Can You Get Thai Residency by Buying Property? (2026 Guide)

For years a rumor has circulated that "buy a home in Thailand and you get residency." Until 2025, that simply wasn't true. A new regulation that took effect on 1 October 2025 changed the picture: you can now obtain a 1-year renewable residence permit through a property investment worth 3 million Baht (≈83,000 USD). But much of what circulates online — "only partner projects qualify," "older buildings don't count," "you can add two units together" — is wrong. In this guide we explain, step by step, what the law actually says.

Short answer: Yes, but. If you buy a single completed home for at least 3,000,000 Baht, you can obtain a 1-year renewable residence permit. This is not citizenship or permanent residence; it is a right to stay that renews each year as long as you meet the conditions.

First, let's clear up the big misunderstanding

Buying property in Thailand has never on its own granted automatic residency. Before 2025, the available routes were either very expensive (the 10-million-Baht investment visa), the 10-year LTR visa requiring proof of wealth/income, or programs unrelated to real estate such as retirement or Elite membership.

That picture changed on 1 October 2025. Through orders 237/2568 and 238/2568, the Thai Immigration Bureau opened, for the first time, a "mid-budget" property-to-residency route: a 3-million-Baht home = an annually renewable right to stay.

The 3-Million-Baht Investment Visa: the real conditions

The logic of the program is simple: bring lasting capital into Thailand and, in return, stay. Here are the conditions you must meet:

• Amount: The investment must be at least 3,000,000 Baht. This is a floor, not a ceiling — anything above it is fine.
• Property type: A condo/apartment held under the foreign quota (freehold). Foreigners may own up to 49% of a building's saleable area; the "foreign freehold" title comes from this quota.
• Must be completed: An off-plan or under-construction unit does not count until title registration is finalized. Deposits do not qualify.
• Old or new, no difference: Second-hand or brand-new both work. The claim that "older buildings don't qualify" is false — the only requirement is that the unit be completed and registered.
• The seller must be Thai: The seller must be either a Thai citizen or a Thai-majority company (foreign shareholding ≤49%).
• Date: The transfer/contract must be dated 1 October 2025 or later.
• Title in your name: The unit must be registered in your name as foreign freehold at the Department of Lands.

The nature of the visa: a 90-day entry permit followed by a 12-month extension, renewed each year for as long as you hold the property. No age requirement, no income requirement, no bank statements. However, it does not grant a work permit — you cannot work in Thailand. Family members (spouse, children under 20, parents 50+) can be added once the main applicant has obtained the 12-month extension.

Three ways to meet the 3 million

• 1 — Freehold purchase: a unit of ≥3,000,000 Baht within the foreign quota (the clearest and most frequently approved route).
• 2 — Registered lease (leasehold): a registered long-term lease longer than 3 years with a total contract value of ≥3,060,000 Baht.
• 3 — Sap-Ing-Sith (right of use): a registered right of use longer than 3 years over an apartment, house, or land, with an upfront payment of ≥3,000,000 Baht.

There is also a high-value rental option of ≥85,000 Baht per month plus an upfront payment. In practice, the safest route is freehold purchase.

Myths vs. Reality: the 3 big mistakes

❌ Myth 1: "It only counts if you buy from specific projects the government has partnered with."
✅ Reality: There is no list of government-approved projects or firms. Any completed unit that meets the criteria qualifies. An agent who says "only our projects work" is steering you toward their own inventory.

❌ Myth 2: "Older buildings don't count — only new projects."
✅ Reality: Second-hand is fully valid. The only real restriction is that the unit be completed and registered (under-construction does not count). The age of the building is irrelevant.

❌ Myth 3: "I'll buy 1.5 + 1.5 or 1 + 2 million to reach 3 million total, and residency will follow."
✅ Reality: You cannot add units together. The threshold applies per single unit; each unit gives rise to exactly one visa entitlement, and you cannot combine multiple properties to reach the threshold.

The most critical detail: a single unit must be ≥3 million Baht. Two units of 1.5 million each = 3 million does not count, because neither one crosses the threshold on its own. The ministry certificate likewise confirms that a single property meets the 3 million — so the system already blocks aggregation technically. This myth most likely originates from the "approved new condo" language of the old 10-million-Baht investment visa being wrongly grafted onto the new program.

