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Visa & Translation
การยื่นเอกสารใบอนุญาตทำงานที่หน่วยงานราชการ
Business setup · Options for foreign investors

Branch Office: rules to know before you set up

A branch of a foreign company is part of the foreign legal entity, not a separate Thai company. Once licensed it can carry out revenue-generating business in Thailand, and the head office is liable for the branch's obligations.

Illustration: a consultant and a business owner reviewing a registration checklist
Generated illustration of document preparation — not a client photo or a real official document

Key rules from official sources

What to check before starting

Documents usually requested (confirm with the authority)
  • Foreign Business Licence or certificate
  • Head-office certificate of incorporation (Apostille)
  • Board resolution + power of attorney
  • Office lease
  • Capital remittance plan
  • Audited HQ financials last 3 yrs
Relevant authority

DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee

Typically suits

Foreign corporations performing direct revenue activities in Thailand (engineering, project execution, contracted services) where a subsidiary would over-complicate group structure.

This page is general guidance from published sources, not an authority ruling. Rules and official fees can change; check the current version before deciding.

FAQ

FAQ · Branch Office

How long does setting up a Branch Office take?

There is no fixed timeline. It depends on complete documents, foreign document legalisation and review by DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee. Our staff estimate a realistic window after checking your documents.

What are your service fees?

We do not publish service fees because scope varies with the activity, capital and number of documents. Send your details to our staff for a tailored quotation. Official fees are separate, at the rates the authority publishes.

Do you guarantee approval?

No. Decisions are at the authority's discretion. We check document completeness, prepare translations and file according to procedure. We do not offer refunds.

What do foreign documents need?

Usually certification in the issuing country (notarisation plus foreign-ministry legalisation or an Apostille, as the recipient accepts) and a Thai translation. Confirm the format the Thai authority accepts first.

What comes after registration?

Typically Revenue Department tax registration, VAT registration once thresholds apply, Social Security employer registration, and work permits for foreign staff.

How do I reach your staff?

Call 083-249-4999 or use the contact page. We reply within 2 hours during business hours, Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00 Thailand time. Head office: Ladprao 95, Bangkok.

แหล่งอ้างอิงทางการ · Authoritative Sources

  1. Department of Business Development — Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) — Foreign definition, List 1–3 restrictions, minimum capital and licence procedure
  2. Revenue Department — Corporate income tax, VAT, withholding and branch profit remittance tax
Service Knowledge Base

Thai corporate documents (DBD / Revenue Department) for overseas use

Answers on translating and certifying Thai corporate records — company affidavit, shareholder list (BorJor.5), memorandum of association, VAT certificate (PP.20) and financial statements — for foreign counterparties, banks and authorities, following DBD/Revenue Department issuance and MFA Legalization Division practice. (22+ search topics covered)

How is a Thai company affidavit prepared for overseas use?

Obtain a current extract from the Department of Business Development bearing the registrar's signature and seal, prepare a translation into English or the destination language, then obtain consular legalisation from the Department of Consular Affairs and, where required, authentication by the destination country's embassy in Thailand. Because banks and foreign registries usually impose a recency limit on registry extracts, time the extract close to your actual submission date rather than obtaining it far in advance.

Do I need registrar-certified copies from the DBD?

In most cases yes. Foreign recipients normally require copies certified by the registrar (company affidavit, shareholder list, memorandum), because later certification stages must be able to verify the registrar's signature.

Company and director names are spelled inconsistently. Does that matter?

Yes — name mismatches are the most common reason corporate bundles are rejected. Fix one spelling that matches the passport and the registered English name, then use it in every document.

Do financial statements have to be translated in full?

It depends on the recipient. Some accept the balance sheet, income statement and auditor's report; others require all notes. Partial translations must state clearly in the certification which sections were translated.

How recent must a DBD company extract be when submitted abroad?

There is no universal rule; the receiving bank, registrar or tender authority sets the window, and it is often counted from the issue date rather than the legalisation date. Because translation and legalisation consume part of that window, plan backwards from the submission deadline and order the extract as late as safely possible. If the recipient has not stated a limit in writing, ask before ordering.

