Thailand Business Visa (Non-Immigrant B)

THE ROLE OF THE NON-B IN THAI WORK AUTHORISATION Thai law requires two documents for a foreign national to work legally: the Non-B visa (an immigration document, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and a work permit (an employment authorisation, issued by the Department of Employment). Neither substitutes for the other — both are required. The Non-B is applied for first, overseas, at a Thai consulate. The work permit is applied for second, in Thailand, by the employer after the Non-B holder has arrived. WHO NEEDS A NON-B Any foreign national taking paid employment with a Thai legal entity, including: • Foreign staff at Thai companies (including BOI-promoted companies) • Employees of international companies seconded to Thailand • Directors of Thai-registered companies receiving a salary • Contractors working on a long-term engagement for a Thai entity The Non-B is not required for: digital nomads working exclusively for overseas clients with no Thai employment relationship (the DTV is designed for this); investors with no employment role; volunteers at registered charities in specific circumstances. THE OVERSEAS APPLICATION (STEP 1) Applied for at a Thai consulate or embassy before you travel. Your employer must provide: • Employment offer letter on company letterhead with salary stated • Company registration certificate (DBD-issued) • Company VAT registration certificate • Latest financial statements (2 years) • List of current Thai and foreign employees • Work permit quota approval letter (if applicable) You provide: passport (6+ months validity, blank pages), photographs, completed application form. Fee: varies by consulate — typically USD 40–80. Processing: 5–7 business days at most consulates. Some major Thai consulates (Sydney, London, LA, Tokyo) process Non-B applications through a specific business visa counter. THE IN-THAILAND ANNUAL EXTENSION (STEP 2+) After the first year, the Non-B extension is applied for at Immigration annually (before expiry). The extension and the work permit renewal are often done in the same period — BOI companies do both at the One Stop Service counter; non-BOI companies do them sequentially at Immigration and the Department of Employment. Annual extension documents: passport, current work permit, employment letter, employer financial documents (tax filings, employee list), photographs, 1,900 THB fee. CHANGING EMPLOYERS When you leave an employer, your work permit is cancelled. Your Non-B remains valid until its expiry date, but you cannot work during this gap. Your new employer applies for a new work permit using your existing Non-B. If the Non-B expires during a job change, you may need to exit and re-enter on a new Non-B for the new employer. HOW VISA CENTRE HELPS We advise employers on the document preparation requirements specific to their company structure (BOI vs non-BOI, Thai company vs branch office vs rep office), coordinate with HR and the employee overseas for the consulate application, and handle the annual extension cycle in Thailand. General guidance only. Non-B requirements verified against Thai Immigration and Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidance as of June 2025. No outcome guaranteed. Independent assistance agency; not affiliated with any government body.