Krabi Visa
Krabi Visa
Description
Punch Whitfield offers advice and administration to foreign residents in Krabi regarding, work permits, visa extensions and company registration.
The first and arguably the simplest method to obtain a work permit is to simply be hired by a Thai based company. This company does not need to be a Thai company – it could be a foreign owned company based in Thailand. In order for this to happen the company needs to qualify for employing a foreigner. So you probably cant get a job working in your friend’s bamboo bar on Railey beach.
Firstly the hiring company needs to show that this position really needs to be filled by a non-Thai. So if you are a Japanese sushi chef – in theory you should be able to find a job in a Japanese restaurant. This rule applies for dive instructors, English teachers, specialised engineers and mechanics, tour guides, etc etc.
The company wishing to employ you must meet the criteria set by the authorities to qualify for hiring non-Thai employees. This is determined by the kind of company, the on-paper value of the company and the number of existing Thai nationals currently employed by said company.
The second method is to set up your own company and qualify for a work permit as the director of that company. There is obviously a certain amount of time and expense involved here and information about setting up a company in thailand can be found on the Company Registration page of this website.
The third method is for those who are married to a Thai national who owns a small busines of some kind. This method has a certain amount of restrictions, but neverthelesss the end result is a work permit.
I can offer advice and assitance on all of these methods and of course there is a lot more to it than I have outlined here. Please contact me to set up a meeting and discuss which method may suit your situation.
The first step in qualifying for a one year extension is to prove that you are paying the correct amount of personal income tax. This means that the company employing you must be declaring that you are being paid the correct amount for your nationality. For example Western European nationals must have a declared taxable income of 50,000bht/month. There is no law to say you can not be paid less than that, but if so then you will not qualify for a one year extension. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule – namely foreign school teachers who are employed by government schools.
It really boils down to the the time and money involved in visa runs verses the extra tax paid on a higher declared income. Some foreign residents are happy to visit the border every three months and are able to combine the annual renewel of their visa with a trip home or a holiday abroad.
Should you wish to apply for a one year extension on your non-immigrant visa then please contact me. Every case is different depending on the individual’s situation.