How do I get a visa to live in Phuket if I buy a home there?

Buying a home in Phuket and getting a visa are two separate steps. Owning property does not give you the right to live in Thailand. You need a visa that fits your reason for staying.

Step 1: Pick your visa. Common long-stay choices are:

• The retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O). A Royal Thai Embassy checklist says you must be at least 50, and show at least 800,000 baht in the bank or a monthly income of at least 65,000 baht. You also need health insurance, a medical certificate and a police (criminal record) certificate. The visa starts as 90 days, single entry. You then extend it to one year at a Thai immigration office.
• The Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa. The Board of Investment says one type, Wealthy Global Citizen, needs at least USD 1 million in assets and at least USD 500,000 invested in Thailand. That investment can be Thai property in your own name, and you must already own it when you apply. The visa is for 5 years and can be extended for 5 more.

Other visas cover work, study, marriage and remote work. Our visa finder can help you choose.

Step 2: Know what a foreigner can own. A Thai government guide says:

• Foreigners can own a condo unit in their own name. Foreign owners together can hold no more than 49% of the space in each building.
• Foreigners generally cannot own land, so a house with land is usually leased (up to 30 years at a time), not owned.
• Condo money must be sent from a bank abroad to a bank in Thailand, and you need the bank papers.

Step 3: Rent first. Phuket areas feel very different. Renting for a few months helps you choose before you buy.

Step 4: Apply from home. The retirement visa checklist comes from a Thai embassy, and LTR applications start online with the Board of Investment.

Rules and amounts can change and can differ by embassy. Check with the Thai embassy, immigration or a lawyer for your case.