Visas

There are many visa types, and it is not our purpose here to discuss visa types, except as is relevant to your company.

After your company has been set up, it is much easier to get nonimmigrant visas.

After you have been in business for 1 year, then you can apply for a visa for one year at a time instead of needing to do frequent visa runs across borders. Instead, we might be doing monthly visa runs to the immigration office to temporarily extend your visa until it is approved, as the approval process often takes months, especially the first time. It is advisable to employ an experienced lawyer to handle this matter and save you time.

You actually apply for a 3 month visa (usually a nonimmigrant class B) before returning to Thailand, then go to the immigration office inside Thailand to have this 3 month visa extended to 1 year.

To do this, you will need:

1. Personal passport with valid visa, and 2 photocopies of ID page and visa page each
2. Personal work permit and 2 photocopies
3. Company VAT tax registration
4. Company balance sheet
5. Company audited books
6. Proof of salary from your company, minimum 35,000 baht/month
7. TM7 immigration extension form

Whether you are approved or rejected depends upon the immigration officer's judgement, and we can advise you on what you should do. However, if you are attempting to do all of this by yourself, then you should also bring 2 copies of the following, in case they request it:

• Company registration, banking and other company documentation
• Map to your office
• Copy of at least 7 employees' IDs and house registrations
• Company workers plan
• Copies of your personal bank book(s) and any other financial papers
• Copies of your personal tax ID
• Educational degrees, certificates and other impressive documentation
• Employment history and references
• Letters of support from trusted Thai entities such as your provincial mayor
• Anything else you think may be relevant, considering your kind of business

The immigration office has the right to inspect your office.

If you are denied a visa extension, there is no formal appeal. You must exit before your visa expires, though you can re-enter with a new visa. If you are denied, you can reapply after you remedy the areas that the immigration office has cited, and the immigration office then has the option of reconsidering your application.

The locations of two immigration offices used commonly:

BANGKOK Immigration Department
The Royal Thai Police Department
507 Soi Suan Phlu, S. Sathorn Rd.
Bangkok 10120
Tel: 02-287-3101/10, Fax: 02-287-1310

Chiang Mai Immigration Office
Airport Rd
Muang Chiangmai 50200
Tel 053-277510, 053-282532

You should go to the immigration office in your province.