Immigration to Thailand

There are many people interested in immigration to Thailand from all over the globe due to many reasons. Depending on the country of origin the procedure and requirements for relocation might differ in great measure. With a very international population, Thailand accommodates yearly an increasing number of foreigners who decide to move to this country. People who want to move to Thailand can apply for various types of residence cards.

Our attorneys in Thailand can offer you legal assistance in the preparation of your application for a visa and residence permit. We are also at your service with services for immigration to Bangkok.

Who needs a Visa for Thailand?

Thanks to the existing bilateral agreements signed between Thailand and other countries, citizens from 55 states, including most of the European countries, do not need a visa in order to enter Thai territory. However, these provisions apply for temporary stays for no longer than 30 days, and for people whose main purpose in coming to Thailand is tourism. 

If you are planning for immigration to Thailand and stay in this country for a long period of time, you will need to fill an application for obtaining a non-immigrant visa. There are particular visa types configured for each category of relocation purpose. A person who wants to move to Thailand to invest in the country will apply for a B (business) visa, student for ED (education) visa. One of our Thai lawyers can help you fill the application and indicate to you the Thai authorities you need to address for obtaining your Thai visa. 

If you want to immigrate to Thailand, our lawyers can guide you on the available types of visas. We are also at your disposal if you decide on Nonthaburi immigration. Furthermore, you are also welcome to reach out to our agents if you need information about immigration to Thailand as a retiree. The most common type of visa for retirees is the non-immigrant 0-A, which is available to foreign nationals over 50 who want to reside in Thailand for up to a year without seeking employment there. On the date of the expiration of the previous year, this type of visa is renewed. 

Kinds of visas in Thailand

Thailand offers diplomatic, official, tourist, sports, business, research, religion, education, transit, investment through ministry, and other types of visas. The visa system of Thailand is divided into three categories. People of the first category need to apply for a visa before immigration to Thailand. The people of the second category may obtain a visa on arrival at international airports in Thailand or at some immigration border checkpoints. While the third category includes those people who are mostly from developed countries and exempted from Thailand visa requirements. These people are allowed to visit Thailand as tourists for not more than 30 days. The ministerial law defines nine types of visas, some of which are issued to individuals who wish to relocate to Thailand for permanent residency, some types of visas are only issued to holders of diplomatic passports and the remaining types of visas are issued to those aspirants who enter in Thailand for a temporary stay.

Different visa holders are entitled to different rights in the kingdom depending upon their stay. The visa fee varies accordingly, so please get in touch with our immigration lawyersin Thailand for details about this matter and personalized Thai immigration services.

If you are interested in immigration to Bangkok, our local lawyers can assist you. Aslo, after relocation, if you are looking for assistance to get a residency permit in Thailand, get help from our specialists. In Thailand, obtaining a permanent residence permit also referred to as a residence visa or permanent visa which involves a challenging process. The benefits of obtaining one, however, outweigh the time, money, and effort required to go through the difficult procedure.  

Business visa

You will need to obtain a business visa if you want to do business legally in Thailand. This visa is also called a Non-immigrant business visa. With this visa, you can open a bank account and get a work permit but you still need to do a visa run every three months.

If you want to immigrate to Thailand based on a business visa, our specialists can help you apply for it.

Non-immigrant visa

This is a single entry visa valid for three months. You can extend your stay just like a tourist visa. After obtaining a non-immigrant visa in Thailand a person can open a bank account and obtain a work permit. However, Thai authorities also offer one-year non-immigrant visas with multiple entries. It is valid for 1 year, with this visa you can stay up to 90 days per entry by having your visa stamped at the immigration authority every 90 days (visa run).

If you want to immigrate to Thailand, you can trust the services of our Thailand lawyers. They will help you to obtain the appropriate visa as per your relocation plan.

Tourist visa

For those individuals who temporarily want to relocate to Thailand, a tourist visa is an option. This is a 60 days visa that can either be based upon multiple or single entries. You can extend the term of this visa to another 30 days utilizing a visa run. But if you want to extend the term more than 30 days, you will be required to convert the tourist visa into a non-immigrant visa.

We are also at your disposal if you are interested in immigration to Bangkok.

Thai elite visa

This is a long-term visa categorized under Privilege Entry Visa, which allows residency in Thailand along with benefits. This visa could be for businessmen or investors who fly in or fly out of Thailand several times a year, retirees who do not want to deal with the complicated visa regulations, or those digital nomads who do not want to do visa runs regularly. So, you can move to Thailand for a long period between 5 to 20 years depending upon the package you choose in exchange for a membership fee. The Thai elite visa is a 5-year renewable visa that allows multiple entries. It also offers an extendable stay of 1 year per entry.

We can also offer details on Nonthaburi immigration to those who want to move here.

Documents required for obtaining Thai visas

There are different lists of documents required for different visas accordingly. For instance, if you are applying for a work visa, your documents would be different from the applicant applying for a study visa. Our Thai lawyers can help you collect and submit required documents efficiently because the process of documents submission is crucial, and any negligence may lead to the rejection of visa applications. So, if you are ready for immigration to Thailand, you can trust the detailed legal services of our lawyers in this regard. You can also find below a general documentation guide to some of the Thai visas.

