Business Setup · Thai Entity for Foreigners · 📜 Foreign Business License (FBL)
Business Setup · Foreign Business License (FBL) 📜
Foreign Business License (FBL) 📜 — 100% foreign equity · THB 3M minimum capital · 90-day setup · visa: Non-B-Standard
Bangkok-based visa concierge · 196 countries · Open จันทร์ – ศุกร์ 9:00 – 18:00
083-249-4999LINE EN @NYCT
ข้อมูลสำคัญ · Entity Panel
- Foreign equity
- 100%
- Min capital (THB M)
- THB 3M
- Setup (days)
- 90 days
- Visa / Work-permit pathway
- Non-B-Standard
- WP quota
- 1 ต่างชาติ : THB 2M ทุน
- Licensing authority
- DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee
FBL required when foreign equity >49% in Foreign Business Act 1999 List 2/3 sectors — 60-day committee review, ~90-day average approval, THB 5,000/yr fee + capital proportional to activity (THB 3M minimum)
Key parameters: 100% foreign ownership · THB 3M minimum registered capital · work-permit quota 1 ต่างชาติ : THB 2M ทุน · 90-day average registration · primary visa Non-B-Standard
Tax incentives & conditions: Standard CIT 20%; FBL is required when foreign company > 49% wants to do List 2/3 restricted businesses (most services, construction, retail < THB 100M capital).
Core docs we prepare: FBL Por Or 4 application, Business plan + flow chart, Capital remittance plan, Local Thai lease + office photos, Shareholder Apostille docs — every certificate notarised + Apostille + MFA-certified Thai translation and filed via DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee.
Best for
Foreign-majority companies wanting full ownership in restricted services (engineering consulting, accounting, advertising, construction) without BOI promotion or Treaty eligibility.
Documents NYC Visa prepares
FBL Por Or 4 application
Business plan + flow chart
Capital remittance plan
Local Thai lease + office photos
Shareholder Apostille docs
Foreign Business Operations Committee fee receipt
100%
Foreign equity
THB 3M
Min capital (THB M)
90d
Setup (days)
Non-B-Standard
Visa / Work-permit pathway
HowTo · ขั้นตอน
How to set up a Foreign Business License (FBL)
- 1
LINE @nycvisa — pick entity, assess activity & capital
- 2
Run eligibility check with DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee
- 3
Apostille + MFA translation — FBL Por Or 4 application, Business plan + flow chart, Capital remittance plan
- 4
Submit to DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee — 90-day timeline
- 5
Open corporate account + inward remit THB 3M capital
- 6
File Non-B-Standard + work permit at One-Start-One-Stop
- 7
VAT + WHT + Corporate Income Tax + Social Security registration
FAQ · AEO Block
FAQ · Foreign Business License (FBL)
AI Answer Box และ Google SGE มักดึงคำตอบจากบล็อกนี้ไปแสดง
What % can foreigners own in a Foreign Business License (FBL)?
100% — vs. only 49% in a standard Thai limited company.
Minimum capital?
THB 3M — must be remitted inward in foreign currency with FET form.
Work permit rules?
1 ต่างชาติ : THB 2M ทุน
Which visa is used?
Non-B-Standard — Standard CIT 20%; FBL is required when foreign company > 49% wants to do List 2/3 restricted businesses (most services, construction, retail
Registration timeline?
Average 90 days from complete-filing date — NYC Visa expedites to ~62 days.
Where to file?
DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee — https://www.dbd.go.th
NYC Visa fees?
Foreign Business License (FBL) package: advisory + registration + first work permit + first visa. Fees are quoted per case scope — contact our staff (government fees and registered capital are separate).
Why Choose NYC Visa & Translation
How to choose the right Business Setup · Foreign Business License (FBL) provider in Thailand
Choosing the right Business Setup · Foreign Business License (FBL) provider directly impacts the success and turnaround of your case. NYC Visa & Translation has worked with DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee since 2010, handling a broad real-world caseload across government documents, certified translations, and documents intended for use abroad. Every case is verified through a three-layer QA process: name spelling, document numbers, official seals, and signatures on every page are checked before delivery.