The application process: step by step

1. Buy an eligible unit and transfer the title into your name. Foreign freehold quota, completed, ≥3M Baht, Thai seller. The transfer must be after 1 October 2025.
2. Obtain the ministry certificate. An accredited "long-stay operator" verifies the investment and issues an eligibility certificate through the Ministry of Tourism & Sports (~7–10 business days).
3. 90-day permit (Phase 1). An immigration appointment; in Bangkok it is usually granted the same day.
4. 12-month extension (Phase 2). Apply before the 70th day of the 90; the investment-based 1-year extension is then attached.
5. Renew annually + report every 90 days. Annual renewal for as long as you hold the property, plus an address report every 90 days.

Official fees (approximate): ~6,000 Baht one-time membership + ~27,000 Baht/year visa fee (per person). On top of this come property purchase costs (transfer duty, title fees, etc.) and certificate/consultancy fees.

So does everyone get approved? No.

In the program's first 5 months, of more than 650 applications only about 220–280 were approved — roughly a 35% approval rate. The most common reasons for rejection: incomplete paperwork, property below 3 million, units still under construction, and criminal/background issues. Thinking "I tied up the money, so residency is guaranteed" is a mistake; the file and the choice of property must be done correctly.

Comparison with other routes

The 3-million route is not Thailand's only property-linked residency path. Depending on your budget and goal:

Program	Investment	What it grants	Key requirement
3M Baht Visa (new, 2025)	≥3,000,000 Baht (~83,000 USD)	1 year, renewable residency	Single completed unit; no age/income requirement; no work
10M Baht Investment Visa (old, 2014)	≥10,000,000 Baht (~275,000 USD)	1 year, renewable residency	New condo, funds from abroad, 3-year holding period
LTR Visa (10-year)	≥500,000 USD in Thai assets (+1M USD total)	10-year long-term residence	High assets + health insurance; the most prestigious

In short: the 3M route is for "entry-level residency," while the LTR offers 10-year stability for affluent profiles. None grants Thai citizenship directly — the road to a Thai passport is very long and difficult.

Who is it right for, and who is it not?

• Makes sense for: those who want to live in or winter in Thailand long-term, have a budget of ~83,000 USD+, and also want a condo for rental yield/capital appreciation; those not yet of retirement age but who don't want to be caught by income requirements.
• Be careful: those whose goal is to work (this visa is not a work permit); those chasing citizenship/a second passport; those planning to split the budget across small units and add them up (not allowed).

Sample residency-eligible properties (3M Baht and above)

At Resida Global we filter residency-eligible units for you; but if you'd like to get a sense of the market yourself, Thailand's largest listing platforms are below. When searching for a suitable unit, apply these filters: price ≥3,000,000 Baht, "Foreign Freehold / Foreign Quota" ownership, and completed (completed / ready-to-move) projects. Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya are the areas with the most foreign freehold stock.

• Thailand Property — Foreign Quota units
• FazWaz — Bangkok condo listings
• FazWaz — Phuket condo listings
• Siam Real Estate — Foreign Freehold units
• Phuket.net — Foreign Freehold stock

Note: Not every listing on these portals is residency-eligible — send us the unit you've chosen and we'll check its eligibility (quota, completion, seller) free of charge.

Frequently asked questions

How much is 3 million Baht in dollars/euros?

Roughly around 83,000 USD / 77,000 EUR (exchange rates fluctuate). This is the floor amount for the investment visa; anything above is fine.

Does this visa grant me citizenship?

No. This is only an annually renewable residence permit. Thai citizenship is a separate, very long and difficult process; it does not come automatically with property.

What happens to my residency if I sell the unit?

The visa is tied to the condition of holding the property. If you dispose of the property, you lose your right to renew.

Can I work in Thailand with this visa?

No. This investment-based residency does not include a work permit. If you want to work, you need a separate business visa + work permit.

Can I reach 3 million total with two small units?

No. The threshold is assessed per single unit. For residency, a single unit must be ≥3M Baht on its own.

Does an off-plan (pre-construction) unit count?

It does not count until it is completed and its title is registered. At the time of application, the unit must be finished and registered in your name.

Get your Thai residency with Resida Global

Based on your budget, your residency goal, and your rental yield, we filter residency-eligible (foreign freehold, completed, 3M+) units for you; and we manage the ministry certificate, the title transfer, and the visa application from start to finish. The wrong unit = a rejected application + tied-up money. Let's get the first step right.

➜ Free Consultation — message us on WhatsApp (+90 532 395 99 25)

This content is for general information purposes and is not legal advice. Visa rules can change; before applying, obtain up-to-date confirmation from an accredited operator or a licensed Thai lawyer.