Types and Issuance of Thai Visas

1. Transit Visa

1. Requirements:
This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for the following purposes:
•    to travel in transit through the Kingdom in order to proceed to the country of destination or to re-enter his/her own country (category “TS”)
•    to participate in sports activities (sportsmen, sportswomen, etc.)(category “S”) Those who are scheduled to stay in the Kingdom longer than one month , Non-Immigrant Visa category “O” can be issued to them
•    the person in charge or crew of a conveyance coming to a port, station or area in the Kingdom (category “C”)

2. Documents Required
•    Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
•    Visa application form completely filled out
•    Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
•    Evidence of travel from Thailand (confirmed air ticket paid in full)
•    Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
•    Visa of a third country in a passport or travel document
•    Letter of invitation stating the application’s participation in sports activities in the Kingdom
•    Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

3. Visa Fee
800 Baht per entry (Visa fee may be changed without prior notice)

4. Validity of a Visa
The validity of a visa is three months.

5. Period of Stay
Travelers coming to Thailand with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period not exceeding 30 days.

6. Extension of Stay
Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change their type of visa must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel 02 287-3101-10 (or at www.immigration.go.th ). The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer.

7. Additional Requirements
Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the designated Thai Embassy. Therefore, travelers are advised to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate-General to find out where they may apply for a visa to Thailand before departure.

2. Tourist Visa

1. Requirement
This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes .

2. Documents Required
Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
•    Visa application form completely filled out
•    Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
•    Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)
•    Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family)
•    Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

3. Visa Fee
1,000 Baht per entry (Visa fee may be changed without prior notice)

4. Validity of a Visa
The validity of a visa is 3 months or 6 months.

5. Period of Stay
Upon arrival, travelers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days or 60 days.
Nationals of countries which are on Thailand’s Tourist Visa Exemption list or have  bilateral agreements on visa exemption with Thailand  will be permitted to stay for a period of not exceeding 60 days.  Nationals from other countries  who hold  a tourist visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days.

6. Extension of Stay
Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change their type of visa must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel 02 287-3101-10 (or at www.immigration.go.th ). The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer..

7. Additional Requirements
Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the designated Thai Embassy. Therefore, travelers are advised to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate-General to find out where they may apply for a visa to Thailand before departure.

3. Non-Immigrant Visa

1. Requirements
This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for the following purposes:
•    to perform official duties (Category “F”)
•    to conduct business / to work (Category “B”)
•    to invest with the concurrence of the Thai Ministries and Government Departments concerned (Category “IM”)
•    to invest or perform other activities relating to investment, subject to the provision of the established laws on investment promotion (Category “IB”)
•    to study, to come on a work study tour or observation tour , to participate in projects or seminars , to attend a conference or training course , to study as a foreign Buddhist monk (Category “ED”)
•    to work as a film-producer, journalist or reporter (Category “M”)
•    to perform missionary work or other religious activities with the concurrence of the Thai Ministries or Government Departments concerned (Category “R”)
•    to conduct scientific research or training or teaching in a research institute (Category “RS”)
•    to undertake skilled work or to work as an expert or specialist (Category “EX”)
•    other activities (Category “O”) as follows: to stay with the family, to perform duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

