Working in Thailand
The visa needed, if any, to travel to Thailand for business purposes is determined by the employee’s home country, duration of stay, and the type of work being done in the country.
Foreign nationals who hold an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) with a “THA” code and foreign nationals from certain countries, including Argentina, Australia, France, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States are allowed to enter Thailand for short-term business or personal travel for 14, 30, or 90 days, depending on home country.
For longer-term business stays, employees will need to apply for and secure a visa and work authorization.
Processing times can very based on the time of year and type of visa, so make sure your company factors processing time into the timeline for sending a foreign national to work in Thailand. There are several types of work passes and permits for Thailand, but we’ve listed some common ones below.
Types of Visas
- Tourist Visa
- Non-Immigrant Visa
- Non-Immigrant Visa B (business and work)
- Non-Immigrant Visa B-A (business approved)
- Non-Immigration Visa IB (investment and business)
- Three Year Non-Immigrant Visa B (business only)
- Non-Immigrant Visa M
It’s very important to note that Thai visa policy often changes significantly with no notice. For help figuring out which visa your company needs for employees to work in Thailand, click below to download our Thailand Information Sheet or click here to set up a consultation