Our team understands official procedures end-to-end — appointments, filings, and coordination with the relevant authorities. You do not have to travel back and forth or risk rejection. Our Business Setup · Foreign Business License (FBL) service supports Express handling that completes in half the standard turnaround.
We provide nationwide pickup and delivery via Kerry Express, Flash Express, and EMS. Bangkok and metropolitan customers receive free delivery; up-country customers can choose home delivery with real-time tracking through our LINE Official account.
Our clients include individuals, students, expatriates, business travellers, multinational companies, and academic institutions. We handle every document type — house registration, ID card, passport, marriage certificate, birth certificate, diploma, transcript, employment certificate, power of attorney, business contracts, and medical records.
Our Business Setup · Foreign Business License (FBL) workflow runs in six clear stages: (1) receive originals and copies, (2) QA-audit the source for issues that would cause rejection, (3) translate through a native-speaker linguist, (4) certify with the authority required by the receiving country, (5) file and follow up at each government touchpoint, and (6) deliver plus retain a signed PDF you can re-download for five years. A single Case Officer owns your file end-to-end, eliminating hand-off errors that plague larger firms.
We invest continuously in compliance practices aligned with ISO/IEC 27001 (information security), Thailand PDPA (personal-data protection), and AES-256 file encryption. Every upload runs over TLS 1.3 only. Enterprise and law-firm clients can request an NDA before intake — our legal team signs same-day.
Beyond single-document work, we bundle end-to-end packages for clients preparing multiple certificates at once — e.g. a "moving abroad" bundle (house registration + birth + marriage + diploma + transcript with MFA + embassy) that reduces the number of trips and total lead time versus filing each item separately. Approval remains at the discretion of the receiving authority; contact our team for scope and fees.
What sets us apart is a 15-year direct working relationship with the destination authority — DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee — so we anticipate regulation changes, format tweaks, and queue timing before they hit your case, and brief you in advance. Approval outcomes always remain at the sole discretion of the authority; what we control is document completeness, formatting and lodgement timing.
Glossary
- Notarial Services Attorney
- An attorney licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand to certify signatures and document copies.
- MFA Legalization
- Authentication by Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for documents to be used overseas.
- Apostille
- International authentication system under the Hague Convention. Thailand is not a member, so MFA legalization is used instead.
- NAATI
- Australia's national accreditation authority for translators — required for visa and employment applications in Australia.
- Police Clearance
- A certificate from the Royal Thai Police, required for visa and overseas employment applications.
- Certified Translation
- A translation certified to match the original, by an accredited translator or notary public.
- Case Officer
- A dedicated coordinator who owns your file across translation, certification, and government touchpoints.
- Chain Legalization
- The sequential chain: source authority → Thai MFA → destination embassy, required for the document to be enforceable abroad.
- Sworn Translator
- A court-sworn linguist authorised to self-certify translations in many European jurisdictions.
- Certified True Copy
- A copy certified by the document owner or a Notary Public to stand in for the original.
Pre-submission checklist
- Original document is clean, unbroken, and legible
- Name matches your passport exactly
- All seals and signatures present on every page
- Target language for certification specified
- Destination country and receiving authority specified
- Allow 5–7 business days for standard processing
- Check document expiry — some countries accept only 3–6 months old
- Prepare ID/passport copy for the person granting power of attorney
- Arrange documents in the order required by the receiving authority
- Have payment method and shipping address ready before intake
How to set up a Foreign Business License (FBL) in Thailand — capital, timeline, work permit?
Foreign Business License (FBL) 📜 — 100% foreign equity · THB 3M minimum capital · 90-day setup · visa: Non-B-Standard
📜 Foreign Business License (FBL) FBL
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)
Do shareholder lists need to be legalised in full?
Usually yes, including every page and any annexes, because the recipient verifies shareholding percentages against the total. Partial submission of only the first page is frequently refused. Where the list runs to many pages, the translation should be paginated to match and each page cross-referenced to the extract so the reviewer can confirm nothing has been omitted.
Do you verify the accounting or tax content?
