Im an American working in Qatar. I am trying to start an Amity company in Thailand. My lawyer says I need to get a 90 day non B imm visa so he can process my paperwork for my company. There is a Thai consulate here in Qatar... How do I obtain this visa? Thank you.

Here is a link for the information you require on obtaing a Non immigrant Category 'B' Visa:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Your Thai Lawyer really should know all this stuff and advise you accordingly.

Your lawyer should actually be providing the needed documents to obtain a Non B visa as you will need certain company documents. Any lawyer that does not understand the Non B visa process is probably a poor choice for help starting a Amity Treaty company.

My lawyer knows it all, I just wanted to gather peoples experiences and see what is waiting ahead of me... I am a guy who worries a lot hahaha.

My lawyer knows it all, I just wanted to gather peoples experiences and see what is waiting ahead of me... I am a guy who worries a lot hahaha.

change lawyers - a B visa is not necessary to start a company.

My lawyer knows it all, I just wanted to gather peoples experiences and see what is waiting ahead of me... I am a guy who worries a lot hahaha.

change lawyers - a B visa is not necessary to start a company.

Correct...it seems strange that the OP has retained and paying for a lawyer who knows everything, but yet still asking for "legal" advice on an internet forum...

Edited June 1, 201313 yr by Soutpeel

I am only talking with a lawyer now, I have just started the process... I have not paid anyone a dime.

And no, he did not say "a B visa is necessary to start a company"... He said I should get a B visa so I can stay 90 days while he does the amity paperwork, and he can change it to a WP.

I was just trying to gather information, that is all... I wanted to hear form other peoples experiences.

I am only talking with a lawyer now, I have just started the process... I have not paid anyone a dime.

And no, he did not say "a B visa is necessary to start a company"... He said I should get a B visa so I can stay 90 days while he does the amity paperwork, and he can change it to a WP.

I was just trying to gather information, that is all... I wanted to hear form other peoples experiences.

an advice for doing business in Thailand: cross check all information you get (including from the lawyer) and be very precise and exact in your descriptions and questions.

Descriptions like "My lawyer says I need to get a 90 day non B imm visa so he can process my paperwork for my company." are not going to cut it.

Do not trust your lawyer or others to handle everything correctly for you, double check everything (in a friendly non-inquisitive manner that allows to save the other people's face).

Company and employment are two different things, and work permit and B Visa are two different things also, there is no "changing a B Visa into a work permit".

To make the company, no special visa is needed, you can also be made a director of the company while not holding a B visa.

In fact, it is easier to obtain a B visa if you already have a company. B visas are obtained at Thai consular offices if you present them with enough "proof" that you intend to do business in Thailand.

I would even advise you to create the company first and obtain the B visa later, because it will give you more time to proceed with all the formalities to obtain work permit and one year B visa.

To apply for a work permit, your lawyer will need to submit a lot of documentation that includes proof of employment of 1 to 4 Thai nationals - depending on how "good" your lawyer's relations with the labor department are (!).

Your company will need to register for the social fund, and the office will get inspected. or not. (!)

Later, the company will need to register for VAT es well, although this is not 100% necessary at the start of the business.

To issue a one year B visa extension, most immigration offices will also want to inspect your offices and, depending on location, expect to find between 2 and 4 Thai nationals working there... if there is an inspection at all (!)

Edited June 2, 201313 yr by manarak