There are many reasons why you might want to come to Thailand on a Non-Immigrant visa, but it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly which visa you will need to apply for.

There are a selection of VISAs available that will allow you to work, teach, do business, study Thai in Thailand or study at a university or any other learning institute, work for a charity, or visit your child or stay on a long term basis with your wife. Take a look below at our brief summary of each of the available visas for you.

If you want to work, seek work or conduct business legally in Thailand, the visa you will need to apply for is a category “B” visa otherwise known as a “business visa”. This visa is a necessary requirement for both applying and obtaining a work permit in the country. This visa will allow you to stay in the country for a year but you will still be required to leave the country on a visa run every 90 days. You will need your passport, a completed visa application form, recent passport sized photo and strong evidence that you have finances of at least 20,000 Baht. The rest of the required documents will depend on whether you are seeking work, already have work lined up, are conducting business in the country.

If you are planning to study in Thailand, you will need to apply for an Education visa which is known in short as an ED visa. This visa grants you stay of 90 days, which can be extended or converted into a Student Visa that will allow you to stay for one year whilst you study in Bangkok or any other city. To apply you will need a letter of acceptance from the educational institute such as school or university and official note that has been certified regarding your purpose of travel. The latter can be from embassies, consulates and other government agencies. If you want to study Thai in Thailand, Insight can help you get an Education Visa.

Obtain a Thai ED VISA with Insight in Silom Road Bangkok

If you are travelling to Thailand on official duty, to work as a journalist or film producer, as a missionary or to perform scientific research you will need to apply for one of the categories of visa above. These all require an official note from the likes of any government agencies, consulates and international organizations that certify your reason of travel.

For those with a child, but you are not married things can be tricky. You can get an Immigrant O VISA for 3 months as it is rare to receive a multiple entry 12 month VISA instantly. All you need for the 3 month VISA is your child’s birth certificate stating that you are the father, and also proof of custody. The latter seems difficult, but if you go to a government office and legitimise yourself as the father, then the document provided is enough. Legitimising yourself as the father is surprisingly easy. If you have your child’s birth certificate, then that is enough. If you don’t, just a picture of you with your child or a letter from the mum with her ID card copied is surprisingly enough.

If you are married to a Thai national, it does become easier. There is no need to legitimize yourself as a father as you should already have a marriage certificate, which is enough. However, you will need to prove that you have earnings of more than £1,400 annually.

For those that are aged 50 or above that wish to travel to and stay in Thailand for an extended period of time and are not interested in working can apply for a Category O-A visa. To do so you will have to have a completed visa application form, proof of income of at least £1,400.00 per month. You will also have to undergo a medical check due to your age as well as a criminal check.