The Thailand Business Visa is a “B” Category of Thai Non-Immigrant Visas. Foreign nationals who wish to conduct business, attend meetings, exhibitions, and such in Thailand have to apply for a Thailand Business Visa.. Thai “B” Category Visa includes 3 types:
- Category B: Business Visa: This category is for candidates who want to work or do business in Thailand.
- Foreigners who are willing to work in Thailand.
- Foreigners are willing to conduct business in Thailand.
- Category B – A (Business Approved Visa):
- Category B: Business Visa: This category is for candidates who want to work or do business in Thailand.
The holder of this type of visa is permitted to stay in Thailand for one year from the date of his first entry. The Applicant’s associated Company, with whom the Applicant will do business or invest, must apply on behalf of the Applicant at the Immigration Bureau’s Office. When the application is accepted by the Bureau, the Bureau will notify the Embassy or Consulate through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the applicant to get a visa.
- Category I-B (Investment & Business Visa):
This type of visa is issued to foreigners who are employed to work on investment projects overseen by Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI). In the following ways, these kinds of projects should be beneficial to Thailand:
- Promoting Exportation Activities;
- Creating Employment Opportunities;
- Utilizing and Using Local raw Materials;
- Projects engaging the provinces;
- Encouraging Transferring Technology to Thai Nationals;
- Not hindering or harming existing domestic businesses.
This article will answer some frequently asked questions regarding Category B: Business Visa.
In This Post
Who Needs A Business Visa in Thailand?
Foreigners who wish to set up or conduct business in Thailand should apply for a Thailand Business Visa (Thai Non-Immigrant B visa). This is an initial visa issued by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in your home/residence country which allows a stay of 90 consecutive days in Thailand.
Although several nations offer visa exemptions for Thailand, the exemption is usually for tourism purposes only. So, if you are from a visa-exempt country, you should check with the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General whether you need a Business Visa if you won’t be working.
Furthermore, if you often go to Thailand for business, you may get a one-year visa that enables repeated visits for up to 90 days each time you enter.
Note: If you wish to work, however, you also need a Thai Work Permit, which you can not apply for if you don’t have a “B” Category Non immigrant visa, so keep that in mind.
What Are The Types of Thailand Business Visas
There are 2 categories in which foreigners can enter under this type of visa.
- Non-Immigrant Business Visa Category B (Conducting Business): Foreigners who want to set up or conduct business in Thailand should apply for a Thai Non-Immigrant B visa.
- 90 Days Non-Immigrant Visa (Single-Entry)
This is an initial visa issued by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in your home country which allows a stay of 90 consecutive days in Thailand.
- 1-Year Non-Immigrant Visa (Multiple-Entry)
This is issued to those who want to conduct business and intend to frequently travel in and out of Thailand. This Non-Immigrant Business Visa can be extended to this visa once the work permit is processed.
- Non-Immigrant Business Visa (Employment):
- Foreigners planning to work in Thailand should apply from their home country for an initial 90-Day Non-Immigrant B visa under the employment category.
- The applicant’s visa application will be sponsored by the applicant’s potential Thai employer.
- The work permit application is made within the first 90 days of the initial visa.
- After obtaining a valid work permit, the applicant must apply at a local immigration office inside Thailand for a 1-year Non-Immigrant B Visa extension of stay.
- The visa holder is expected to notify his or her address to the Thai Immigration Office every 90 days under this category.
- If the applicant desires to go outside of the nation, Re-entry permission is necessary.
- This visa can be renewed inside Thailand.
What are the requirements for a business visa in Thailand?
Applicants for a Non-Immigrant Business Visa in Thailand must demonstrate that they are neither a public nor a security threat to the Thailand government. Applicants must also be physically present in the country where their Non-Immigrant Business Visa application is filed.
The following are the general requirements for this type of visa:
- A passport with at least 6-month validity from the date of your intended arrival in Thailand.
- A completed and signed Thailand Business Visa application form. You may be able to download it from the website of the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General or get it there if you apply in person.
- Passport-sized photos of yourself, with the following specifications:
- Dimensions: 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm
- White background
- Taken within the last six months
- You must have a neutral facial expression, staring straight ahead
- Your entire face must be fully visible
- Headgear is only allowed for religious purposes and even then, only if it does not cover the face
- Glasses are allowed only if they do not cover your eyes and do not have heavy frames
- Proof of financial funds and travel itinerary. You need 20,000 Thai Baht if you are traveling alone and 40,000 Thai Baht if you are traveling as a family.
- An invitation or confirmation letter to clarify the purpose of travel issued by the concerned organization, entity, or company from Thailand.
- A letter from your employer (your job title, how long you have been employed, your salary, and the purpose for your visit to Thailand are all listed).
- Relevant documents that show your correspondence with your business partners in Thailand.
- Documents related to the inviting company in Thailand. Which are signed by the Company’s Board of Directors, authorized managing director and hold the company’s seal:
- Their business license and business registration
- The company’s shareholders’ list
- The company profile
- The details of the company’s operations
- The company’s balance sheets, income tax, and business tax statements for the past year
- The company’s location is shown on a map.
- Additional supporting documents may be requested by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
- Applicable Embassy fee.
