Working in Thailand: the non-immigrant visa, the work permit, and the documents that must be translated
In short
A visa and a work permit are two separate approvals in Thailand. The visa is issued by a Thai embassy or consulate, or through the Thai e-Visa system, and allows you to seek entry for a stated purpose. The work permit is issued by the Department of Employment and allows you to work in a named position for a named employer. Holding a non-immigrant visa alone does not authorise work. Foreign personal and corporate documents submitted in support usually need a complete translation, and in many cases legalisation by the issuing country's embassy in Thailand followed by the Department of Consular Affairs before a Thai authority will accept them.
Who this applies to
- • Foreign nationals taking up employment with a Thai-registered employer.
- • Directors, shareholders and staff transferred into a Thai entity or branch.
- • Employers and HR teams preparing supporting files on behalf of foreign staff.
- • Anyone renewing a permission to stay whose end date must remain aligned with a work permit.
Documents to prepare
- • Passport with sufficient remaining validity, plus the pages showing entry and current permission to stay
- • Degree certificates, transcripts and professional licences relied on for the position
- • Employment contract or letter of appointment naming the position and workplace
- • Company documents of the employer, such as registration and shareholder records
- • Criminal record certificate where the position or authority asks for one
- • Complete translations of any document not in Thai, prepared for the receiving authority
Step by step
1. Confirm the visa category before applying
Employment, business activity, teaching and intra-company transfer are treated differently. Applying under the wrong category usually means restarting the process, so confirm the category with the Thai embassy or the e-Visa system that will handle the application.
2. Legalise foreign documents in the correct order
Documents issued abroad are normally certified by the issuing country's embassy in Thailand first, then legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs. Doing this out of order is the most common reason a file is returned.
3. Have every non-Thai document translated in full
Translations must reproduce the whole document, including seals, endorsements and handwritten entries, with the name spelled exactly as in the passport.
4. Apply for the visa, then the work permit
The work permit application is lodged with the Department of Employment by or with the employer once the appropriate visa status is in place.
5. Keep the permission to stay and the work permit aligned
Extensions of stay are handled by the Immigration Bureau and are separate from the work permit. Track both end dates and start each renewal well before expiry.
Points to watch
- • Assuming a business visa by itself permits work.
- • Name spelling in a translation that differs from the passport or from other documents in the same file.
- • Degree or licence documents submitted without the transcript or supplement the authority also asks for.
- • Letting the permission to stay expire while the work permit is still being processed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a work permit while on a tourist visa?
Requirements are set by the Department of Employment and the Immigration Bureau, and they distinguish between visa categories. Check the current published conditions before making travel or employment plans rather than relying on general accounts online.
Do my degree certificates need to be translated?
If they are not in Thai, a complete translation is normally required, and many authorities also want the document legalised before the translation is accepted.
Does the work permit follow me if I change employer?
A work permit names the employer, position and workplace. A change generally requires action with the Department of Employment; do not assume the existing permit carries over.
How long does the process take?
Processing times differ between embassies, provincial labour offices and immigration offices, and they change. Ask the office handling your file, or contact us by phone, LINE or email and we will help you plan the document set.
Related pages
Official source
Content last reviewed: August 2026