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Thailand Business Visa

Build your next opportunity on the right foundations.

A business visit, local employment and operating your own company are different situations. Tell us what you plan to do so we can help coordinate the visa, company and work-permission questions in the right order.

Discuss this with us

A business and employment route

Non-Immigrant B

Match evidence to your purpose

Activity matters

Check separately

Work permission

Status

Visa and work permission together
Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s Chinatown, busy with signs and taxis

What the company must have

  • Registered capital of 2 million THB for each foreign employee, fully paid up (some BOI-promoted and other companies have lower thresholds).
  • Four Thai employees on the social security system for each work permit.
  • A salary for you at or above the minimum immigration expects for your nationality (often 50,000 THB a month for Western nationals).
  • Tax filings up to date, and an office the company actually uses.

Getting the visa and permit

  1. The company prepares its documents: registration, shareholder list, tax and social security filings, financial statements.
  2. Apply for the Non-B through the e-Visa system or a Thai embassy, usually issued for 90 days.
  3. Once in Thailand, apply for the work permit at the Department of Employment.
  4. Extend your stay for a year at immigration, with the work permit and the company's documents.
An open living room beside a private pool
An open living room beside a private pool

Renewing each year

Renewals repeat the company checks: capital, Thai staff, salary and tax. If the company falls short, the extension is refused, so check the company's numbers a month before your date. See extension of stay.

Your next step

Business & invest

Continue

This guide is shared with our sister site, Move In Thailand.

Before you decide

Questions, answered.

Does a business visa itself authorise every kind of work?

No. Visa status and permission to work must be checked for your activity.

Can you help register a company?

We can coordinate a company setup review. The structure and any licences must be checked for your actual activity before registration.

Can I set up my own company and give myself a work permit?

Yes, if the company is properly structured and meets the capital and Thai staff rules. Read [company setup](/business/company-setup/) and [foreign ownership rules](/business/foreign-ownership/) first.

Is there an investment visa?

Investment can support certain routes, such as the [LTR Wealthy Global Citizen](/visas/ltr/) or [Thailand Privilege](/visas/thailand-privilege/). Older condo-investment visas exist on paper but are rarely the best option now.

Does registering a company solve the visa question?

Company registration, permitted business activity, a visa and work permission are separate checks. Describe what you will actually do and have the complete structure reviewed.

What should I check before buying an existing business?

Accounts, licences, leases, staff obligations, debts, disputes and the proposed transaction structure. Independent legal and commercial due diligence should come before a deposit.

What makes a useful first business brief?

Explain your customers, services, operating location, proposed ownership, budget and personal role. Those details help the appropriate professional identify the right questions.

Keep reading

01

Work permit

Required for any work in Thailand. How to get one, renew it and change jobs.

02

Company setup

Name, shareholders, capital, registration, tax and bank, in the order it happens.

03

BOI promotion

100% foreign ownership, tax holidays and easier work permits for promoted activities.

The next step

Schedule consultation.

Tell us where you are now and the move you have in mind. A first conversation about your route, your home and your timeline. No obligation.

Schedule consultation
Schedule consultation