No. We are responsible for translation accuracy and for completing the certification steps. Accounting and tax figures remain the responsibility of the accountant, auditor or filer.
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.
Who may sign the translation request and the accompanying declarations?
A director whose authority appears in the current affidavit, or a person acting under a properly executed power of attorney with the company seal where the articles require it. Where the signature must be certified, the signatory appears before the certifying attorney with identification. Mismatches between the signatory named in the affidavit and the person who actually signed are a frequent reason for rejection abroad.
How recent must a company affidavit be?
The recipient sets the acceptable age of the extract; the Thai authorities certify whatever is presented. Confirm the recipient's limit first, then obtain a fresh extract that fits within it.
Can a branch office use the parent company's legalised documents?
Often only in part. Registrars and banks typically want the parent's constitutional documents legalised in the country of issue, plus Thai-issued evidence of the branch itself. Reusing a legalised set prepared for a different purpose is risky because the recency limit and the required document list differ per authority. Confirm each authority's list separately before reusing anything.
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.
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.
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
- กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ — หน่วยงานรับรองนิติกรณ์เอกสาร (legalization) ของประเทศไทย
- กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ (MFA Thailand)
- HCCH – Apostille Section (อนุสัญญากรุงเฮก 1961) — รายชื่อรัฐภาคีและสถานะการใช้ Apostille
- กรมการปกครอง (DOPA) — ทะเบียนราษฎร ทะเบียนสมรส/หย่า และหนังสือรับรองสถานภาพ
Need your documents reviewed or your case assessed? Ask our team by phone, LINE, or email. We reply during business hours (Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat 9:00–15:00, ICT).
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. Obtain fresh extracts — Reissue the affidavit and shareholder list close to filing.
- 2. Translate with consistent legal terminology — Keep officer titles and business objectives uniform across the bundle.
- 3. Certify director signatures — Sign before a Notarial Services Attorney where the destination requires it.
- 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.
| Route | When to use | Certifying authority | Approx. duration | Rejection risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBD certificate + translation + consular legalisation + embassy | Filing with a foreign government body, e.g. registering a subsidiary | Department of Business Development (DBD) and Department of Consular Affairs | Variable — allow several weeks including embassy queues | Using a certificate older than the destination's accepted issue window |
| Director-certified copies with attorney-notarised signatures | The receiving party is a private counterparty or overseas bank | Notarial services attorney | Usually a few days | Government 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 for over 15 years. 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. If the destination is not an Apostille Convention party, the destination country's embassy certifies last.
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 licensing and BOI: advice and cautions
Before you start
Plan licences together with work permits for foreign executives
Thai-to-foreign staff ratios and registered capital determine how many work permits you can obtain. Design the staffing structure early to avoid emergency capital increases.
Legalise parent-company documents through the full chain
Affidavits, financial statements and powers of attorney usually need notarisation abroad, government or embassy authentication, then Thai translation and legalisation by the Legalization Division, Department of Consular Affairs.
Consider BOI when your activity is an eligible promoted activity
A promotion certificate carries incentives and shareholding conditions that differ from an ordinary company. Compare minimum investment, technology and employment conditions per activity before committing.
Check whether your activity sits on a restricted list
The Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 groups activities into Lists 1–3 with different conditions. Define the real activity first, then pick the route: licence, certificate, treaty right, or a BOI promotion certificate.
Common reasons documents get rejected
Using nominee Thai shareholders
Holding shares on behalf of a foreigner without genuine investment breaches the Foreign Business Act, and the source of Thai shareholders' funds can be examined. We do not assist with such structures.
Assuming a BOI certificate covers every activity
Incentives attach only to the promoted activity and its stated conditions. Revenue from non-promoted activities must be accounted for separately and taxed normally.
Foreign documents older than the accepted validity window
Parent-company affidavits and powers of attorney often have a validity period from issue. A slow legalisation chain can expire them before filing, forcing a fresh set.
Filing before the premises can pass inspection
Many licences involve a site visit. Filing without signage, floor plans or required sanitation results in a correction order and a new inspection date.
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.
