat employed in Thailand need to have:
- documents confirming their relationship
- copy of the passport and visa of an employed specialist
- copy of the work permit and a certificate from the employing organization
- copy of a local bank statement confirming the required funds
To participate in the Thailand Privilege programme, the following documents are required:
- international passport valid for at least 6 months
- photocopy of the personal data section of the passport
- high-resolution scanned copy of any valid ID
- application form
Proof of relationship is required for immediate family members of key participants.
Whichever route you take, remember two duties once you arrive. Every 90 days each family member files an address report, and within 24 hours of moving in the property owner files the TM.30 notification — without it the immigration office will not accept your extension papers.
What changed by 2026
- The Thailand Elite programme was renamed Thailand Privilege, with packages from THB 650,000 for 5 years to THB 5 million for 20 years.
- The DTV visa has been available since July 2024: a whole family can relocate on it, with children under 20 as dependants.
- The cap on the number of LTR dependants was lifted in 2025.
- Since 1 October 2025 buying completed housing from THB 3 million gives grounds for a long-stay visa, issued from 1 February 2026.
- The visa-free stay grew to 60 days with a 30-day extension; the return to 30 days is approved but not yet published.
Legal assistance in preparing documents and purchasing real estate
Our website provides advice on how to obtain a family visa for Thailand and offers a comprehensive database of properties that you can consider for purchase when relocating. The database contains property listings from developers and local agencies and you can choose property in Thailand in any region of the country. All listings contain only real-time verified information. Our specialists will provide family visa services and assist with purchasing a home. To receive a consultation, simply fill out the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Does buying an apartment give you the right to a visa?
Since 1 October 2025, yes. Completed housing from THB 3 million gives grounds for a long-stay visa, and those visas started being issued on 1 February 2026.
Can you work on a family visa?
On a marriage visa, yes, once a work permit is issued. A dependant visa, the DTV and Thailand Privilege carry no right to work.
How much money must sit in the account for a marriage visa?
THB 400,000, and it must stay there for at least two months before you apply. The alternative is a proven income from THB 40,000 a month.
Up to what age does a child count as a dependant?
Up to 20. After that they need their own grounds: study, work or a separate visa.
Is the 90-day report required?
Yes, and separately for each family member. The exception is the LTR visa, where the report is filed once a year.