2. Documents Required
2.1 The applicants must submit the following relevant documents depending on the purpose of their visit.
•    Visa application form completely filled out
•    Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months. The validity of 18 months is required for one year visa application.
•    (4 x 6 cm) protograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months
•    Evidence of adequate finance ( 20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
•    Birth Certificate (“O”)
•    Certificate of Marriage or its equivalents (“O”)
•    Transcript / Letter of acceptance from the concerned schools/universities or institutes (“ED”)
•    Letter from Thailand’s Board of Investment. (“IB”)
•    Official Note certifying the purpose of travel from the Government Agencies /Embassies and Consulates / International Organizations / State Enterprises in Thailand. (“F” / “B” / “ED” / “M” / “R”) – Letter of approval from the Ministry of Labour (To obtain this letter, the prospective employer in Thailand is required to submit Form WP3 at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour Tel 02-2452745, 02-2453209 or at a Provincial Employment Office in the respective province. Further information is available at www.doe.go.th/workpermit/index.html) (“B”)
•    Letter from a company stating the objective of the visit to Thailand (“B”)
•    Document showing correspondence with trading partners in Thailand. (“B”)
•    Letter of invitation from companies qualified to employ foreigners. (“B”)
•    Employment contract indicating rationale for employing the applicant as well as his/her salary, position and qualifications (document must be signed by authorized managing director and affixed the seal of the company) (“B”)
•    Copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour (only in case the applicant has previously worked in the Kingdom ) (“B”)
•    Copy of corporate documents; namely 1) list of shareholders 2) business registration and business license 3) company profile 4) details of business operation 5) list of foreign workers stating names, nationalities and positions 6) map indicating the location of the company 7) Balance sheet, statement of Income Tax and Business Tax (Por Ngor Dor 50 and Por Ngor Dor 30) of the latest year 8) Alien income tax return (Por Ngor Dor 91) and 9) Value-added tax registration (Por Ngor Dor 20), etc.(“B”)
•    Copy of educational records of the applicant and letters of recommendation from the prior employers, identifying job description and length of service time. (“B”)
•    Document indicating the number of foreign tourists (for tourism business only) ,or document indicating export transactions issued by banks (for export business only)(“B”)

2.2 The document to be submitted for non-immigrant visa application is contingent upon necessities and appropriateness of purposes stated in the application form.
2.3 Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary.
2.4 Copies of company documents must be signed by Board of Directors and affixed the seal of the company.
2.5 In the absence of a required document, a letter explaining the unavailability of such document must be provided.
2.6 The applicant must sign on each page of the copy.
2.7 Documents in foreign languages must be translated into Thai. If translated into English, it should be notarized by notary organs or the applicant’s diplomatic/ consular mission.

3. Visa Fee
2,000 Baht for single entry and 5,000 Baht for multiple entries.

4. Validity of a Visa
Single-entry and multiple-entry visas are valid for three months. Multiple-entry visas could also be valid for one year.

5. Period of Stay
The holders of this type of visa are initially granted a period of stay in the Kingdom not exceeding 90 days unless otherwise instructed by the Office of Immigration Bureau.

6. Extension of Stay
Those qualified persons can obtain an additional one year stay permit counting from the date of entry in the Kingdom pertaining to the Office of the Immigration Bureau’s regulations on extension of stay. The extension of stay is at the discretion of the Immigration officer.
N.B. Applicants wishing to stay in the Kingdom longer than 90 days have to file their application either at the Thai consular mission aboard or at the Office of Immigration Bureau in Bangkok located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road,Bangkok 10120 , Tel 02 287-3101-10 (or website at (http://www.immgration.go.th ) . The consular officer must refer the case to the Office of Immigration Bureau for approval. Upon receiving approval, the consular officer may issue the visa as instructed by the Bureau

7. Additional Requirements
Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the designated Thai Embassy. Therefore, travelers are advised to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate-General to find out where they may apply for a visa to Thailand before departure.

4. Diplomatic/ Official Visa

•    Upon official request, Thai Embassies and Consulates-General may grant visas to diplomatic or official passport-holders who wish to assume duties at a foreign Diplomatic Mission or Consulate or International Organization in the Kingdom and to their family members.
•    Supporting documents are Note Verbal and/or documents issued by the foreign government or international organization, certifying the identity of the person concerned and his/her purposes while residing in the Kingdom.

5. Courtesy Visa

•    Upon official request, Thai Embassies and Consulates-General may grant courtesy visas to diplomatic/official/ordinary passport-holders who wish to enter the Kingdom on official duty and/or other purposes.
•    Supporting documents are documents issued by the governmental agency, foreign government or international organization, certifying the identity of the person concerned and his/her purposes while visiting the Kingdom.