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DTV: apply where you are a national or resident, and bring a police certificate
- What this page says now
- You could apply at any Thai embassy or consulate, including while present in a third country on a tourist stay — which is why applicants shopped for the post with the lightest checklist. No criminal-record or police clearance certificate was required.
- What changed
- You must be a national, or a legal/permanent resident, of the country where you apply, and must apply at the Thai mission covering that country. Being physically present somewhere on a tourist stay or visa exemption does not qualify you to apply there. A criminal-record / police clearance certificate from your country of citizenship or legal residence, issued within the last 6 months (UK applicants use the ACRO certificate). Applied from 31 August 2026 according to the sources below, not to a published instrument.
Announced from 31 August 2026 by individual Thai missions — Royal Thai Embassy, Vientiane; Royal Thai Consulate-General, Savannakhet; Royal Thai Embassy, London — rather than by a single published Ministry of Foreign Affairs instrument. We have not found a consolidated official announcement, so confirm the current checklist directly with the mission handling your application. Five-year validity, 180-day stays with one extension, the ~THB 500,000 financial test and the dependant provisions are unchanged — the change is who may apply where, and one extra document. Allow several weeks for the police certificate.
The page below has not been changed on the strength of this, and will not be until Thai e-Visa — Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand publishes it. BAANLYY publishes what the Thai government publishes, not what is expected of it.
Sources for the change: Royal Thai Embassy, Vientiane — published DTV application conditions · Royal Thai Consulate-General, Savannakhet — published DTV application conditions · Royal Thai Embassy, London — published DTV application conditions.
Check it yourself: Thai e-Visa — Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand · Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police. Sources last re-read 4 September 2026. BAANLYY is not a law firm or an immigration adviser and this is not legal advice.
Not confirmedReported, not confirmed by any official source
Proposed: a 300-baht arrival fee
- What this page says now
- No arrival or tourism fee is charged on entry, and none appears in the costs on this page.
- What it is proposed to change to
- 300 baht for arrivals by air and 150 baht for arrivals by land or sea, described by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports as returning to Cabinet for a decision on how it would be collected.
No Thai government source for this has been found. Everything cited below is a news outlet or a private operator.
This proposal has been announced and postponed repeatedly since 2022. There is no Cabinet approval, no Royal Gazette entry and no start date. Budget for it if you like, but do not plan around a date, because nobody has published one.
The page below has not been changed on the strength of this, and will not be until Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand or Tourism Authority of Thailand publishes it. BAANLYY publishes what the Thai government publishes, not what is expected of it.
Source for the change: The Nation — Why Thailand is reviving its 300-baht tourist fee plan (not a government source).
Check it yourself: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand · Tourism Authority of Thailand. Sources last re-read 4 September 2026. BAANLYY is not a law firm or an immigration adviser and this is not legal advice.
The short version
Krabi is one of the calmest — and best-value — places in Thailand to settle long-term as a foreigner, but it is a smaller, more seasonal market than Bangkok, Phuket or Pattaya. DTV nomads, LTR high-earners, retirees and married expats can all find a furnished condo, apartment or villa on a 6- or 12-month lease at rents below the big resort cities, though genuine long-stay stock — especially quality villas — thins out into the November–April high season. The mechanics are the standard Thai ones: a two-month deposit plus one month advance, a dual-language lease, and a landlord who files your TM30. The rest is matching the right area to your visa, securing a long lease early, and staying on top of 90-day reporting at Krabi Immigration. For a full immigration breakdown see the Visa Knowledge Center; for indicative rents by area use the Krabi hub.
Housing by visa type
Each long-stay route tends to suit a different corner of Krabi and a different lease. Here's the quick map from visa to the areas and lease structures that fit it best.
