Thailand suits you if you rank the lowest entry fee (Non-B, $147) first. United States suits you if you rank speed (TN, 0–1 months), a clearer route to permanent residency and applying without a job offer (5 of 13 routes) 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.
Thailand vs United States: how do they compare for immigration?
| Measure | Thailand | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Open visa routes tracked | 5 | 13 |
| Routes by type | 3 digital nomad, 2 skilled worker | 11 skilled worker, 1 student, 1 entrepreneur |
| Fastest published processing | LTR (WFTP), 1–3 months | TN, 0–1 months |
| Published processing time range | 1–3 months | 0–60 months |
| Cheapest route fee | Non-B, $147 | TN, $185 |
| Government fee range | $147 to $19,100 | $185 to $3,595 |
| Published fixed permit length range | 1 year to 10 years | 1 year to 10 years |
| Path to PR | 1 route, quickest about 3 yrs | 7 routes, direct |
| No job offer needed | 2 of 5 | 5 of 13 |
| Language test required | 0 of 5 | 1 of 13 |
| Points-based option | No | No |
Aggregated from every Thailand and United States 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 Thailand and United States
- Speed: United States's fastest published route (TN) takes 0–1 months, against 1–3 months for Thailand's (LTR (WFTP)).
- Fees: Thailand's cheapest tracked route (Non-B) costs $147 in government fees, against $185 for United States's (TN).
- Permanent residency: United States has 7 tracked PR routes, Thailand has 1.
- Job offer: 5 of 13 United States routes can start without one, against 2 of 5 for Thailand.
Common questions
- Is it easier to get a visa for Thailand or United States?
- United States is generally easier to start on your own profile: 5 of its 13 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, Thailand or United States?
- United States has the faster headline route: its TN processes in about 0–1 months, versus 1–3 months for Thailand's quickest route (the LTR (WFTP)). Real timelines depend on caseload and how complete your application is.
- Which has easier permanent residency, Thailand or United States?
- United States has 7 PR routes, including a direct-PR option, while Thailand's quickest PR route takes about 3 years (1 PR route). On paper United States 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 Thailand or United States?
- Thailand has the cheaper entry point: its Non-B costs about $147 in official fees, versus $185 for United States's cheapest route (the TN). Both are government fees only. Legal, translation, and relocation costs usually dwarf them.
- Which country is better to settle in, Thailand or United States?
- For long-term settlement, permanent residency is the deciding factor: Thailand's quickest PR route takes about 3 years (1 PR route), and United States has 7 PR routes, including a direct-PR option. United States 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.
- How long can you stay on a Thailand or United States visa?
- Thailand routes grant 1 year to 10 years and United States 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 Thailand and United States 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. 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). United States: TN fastest route (uscis.gov, checked 2026-10-26); TN lowest fee (uscis.gov, checked 2026-10-26); EB-2 NIW quickest PR timeline (uscis.gov, checked 2026-10-26).
Official sources
Every route named above links to the government page it was read from. The oldest check among them is 2026-08-06.
- 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)
- United States: TN fastest route · uscis.gov (checked 2026-10-26) · TN lowest fee · uscis.gov (checked 2026-10-26) · EB-2 NIW quickest PR timeline · uscis.gov (checked 2026-10-26)
Explore each country
Further reading
The Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship in 2026: Ranked by Years, Language Bar and Descent
Read the guide United StatesUS H-1B1 Visa for Singapore & Chile Nationals 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 guide United StatesUS EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Green Card Guide
Read the guideRelated pathways
Thailand or United States, which fits you?
Your workspace scores your profile against every Thailand and United States 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.