Key Takeaways
- Vietnam launches pilot programme: from July 1, 2026, the Golden Visa goes live with a cap of 5,000 permits for investors and 3,000 for STEM talent.
- Thailand consolidates the LTR model: a ten-year visa with annual reporting instead of 90-day check-ins, plus an integrated digital work permit.
- South Korea debuts the F-1-D: a digital nomad visa launched on June 30, 2026, with reduced income thresholds for applicants aged 18 to 34 based outside Seoul.
Vietnam Rolls Out Its Golden Visa Programme
Vietnam activated a pilot Golden Visa programme on July 1, 2026, structured into two categories with fixed numerical caps. The GV-Investor category offers 5,000 permits valid for 5 years, conditional on a lump-sum investment of $300,000 in a three-year Vietnamese bank deposit or an approved fund/enterprise. The GV-Talent category covers 3,000 slots with ten-year validity, reserved for applicants demonstrating an annual income of at least $150,000 over the past two years, or a PhD with at least five years of post-doctoral experience in priority STEM fields.
Both categories guarantee unlimited entries and exits, along with the ability to live, work, study, or run a business without needing a separate work permit. Documentation requirements include a passport valid for at least 18 months, a criminal record certificate issued within the last six months, and health insurance with minimum coverage of $50,000. Since February 2026, the country has also restricted issuance of the temporary residence card (TRC) to holders of the LD2 visa for workers and the TT visa for dependents only.
Thailand's Dual Track: LTR and DTV
The LTR (Long-Term Resident) visa, valid for ten years and renewable in two five-year tranches, is divided into four categories. Wealthy Global Citizens must demonstrate global assets of at least $1 million, including $500,000 invested in specific Thai assets, with no age restrictions. Wealthy Pensioners, aged 50 and above, need pension or passive income of $80,000 annually, or $40,000 when combined with a local investment of $250,000. The Work-from-Thailand Professionals and Highly-Skilled Professionals categories cover, respectively, remote employees of foreign companies earning a minimum of $80,000 annually over the past two years, and experts in target sectors selected by Thai authorities.
The issuance fee is set at 50,000 Baht, roughly $1,500. Holders can include a spouse, including same-sex partners, and children under 20 with no numerical limit. The permit exempts holders from the mandatory 4:1 ratio between Thai and foreign workers and replaces quarterly check-ins with annual reporting.
Running alongside the LTR is the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa), a five-year multiple-entry visa aimed at digital nomads, remote workers, and freelancers. Each entry allows a stay of up to 180 days, extendable once for another 180. The programme also includes pathways tied to soft-power disciplines such as Muay Thai and Thai cuisine, with a financial requirement of 500,000 Baht, roughly €13,000.
Indonesia: Second Home Visa and Tiered Golden Visa
Indonesia's Second Home Visa (E33), valid for 5 or 10 years, requires a passport with at least 36 months of remaining validity and a deposit of 2 billion Rupiah, roughly $130,000, held at state banks such as BNI, BRI, or Mandiri, or alternatively a property valued at a minimum of $1 million. Applicants have 90 days from arrival to complete the requirements.
Indonesia's Golden Visa distinguishes between individual investors, who must establish a local company worth $2.5 million for the five-year version or $5 million for the ten-year version, and corporate investors, with thresholds of $25 million and $50 million respectively. An alternative path allows for the purchase of Indonesian government bonds ranging from $350,000 to $700,000. There is also a dedicated category for global talent, with specific academic or professional requirements.
Malaysia's Four-Tier MM2H System
The MM2H (Malaysia My Second Home) programme is split into four categories with escalating requirements. The Silver tier, renewable every five years, requires a fixed deposit of $150,000 or property worth 600,000 Ringgit. The Gold tier, valid for 15 years, rises to a $500,000 deposit or 1 million Ringgit in real estate. The Platinum tier, valid for twenty years, requires $1 million or 2 million Ringgit. A fourth category, the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) tier, valid for ten years, sets deposit amounts by age bracket: $65,000 for those aged 21 to 49, and $32,000 for those over 50.
The minimum age is 25 for Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and 21 for the SEZ tier. All categories require a cumulative minimum stay of 90 days per year within Malaysian territory, an in-country medical check, and valid health insurance. Up to 50% of the fixed deposit can be withdrawn for property purchases, medical expenses, children's education, or domestic tourism spending.
Philippines: Extending Tourist Stays with the LSVVE
The LSVVE (Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension) is not a work or permanent residency visa, but rather an extension of the standard tourist visa. Citizens of visa-exempt countries can extend their stay up to 36 months, while those subject to visa requirements can extend up to 24 months. The cost is 13,900 Philippine pesos for visa-required applicants and 11,500 for exempt nationals, with renewal available within 30 days of expiration. Some sources note practical access limitations for Chinese citizens.
Singapore's Family-Based LTVP
The LTVP (Long-Term Visit Pass) covers stays beyond the 30 days allowed under the standard tourist visa, conditional on sponsorship. Spouses or children of citizens or permanent residents can be sponsored through the ICA, while family members of Employment Pass or S Pass holders are sponsored directly by the employer. Required documentation includes passport copies and birth or marriage certificates; the entire process is managed digitally through the Singpass platform.
South Korea Launches Its Digital Nomad Visa
The F-1-D, operational since June 30, 2026, is reserved for employees of foreign companies working remotely, explicitly excluding employment relationships with Korean employers. The general rule requires an income at least double Korea's per capita GNI, but for applicants aged 18 to 34 residing outside the Seoul metropolitan area, the threshold drops to one times the GNI, equivalent to $36,963 in 2025. Insurance with minimum coverage of $75,000 for medical care and repatriation is required, along with a clean criminal record. The permit lasts one year, renewable up to a maximum total of three years.
Other Evolving Regimes in the Region
Cambodia has introduced a temporary visa exemption for Chinese citizens, valid for 14 days from June 15 to October 15, 2026. Laos does not offer a 99-year residency visa: long-term permits cover intervals from 3 to 12 months, renewable without fixed limits, while permanent residency requires ten years of continuous stay and proficiency in the Lao language. Myanmar has begun preliminary discussions on a future permanent residency system aimed at experts, investors, and former citizens, though no formal regulatory framework has yet been established.
The convergence of these new programmes, from Vietnam's debut to South Korea's launch, is redrawing the map of long-term permits across Southeast and East Asia, with requirements increasingly differentiated by age bracket, profession, and type of investment required.
