No spin, no jargon — the clear, verified guide to visas, ownership, the Land Office, contracts and costs, with links straight to the official government sources. Built for renters, buyers, investors and sellers alike.
VisasTM30 & reportingBuying & the Land OfficeEscrowOffers & contractsHow agents are paidFAQ
Your visa shapes how long you can stay and what lease length makes sense. Here are the routes long-stay foreigners actually use:
5-year multi-entry; for remote workers, freelancers & 'workcation' digital nomads. Stay up to 180 days per entry (extendable once). Proof of ~฿500k funds.
Best for digital nomads & long-stay renters on flexible terms.
Official source →10-year visa for wealthy/skilled professionals, retirees & remote workers for big firms. Tax perks, fast-track, 1-year reporting (not 90-day).
Best for executives, high earners & investors.
Official source →Age 50+. Requires ฿800k in a Thai bank or ฿65k/mo income. Renewable yearly (O-A) or up to 10 yrs (O-X).
Best for retirees settling long-term.
Official source →For enrolled students or long Thai-language/Muay-Thai courses. Renewable while studying.
A common long-stay route for younger expats.
Official source →Married to a Thai national; ฿400k in bank or ฿40k/mo income. Yearly renewal, work-permit eligible.
For spouses of Thai nationals.
Official source →30–60 days on arrival/e-visa; extendable. Fine for short stays and trial visits before committing to a lease.
For short stays and area scouting.
Official source →Official portals: Thai e-Visa, Immigration Bureau, BOI LTR, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Two reporting rules trip up newcomers. TM30 is the address notification your landlord (or you) files with Immigration within 24 hours of move-in — you'll need proof of it for visa extensions. The 90-day report is a simple address confirmation every 90 days for most long-stay visas (LTR holders report yearly instead), done online, by post, or in person.
Before you sign a lease, ask whether the landlord or the condo juristic office files your TM30. A landlord who handles it saves you real hassle. Browse homes →
Source: Thai Immigration Bureau.
Foreigners can own a condominium unit freehold within the building's 49% foreign quota. Land (and therefore houses) can't be owned directly — those are rented, held on a registered 30-year lease, or via a Thai company (take legal advice). The typical condo purchase:
Transfer fee, business/stamp tax, withholding and commission all sit on top of the price — and who pays what is negotiable. Model it exactly in our purchase-cost calculator →
Source: Department of Lands.
Here’s the honest truth that surprises buyers from the US: Thailand has virtually no escrow process like you’re used to back home — about 99.9% of deals do not use a third-party escrow company. A legal escrow framework exists on paper (the Escrow Act), but it’s almost never used in practice.
Instead, money is handled directly between the parties — privately with the seller (resale), or with the developer for a new/off-plan unit. For resales, the critical protection is that the balance of funds and the title transfer happen at the same time, in person, at the Land Office: you hand over the cashier’s cheque(s) as the title is registered into your name, so neither side is exposed. Because there’s no escrow safety net, do your title and due-diligence checks before transfer day, and consider a Thai property lawyer for larger purchases.
Renting: you reserve a unit with a holding deposit, sign a lease (the Bangkok norm is 12 months, 2 months' deposit + 1 month advance — though many listings offer flexible 1–24 month terms), and the deposit is returned at the end less any agreed deductions. Always get a bilingual (Thai + English) lease and an inventory list.
Buying: an accepted offer becomes a sale & purchase agreement with deposit and a transfer date. Once signed you're "in contract" — both sides are bound, and the deposit is typically at risk if the buyer walks without a contractual reason. Read every clause (or have it reviewed) before signing.
Download our non-attorney bilingual lease template to see exactly what a fair Thai lease covers. Open the lease template →
On a sale, the seller typically pays the agent around 3% of the price. On a lease, the landlord typically pays about one month's rent for a 12-month lease (pro-rated for shorter or longer terms). As a tenant or buyer, you usually pay the agent nothing — their fee comes from the other side. The golden rule: confirm in writing who pays whom before you commit, so there are no surprises.
Foreigners can own a condominium unit outright (freehold), as long as foreign ownership stays within 49% of the building's total area. Foreigners cannot directly own land, so houses/villas are typically rented, or held via a 30-year registered lease or a Thai company structure (get legal advice for the latter).
TM30 is the 'notification of residence' — the property owner/landlord (or you) must report a foreigner's address to Immigration within 24 hours of moving in. It's needed for visa extensions and 90-day reports. Most landlords or condo juristic offices file it; confirm yours does.
A Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) is the strongest, fully-surveyed land title deed in Thailand — the gold standard. When buying, verify the title type at the Land Office (Department of Lands) before any deposit.
Reserve the unit (booking fee) → sign the sale agreement with a deposit → for foreign buyers, transfer the purchase funds from abroad and obtain a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form → complete the transfer at the Land Office, paying transfer fee and taxes. Use our purchase-cost calculator to see your true all-in cost.
Realistically, no — about 99.9% of Thai deals do not use US-style third-party escrow. A legal escrow framework exists but is almost never used. Money is handled privately with the seller, or with the developer for new builds, and for resales the funds and the title transfer happen together at the Land Office on the same day. Because there is no escrow safety net, complete your title and due-diligence checks before transfer day.
On a sale, the seller typically pays the agent ~3% commission. On a lease, the landlord typically pays ~one month's rent for a 12-month lease (pro-rated for other terms). As a tenant or buyer you usually pay the agent nothing — but always confirm in writing who pays whom.
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This guide is general information sourced from official Thai government bodies, not legal or tax advice. Rules change — confirm current requirements with the linked official sources or a licensed professional. BAANLYY and One Life Ventures Co., Ltd. are not attorneys.