Frequently Asked Questions

As a businessman, I need to travel a lot. I have to go to Thailand very frequently on business. Is there any facility for frequent business travellers like me?

You can apply for multiple-entry business visa which would allow you to travel to Thailand as frequently as you want while the visa remains valid, and you would be permitted to stay for a period of not exceeding 90 days on each visit.

You can find more information on the basic requirements for visa application at www.mfa.go.th. To ensure that your application will be conveniently processed, kindly check with the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General at which you are to submit the application for more details.

I want to work in Thailand. How should I go about getting necessary visa?

In order to work in Thailand, there are 2 important elements:

• Non-Immigrant-B Visa
• Work Permit

First of all, you need to have a prospective employer in Thailand. Then you may apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa category? B? (business) at the this Embassy, submitting required documents and recommendation letter from your employer along with your companies business certifications as suggested in the website (www.mfa.go.th).

Once you have obtained such visa, you can enter the Kingdom and therefore apply for a Work Permit from the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour. In order to expedite visa issuance, your employer may, on your behalf, apply for the Work Permit in advance (with the form called Tor Thor 3). The Department of Employment will then issue a pre-approved certificate to be used in your visa application. In such case, please make sure to obtain the Work Permit (Tor Thor 2) once you arrive in Thailand.

I have obtained a tourist visa from the Honorary Thai Consulate-General. They forgot to include a date of expiry in the visa. I had trouble at the airport but fortunately the Immigration officer allowed me to enter. Now I want to extend my stay but the Immigration Office insisted that they cannot permit the extension unless the visa is fixed. What should I do?

In this case, please bring your passport to the Visa Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Chaengwattana Road in Bangkok. If the visa is genuine, you can obtain any corrections or amendments of visa there.

I am an Indian and I just finished my study in Bangkok. Now I want to work with a company in Chiang Mai. Do I need to do anything?

You need to apply for a change of visa status, and apply for a Work Permit. You are therefore recommended to consult with the Immigration Office and the Department of Employment accordingly.

Please give me some advice. I am a bit confused. I am going to visit Thailand for pleasure with my family. I already got a Thai tourist visa. I understand from what is written in the visa stamp that the visa is valid for 3 months. Does it mean that I can stay in Thailand for 3 months?

That is not a correct understanding. The validity of visa and the duration of stay are not the same. The 3-month validity of the visa means that you must use the visa within 3 months from the date of issue. The duration of stay is the period in which you are permitted to stay in the Kingdom granted by the Immigration Officer once you arrive in Thailand that is usually, 30-60 days from the date of entry.

I came to Thailand with a single-entry business visa, and I have been permitted to stay for 90 days until the end of next month. I was just asked by my boss to attend an urgent meeting in Singapore for several days starting from the day after tomorrow. I still have business to do in Thailand after that though. Do I need to get another visa?

Before you leave Thailand for Singapore, you may apply for a re-entry permit from the Immigration Office. You are able to do that at any International Airport too. The re-entry permit will allow you to enter the Kingdom again before the end of next month. The permit will also enable you to stay until the end of next month, unless you get an extension of stay from the Immigration Office.

I heard that Thailand is a nice place to stay after retirement. Is there any special kind of visa for retirees?

Yes, there is special visa called Non-immigrant? O-A? (Long Stay). Foreigners who are 50 years of age or older who wish to stay in Thailand for a long period and do not have any intention to work in the Kingdom may apply for such visa at the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their respective country. The holder of? O-A? Visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry, and is also able to apply for an extension of stay afterwards. Please see the qualifications and requirements for application and relevant information in the website (www.mfa.go.th).

I have been in Thailand since last week with a multiple-entry business visa. I happened to lose my passport yesterday. What should I do?

First, you need to go to a police station for a report of the loss. Then you need to go to your Embassy in Bangkok for an issuance of new passport or temporary travel document. Finally, please bring the new passport or travel document to the Immigration Office for an endorsement.

In case that your country does not have an Embassy in Bangkok, please contact the Visa and Travel Documents Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Chaengwattana Road in Bangkok, to apply for the Emergency Certificate (EC). You then need to bring the EC to the Immigration Office for endorsement before leaving the Kingdom.

How old do I have to be, in order to apply for a retirement Visa in Thailand?

50 years or above. You can contact us before you turn 50, but remember that we will only be able to submit your application after you have hit the 50-year mark.

Are there any financial criteria that I need to fulfil, before I can apply for the Visa?

Yes. You need to keep a security deposit of THB 800,000 in a Thai bank account for at least 2 months, before you can submit your application. Otherwise, the combination of the amount of money in your Thai bank account and your total yearly income must exceed THB 800,000.

What proofs of deposit do I need before I apply for the Visa?

You need an updated bank book or passbook, of course. Also, you need a letter from the bank confirming that your security deposit remained there for 2 months or longer.

Apart from financial documents, is there any other document that I might need?

Usually, no. However, in certain special cases, an official from the Thai consulate or embassy may ask for a police clearance and a medical certificate. These documents are not difficult to obtain, however, and should not prove to be too much of a hassle.

Do I have to get my application for retirement processed in Thailand?

Not necessarily. You can get it processed in your home country by contacting your local Thai embassy or consulate. They will transfer it to Thailand on their own.

I have got my visa. Can I get my personal effects parcelled to me now?

Of course you can, but keep in mind that you will have to pay import duties on all of them.

After I get my visa and start staying in Thailand, is there any legal formality I need to take care of?

Yes. Every 90 days, you need to show up at the immigration office or send them a mail, informing them about your present residential address. If you are outside Thailand during the time when you have to send the information, you can do so after you return. There won’t be any legal issue regarding that.