Quick answerUpdated 2026-09-18
Germany suits you if you rank the lowest entry fee (§18d, $86), a clearer route to permanent residency and applying without a job offer (3 of 6 routes) first. Thailand suits you if you rank speed (LTR (WFTP), 1–3 months) first. Which is right depends on your nationality, profession, savings, and whether you have a job offer. The free quiz scores your profile against every route in both countries.
Section 01
Germany vs Thailand: how do they compare for immigration?
| Measure | Germany | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Open visa routes tracked | 6 | 5 |
| Routes by type | 4 skilled worker, 1 digital nomad, 1 entrepreneur | 3 digital nomad, 2 skilled worker |
| Fastest published processing | Chancenkarte, 2–4 months | LTR (WFTP), 1–3 months |
| Published processing time range | 2–10 months | 1–3 months |
| Cheapest route fee | §18d, $86 | Non-B, $147 |
| Government fee range | $86 to $120 | $147 to $19,100 |
| Lowest tracked salary floor | §18g AufenthG, EUR 45,934.2/yr (≈ $52,641/yr) (shortage occupations, IT roles and new graduates) | LTR (WFTP), USD 40,000/yr (≈ $40,000/yr) (USD 40,000 to 80,000 with additional proof: a master's degree or higher in science and technology, or ownership of IP or Series A funding) |
| Published fixed permit length range | 1 year to 4 years | 1 year to 10 years |
| Path to PR | 5 routes, quickest about 27 mo | 1 route, quickest about 3 yrs |
| No job offer needed | 3 of 6 | 2 of 5 |
| Language test required | 0 of 6 | 0 of 5 |
| Points-based option | Yes | No |
Aggregated from every Germany and Thailand visa Transita tracks. Fees are official government amounts in USD and exclude legal, translation, and relocation costs. Salary floors and points marks belong to different visa types, so read them as the lowest tracked figure, not a like-for-like score. A row is left out when either country has no published figure for it.
Key differences between Germany and Thailand
- Speed: Thailand's fastest published route (LTR (WFTP)) takes 1–3 months, against 2–4 months for Germany's (Chancenkarte).
- Fees: Germany's cheapest tracked route (§18d) costs $86 in government fees, against $147 for Thailand's (Non-B).
- Permanent residency: Germany has 5 tracked PR routes, Thailand has 1.
- Job offer: 3 of 6 Germany routes can start without one, against 2 of 5 for Thailand.
- Income: the lowest tracked salary floor is LTR (WFTP) for Thailand (USD 40,000/yr (≈ $40,000/yr) (USD 40,000 to 80,000 with additional proof: a master's degree or higher in science and technology, or ownership of IP or Series A funding)) and §18g AufenthG for Germany (EUR 45,934.2/yr (≈ $52,641/yr) (shortage occupations, IT roles and new graduates)). These are different visa types, so check the one you would apply for.
- Points: only Germany has a tracked points-based route.
Section 02
Common questions
- Is it easier to get a visa for Germany or Thailand?
- Germany is generally easier to start on your own profile: 3 of its 6 routes need no job offer, versus 2 of 5 for Thailand. "Easier" still depends on your nationality, profession, and points. It is not automatically easier for everyone.
- Which country gives a faster visa, Germany or Thailand?
- Thailand has the faster headline route: its LTR (WFTP) processes in about 1–3 months, versus 2–4 months for Germany's quickest route (the Chancenkarte). Real timelines depend on caseload and how complete your application is.
- Which has easier permanent residency, Germany or Thailand?
- Germany's quickest PR route takes about 2.25 years (5 PR routes), while Thailand's quickest PR route takes about 3 years (1 PR route). On paper Germany offers the clearer route to permanent residency, but eligibility for the underlying visa decides your real odds. Not every applicant qualifies for the fastest path.
- Is it cheaper to immigrate to Germany or Thailand?
- Germany has the cheaper entry point: its §18d costs about $86 in official fees, versus $147 for Thailand's cheapest route (the Non-B). Both are government fees only. Legal, translation, and relocation costs usually dwarf them.
