A Thailand Work Visa is a Category B of Thailand Non-Immigrant Visas which you must apply for When you enter Thailand intending to work.
Even though the Category B Non-Immigrant Visa is given for employment reasons, you are unable to work with the visa alone. To be able to live and work in Thailand, you must first get a Work Permit and then an extension of stay after you arrive.
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Who Needs a Thailand Work Visa?
Anyone who is not a Thai national who want to work in Thailand must first get a Thai Work Visa from their home country. To apply for a Work Permit and Extension of Stay, you must first get a Thai Non-Immigrant Visa, therefore even those who are not required to obtain a Thai Tourist Visa must do so.
Thailand Work Visa Requirements
When you apply for a Thailand Work visa, you need the following documents:
- Your passport is valid for at least another six months and has at least two blank visa pages. If you’re applying for a one-year visa, your passport should be valid for at least 18 months.
- A completed Thailand Work Visa application form. You may be able to download it from the website of the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate or get it there if you apply in person.
- A passport-sized photo of yourself that meets the following criteria:
- 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 sufficient financial means to cover the duration of your stay. You need 20,000 Thai Baht if you are traveling alone and 40,000 Thai Baht if you are traveling as a family.
- Police clearance certificate.
- A Letter of Approval was issued by the Thailand Ministry of Labour. Your employer in Thailand has to submit an approval request at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration in the Department of Employment of the Thai Ministry of Labour.
- If you will work as a school teacher at a pre-university level:
- Letter of acceptance from the educational institution.
- A Letter of Approval issued by a relevant Thai government agency, such as the Office of the Private Education Commission or the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
- The school’s license or business registration along with the list of stockholders and the school’s profile.
- Your CV.
How to Get a Thailand Work Visa?
You must apply for a Thailand Work Visa from one of the diplomatic mission offices of Thailand (a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate) in your country or a neighboring country before you enter Thailand.
- Contact the Thailand Embassy or Consulate where you want to submit your application or check their website if one is accessible.
- Make an appointment and inquire about their business hours, working days, and preferred form of Thai visa fee payment. A list of Thailand’s diplomatic mission offices may be found here.
- Collect the required documents for a Thai Work Visa.
- Submit the documents as well as the visa application. Depending on which Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate you apply in, you can apply:
- In-person
- By mail, in which case you must include a pre-paid and self-addressed envelope.
- Wait for the application to be reviewed.
- Collect the passport and visa. They will be returned to you if you applied via mail.
Note: If your Thailand Work Visa is accepted, you must visit the country within the time frame specified on your visa, or your visa will expire.
If you already have a Thailand Tourist Visa, you may be eligible to change its category to a Non-Immigrant Visa “B” at the Immigration Department Offices in Thailand. However, this is not always a guaranteed choice.
How Much Is the Thailand Work Visa Fee?
The fee for a Thailand Work Visa is as follows:
- Single-entry Thailand Work Visa fee is 2,000 Thai Baht (about USD 65).
- Multiple-entry Thailand Work Visa fee is 5,000 Thai Baht (about USD 164).
The fees can change slightly from one country to the next, based on the local currency, as can the method of payment. Some offices will only accept cash, while others may require you to pay through bank transfer.
Extending Your Thai Work Visa
You can begin working after your Work Permit application has been accepted. You may begin working after your Work Permit application has been accepted.
However, if you want to stay in Thailand for the long term, you must apply for a stay extension at the Immigration Bureau. You must apply for a Work Visa extension before your Work Visa expires, which is within 90 days of your arrival in Thailand. The extension of stay is for one year, beginning on the day you arrived in Thailand.
After the extension period expires, you can apply to extend it again for another year. After three years of staying on a Work Visa, you can apply for a Permanent Residence Permit.
Getting a Thai Re-Entry Permit
You must get a Thai Re-Entry Permit from the Immigration Department in addition to renewing your visa. The Re-Entry Permit allows you to leave Thailand while your visa is still valid without the visa becoming invalid. If you leave Thailand without a Re-Entry Permit, you will be unable to re-enter without obtaining a new visa.
Mandatory 90-Day Check-In
Anyone Who stays in Thailand for over three months, for whatever reason, has to report their presence to Thailand’s Immigration Department every 90 days. You can report your presence starting from 15 days before the exact date and up to 7 days afterward at one of the following:
- The closest Immigration Office in person
- The closest Immigration Office by registered mail
- Online through the Immigration Department’s electronic system.
However, most people choose to apply in person since the procedure is straightforward and error-free.
Thailand Work Visa FAQs:
Can foreigners work in Thailand?
Yes, foreigners may work in Thailand if they have a valid visa, work permit, and do not breach the Alien Employment Act.
What’s the difference between a work permit and a work visa?
The distinction between a visa and a work permit is that a visa is a document obtained by a person to enter a certain country, while a work permit is an employment letter granted by an employer to an employee for the employee to enter the country.
What type of visa do I need to work in Thailand?
All foreigners wishing to work in Thailand must get a Thai work permit as well as a Thai work visa.
To get a work permit, a company, foreign government, or other organization in Thailand must apply on behalf of the work visa applicant. Once received, the work visa is valid for one year.
