Visa Applications and Work Permits in Thailand

November 20, 2013 Posted by ASEAN Briefing Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nov. 20 – Foreigners looking to work in Thailand need to apply for both a visa and work permit. The non-immigrant “B” visa is the appropriate visa for anyone looking to conduct business or investment activity within Thailand.

There are three “B” visa options based on duration of stay, including:

Single entry valid for three months;
Multiple entries valid for one year; and
Multiple entries valid for three years.

The maximum duration of stay per visit for a non-immigrant “B” visa is 90 days, but may be extended upon approval by the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok.

Visa Application
Applications must be made through the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General in the applicant’s home country or within Thailand. In general, applications must be made in person, but residents of certain countries may apply through authorized travel agencies.

Several documents are required for the visa application process, including:

Passport with validity of 6 or more months
Passport photo (4×6 cm) taken within 6 months
Evidence of sufficient financial standing (US$620/person, US$1,240/family)
Ministry of Labor letter of approval (to receive a letter, the applicant’s employer must submit a form to the Office of Foreign Workers Administration)
Work permit (explained further below)

Company’s corporate documents:

Company profile;
Business license;
Shareholders list;
Foreign workers list;
Financial statements; and
Value-added tax registration.

Work Permit
In order to work in Thailand under “B” visa status, the applicant must also posses an officially issued work permit. In order to complete a successful application, both the foreign worker and domestic employer must submit the required paperwork to the Department of Employment. For the applicant, this includes:

Passport
Passport photo
Medical certificate
Proof of employment
Address in Thailand

The employer must submit the following documents:

Company certificate
Shareholders list
Value-added tax registration
Financial statements
Copy of director’s passport
Employment agreement

Portions of this article came from the September/October 2013 issue of Asia Briefing Magazine titled, “Work Visa and Permit Procedures Across Asia,” which is currently available as a complimentary PDF download on the Asia Briefing Bookstore until the end of October. In this edition of Asia Briefing Magazine, we outline the specific documents required for foreign nationals working in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as highlight the relevant application processes in each of these countries.

Dezan Shira & Associates is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in emerging Asia. Since its establishment in 1992, the firm has grown into one of Asia’s most versatile full-service consultancies with operational offices across China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and Vietnam as well as liaison offices in Italy and the United States.

For further details or to contact the firm, please email asia@dezshira.com, visit www.dezshira.com, or download the company brochure.

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