SMART. A visa tied to an endorsed role.

What SMART actually is

The Board of Investment launched SMART in 2018 for people whose expertise, investment, senior role or startup activity is endorsed within Thailand's targeted industries. BOI verifies the qualifications before Immigration or a Royal Thai mission issues the visa.

As verified 25 July 2026, the published privileges are conditional:

• Duration: SMART T, I and E can reach four years; startup-linked T and SMART S can have shorter maximums.
• Work permission: no separate work permit is required for the endorsed activity. A changed job, position, employer or additional work can require a BOI update or fresh endorsement.
• Address reporting: the ordinary 90-day address cycle is extended to one year for SMART holders, using BOI's published process.
• Separate status reporting: BOI also requires a distinct annual status-and-eligibility report to the SMART Visa Unit.
• Travel: the category pages state that no re-entry permit is required.

These rules come from BOI's current SMART management instructions. They are not a general right to work outside the endorsed activity.

The 5 SMART categories

Eligibility — the figures are not interchangeable

SMART T: as of 25 July 2026, BOI publishes at least THB 100,000 monthly in the general case, reduced to THB 50,000 monthly for an expert contracted by a startup or a retired expert endorsed by a relevant agency. The work or service contract must have at least 1 year remaining. The maximum is 4 years, limited by the contract, or 2 years for an expert working for a startup. Government, education and alternative-dispute-resolution cases have separate criteria. See the official SMART T page.

SMART I: as of 25 July 2026, BOI publishes either at least THB 20 million invested in certified technology-based business or at least THB 5 million invested directly in an endorsed startup, incubation or accelerator programme. The investment must be maintained for the visa's validity. See the official SMART I page.

SMART E: as of 25 July 2026, BOI publishes at least THB 200,000 monthly, a bachelor's degree or equivalent, at least 10 years of relevant experience, a senior position and a contract with at least 1 year remaining. Permission can reach 4 years, limited by the contract. See the official SMART E page.

SMART S: the current BOI page checked 25 July 2026 describes the 2-year route for a certified startup already established in Thailand. It requires the applicant to be a director or hold at least 25% of registered capital, plus a deposit of at least THB 600,000 held for at least 3 months and health insurance for the full stay. A spouse or child adds at least THB 180,000 per person, also held for at least 3 months. See the official SMART S page.

Targeted industries — an official-site mismatch

BOI's older overview still calls the programme a 13-industry scheme. The later BOI Announcement Por 5/2566 replaces the list with 18 targeted industries. As verified 25 July 2026, the later announcement lists:

1. Automotive
2. Electronics
3. Affluent tourism
4. Agriculture, food and biotechnology
5. Automation and robotics
6. Transportation and logistics
7. Petrochemical and chemical
8. Digital
9. Medical
10. National defence
11. Direct and significant supporting industries for the circular economy
12. Aviation, aerospace and space
13. Human-resource development in science and technology
14. Environmental management and renewable energy
15. Technology, innovation and startup-ecosystem management
16. Target-technology development
17. International Business Centre
18. Alternative-dispute-resolution services

The relevant endorsing agency decides whether the actual activity fits. A business name or a generic “technology” label does not establish eligibility.

Fees, timing and where issuance happens

Published figure	Rule verified 25 July 2026
Qualification endorsement	BOI says it will notify the result at least 30 working days after receiving complete documents.
Endorsement-letter use	The qualified applicant has 60 days from issue to complete visa issuance.
Visa issuance fee	THB 10,000 per year of permission at TIESC. Overseas posts charge in local currency and can vary with exchange rates or local additions.
Overseas letter routing	BOI's issuance page publishes a normal routing period of about 7–14 working days after the selected mission is notified; the mission's own e-Visa processing remains separate.
Bangkok appointment window	The issuance page allows advance booking from 2 working days to 30 days ahead.

Those figures come from BOI's current application overview and issuance instructions. They cover different stages and are not added together as one promised processing time.

Application — step by step

1. Qualification endorsement: the applicant registers with the BOI SMART portal and submits the form and category-specific PDF evidence.
2. Agency review: BOI and the relevant technical agencies assess the activity, employer, expertise, investment or startup evidence.
3. Notification letter: an approved applicant receives a qualification-endorsement letter valid for the published 60-day issuance period, as verified 25 July 2026.
4. Issuance in Thailand: the current BOI page directs eligible in-country issuance to Immigration at the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center, One Bangkok.
5. Issuance abroad: BOI sends the letter to the selected Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General, after which the applicant uses that post's e-Visa process and document instructions.
6. After issuance: work is limited to the endorsed activity, and the one-year Immigration address report remains separate from BOI's annual status report.

Dependants and children — SMART O

As verified 25 July 2026, the current SMART O page covers a legal spouse and legitimate children. Children are generally under 20 years; a child of a SMART T holder who remains in education can qualify over that age under BOI's stated conditions.

The official pages are not perfectly aligned. SMART T, I and E pages state family privileges, while the current SMART O criteria page frames its money and insurance requirements around dependants of a 2-year SMART S holder. For that SMART S route, BOI publishes an extra THB 180,000 per dependant held for at least 3 months, plus insurance for the stay. The SMART Visa Unit decides the checklist for the principal category rather than this site transferring the S figures to every family.

A spouse's work-permit exemption is subject to BOI notification and the prohibited-occupation rules. Children have different work rights depending on the main holder's category; BOI's management page says children of E, I and S holders need the Department of Employment process if they intend to work.

If the endorsed job or startup changes

BOI's management instructions checked 25 July 2026 require written notification for a changed position, job title, responsibility, assignment or additional employment. They also publish a termination process using the SMART Visa Qualifications Update or termination forms and supporting evidence.

The page publishes 5–7 working days for BOI to issue a termination notification letter after a complete termination request. It does not publish a universal grace period allowing a person to remain or work after the endorsed basis ends. The SMART Visa Unit and Immigration record the actual termination and stay position.

Bangkok location — use the issuance page

BOI's central application, issuance, SMART S, SMART O and contact pages checked 25 July 2026 place the SMART Visa Unit at the 6th and 7th floors, Thailand Investment and Expat Services Center, One Bangkok, MRT Lumphini. Some older SMART T, I and E category footers still display Chamchuri Square. Because BOI's own pages conflict, the current issuance page and a direct confirmation from the SMART Visa Unit control a planned visit.

Comparing SMART with other long-stay options? See SMART vs LTR and DTV vs SMART for the full side-by-side.

Common questions

Related: Work-route guide for technical roles · LTR route guide · DTV vs SMART