Documents required for a marriage visa

If you are a foreign male applicant who plans to relocate to Thailand on a marriage visa, you must prepare at least two sets of the following documents:

• Valid passport;
• Non-immigrant visa;
• Certificate of marriage and family certificate, if from abroad, these documents must be certified by the embassy;
• The applicant’s income or pension must be certified by the consulate or embassy in Thailand;
• The applicant must show proof of at least 400,000 Baht income per month;
• Letter from a Thai bank proving the presence of at least 400,000 Baht 2 months before, bank book, and ATM slip on date of application;
• The ID of the Thai wife;
• Children’s birth certificate;
• Thai wife’s house registration;
• Family photo;
• Map to home.

This is the general idea of the required documents; if you still have any questions about marriage visa documentation, you can get in touch with our immigration lawyers in Thailand. They will provide you with comprehensive assistance regarding the matter of moving to Thailand.

After immigration to Thailand, you can get legal help from experienced lawyers if you want to establish a representative office here. 

We can also offer tailored support for Nonthaburi immigration.

Documents required for a volunteer visa

If you want to immigrate to Thailand under a volunteer visa, you are suggested to prepare at least two sets of the following documents:

• A valid passport;
• Non-immigrant visa;
• Work permit;
• An official letter from the concerned government department;
• A letter to support from the foreign private organization or a public charity organization;
• A letter that must be formatted the immigration bureau’s standard explain the activities performed by the applicant on behalf of a public charity organization;
• Organization chart;
• Report the annual process;
• Organization map.

If you are planning to migrate to Thailand and need information about the list of documents according to your visa type, you can get legal support from our skilled lawyers. They can provide you with customized legal backing.

In addition to this, you can also get legal services from our lawyers if you want to protect your intellectual property in this country. They can introduce you to legal ways to protect your intellectual property from any infringement. 

Permanent relocation in Thailand 

The following step in your relocation, after obtaining a visa, is to apply for a permanent residence permit in Thailand. The requirements include registration with the Immigration Bureau, for which you must prepare a copy of your passport, and proof that you already obtained a non-immigrant visa. You will have to pass as well an interview, which will check your knowledge of the Thai language and some background information concerning your identity.

There is a limited number of applications that receive approval each year, so it is recommendable to start your application early. After you obtain a residence permit in Thailand, you will receive a red book, which is the equivalent of an ID card in Thailand. You might need to show as well that you have found accommodation in this country and that you have enough financial means to sustain yourself in Thailand. 

Feel free to interact withour Thai law firm in order to start your application for a residence permit in this country, based on which you are allowed to relocate to Thailand. 

Requirements after visa issuance

To carry out the plan of immigration to Thailand, an individual must possess a copy of a recent bank statement of US$700 and if it is a family that is immigrating to Thailand, the copy of a recent bank statement should be US$1500. Those individuals who immigrate to Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme must possess adequate cash of approximately US$600 while a family must possess an approximate amount of US$1200. 
The amount could be in any major currency and if anyone fails to comply with this requirement, he/she will be denied to enter Thailand at the port of entry by the Thai immigration authority.

Our law firm in Thailand provides its legal services to the people throughout the process of immigration. If you are ready for immigration to Thailand, you can rely on our legal services.

Quarantine obligations in Thailand for travelers  

Please find below the list of individuals who will be required to fulfill a mandatory quarantine period after moving to Thailand:

• Diplomats;
• Non-immigrant B visa holders;
• Non-immigrant O visa holders;
• OA and OX retirement visa holders;
• Thai marriage visa holders;
• Medical tourists and their attendants;
• Students and their guardians;
• Elite visa holders;
• APEC Cardholders;
• Work permit holders, including their families;
• Experts or business representatives invited by the Thai government;
• Migrant workers with official documents.

Starting October 1, 2021, the required quarantine period is seven days for the vaccinated travelers and ten days for unvaccinated travelers, whether they are Thais or non-Thais. In addition, it is necessary to undergo quarantine in accredited hotels because home quarantine is not allowed. Thailand is taking all these preventive measures for the locals and the foreigners, who are planning immigration to Thailand to provide them with a safe and Covid-19 virus-free healthy environment. 

Alternative state quarantine (ASQ) is a process of state quarantine in Bangkok where travelers stay at their own expense for a required time. However, if you are a foreigner, you can get different alternative state quarantine packages. These packages are launched by the hospitals and the hotels that have been approved by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Defense. 

Do not hesitate to enquire about our services if you decide to immigrate to Thailand.

Thai elite visas issued in Thailand (2018)

The following statistics show the number of Thai elite visas issued in 2018 by type:

• Thailand issued 56% elite easy access visas in 2018;
• The Thai elite residence program provides options of 5, 10, and 20 years privilege entry visas to applicants with a range of VIP benefits;

You can contact our Thailand law firm without any hesitation if you are interested in any type of Thai visa program. We will provide our legal services throughout the process of your immigration to Thailand.