The Thai–U.S. Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations lets companies majority-owned by U.S. nationals apply to the Department of Business Development for a Foreign Business Certificate instead of a Foreign Business Licence for many activities.
Department of Business Development (DBD) · US Commercial Service Bangkok
US citizens/corporations operating consulting, trading, services, tech outside the 6 excluded sectors — no BOI commitments required.
This page is general guidance from published sources, not an authority ruling. Rules and official fees can change; check the current version before deciding.
There is no fixed timeline. It depends on complete documents, foreign document legalisation and review by Department of Business Development (DBD) · US Commercial Service Bangkok. Our staff estimate a realistic window after checking your documents.
We do not publish service fees because scope varies with the activity, capital and number of documents.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.
No. Decisions are at the authority's discretion. We check document completeness, prepare translations and file according to procedure. We do not offer refunds.
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.
Typically Revenue Department tax registration, VAT registration once thresholds apply, Social Security employer registration, and work permits for foreign 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.
First-party answers on Thai work authorisation: the standard Department of Employment route, BOI and IEAT channels for skilled experts, US company rights under the Treaty of Amity, and the APEC Business Travel Card for Thai nationals — including which supporting documents must be translated and legalised first. (19+ search topics covered)
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).
Work permits are issued by the Department of Employment and are tied to the employer, position and workplace. Changing job, role or location requires a new filing.
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.
Different employer types use different channels, and each channel pairs with a different visa category.
| Route | When to use | Certifying authority | Approx. duration | Rejection risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard filing with the Department of Employment | The employer is an ordinary Thai company without BOI promotion | Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour | Variable, driven by how complete the employer's file is | Thai-to-foreign staff ratios and registered capital not meeting thresholds is the common refusal ground |
| BOI-promoted company channel | The employer holds a promotion certificate and the position is on the approved list | BOI together with the Immigration Bureau and Department of Employment | Generally faster than the standard route, still variable | A position that differs from the approved list requires an amendment first |
| Conditional or short-term work authorisation | Short assignments or job types covered by specific published rules | Department of Employment under the notification in force | Shorter than a full application | Working beyond the authorised scope is an offence even when a permit exists |
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.
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.
We look at your destination, purpose and deadline, then tell you which certification route applies — and which steps you can skip.
Name spelling, consistency across documents, document age and translation format are checked before anything reaches a counter.
We sequence the steps around your appointment or travel date and flag bottlenecks in advance.
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.
Some activities need a licence from a specialist regulator before operating. Verify at the planning stage.
Shareholding, objectives and required licences should be settled before filing; later changes require amendment filings and extra time.
Cross-border contracts should state which language version prevails and how disputes are resolved.
Liability depends on tax residence and any applicable double-tax agreement; evaluate before moving funds or receiving cross-border income.
Certificates submitted should be freshly issued and consistent with the current register, or the receiving authority will refuse them.
A translation conveys wording but does not assess legal risk. Have a lawyer review the substance before signing.
Using nominees to bypass foreign business restrictions carries serious legal risk. Structure the company lawfully from the outset.
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.
One document set often moves through several stages — translation, notarial certification, legalization and finally a visa filing. The links below follow that real sequence.
Authority requirements change. Verify with the receiving authority before filing, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.