Last updated: 19 July 2026

If you intend to take up employment with a Thai company, the Non-Immigrant B visa is usually one part of a wider process. It supports entry and lawful stay for the stated purpose, but it is not a work permit and does not, by itself, authorise you to begin working.

For a standard employer-sponsored application, the practical sequence is commonly: confirm that the proposed employment and Thai employer are suitable, obtain the Department of Employment approval commonly called WP.32, apply for the correct Non-Immigrant B visa through an eligible Thai mission, enter Thailand, and complete the work permit process. Each stage has its own decision-maker and requirements.

What Is a Thailand Non-Immigrant B Visa?

A Thailand Non-Immigrant B visa is a visa category used for qualifying business and employment purposes. The correct supporting evidence depends on what the applicant will actually do in Thailand. A person attending meetings or exploring an investment may need a different evidence set from a person joining a Thai employer and performing day-to-day duties.

For employment, the visa is normally used to enter Thailand in the appropriate immigration category before the work permit process is completed. Admission remains subject to the Immigration officer at the port of entry, and the period of stay is determined by the entry stamp.

Business Visit or Employment: Choose the Route by What You Will Do

The purpose stated in an application should match the activities planned in Thailand. A short visit for meetings, negotiations or investment discussions is not the same as joining the management team, supervising employees, delivering services or performing regular operational duties.

The job title alone is not conclusive. Authorities may consider the actual responsibilities, the Thai entity, the commercial activity, the proposed workplace and the supporting employment arrangements. When the intention is ongoing employment, selecting a general business-visit route because it appears simpler can create problems at the work permit or extension stage.

Before choosing the visa sub-category, clarify:

• who will employ and pay the applicant;
• what duties will be carried out in Thailand;
• where those duties will be performed;
• whether the Thai company is already operating and properly registered for the activity;
• whether the role is permitted and supportable under the applicable work authorisation route; and
• whether any investment promotion, treaty or other route changes the usual process.

The Standard Employer-Sponsored Non-B Process

For a foreign national who is outside Thailand and will work for a Thai employer, the following sequence is commonly used. The exact route should still be checked against the applicant's nationality, current location, position and employer circumstances.

1. Review the role and employer. Confirm the proposed duties, employing entity, company status and whether any sector-specific permission is required.
2. Prepare the employer's WP.32 application. The Thai employer applies to the Department of Employment on behalf of the foreign national who is outside Thailand.
3. Receive the WP.32 approval letter. If approved, this becomes an important supporting document for the employment visa application. It is not the final work permit.
4. Select the appropriate Thai mission. The applicant should use the Thai e-Visa eligibility check and confirm that the mission accepts the applicant's passport, current location and immigration status. This may be a mission in the country of nationality, lawful residence or another country where the applicant is eligible.
5. Submit the Non-Immigrant B e-Visa application. The applicant completes the online form, uploads the documents required by the portal and mission, and follows the mission's fee-payment instructions.
6. Respond to any further request. A mission may request additional evidence or an interview before deciding the application.
7. Download and print the approval. Once approved, the applicant should carry a printed copy of the e-Visa confirmation when travelling.
8. Enter Thailand and check the entry stamp. The holder should verify the admitted-until date before leaving the Immigration counter.
9. Complete the work permit application. The employer and employee submit the remaining evidence through the current Department of Employment process. Work should begin only after the necessary authorisation has been granted.
10. Plan the next immigration stage. If longer employment is intended, the company and employee should assess the requirements and timing for an extension of stay. An extension is a separate application and is not automatic.

If the Thai employer is a newly formed company, visa planning should not be separated from the original corporate decisions. The company's activity, shareholders, directors, capital, premises, registrations and operating plan can affect later employer applications. Our guide to planning and registering a Thai company explains the corporate stage without duplicating the immigration process covered here.

What Is WP.32, and Why Do People Still Call It WP3?

