Non-Immigrant B Visa
Also known as a Non-Immigrant B Visa, a Thailand Business Visa is an optimal choice if you’re looking to launch a business venture or startup in Thailand. For aspiring workers, a Thai Business Visa is also required to earn permission to work in Thailand.
There are two different categories that you can choose to apply for the visa:
Business Visa Thailand for Conducting Business
If you intend to visit Thailand to put a business plan into motion, then choose this particular option as a result. Holding this visa allows you to register a company in Thailand, regardless if it’s a startup or a firm.
Two visas fall under this criteria:
- 90 day non-immigrant visa Thailand single-entry: This enables you to stay for up to 90 cumulative days within Thailand, although you will be allowed only one entry into the country at a time.
- One-year non-immigrant visa Thailand multiple-entry: This visa allows you to enter and exit Thailand multiple times. If you opt for this route, you can upgrade it to a business visa once your work permit application has been successfully processed.
Business Visa Thailand for Employment
This is also known as a Thailand Work Visa. Set your sights on this category if you intend to visit Thailand primarily for work.
- If you go down this path, you will first acquire a 90-day Non-Immigrant Visa sponsored by your employer under the designated employment category.
- Once you have received the 90-day visa, you must then apply for a work permit.
- When successful, your work permit allows you to extend your 90-day visa into a 1-year Non-Immigrant B visa, obtainable at the Thai Immigration Office.
Conditions of a Thailand Business Visa
To remain in Thailand without any issues, you will need to adhere to a set of rules while on a Thailand Business Visa.
- You have to apply for a re-entry permit every time you want to fly out of Thailand, if on a 90-day visa.
- You must report to the Thai immigration office every 90 days if you are holding a 1-year non-immigrant B visa.
- If you want to renew your visa, it must be done in Thailand.
- If you want to acquire a work permit to be able to work inside Thailand, you will first need to acquire a 90-day Non-Immigrant B Visa. You will have to complete the work permit application during these 90 days.
Requirements of a Thai Business Visa
To apply for a Thai Business Visa, you need to submit a set of the following documents:
- Valid passport with no less than 6 months validity remaining on it
- Completed Non-Immigrant B Visa application form
- Recent passport-sized photograph in a 4 x 6 cm format (the photo must be taken no longer than 6 months ago)
- Proof of finances (20,000 THB if applying for it alone and 40,000 THB if you are traveling with family)
- Your travel itinerary
There are other documents required for the application depending on whether you are applying for employment purposes or to conduct business within the country. Because these documents are often difficult to acquire, it’s worth consulting Siam Legal for details on what items you need and how to get them.
Any documents from corporations and businesses must be certified by the company’s Board of Directors or a Managing Director. You will also need to be physically present in the country you’re submitting your application in.
Please note that all documents you provide will need to be in either Thai or English; any documents in a different language will need to be translated and notarized.
How to apply for a Thai Business Visa
You will need to complete the following steps once all of your documents are in order:
- Receive the employment invitation from the company you will be working for in Thailand.
- Gather all required documents as stated on the employment invitation and apply for a 90-day Non-Immigrant Visa.
- Submit the documents to the nearest Royal Thai Consulate or Embassy.
- Pay the embassy or consulate fees (2,000 THB for a single-entry business visa and 5,000 THB for a multiple-entry business visa).*
- Apply to extend your 90-day Non-Immigrant Visa into a 1-year Non-Immigrant Business (B) Visa.
- Await the approval of your Thai Business Visa. It usually takes between 5 to 10 business days before you will receive the results (this varies depending on the location you’re applying in).
*NOTE: You have several payment methods available to complete this stage of the application. These include:
- Cash
- Credit Card
Required Document
1. An Ordinary passport holder who wishes to enter the Kingdom for conducting business or for working is subjected to be granted a Non-Immigrant B Visa.
2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
3. Letter from a company stating the objective of the visit to Thailand or Document showing correspondence with trading partners in Thailand. (eg. Letter confirming employment details, business registration or business license of a partner company in Thailand).
4. Letter of invitation from a trading company in Thailand.
Employment/ Working in Thailand
- 1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months. The validity of 18 months is required for one year visa application.
- 2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
- 3. To obtain an Employment Visa, letter of approval from the Ministry of Labour is requested. (To obtain this letter, the prospective employer in Thailand is required to submit Form WP3 at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour or at a Provincial Employment Office in the respective province. Further information is available at www.doe.go.th/workpermit/index.html).
- 4. Employment contract indicating rationale for employing the applicant as well as his/her salary, position and qualifications. (Document must be signed by authorized managing director and affixed the seal of the company).
- 5. Copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour. (Only in case the applicant has previously worked in the Kingdom).
- 6. Copy of educational records of the applicant and letters of recommendation from the prior employers, identifying job description and length of service time.
Employment/ Working in Thailand
- 1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months.
- 2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
- 3. Business registration and business license of the hiring company in Thailand.
- 4. Letter confirming the internship/participation from the company.
Internship (Non-Curricular internship)
The document to be submitted for the visa application is contingent upon necessities and appropriateness of purposes stated in the application form. Copies of company documents must be signed by the Board of Directors and affixed the seal of the company. In the absence of a required document, a letter explaining the unavailability of such documents must be provided. The applicant must sign on each page of the copy. In addition, documents in foreign languages must be translated into Thai. If translated into English, it should be notarized by an official notary or the applicant’s diplomatic/ consular mission.
Validity of a Visa
Single-entry visa is valid for three months. The validity of Multiple-Entry visa could be varied from three months to one year.
Period of Stay
The holders of this type of visa are initially granted a period of stay in the Kingdom not exceeding 90 days unless otherwise instructed by the Office of Immigration Bureau.
Extension of Stay
Those qualified persons can obtain an additional one year stay permit counting from the date of entry in the Kingdom pertaining to the Office of the Immigration Bureau’s regulations on extension of stay. The extension of stay is at the discretion of the Immigration officer. Applicants wishing to stay in the Kingdom longer than 90 days have to file their application at the Office of Immigration Bureau in Bangkok located on Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889 (or website at http://www.immigration.go.th).
Advice
Visa applicants are suggested to submit application at least 15 working days prior to the intended travelling date to Thailand.
Non-Immigrant IB VISA
An Ordinary passport holder whose purpose of visit is to invest in a BOI-registered company or to work in a BOI-registered company can apply for the Non-Immigrant type IB Visa.
Required Document
(Please check relevant embassy/ consulate’s website for specifically required documents)
- 1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months.
- 2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
- 3. Letter confirming employment details from an employer.
- 4. Letter from BOI.
Validity of a Visa
The validity of a visa is three months.
Period of Stay
The holders of this type of visa are initially granted a period of stay in the Kingdom not exceeding 90 days unless otherwise instructed by the Office of Immigration Bureau.
Extension of Stay
Those who wish to stay longer must file an application for an extension at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Government Center B, ChaengwattanaSoi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889 (or website at http://www.immigration.go.th). The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer.
Advice
Visa applicants are suggested to submit application at least 15 working days prior to the intended travelling date to Thailand.
US Embassy and Consulate in Thailand
Thai Embassy.com (Not official however, plenty of useful information)