Should financial statements be audited before translation?

If the recipient asks for audited accounts, use the version signed by a licensed auditor together with the auditor's report, and translate the complete set including the notes. Translating only the balance sheet without the notes is a common rejection: foreign reviewers rely on the notes to understand accounting policies. Verify that every figure matches the source cell by cell and keep the table structure so a reviewer can compare line by line.

How are board or shareholder resolutions certified for use abroad?

An authorised director certifies the copy and affixes the company seal, a Notarial Services Attorney then certifies that director's signature, and the document proceeds to consular legalisation where the recipient requires it. The resolution itself should state clearly what was approved, the meeting date, the quorum and who is authorised to execute related documents, because recipients check that the authority asserted matches the company affidavit.

How far in advance should a Thai company affidavit be issued for overseas use?

As close to the date of use as the workflow allows, because most destinations count validity from the date of issue or certification. Issued too early, the certificate can expire while waiting for legalisation and embassy queues. Ask the destination in writing for its validity rule, then schedule backwards from the date of use, allowing for translation, review and each authority's queue.
Topics covered
คำถามเชิงขั้นตอน: เอกสารบริษัทต้องคัดใหม่กี่เดือน · ต้องเป็นฉบับคัดรับรองหรือสำเนาได้ · กรรมการต้องเซ็นเองไหม · มอบอำนาจให้ยื่นแทนได้ไหม
คำค้นหลัก: แปลหนังสือรับรองบริษัท · รับรองเอกสารบริษัทใช้ต่างประเทศ · company affidavit translation thailand · แปลบอจ.5 · แปลหนังสือบริคณห์สนธิ · certified translation company documents thailand · นิติกรณ์เอกสารบริษัท
เอกสารสายภาษี/การเงิน: แปล ภ.พ.20 · แปลงบการเงิน · แปล ภ.ง.ด.50 · แปลหนังสือรับรองการหักภาษี ณ ที่จ่าย · translate thai financial statement · แปลใบทะเบียนพาณิชย์
Official references

Need your documents reviewed or your case assessed? Ask our team by phone, LINE, or email. We reply within two hours during business hours (Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00 ICT).

Submitting work permit paperwork at a government office
Submitting work permit paperwork at a government office — Service illustration; requirements depend on the document and receiving authority
Service Playbook

Corporate documents — affidavits, shareholder lists and financials for overseas use

Company records for foreign use must be freshly issued by the Department of Business Development and then translated and legalised for the destination. Most destinations accept them only within about six months of issue.

Documents to prepare

  • • Freshly issued company affidavit from the DBD
  • • Shareholder list (Bor Or Jor 5)
  • • Memorandum and articles of association
  • • Audited financial statements
  • • Board minutes or resolutions relevant to the transaction
  • • Power of attorney signed by authorised directors

Step-by-step process

  1. 1. Obtain fresh extracts — Reissue the affidavit and shareholder list close to filing.
  2. 2. Translate with consistent legal terminology — Keep officer titles and business objectives uniform across the bundle.
  3. 3. Certify director signatures — Sign before a Notarial Services Attorney where the destination requires it.
  4. 4. Run the legalisation chain — Department of Consular Affairs, then the destination-specific final step.

Pitfalls and rejection causes

  • • Affidavits older than the destination's window are commonly refused.
  • • Inconsistent translation of business objectives raises questions at foreign banks.
  • • Resolutions must align with the signing authority shown in the affidavit.
  • • Never separate a bound, cross-sealed set.

Tips from our team

  • • Maintain a reusable corporate glossary for consistency.
  • • Reissue extracts as close to submission as practical.
  • • Prepare separate sets per destination for multi-jurisdiction deals.

Prefer not to handle the queues yourself, or worried about a rejection? Send us photos of your documents for a free pre-check. We handle the full chain — obtaining certified copies, translation, certification and submission — and keep you updated at each step. Reach us on LINE, phone or email during business hours.