WP.32, also written as WP32 or Bor Tor 32, is the current Department of Employment application used by an employer applying on behalf of a foreign national who is outside Thailand under the standard pre-entry route. Older government and mission materials may call the corresponding document WP.3. For practical purposes, “WP3” is now commonly used as a legacy shorthand for the WP.32 stage.

The distinction matters because an applicant may receive an email, checklist or verbal instruction using either term. The form number should be confirmed against the current Department of Employment process rather than assuming that an old WP.3 form remains the correct form to file.

WP.32 approval is not a work permit

The WP.32 approval letter helps support the Non-B employment visa application. It does not authorise the foreign national to work immediately and does not remove the need to complete the work permit process after entry.

WP.32 approval does not guarantee the visa

The Department of Employment, the Thai embassy or consulate, and Immigration perform different functions. A WP.32 approval is relevant evidence, but the selected mission still examines the visa application and may request further documents. Immigration separately decides admission at the border. The work permit application is then considered under its own requirements.

How to Apply for a Non-B Visa Through Thai e-Visa

The applicant, not the Thai employer, normally completes the visa application through the official Thai e-Visa portal. The portal first checks nationality, travel-document details, current location and the mission selected. A person should not choose a country solely because its mission is thought to be faster.

1. Create or sign in to an account at the official Thai e-Visa portal.
2. Complete the eligibility questions, including current location and the mission where the application will be processed.
3. Select the Non-Immigrant visa category and the employment-related B sub-category that matches the proposed purpose.
4. Complete the personal, passport, travel and Thai employer information accurately and consistently.
5. Upload the documents requested in the live portal and the current checklist of the selected mission.
6. Submit the application and pay the fee using the method specified by that mission.
7. Monitor the portal and email account for requests for further evidence or an interview.
8. When approved, download and print the e-Visa confirmation before travelling.

Payment is not handled in the same way at every mission. The official e-Visa process may offer online payment at one mission and payment at the embassy or consulate at another. Applicants should follow the instructions shown for their selected mission at the time of filing.

What Documents Are Commonly Required?

The final document list is mission-specific and can change. The live e-Visa portal and the selected mission's published checklist should be reviewed together. For an employment application, the evidence commonly addresses both the applicant and the Thai employer.

Applicant evidence

• passport biodata page and a passport that meets the mission's validity requirements;
• a recent photograph that meets the portal specifications;
• evidence that the applicant is physically present or lawfully located within the mission's jurisdiction;
• travel or accommodation information where requested;
• financial evidence in the form and amount required by the mission;
• qualifications or evidence of experience relevant to the proposed role, where required; and
• a previous or current Thai work permit, if applicable.

Employment and company evidence

• the WP.32 approval letter or the relevant approval for another authorised route;
• a letter from the Thai employer explaining the employment purpose;
• an employment agreement or employment certification showing the position, remuneration and proposed period;
• current company registration and corporate records;
• tax or operating evidence requested by the mission; and
• any sector-specific licence or approval relevant to the employer or activity.

Where Can You Apply for a Thailand Non-B Visa?

A Non-B application is not automatically tied to the country shown on the passport. Depending on the mission's rules, an applicant may be able to apply in the country of nationality, a country of lawful residence, or another country where the applicant is physically present and eligible. The decisive question is whether the selected Thai embassy or consulate accepts that applicant, not whether the country is geographically close to Thailand.

Before booking travel, test the proposed mission against three facts:

1. Passport nationality: Does the mission accept this nationality, or is the applicant subject to a home-country, residence-country or designated-mission rule?
2. Immigration status in the application country: Does the mission require citizenship, permanent residence, a long-term pass or another form of lawful stay?
3. Physical location and jurisdiction: Is the applicant actually in the country, and is the address within that embassy's or consulate's territorial jurisdiction?

How Mission Eligibility Differs Between Countries

The Thai e-Visa platform is centralised, but missions do not all use the same eligibility, residence, payment or processing rules. The following examples show why a country name alone is not enough to decide where to apply.

These examples are not an exhaustive list and do not guarantee that a mission will accept a particular passport or immigration status. Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States and European countries can all be valid application locations in the right circumstances, but the eligibility basis is different in each place.

