SMART Visa launched by Thailand embassy
The visa, which will be issued from April 1, is aimed at entrepreneurs investing in new businesses, highly skilled professionals and executives
MUSCAT: The Royal Thai Embassy in Muscat introduced SMART Visa, which will be issued from April 1, 2018.
The SMART Visa is aimed at entrepreneurs investing in new businesses, highly skilled professionals and executives.
“The SMART Visa is offered to foreign executives and entrepreneurs who wish to invest in Thailand’s targeted industries such as medical and wellness tourism, smart electrics, agriculture, etc,” a spokesperson from the Royal Thai Embassy said.
Applications for the Thai SMART Visa will only apply to the “S-Curve” targeted industries, including next-generation automotive, smart electronics, medical and wellness tourism, “food for the future”, and agriculture and biotechnology, as well as automation and robotics, aviation and logistics, biochemicals and eco-friendly petrochemicals, digital businesses and medical hubs.
According to the official statement released by the Royal Thai Embassy in Muscat, the SMART Visa is valid for up to four years, with the fee divided for each intended year.
Applicants applying for a one-year visa will have to pay OMR140, whereas applicants applying for two years will have to pay OMR280. Likewise, applicants obtaining a SMART Visa for three years will pay OMR420 and OMR560 for four years. The Thai government hopes the new visa will bring about awareness that will boost business growth and bring long-term economic benefits the same way it flourished the tourism industry. Last year, more than 100,000 tourists from Oman travelled to Thailand.
Moreover, the Royal Embassy in Muscat also announced a change in passport application and legalisation fees that will be effective from April 1, 2018.
“The tourist visa fees to Thailand remain the same—OMR15 for single entry and OMR70 for multiple entries that will be valid for six months. The fee for a Thai passport has been changed from OMR12.5 to OMR15, whereas the legalisation fee has gone down from OMR6 to OMR4,” the spokesperson said.