Visa

[scotsman13]

hi all,

i need to get a business visa, where do i get one ,what do i need for this and does it cost anything

thanks

[beechguy]

You need to apply at a Thai Consulate outside of Thailand, you would need documentation from a company offering you a position or requesting to do business with you, a single entry would be 1,000 Baht or the equivelant.

[lopburi3]

A business visa would be a non immigrant B and paperwork will depend on what you want it for - if to visit country for business reasons that would be a request on your company letterhead and cost will be over 2,000 baht in local currency for a single 90 day entry. You can not actually work in Thailand without a work permit but this will allow travel/negations/buying and such.

[bobl]

Scotsman13

They're apparently as rare as hen's teeth but according to both the RT Embassy in London and MFA in Thailand you can still try for a multiple entry, 1 year or 3 year business visa. You don't say how long you're planning to stay or how often you plan to come but if it's more than 3 months / once, you could ask about those.

General consensus is that these visas are either no longer available or next to impossible to obtain - but trust me it's well worth checking.

With the above visa, you get max 90 days per stay so you have to do a "border run" if staying over 90 days.

There's a law firm in bkk that claims to be able to get you a 1 year business visa that doesn't require you to exit every 90 days - for a hefty fee... (80,000 baht I think)

[scotsman13]

thanks for all your help.

i have been offered a job,in a double glazing firm as a supervisor in pattaya.

the guy who has offered me the job,said his lawyer says his firm can employ me.he says he will be sending me a invaition to join his firm.

i must get a business visa though.

you said they are hard to get .do you know why this is

thanks

[lopburi3]

Because for work you should not need a multi entry visa - a single entry and then extend stay at Immigration with company paperwork is the normal procedure. Multi entry is what business travelers need - not what most employees need. More general reason is many people fraudulently attempt to obtain longer stay visas when not authorized; just as is true for most countries.

[bobl]

You only need the long term business visa I mentioned if you're coming to do business in Thailand, which doesn't necessarily mean working here. You could be coming in and out for meetings, representing yourself or your company. You could be coming in and out making purchases and exporting them to your little bric-a-brac shop in Auchtermuchty, there's any number of things you can be doing legally on a business visa - but working isn't one of them...

They make it harder to get these visas because they're so easy to abuse. Thailand is a very attractive place for the types who like to pitch up broke, and work their way through an extended "vacation", picking up odd jobs for food, drink and pocket money. Expecially in places like Pattaya and Phuket...

You're far more likely to be granted a business visa if you pitch up in a suit with some relevant paperwork. Jeans and a T shirt, with a guitar slung over your shoulder and a "I heart Thai chics" hat is unlikely to give you any mileage.

But to get back to the subject - in your case you should get a 90 day single entry business visa based on your invitation letter from your employer, then probably use the one stop service center in Bangkok to get your long term visa (visa, re-entry permits for your trips back home, work permit etc) sorted out.

It sounds like maybe 2.3 would apply to you and your employer (from http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/49)

2. Foreigners who are eligible to apply for visa extension and work permits at the One Stop Service Centre are:

(1) Foreigner who is an executive or expert with privileges accorded to them by the following laws:

- Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977)

- Petroleum Act B.E. 2514 (1971)

- Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Act B.E. 2522 (1979)

(2) Foreigner who is an investor.

- If investing not less than 2 million Baht, he or she will be granted a 1 year permit.

- If investing not less than 10 million Baht, he or she will be granted a 2 year permit.

(3) Foreigner who is an executive or expert.

- Foreigner’s associated company should be registered with capital or possess asset

of not less than 30 million Baht.

[digitalchromakey]

thanks for all your help.

i have been offered a job,in a double glazing firm as a supervisor in pattaya.

the guy who has offered me the job,said his lawyer says his firm can employ me.he says he will be sending me a invaition to join his firm.

i must get a business visa though.

you said they are hard to get .do you know why this is

thanks

Your future employer's lawyer is confusing the issue by referring to a Business Visa.

As you plan to work in Thailand you should apply for a Non Immigrant B Visa for the purposes of employment in Thailand.

Whether you can get a one year multiple or 90 day signle entry depends to a large extent on where you apply, for example at a Thai Consulate in the S.E. Asia region without a current Thai Work Permit you will only get a single entry Non Immigrant B, whereas elsewhere in the world at a small Thai Honarary Consulate you may well get a one year multiple with just the invitation letter and a few other company papers.

Your new employer may not meet the conditions for a Visa Entry Stamp Permission to be extended within Thailand, so check with them first; it may be worth while getting a one year non B allowing you 90 day stays with runs to the border and back to get another 90 days - this can give you up to 15 months stay in Thailand before you require a new non B visa, or an in country Extension of Permission to Stay ayt your local Thai Immigartion Department..