Route Comparison

Comparing certification routes for Thai company documents

Corporate records must come from the correct source before any certification layer can be added.

RouteWhen to useCertifying authorityApprox. durationRejection risk
DBD certificate + translation + consular legalisation + embassyFiling with a foreign government body, e.g. registering a subsidiaryDepartment of Business Development (DBD) and Department of Consular AffairsVariable — allow several weeks including embassy queuesUsing a certificate older than the destination's accepted issue window
Director-certified copies with attorney-notarised signaturesThe receiving party is a private counterparty or overseas bankNotarial services attorneyUsually a few daysGovernment recipients generally will not accept this format

Timelines above are practical estimates from live casework and can change with each authority's policy; confirm with the receiving authority before booking travel. If you would rather not test routes by trial and error, our advisers can assess which route fits your case.

Advisory Service

We do not just process documents — we advise you through the whole case

Our team has worked on cross-border documents, certified translation and government liaison since 2015. Most rejections we see are not caused by missing paperwork but by choosing the wrong route on day one, so we always start with a case assessment.

Route assessment

We look at your destination, purpose and deadline, then tell you which certification route applies — and which steps you can skip.

Pre-submission review

Name spelling, consistency across documents, document age and translation format are checked before anything reaches a counter.

Timeline planning

We sequence the steps around your appointment or travel date and flag bottlenecks in advance.

Rejection recovery

We read the refusal reasons, identify the underlying cause, and plan a resubmission that answers what the authority asked for.

Rather not learn by trial and error? Send your case details and document photos for a review — reach us on LINE, phone or email during business hours.

Practical Q&A

Practical questions · Near me / DIY / Required documents

What is the route for Thai company documents used abroad?

Obtain the company affidavit, shareholder list (BorJor 5) or latest memorandum from the Department of Business Development, translate into the language the destination requires, then legalise at the Legalization Division of the Department of Consular Affairs. Confirm with the recipient whether destination-embassy certification is also required; destination Apostille membership alone does not establish an exemption.

Must the company affidavit be freshly issued?

Most receiving authorities set a validity window counted from the registrar's issue date, commonly measured in months. Check the recipient's requirement before ordering copies: filing an out-of-date affidavit is a frequent rejection cause, and legalisation cannot revive an expired document.

How is a corporate power of attorney certified?

An authorised director signs before a Notarial Services Attorney, attaching a current company affidavit that evidences signing authority. The signed POA then goes to the Department of Consular Affairs and, where required, the destination embassy. Ask our team by phone, LINE or email for the order that applies to your country.
Practical advice & cautions

Business, tax and legal work: advice and cautions

Before you start
  • Keep complete source documents

    Tax invoices, receipts and contracts should be filed systematically per accounting period to support any later audit.

  • Check for sector-specific licences

    Some activities need a licence from a specialist regulator before operating. Verify at the planning stage.

  • Use bilingual contracts with a governing version

    Cross-border contracts should state which language version prevails and how disputes are resolved.

  • Assess tax residence before planning

    Liability depends on tax residence and any applicable double-tax agreement; evaluate before moving funds or receiving cross-border income.

Common reasons documents get rejected
  • Improper nominee shareholding

    Using nominees to bypass foreign business restrictions carries serious legal risk. Structure the company lawfully from the outset.

  • Failing to file changes

    Changes of director, address or capital must be filed within the statutory period; omissions create mismatches that block other applications.

  • Treating a contract translation as legal advice

    A translation conveys wording but does not assess legal risk. Have a lawyer review the substance before signing.

  • Wills that ignore cross-border assets

    Assets in different countries may fall under different succession rules; ensure multiple wills do not contradict each other.

Requirements differ by authority and destination country and can change. Confirm current conditions with the receiving authority, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.

Related services

What clients usually handle next

One document set often moves through several stages — translation, notarial certification, legalization and finally a visa filing. The links below follow that real sequence.

External authority references

Authority requirements change. Verify with the receiving authority before filing, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.