Visas and Registration in Thailand

Before you come to Thailand, please make sure to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate to enquire which visa regulations apply in your case. If you are simply a private traveler, a tourist visa should suffice.

Are You Coming as a Tourist?

There are over 50 countries whose residents do not need to apply for a tourist visa. However, if you do not fall under the Visa Exemption Category, you always need to acquire a visa before coming to Thailand.

Passport holders from a further 19 countries may get a visa on arrival for short-term vacations. Everyone else just has to apply for a regular tourist visa. It usually allows you to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days.

Here’s How to Apply for Your Thai Tourist Visa

In order to obtain a tourist visa, you need the following documents:

A valid passport

A completed application form

Recent passport-sized photographs

A round-trip ticket

Proof of sufficient financial funds

In some cases, you may need to bring additional documents. Medical tourists, for instance, often have to enclose a letter from the hospital in Thailand where they are going to receive treatment.

Please do keep in mind that a tourist Thailand Visa is valid for tourism purposes only. If you go to Thailand for different reasons, the so-called non-immigrant visa will apply to you.

Non-Immigrant Visas: Which Visa Type Is Right for You?

Non-immigrant visas for Thailand cover different categories including:

F (official duties)

B (business and work)

ED (education)

EX (experts and specialists)

IB/IM (investors)

M (media, film producers, and journalists)

O (family visitors, NGO volunteers, etc.)

R (religious activities)

RS (researchers and scientists)

O-A (retirees)

You are required to provide the following documents:

a valid passport

a completed application form

two recent passport-sized photographs

a recent bank statement

Others, according to your specific category and situation (e.g. a letter of acceptance from a Thai university for a student visa).

Cutting through the Red Tape before Getting a Business Visa

Foreigners coming to Thailand on a B visa to do business with a Thai company normally need the following, though requirements may obviously vary:

A letter from your company, describing your position and stating the purpose of your trip

A document from a government agency or embassy certifying the purpose of travel

An employment contract indicating the salary and qualifications of the applicant

A letter of invitation from a Thai company or business association

Correspondence with business partners in Thailand

The corporate paperwork of said Thai company (business registration, business license, shareholder list, company profile, details of business activity, VAT registration, tax balance sheet, and location map)

…And the Same Goes for Your Thai Work Visa

A B-visa national who will be taking up gainful employment in Thailand needs a slightly different array of paperwork:

A letter of approval from the Ministry of Labor (obtained by the Thai employer from the Office of Foreign Workers Administration)

A letter of invitation from a Thai company allowed employing foreigners

Employment contract

CV, educational records, and references from previous employers

the corporate paperwork of their employer in Thailand (business registration, business license, shareholder list, company profile, details of business activity, list of foreign staff, location map, tax balance sheet, alien income tax return, and VAT registration)

Please note that there are different regulations for each visa category and that requirements can change according to your nationality, the country you are applying from, and the purpose of your stay. For further details, please always contact the Thai Embassy or Consulate.

Most non-immigrant visas are initially valid for 90 days. Then you have to apply for temporary work permit at the Department of Employment or the local Employment Office. You also need an extension of stay from the Office of Immigration Bureau or one of its local branches.

[Source: https://www.internations.org/thailand-expats/guide/moving-to-thailand-15513/visas-and-registration-in-thailand-3]