I should add that the process was completed in less than 30 days of our arrival into Thailand, but had we needed to, we could have added an extension to our visa exemption. We didn’t need to but it would have been easy to obtain.

@Glenn **********

we applied from abroad, then arrived in Thailand a week and a half on a visa exempt and completed the process from here. Yes, if you qualify for the LTR, then I think it’s a smoother process.

@Richard ********

awesome, will keep it in mind for the future! Lots of people seem to really like Penang!

@Trang *****

good luck!

@Trang *****

oh, I’m so sorry I’m not sure. You can contact the BOI on their website and they will tell you. There is no specific requirement for how long one must stay in Thailand every year with the LTR so I’m not sure if they care when you enter the country after you’ve received your visa from an embassy. Sorry I couldn’t be of further help.

@Trang *****

hi! Not sure what you mean? We applied two weeks before entering Thailand, and then finished the process while here in Bangkok.

@Brandon ***********

ok, sounds good to me! 😁

@Jo *********

stamped here in Thailand

@Brandon ***********

ok, you guys are just bowing my mind this morning! 😂. I have never even heard of the TM30 requirement. The BOI never said anything to us so I am very confused. Can I just assume then that as we plan on leaving the country multiple times every year, that we don’t need to worry about the TM30? We are already not living at the same address as we were when we applied and received the LTR visa in January.

Interestingly, we just went to Malaysia this weekend and returned last night through Don Muang. Passport control took a while with our passports. We had the impression that this might have been the first time he had come across the LTR visa. He finally stamped us in and told us to report in 90 days. When we told him it was in one year, he admitted he didn’t know the requirements. Oh: we had our two kids with us who do NOT have the LTR visa and there was no issue with them being in the Diplomatic line with us.

@Paul ******

thanks but in this case, we only needed new 45 day stamps in their passports. In order to issue ED visas in Bangkok, immigration requires that there be at least two weeks left in the passports. We were shy by a day. 🤦‍♀️. So we needed to leave to get new stamps and return to immigration.