Special Nationality and Designated-Mission Rules

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that nationals of certain countries must apply at a Thai embassy or consulate in their home or residence country, or at a designated Thai mission. Individual missions may also impose additional documents, interviews or longer review for particular nationalities.

Indian, Pakistani and other applicants whose nationalities appear in a mission's special-review guidance should check eligibility before purchasing travel. It is too broad to say that every Indian or Pakistani passport holder must always return to the country of nationality. A person with qualifying permanent or long-term residence elsewhere may be accepted by the mission responsible for that residence. Conversely, a person without accepted residence status may, in practice, need to return to the home country or use the designated mission.

The correct question is therefore not “Which country is fastest?” but “Which mission is authorised and willing to accept this applicant's passport, residence status and employment application?” If the public guidance is unclear, the point should be confirmed with the mission before travel.

Mission procedures can change, and public holidays, incomplete documents, additional-document requests, security review and interviews can extend the process. The applicant should also check whether leaving the application country during processing could affect eligibility and should not plan to enter Thailand until the e-Visa has been approved.

Visa Validity, Entry Permission and the Initial 90 Days

An initial employment Non-B is commonly issued for a single entry and is generally valid for entry within three months from issuance. The three-month visa-validity period is the window in which the visa may be used to seek entry. It is not automatically an additional three months on top of the period granted at the border.

On admission, Immigration commonly grants a stay of up to 90 days. The controlling date is the admitted-until date in the passport or electronic immigration record. The holder should check that date immediately and plan the work permit and any extension application around it.

A one-year stay is not granted automatically because the person has a Non-B visa, a registered company or a work permit. A longer extension is a separate Immigration application. The employer and employee must meet the applicable conditions and provide the required evidence, and approval remains subject to Immigration.

Can You Work as Soon as the Non-B Visa Is Approved?

No. A Non-B visa establishes the immigration basis for the trip, but work authorisation remains a separate requirement. For the standard route described here, the employee enters Thailand and then completes the work permit application with the Thai employer through the current Department of Employment process.

The final submission may require current personal, medical, employment and employer documents. Requirements depend on the route and the current electronic filing process. For a fuller explanation of employer readiness, application planning and the distinction between immigration status and permission to work, see our guide to a Thailand work permit for foreign employees.

Travelling During the Initial Permission to Stay

A single-entry visa is normally used up when the holder enters Thailand. If the holder then leaves Thailand without a re-entry permit, the current permission to stay expires on departure. This can interrupt the immigration and employment plan even if a work permit application has already started or a work permit has been issued.

A re-entry permit preserves the remaining permission to stay. It does not grant a fresh 90 days. For example, if the existing admitted-until date is 30 September, a return under the re-entry permit will ordinarily preserve 30 September as the end date rather than create a new 90-day period.

It is also too broad to say that departure without a re-entry permit automatically cancels every work permit in every case. Immigration status and work authorisation are separate legal matters. In practice, loss of the underlying permission to stay can make continued employment and later applications unworkable, so travel should be reviewed before departure.

How a New Thai Company Affects the Visa Plan

Company registration is only the starting point. It does not automatically make the company eligible to support WP.32, a Non-B visa, a work permit, a bank account, VAT registration or an extension of stay.

For a foreign-owned or newly operating SME, the sequence should be planned before commitments are made. Matters that may affect the employment route include:

• the company's registered and actual business activities;
• foreign ownership restrictions and any required business licence;
• the real source and use of capital;
• the registered office and actual workplace;
• tax and social security registrations where applicable;
• the number and status of employees;
• the foreign employee's position, duties and remuneration; and
• the intended business start date and the employee's travel schedule.

Some routes apply different capital, staffing or documentary rules. It is therefore unhelpful to treat one capital figure or employee ratio as a universal promise of approval. The structure should be reviewed against the actual business and the route being used.