- Which country is better to settle in, Germany or Thailand?
- For long-term settlement, permanent residency is the deciding factor: Germany's quickest PR route takes about 2.25 years (5 PR routes), and Thailand's quickest PR route takes about 3 years (1 PR route). Germany has the clearer permanent-residency pathway on paper, but the "better" country to settle in depends on your job prospects, family, language, and where you'd actually want to live. The free quiz scores your specific profile against every route in both.
- What income do Germany and Thailand visas require?
- The lowest salary floor Transita tracks is EUR 45,934.2/yr (≈ $52,641/yr) (shortage occupations, IT roles and new graduates) for Germany's §18g AufenthG and USD 40,000/yr (≈ $40,000/yr) (USD 40,000 to 80,000 with additional proof: a master's degree or higher in science and technology, or ownership of IP or Series A funding) for Thailand's LTR (WFTP). Floors differ by visa type and occupation, so read the threshold on the route you would use.
- How long can you stay on a Germany or Thailand visa?
- Germany routes grant 1 year to 4 years and Thailand routes grant 1 year to 10 years, depending on the visa. Routes whose source gives no fixed length are left out of these ranges.
- Where do these Germany and Thailand figures come from?
- The headline figures named on this page (fastest, cheapest, quickest PR, salary and points marks) come from these official government pages, one per claim. Ranges and counts summarise every open route Transita tracks. Germany: Chancenkarte fastest route (auswaertiges-amt.de, checked 2026-05-02); §18d lowest fee (gesetze-im-internet.de, checked 2026-05-03); §18g AufenthG quickest PR timeline (bamf.de, checked 2026-09-18); §18g AufenthG lowest salary floor (bundesanzeiger.de, checked 2026-09-18); Chancenkarte lowest points mark (auswaertiges-amt.de, checked 2026-05-02). Thailand: LTR (WFTP) fastest route (ltr.boi.go.th, checked 2026-09-18); Non-B lowest fee (mfa.go.th, checked 2026-08-06); Non-B quickest PR timeline (mfa.go.th, checked 2026-08-06); LTR (WFTP) lowest salary floor (ltr.boi.go.th, checked 2026-09-18).
Official sources
Every route named above links to the government page it was read from. The oldest check among them is 2026-05-02.
- Germany: Chancenkarte fastest route · auswaertiges-amt.de (checked 2026-05-02) · §18d lowest fee · gesetze-im-internet.de (checked 2026-05-03) · §18g AufenthG quickest PR timeline · bamf.de (checked 2026-09-18) · §18g AufenthG lowest salary floor · bundesanzeiger.de (checked 2026-09-18) · Chancenkarte lowest points mark · auswaertiges-amt.de (checked 2026-05-02)
- Thailand: LTR (WFTP) fastest route · ltr.boi.go.th (checked 2026-09-18) · Non-B lowest fee · mfa.go.th (checked 2026-08-06) · Non-B quickest PR timeline · mfa.go.th (checked 2026-08-06) · LTR (WFTP) lowest salary floor · ltr.boi.go.th (checked 2026-09-18)
Section 03
Explore each country
Further reading
Germany
Germany Blue Card vs Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
Read the guide Singapore · Canada · France · Ireland · Netherlands · New Zealand · Australia · United Kingdom · Germany · Thailand · Italy · Portugal · Spain · Switzerland · United States · United Arab EmiratesThe Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship in 2026: Ranked by Years, Language Bar and Descent
Read the guide GermanyGermany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) Guide 2026
Read the guide New Zealand · United Kingdom · United Arab Emirates · United States · ThailandCitizenship by Investment in 2026: What Investor Visas Actually Lead To
Read the guideGermany or Thailand, which fits you?
Your workspace scores your profile against every Germany and Thailand route (and 60+ others) and shows which is the best fit, with the why. Answer 8 questions to set up your free workspace. You see which routes you appear to qualify for, what may block each one and the official page to check.
Build my workspaceThe workspace is free. The optional $9 plan adds the document checklist for each route with its costs and lead times, the gaps between your profile and each route, and a suggested filing order. Fees are estimates. General information, not legal advice.