| Visa | Who it's for | Best Krabi areas | Typical lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) | Remote workers & digital nomads, 5-yr multi-entry, up to 180 days per stay | Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Koh Lanta | 6–12 months, furnished condo or apartment with fast fibre |
| LTR (Long-Term Resident) | High earners, wealthy pensioners, remote pros; 10-yr, wealthy-global-citizen & work-in-Thailand tracks | Klong Muang, Tubkaak, Nong Thale | 12 months+, private pool villa or premium beachfront home |
| Retirement (Non-O / O-A / O-X, age 50+) | Retirees meeting the income or THB 800k deposit rule | Ao Nang, Nong Thale, Klong Muang | 12 months, quiet condo or single-level pool home near a hospital |
| Marriage (Non-O, Thai spouse) | Foreigners married to a Thai national | Krabi Town, Nong Thale, Ao Nang outskirts | 12 months+, family house with a garden |
| Elite / Privilege & Education (ED) | Privilege-card members and language / dive / climbing students | Ao Nang, Koh Lanta | 6–12 months, furnished condo or long-stay apartment |
Where each visa holder should look
DTV digital nomads
Ao Nang & Koh Lanta
Ao Nang has Krabi's deepest pool of furnished apartments, cafés and services; Koh Lanta adds the KoHub coworking community and a settled island-nomad scene. Both offer flexible 6–12 month leases — just vet the actual fibre speed before signing, as connectivity varies more than in the big cities.
LTR high-earners & pensioners
Klong Muang & Tubkaak
Krabi's quiet, upscale resort strip north of Ao Nang — beachfront villas and premium homes with the space, privacy and finish long-term LTR holders expect, a short drive from the airport and the province's best resorts.
Retirement (50+)
Ao Nang & Nong Thale
Ao Nang keeps you walkable and close to Krabi Nakharin International Hospital and services; Nong Thale offers countryside calm and single-level homes near the airport. Both suit a lock-up-and-leave condo or a quiet pool house for annual retirement-visa living.
Marriage / families
Krabi Town & Nong Thale
Everyday Thai life, the lowest rents in the province and room for a family — houses with gardens, local markets and schools, and a calmer, more authentic pace than the beach-tourist strips.
Lease terms, deposits & move-in costs
The Krabi standard for a furnished long-let is a 12-month lease (6-month terms exist but are scarcer), two months' deposit and one month's rent in advance — so budget roughly three months' rent to move in. Figures are typical ranges, not quotes, and the high-season premium is real here.
| Cost | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit | 2 months' rent | Refundable at lease end, less any damage or unpaid bills; keep a dated move-in photo record. |
| Advance rent | 1 month | Covers the first month; so a typical long lease needs 3 months up front to move in. |
| Agent fee (tenant) | Usually THB 0 | As across Thailand, the landlord normally pays the agent, not the tenant — confirm before signing. |
| Utilities transfer / setup | THB 0–2,000 | Electricity and water often stay in the owner's name and are re-billed; a new fibre contract may be needed, and speeds vary more than in the big cities. |
| Short / seasonal-lease premium | +20–50% on rent | Krabi's supply is thin and tourism-led, so leases under 6 months — especially over the Nov–Apr high season — are priced close to holiday-let rates. |
Model your full first payment with the move-in cost calculator and check what a monthly budget buys in each area on the Krabi cost-of-living guide.
Documents landlords ask for
Renting a value condo or apartment is light on paperwork; villas and higher-end homes ask for more. Have these ready to sign quickly and negotiate from strength.
| Document | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
| Passport photo page | Bio-data page plus your current visa stamp or e-visa. |
| Visa / extension evidence | DTV approval, LTR card, or the Non-O extension stamp — proof you can legally stay long-term. |
| TM6 arrival card / entry stamp | Shows your permitted-to-stay date; landlords and agents check it against the lease length. |
| Proof of funds or income | Bank statement or employer letter for villas and higher-end homes; not always asked for value condos and apartments. |
| Deposit + first month | Cleared funds (Thai bank transfer or cash) to sign — foreign cards are rarely accepted. |
| Signed lease (English/Thai) | A dual-language lease is normal; read the diplomatic-clause and deposit-return terms carefully. |
Immigration rules every foreign tenant must know
TM30
Address notification (landlord's job — check it's done)
Within 24 hours of you moving in or returning from abroad, the property owner or their agent must file a TM30 notifying Immigration of where you're staying. It is legally the owner's duty, but a missing TM30 causes headaches at 90-day reports, extensions and re-entry — so confirm your landlord or villa manager files it and keep the receipt. With Krabi's many holiday-let and villa owners, do not assume it has been done automatically; ask.
90-day report
Report your address every 90 days
If you stay in Thailand for 90 continuous days, you must report your current address to Immigration — online, by post, by agent, or in person at Krabi Immigration in Krabi Town. The clock resets each time you leave and re-enter the country. It's a notification, not a visa renewal, and there's no fee if done on time. Krabi's own immigration office means long-stayers don't need to travel to Phuket for routine paperwork.
