Thailand BOI Investor Visa 2025: How to Invest, Get BOI Promotion, and Secure Your Stay

WHAT BOI PROMOTION MEANS The Board of Investment (BOI) is a Thai government agency that promotes strategic investment in Thailand. When the BOI "promotes" a project, it grants that project a package of incentives — the specific package depends on the project type, location, and investment category. BOI promotion is not the same as obtaining a BOI visa — it is a formal recognition and incentive status granted to a business or project. Once a project is BOI-promoted, its employees and investors can access specific immigration benefits. WHO CAN APPLY FOR BOI PROMOTION Foreign-invested companies, joint ventures, and wholly-foreign-owned entities can apply for BOI promotion, provided the business operates in a BOI-targeted sector. Target sectors include: digital technology, electronics, automotive, biotechnology, medical devices, aerospace, food processing, logistics, and others. A full and current list is at boi.go.th. The minimum investment varies by category but is typically 1–10 million THB for small-to-medium projects, with no fixed minimum for certain service-sector categories. Large manufacturing projects may require 500+ million THB. BOI INCENTIVES — WHAT PROMOTION GIVES YOU Tax incentives (vary by category and zone): • Corporate income tax exemption: 3–8 years (sometimes extendable), available for most A-category projects • Import duty exemption on machinery and raw materials used in promoted activities • No import duty on materials used in production for export Non-tax incentives: • Right to own land: BOI-promoted projects can hold land title in the company's name despite the general foreign land ownership restriction — a significant exception • Permission to bring in foreign skilled workers and experts (simplified process via BOI One Stop Service) • Permission to take or remit money abroad in foreign currency IMMIGRATION BENEFITS FOR INVESTORS AND EMPLOYEES SMART VISA (SMART I — INVESTOR): A BOI investment of at least 20,000,000 THB in a Thai company in a target industry qualifies the investor for the Smart I visa — a 4-year multiple-entry visa with bundled work authorisation and annual rather than quarterly reporting. See our Smart Visa guide for full details. WORK PERMITS VIA BOI ONE STOP SERVICE: BOI-promoted companies can process work permits and Non-B visas for foreign employees through the BOI One Stop Service Centre in Bangkok (not the standard Department of Employment). Benefits: • Same-day or 1–3 day processing (vs 5–7 days standard) • Reduced documentation requirements • Long-validity work permits (up to 1 year tied to the BOI promotion period, sometimes renewable for the full promotion term) • Combined visa + work permit service: Non-B visa issuance and work permit are handled together For companies with many foreign technical staff, the BOI One Stop Service is a major operational advantage. THE BOI PROMOTION APPLICATION PROCESS 1. Pre-application consultation: BOI runs a free consultation service. Submit a project description (business type, investment amount, employment plan) online at boi.go.th or attend the BOI office in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or other regional centres. 2. Application submission: complete the BOI application form, attach business plan, financial projections, company registration documents, and product/service description. 3. BOI review: BOI screens for eligible sector, investment level, and employment impact. Target: 40 working days for projects under 750 million THB. Larger projects go to the Investment Promotion Committee. 4. Letter of Promotion issued: the BOI issues a formal Letter of Promotion outlining the specific incentives granted and conditions. 5. Conditions compliance: you must meet the conditions within the specified timeframe (typically commencing operations within 3 years, meeting minimum investment within a defined period). BOI PROMOTION FEES: the application fee is 10,000 THB for projects with investment under 200 million THB; 20,000 THB above that. BOI vs PRIVATE COMPANY (NO BOI) — IS PROMOTION WORTH IT? For most investor-visa-seeker scenarios, BOI promotion is worth pursuing if: • Your business is in a target sector • You need simplified work permit processing for multiple foreign staff • You want the land ownership right • You are a serious investor (20M+ THB) aiming for the Smart I visa For small investments or businesses outside target sectors: explore the standard Non-B + work permit path or the DTV (if working remotely). Visa Centre assists investors with BOI pre-application consultation and immigration documentation. All information reflects publicly available BOI guidance as of June 2025 (Source: Board of Investment, boi.go.th). BOI incentives, target sectors, and investment thresholds are reviewed regularly and subject to change. Not legal advice. No outcome guaranteed.