Non-B Visa Planning Checklist

Before the employer files WP.32 or the applicant books travel to another country, confirm the following:

• Purpose: Is the applicant attending business meetings, taking employment or carrying out another approved activity?
• Nationality: Is the passport subject to any home-country, residence-country, designated-mission or additional-review rule?
• Current location: Where will the applicant genuinely be located when submitting the e-Visa application?
• Local immigration status: Is the applicant a citizen, permanent resident, long-term pass holder or short-term visitor in that country, and does the mission accept that status?
• Mission eligibility: Which Thai embassy or consulate has territorial jurisdiction, and does it accept an application from this nationality and immigration status?
• Employer readiness: Is the correct Thai employing entity active and able to support the proposed position?
• WP.32 status: Has the correct pre-entry application been filed and approved?
• Document consistency: Do the job title, salary, duties, company activity, contract and application answers match?
• Live checklist: Have both the e-Visa portal fields and the mission's current published requirements been reviewed?
• Payment method: Is online payment available, or must the fee be paid at the mission?
• Timing: Does the plan allow for public holidays, further-document requests and post-entry work permit processing?
• Travel after entry: Will a re-entry permit be needed before any departure from Thailand?

Common Mistakes That Can Be Avoided

Choosing a mission because it is said to be the fastest

Processing comparisons based on past traveller reports can become outdated quickly. The first question is whether the mission is available based on passport nationality, current location, local immigration status and territorial jurisdiction. Payment method and published timing should be checked only after eligibility is established.

Assuming that physical presence is always enough

Some missions accept qualifying applicants who are lawfully present as visitors. Others require citizenship, residence, a long-term pass or proof of a local address. An entry stamp or hotel booking does not establish eligibility at every mission.

Assuming WP.32 is the only supporting document

WP.32 is central to the standard employment route, but current mission checklists may also require employer letters, employment evidence, corporate records, financial evidence and prior work-authorisation records. Officers may ask for more after submission.

Treating a Non-B visa as permission to work

The visa and work permit answer different legal questions. Beginning work before the required work authorisation is in place can affect the employee and employer.

Confusing visa validity with permission to stay

The date by which the visa must be used is not the same as the admitted-until date. After entry, the Immigration record controls how long the person may remain.

Leaving Thailand without protecting the current stay

A re-entry permit should be considered before departure if the person needs to preserve an existing permission to stay. It must be obtained before leaving and does not extend the underlying end date.

Assuming a new company guarantees the immigration outcome

Incorporation does not prove that the company meets every employment, licensing, tax or immigration requirement. Early planning is usually less disruptive than changing the employer structure or repeating documents after the visa process has begun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WP3 the same as WP.32?

WP3 is an older term still found in some guidance and correspondence. The current Department of Employment pre-entry application is generally called WP.32 or Bor Tor 32. Applicants should use the current form and process rather than relying on an archived WP.3 form.

Is WP.32 the work permit?

No. It is the employer's pre-entry application and approval stage for the standard route. The employee must still obtain the appropriate visa, enter Thailand and complete the work permit application before working.

Is WP.32 the only company document required for a Non-B e-Visa?

Not as a general rule. Requirements differ by mission, and a current employment checklist may also require an employer letter, contract, company registration records, tax evidence or other supporting documents. The live portal, mission checklist and any officer request should all be followed.

Can I apply in Vietnam, Malaysia or Laos while visiting?

Possibly, but a short visit does not create automatic eligibility. The selected mission must accept the applicant's passport and immigration status, and the applicant must provide the required current-location evidence. Jurisdiction, payment and attendance rules differ between countries and sometimes between missions in the same country.

Can I apply in Hong Kong or Singapore?

Only if the local eligibility requirements are met. Hong Kong currently requires legal residence in Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR. Singapore's employment Non-B checklist requires a Singapore long-term pass. These locations should not be treated as general visa-run destinations for short-term visitors.

Can I apply in the United States or Europe?