Re-entry permit
Protect a single-entry visa before you travel
Single-entry extensions (common on retirement and marriage stays) are cancelled the moment you leave Thailand unless you buy a re-entry permit first (single or multiple). Multi-entry visas like the DTV and LTR don't need one. Get it at Krabi Immigration, or at the airport before any trip abroad — and factor in that Krabi International (KBV) has fewer international routes than Phuket.
Lease vs. stay length
Match the lease to your permission-to-stay
Landlords increasingly want a lease that runs at least as long as your current permitted stay, and a registered 12-month lease can support some visa extensions and a personal address certificate. On shorter DTV stamps, aim for clean 6-month terms rather than paying Krabi's steep high-season holiday-let rates — and lock a long lease in before the November peak, when good long-stay homes get scarce.
Krabi's foreigners are served by Krabi Immigration in Krabi Town. Rules and thresholds change — confirm current requirements with Immigration or a licensed visa agent before you rely on them.
Krabi visa-housing questions
Can I rent a home in Krabi on a DTV visa?
Yes. The DTV is a 5-year multi-entry visa allowing stays of up to 180 days at a time, and nothing in it restricts renting — Krabi landlords are happy to sign a 6- or 12-month lease with a DTV holder. Ao Nang has the widest choice of furnished apartments and Koh Lanta the strongest nomad community. Because supply is thinner and more seasonal than in Bangkok or Phuket, secure a long lease before the November–April high season and confirm the owner files your TM30 when you move in.
How much deposit do I need to rent long-term in Krabi?
The Thai standard applies in Krabi: two months' security deposit plus one month's rent in advance, so budget roughly three months' rent in cleared funds to move into a long-let home. The deposit is refundable at the end of the lease, less any damage or unpaid utility bills. Because Krabi is a tourism-led market with limited long-stay stock, leases shorter than six months — or any lease over the high season — are often priced 20–50% higher, close to holiday-let rates.
Is it hard to find a long-term rental in Krabi?
It can be, compared with the big cities. Krabi's rental market is smaller, more seasonal and weighted toward holiday lets, so genuine 12-month homes — especially villas and quality condos — get scarce heading into the November–April high season. The practical move is to line up your long lease early, be flexible on area between Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Nong Thale and Koh Lanta, and use a short serviced stay to scout before you commit.
What is a TM30 and do I have to file it?
The TM30 is an address notification that tells Immigration where a foreigner is staying. Legally it's the property owner's responsibility to file it within 24 hours of your arrival or return from abroad, not yours — but a missing TM30 can hold up your 90-day reports, visa extensions and re-entry. In Krabi, where many homes are villas or holiday lets, don't assume it's automatic: confirm your landlord or villa manager files it and keep the receipt.
Where do I report to Immigration as a long-stay renter in Krabi?
Krabi has its own Immigration office in Krabi Town that handles 90-day reports, extensions and re-entry permits, so long-stayers don't need to travel to Phuket for routine paperwork. If you remain in Thailand for 90 continuous days you must file a 90-day address report — online, by post, by agent, or in person — and the count resets each time you leave and re-enter the country. It's a free notification, not a visa renewal.
Which areas of Krabi are best for retirees renting long-term?
Most long-stay retirees choose Ao Nang for its walkable centre, services and proximity to Krabi Nakharin International Hospital, or Nong Thale and Klong Muang for quieter, single-level homes with a garden near the airport. All keep you within reach of the hospital and Krabi Immigration, which matters for annual retirement-visa extensions. For complex specialist care, note that Phuket's larger international hospitals are two to three hours away by road.
Sources & References
- Real Estate Information Center (REIC), Government Housing Bank, Thailand
- National Statistical Office, Thailand
- Tourism Authority of Thailand
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
Turn your visa into an address.
Match your visa and budget to the right Krabi area and home, then run the move-in maths before you sign.
General information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, thresholds and reporting requirements change — confirm current details with Thai Immigration or a licensed professional.
Hero photo by Erik Karits on Pexels.
Founder of BAANLYY · International real estate broker, investor & relocation specialist
Last updated 7 July 2026 · Last reviewed 7 July 2026