Is obtaining a business visa in Thailand a good idea for an expat with a restaurant and hostel?

Thailand Visa Business Visa Non-B Visa Visa Application Process Visa Exempt Entry UK Expats Work Permit Immigration Advice

Nov 22, 2017

7 years ago

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi all. I am moving from Bali to Thailand in January and am already a part owner of a restaurant and hostel there already. My girlfriend will have a work permit to work there but I will not be actively working.

I am thinking about getting a business visa as I can create a sponsor letter from my company easily enough. It would mean my trips out of the country would be at the same time as my gf. 

I would just like to know if this is a good idea, and what the application process might be. My initial plan is to arrive there on a VOA (i'm from UK) and sort it out while I'm there with maybe a trip out to Singapore.

Thanks in advance.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user, an expat moving from Bali to Thailand, plans to apply for a business visa due to ownership in a restaurant and hostel. They are considering entering Thailand on a Visa Exempt stamp and want to understand the application process for the business visa, particularly from Singapore. The discussion includes insights about visa types, the necessity of documentation, and tips for applying through consulates.

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

It looks like the consulate in HCMC can process my application so I will go through them. Thanks to

@Ma***

and

@T**

for your help.

7 years ago

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

If SG can't provide a business visa, let's say because I don't have a work permit, are there any other ways of obtaining this?

7 years ago

Marco *********

Sorry, i didn't realize you were talking about 1 year visa without wp. Im not sure about that, so I deleted my comment

7 years ago

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Without a work permit or WP3?

7 years ago

Tod *********

@Ben *******

, I'd check and see :) Both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are pretty straight forward consulates.

You either meet the criteria on their website or you don't get the visa.

7 years ago

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

We will also check Ho Chi Minh as we have history there, unless you advise otherwise

7 years ago

Tod *********

As long as you're in Bali check with the thai consulate there to see what they require. You might be able to pull it from them. If you can try to get a year-long, multi-entry Non-B because even though you'd have to leave the country every 90 days to get another 90 day stamp to stay it's good for almost 15 months of stay here.

7 years ago

Tod *********

The thai consulate in Hong Kong will issue them without a work permit or a WP3 receipt. That's the only one in the area that will though

7 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Marco *********

I suppose Singapore can give only Single Entry Non B Visa (90 days)

7 years ago

Tod *********

I think that's it and I believe that one of the criteria is you have either a work permit or that WP3 receipt of having applied for one too. Although I'm not 100% sure about it.

7 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Sounds plausible enough IF you can get the paperwork together to meet the requirements at the thai consulate in Singapore. The good news is you apply online to them and they tell you if you need more documentation or not.

Just an FYI, you're not comin' in on a "visa on arrival" because those are sold to people from 21 countries for 2000baht and are good for a stay of 15 days only. I believe you're coming in on a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp <- that means you didn't buy a visa at a thai consulate before you came and you didn't buy a visa on arrival but because of the country you come from you were stamped in free for 30 days. You could also extend that 30 day entry by another 30 days if you needed to at the immigration office for 1900baht.

Good Luck (Y)

7 years ago

Ben ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks Tod, sound advice. I will contact the consulate in SG and see what they say. Right you are on the visa exempt side, thanks for the correction.

7 years ago

Reply to

Ben ********

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