Yes, if the applicant falls within the chosen mission's residence and territorial jurisdiction. For example, the United States is divided among several Thai missions by state, while the London and Berlin missions require evidence connecting the applicant to their respective jurisdictions. A person temporarily visiting the country should not assume eligibility.

Must Indian or Pakistani nationals apply in their country of nationality?

Not in every case. Thailand applies special issuance or additional-review rules to certain nationalities, and the result depends on the selected mission and the applicant's lawful residence. An Indian or Pakistani national with qualifying residence in another country may be accepted by the mission serving that residence. If the applicant has no accepted residence elsewhere, the appropriate route may be the home-country or designated mission. This should be confirmed before booking travel.

Which country is fastest for a Non-B e-Visa?

There is no reliable universal ranking. Published processing periods change, and a faster mission has no value if it cannot accept the applicant. Choose first by eligibility and document readiness, then consider published processing time, payment arrangements and the need to remain in the application country.

Can an applicant choose any Thai embassy or consulate?

No. Mission availability depends on the applicant's current location, nationality, travel document and the mission's jurisdiction or eligibility rules. The applicant should answer the e-Visa eligibility questions accurately and retain proof of current location.

Must every applicant leave Thailand to obtain the initial Non-B visa?

Not necessarily. A qualifying applicant may be able to apply for a visa or change of visa category from within Thailand under a separate Immigration process. Availability depends on the person's current immigration status, remaining stay, employer evidence and the responsible Immigration office. This should be assessed before relying on it, because it is not the same process as an overseas e-Visa application.

Does a 90-day Non-B visa permit multiple entries?

An initial employment Non-B is commonly single-entry. Once it has been used for entry, the holder needs a re-entry permit before departure if the existing permission to stay must be preserved. The exact visa issued and the entry stamp should always be checked.

Does a re-entry permit provide a new 90-day stay?

No. It preserves the unexpired permission to stay that already exists. It does not add days or reset the admitted-until date.

Is 90-day reporting the same as the initial 90-day permission to stay?

No. The permission to stay determines how long a person may remain in Thailand. The separate 90-day address-reporting obligation generally concerns a foreign national who remains in Thailand for more than 90 consecutive days under a valid permission.

Does company registration guarantee WP.32, the visa or a work permit?

No. Company registration creates the legal entity. Employer readiness, the proposed position, business activity, corporate evidence and route-specific conditions are considered separately by the relevant authorities.

When a Case-Specific Review Is Useful

A review is particularly useful before the employer files WP.32, before the applicant selects a mission, or when a new company is being structured around a foreign employee. At that stage, inconsistencies can often be corrected before they appear across several government applications.

For an initial review, you may provide as much of the following as is conveniently available:

• the applicant's nationality, passport country and current location;
• the applicant's immigration status in the proposed application country, including the type and expiry date of any residence permit or long-term pass;
• the proposed Thai employer and whether it is already registered and operating;
• the proposed position, duties, salary and intended start date;
• the company's business activity and any relevant licence;
• the status of any WP.32, visa or previous work permit application;
• the mission being considered; and
• the applicant's expected travel dates after entering Thailand.

About TILA LEGAL

TILA LEGAL is a private law firm in Thailand. We provide legal advisory, corporate structuring, document preparation and related professional services.

For more than 20 years, our firm has advised foreign investors, business owners and individuals on legal matters in Thailand. In Non-B employment matters, our work includes reviewing the proposed employer and position, preparing or coordinating the relevant corporate and employment documents, and planning the sequence between company readiness, WP.32, the visa application and the work permit stage.

TILA LEGAL is not affiliated with any government authority and does not act on behalf of any government agency. Government registrations, visas, work permits, extensions and other approvals remain subject to the consideration of the relevant authorities.

General information notice: This article provides general information as of the review date and is not legal advice for a specific matter. Visa, mission, payment, document and work authorisation procedures may change. The appropriate route depends on the applicant's nationality, current location, immigration history, proposed activities and the Thai employer's circumstances. Applicants should check the live Thai e-Visa portal and the current instructions of the selected mission before submitting or travelling.