A Thailand work visa for an Indian professional has 2 parts: a Non-immigrant B visa issued in India through thaievisa.go.th, INR 7,000 for a single entry with 90 days of stay or INR 13,500 for a one-year multiple entry, and a work permit from the Ministry of Labour obtained after arrival for THB 100 plus THB 3,000 for one year. The employer must hold THB 2 million of paid-up capital and employ four Thai nationals for each foreigner, and the Immigration Bureau expects Indian employees to earn at least THB 50,000 a month before it extends the stay to one year for THB 1,900. Executives, specialists and investors can avoid the permit on a SMART visa (INR 30,000 a year) or the 10-year Long-Term Resident visa (INR 140,000), and remote workers for foreign companies use the Destination Thailand Visa (INR 30,000) instead.
The compact version with the price card and checklist is on the Thailand work visa route page. This article compares the four routes on one page and explains the capital, ratio and salary tests that decide most Indian files.
Which Thailand work visa fits an Indian professional?
| Route | Who | Requirements | Validity | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-immigrant B + work permit | Employees of Thai companies, teachers, engineers, managers | Employer with THB 2 million capital and 4 Thai staff per foreigner; job not on the reserved list; THB 50,000 salary for extension | 90 days, extended to 1 year at a time | INR 7,000 visa; THB 3,100 permit; THB 1,900 extension |
| SMART visa (T, I, E, S) | Specialists in targeted industries earning THB 100,000 a month (THB 50,000 in start-ups), investors, executives, start-up founders | BOI endorsement of the employer and the role | Up to 4 years; no work permit; 1-year reporting | INR 30,000 a year |
| LTR visa | Wealthy global citizens, pensioners, remote professionals earning USD 80,000, highly skilled professionals | BOI qualification; health insurance USD 50,000 | 10 years (5 + 5); digital work permit; 17% flat tax for skilled professionals | INR 140,000 |
| DTV | Remote workers for foreign employers, freelancers, soft-power participants | THB 500,000 savings; foreign employment or course | 5 years, 180 days per entry | INR 30,000 |
Most Indian hires, from IT consultants in Bangkok to engineers in the Eastern Economic Corridor and teachers in international schools, use the Non-B and work permit. The job must not be on the list of 40 occupations reserved for Thai nationals, which covers manual labour, hairdressing, Thai massage, tour guiding and most clerical and front-desk work; BOI-promoted companies, regional operating headquarters and international schools are exempt from the capital and ratio rules.
How do the capital, ratio and salary tests work?
The Department of Employment grants a work permit when the employer shows THB 2 million of fully paid-up registered capital for each foreign employee (THB 1 million if the foreigner is married to a Thai national) and four Thai employees registered for social security per work permit. The Immigration Bureau then applies its own test when the 90-day Non-B stay is extended to a year: a salary of at least THB 50,000 a month for nationals of India, with THB 35,000 accepted for teachers at licensed schools, shown with the employment contract, payslips and personal income tax filings once the job has started. Companies that cannot meet the ratio use a BOI promotion, and employees whose salary is below the threshold are left doing 90-day renewals or border runs, which the Bureau now limits.
What does it cost, and who pays?
| Item | Fee | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Non-immigrant B visa, single entry | INR 7,000 | Usually employer |
| Non-immigrant B, multiple entry, 1 year / 3 years | INR 13,500 / INR 30,000 | Employer |
| Work permit application | THB 100 | Employer |
| Work permit, 1 year | THB 3,000 | Employer |
| Extension of stay, 1 year | THB 1,900 | Employer or employee |
| Re-entry permit, multiple | THB 3,800 | Employee |
| SMART visa | INR 30,000 a year | Applicant or employer |
| LTR visa, 10 years | INR 140,000 | Applicant |
Thailand has no skills levy, and foreign employees pay social security at 5 per cent of salary capped at THB 750 a month and personal income tax at 5 to 35 per cent, with treaty relief for India. Vistolane charges the INR 7,000 or INR 13,500 visa fee at the official rate and shows the permit and extension fees separately on the Thailand destination page; employers see every file in Vistolane for business.
How does the application run?
- Employer documents: company affidavit (under six months old), list of shareholders, VAT registration, financial statements, social security records for four Thai staff, the employment contract and an invitation letter stating position and salary.
- Apply on thaievisa.go.th for the Non-immigrant B with the employer's file, your degree, CV and three months of statements; pay INR 7,000; the embassy or consulate decides in about 10 working days.
- Enter Thailand on the Non-B (90 days) with the TDAC filed; the employer lodges the work permit (form WP1) with the Department of Employment or, for BOI companies, the One Stop Service Centre; 7 to 15 working days, same day at the OSSC.
- Collect the work permit, register for social security and a tax ID, and open a Thai bank account.
- Before day 90, apply at the Immigration Bureau for a one-year extension of stay (THB 1,900) with the permit, contract, payslips and company documents; buy a multiple re-entry permit (THB 3,800) before any trip abroad.
How long does it take from India?
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Employer documents | 1 to 2 weeks |
| e-Visa processing | About 10 working days |
| Work permit after arrival | 7 to 15 working days (same day at the BOI One Stop Service Centre) |
| Extension of stay | Before day 90; same-day or 30 days under consideration |
Plan six to eight weeks from signed offer to first working day. Workers already in Thailand on an exempt entry cannot start work until the Non-B and permit exist, and in most cases must leave to collect the Non-B at a Thai mission.
Changing jobs, family and settlement
The work permit names the employer, position and workplace; a new employer means a new permit and, usually, a new Non-B or a change of sponsor at immigration within the current extension. Spouses and children under 20 join on Non-immigrant O visas extended alongside the worker, as the Thailand family visa guide explains. Each foreigner files a 90-day address report, and the yearly extension depends on tax filings and the employer's continued compliance.
Permanent residence opens after three consecutive years of one-year extensions on the same status with THB 80,000 a month of income (THB 30,000 if married to a Thai) and tax filings, under an annual quota of 100 per nationality; SMART and LTR holders have lighter reporting but the same PR path. Indians comparing Asian hubs can weigh the Singapore Employment Pass guide and the Malaysia Employment Pass guide.
Why are Thailand work visas and permits refused, and what fixes each reason?
Employer fails the capital or ratio test. Less than THB 2 million per foreigner or fewer than four Thai staff. Increase paid-up capital, register the Thai staff for social security or use a BOI promotion.
Reserved occupation. A role described as clerical, sales assistant or manual. Describe the real skilled duties and title in the contract and invitation letter.
Salary below THB 50,000. Extension refused and the worker left on 90-day stays. Raise the contract to the threshold before the first extension.
Degree and experience not matching. A job in engineering with a degree in an unrelated field and no experience letters. Attach experience letters and professional certificates that match the position.
Worked before the permit. Fine, revocation and a re-entry ban. Attend only onboarding until the permit is in hand.
How Vistolane handles it
Work routes on Vistolane go to a licence-checked immigration partner in Bangkok who prepares the employer's file, files the Non-B e-Visa and lodges the work permit and extension; the government fees are charged as listed. Employers start from Vistolane for business; workers start with the free eligibility check or the Thailand work visa route page. Remote workers who do not need a Thai employer should read the Destination Thailand Visa guide.