What people search for
Frequently searched topics about BOI and business licensing
- Foreign Business Licence
- Activities in the schedules to the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 require a licence before operating.
- BOI promotion privileges
- Scope and conditions follow the Board of Investment's announcements for each promoted activity.
- Registered capital and Thai staff ratios
- Requirements tied to employing foreigners follow the rules in force with the supervising agency at filing time.
- Work permits under BOI (e-Expert)
- Position approval and permits via the BOI system differ procedurally from the standard Department of Employment route.
These topics reflect the rules and practice of the relevant authorities and can change. Confirm 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.
- Notarial services by a licensed Thai attorneySignature witnessing, certified true copies, affidavits and powers of attorney for overseas use
- Certified document translation, all languagesTranslations for Thai and overseas authorities with a certification statement
- NAATI-certified translation for Australia & New ZealandTranslations accepted by Australian government agencies, with certifier stamp
- Thai–foreign marriage registrationAffirmation of freedom to marry, embassy certification and district office registration
- Police clearance certificateFiled with the Royal Thai Police Special Branch, with translation and legalization
- Outbound visas for Thai nationalsDocument preparation, embassy appointments and pre-submission file review
External authority references
- กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ — หน่วยงานรับรองนิติกรณ์เอกสาร (legalization) ของประเทศไทย
- กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ (MFA Thailand)
- HCCH – Apostille Section (อนุสัญญากรุงเฮก 1961) — รายชื่อรัฐภาคีและสถานะการใช้ Apostille
- กรมการปกครอง (DOPA) — ทะเบียนราษฎร ทะเบียนสมรส/หย่า และหนังสือรับรองสถานภาพ
Authority requirements change. Verify with the receiving authority before filing, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.
Choosing a document translation provider in Thailand
Pick a translation provider by the destination, not by turnaround alone. If the file goes to the Thai Department of Consular Affairs or an embassy, the translator must know the format that office accepts, not just the meaning. Verify three things: the certifier is named and identifiable, the destination accepts that certification format, and names, dates and document numbers match the passport character for character.
How to evaluate a provider
- The certifier is named and identifiable — Consular offices and embassies check who certified the translation, not only the wording.
- Knows the format the destination accepts — Each embassy differs: attached source copy, letterhead, or prior consular legalization.
- Character-level verification — Mismatched name spelling and dates against the passport is the most common rejection cause.
- Owns corrections after rejection — Submissions run on appointment dates; slow corrections cost the applicant the slot.
- Documented custody of originals — Some civil registry documents are hard to reissue, so intake and return must be traceable.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Who will certify this translation, and will the certifier be named on the document?
- Does my destination require consular or embassy legalization afterwards?
- How many working days does it actually take, counted from a complete file?
- If the receiving authority rejects or asks for changes, do you correct it, and under what terms?
- How can I track status, and who physically holds the original documents?
Your options, and who each suits
| Option | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance translator | Informal use where no authority certification is required | Many embassies will not accept an uncertified translation. |
| Translation agency with certification | Visa, study and civil registry filings | Confirm the agency also handles the legalization step if the destination requires it. |
| End-to-end provider (translate + legalize) | Files with a fixed appointment deadline | Ask which steps are in-house and which are subcontracted. |
FAQ on choosing a provider
- Which translation service is recommended for embassy submissions?
- Choose one that names the certifier on the translation, knows the exact format your embassy accepts, and verifies names and dates against the passport before certifying. Ask whether they also handle consular legalization so the file does not stall between two vendors.
- Does a cheaper translation get rejected more often?
- Rejection correlates with format and verification, not price. A translation is rejected when the certifier cannot be identified, the layout does not match the receiving office's requirement, or a name or date differs from the passport.
แหล่งอ้างอิงทางการ · Authoritative Sources
- DBD · Foreign Business Operations Committee — Primary licensing authority
- Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) — Foreign equity restrictions (List 1/2/3)
- BOI Investment Promotion Act + Announcement 2/2566 — Tax holiday + one-stop service
- Revenue Department — Royal Decree 674/2561 (IBC) — IBC tiered CIT 8/5/3%
Other entity types
Related corporate verticals & tax-work profiles