Note: the visa applicants are advised to apply for their visa either by mail or in person at the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
All the documents you submit have to be translated to Thai or English and notarized
How to Apply for a Thailand Business Visa?
Contact the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General where you will submit the visa application. If one is accessible, you may also go to their website. Learn about the visa office’s opening hours, working days, and preferred form of payment.
Make an appointment, if one is necessary. A list of the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General may be found here
Collect the required documents for a Thailand Retirement Visa.
Submit the documents and visa application. Depending on which Embassy/Consulate you apply in, you can apply:
- In-person
- By mail, in which case you must attach a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope.
Allow time for the application to be reviewed.
Grab your passport and visa. They will be returned to you if you applied via mail.
Payment of the embassy or consular fees can either be by cash, check, or credit card.
How Long Does It Take to Process a Thailand Business Visa Application?
The processing time for a Thailand Business Visa varies according to the diplomatic representative office you apply to. Some guarantee processing within two business days, while others may take longer. However, you should expect a processing time of around 5-10 working days for your Thai visa, starting from the time that Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General receives your complete application.
How Much Does the Thailand Business Visa Cost?
The cost of a Thai Business Visa depends on the type of visa you receive. Such as:
- Single-entry Thailand Business Visa fee is 2,000 Thai Baht (about USD 65)
- Multiple-entry Thailand Business Visa fee is 5,000 Thai Baht (about USD 164).
Payment of the embassy or consular fees can either be by cash, check, or credit card
Can I Bring My Family Members With Me to Thailand With a Business Visa?
If you wish to bring your dependent family members to Thailand with you, they must apply for a category “O” Non-Immigrant Visa, which allows them to stay in Thailand for no more than a year.
Can I Get a Thailand Business Visa on Arrival?
The Thailand Visa on Arrival is just for tourists and is only provided to citizens of selected countries. As such, if you want to do business or operate in Thailand, you have to get a Non-Immigrant B Visa (Thai Business Visa) from a Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in your country
Can I Change a Thailand Tourist Visa to a Business Visa?
If you arrive in Thailand on a Tourist Visa and intend to do business, you can apply to change the category of your visa at the Thai Immigration Bureau Office in Bangkok.
Note: If you come with a Thai Visa on Arrival, you may not be able to change the category of the visa because the Thai Visa on Arrival is not extendable
What Is the Difference Between a Business Visa and Work Visa for Thailand?
A Thailand Business Visa and a Work Visa are technically the same things: they are both a Non-Immigrant B Visa. However, If you just have a Non-Immigrant B Visa, you aren’t allowed to work. Foreigners who want to work in Thailand and be paid must apply for a Work Permit.
Finally, the main distinction is:
- A Thailand Business Visa is a Non-Immigrant B Visa that allows you to go to Thailand for business-related purposes for which you won’t be paid by a Thai company.
- A Thailand Work Visa is also a Non-Immigrant B Visa. With just the visa, you can not work. To work and be paid by a Thai employer, you need a Thai Work Permit. Once you have the work permit, you will live in Thailand on what is referred to as a Thai Work Visa.
Thailand Business Visa FAQs:
Can foreigners own a business in Thailand?
A Foreigner Cannot Own 100% of a Business in Thailand. Unless you are a US citizen, foreigners cannot own 100% of any business in Thailand. The most common method to establish a company in Thailand is via a Thai person.
How much money do I need to start a business in Thailand?
As of now, the minimum capital needed for a Thai majority shareholder business (limited) is 2 million Baht, plus a government set-up charge of about 7,000 Baht.
This minimum is decreased to 1 million Baht if you have a Thai spouse.
Can I buy a business in Thailand?
A Thai-majority company may buy property, unlike an overseas-registered company, which must also overcome extra financial and logistical obstacles.
Furthermore, under the Thai-US Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, US residents are permitted to wholly own a Thai corporation.
Is it easy to do business in Thailand?
According to the most recent World Bank annual assessments, Thailand is placed 21st out of 190 economies in terms of ease of doing business.
The Ease of Doing Company index evaluates nations based on how favorable the regulatory environment is to business operations, greater protection of intellectual property rights, and so on.
How can a foreigner own a business in Thailand?
A Foreigner Cannot Own 100% of a Business in Thailand. As a foreigner in Thailand, you are not permitted to own a small company outright. You must have a Thai partner who owns 51% of the company, with you holding the remaining 49%
Can a foreigner buy shop in Thailand?
In general, foreigners are not permitted to acquire land directly in Thailand.
Simply stated, Thai law forbids foreigners from holding property in their name, albeit there is a potential exemption that has yet to be observed in reality.
Can a foreigner be a sole proprietor in Thailand?
Foreigners may only be sole owners if they are protected under the US-Thailand Treaty of Amity and Economic Cooperation. Foreigners are not allowed to run this sort of company.
How many types of business are legal in Thailand?
There are three types of common business structures in Thailand. These are the Partnership, Limited Companies, and Joint Venture.
Where can I register my business in Thailand?
Within 30 days of employing its first employee, a company must register with the Social Security Administration.
To get the same benefits as Thai employees, foreign workers must register with the Social Security Office.
How long does it take to register a company in Thailand?
The time it takes to register depends on your company and how quickly you provide the needed information. Company formation takes 1–2 weeks, however, the application process for an international business license might take 3–4 months.
