Guide to Thai work permit and work-visa documents | NAATI Thailand By Thai Notary Law
Guide to Thai work permit and work-visa documents
The employer provides its company affidavit, shareholder list, financial statements and tax filings; the employee provides a passport, the correct visa class, and translated and certified degrees and employment references. Once the permit issues, the visa extension and 90-day reporting follow on schedule.
Working in Thailand requires both the correct visa category (Non-Immigrant B or a related class) and a work permit from the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour. The employer-side and employee-side documents must line up.
Who needs this
Foreign nationals starting with a Thai employer
Companies hiring foreign specialists
People changing employer and refiling
Dependants converting to a work-eligible status
Document checklist
1.Passport with the correct visa category
2.Recent company affidavit from the commercial registrar
3.Shareholder list (Bor Or Jor 5)
4.The employer's latest financial statements and tax filings
5.Employment contract stating position, duties and terms
6.Degree and transcript with certified translations
7.Reference letters from previous employers
8.Medical certificate in the prescribed form
9.Photographs and the applicable Tor Tor application form
Step-by-step process
1. Check eligibility and permitted occupations
Certain occupations are reserved for Thai nationals; verify before signing the contract.
2. Bring the employer's documents up to date
Company affidavits have a short acceptance window, so obtain a fresh one shortly before filing.
3. Translate and certify foreign qualifications
Foreign qualifications usually need attestation by the issuing country's embassy and MFA legalisation.
4. File the work-permit application
File at the employment office covering the workplace's area, or through the available online channel.
5. Align the stay permission with the work permit
Once the permit issues, apply to Immigration for the extension of stay under the applicable conditions.
6. Maintain ongoing obligations
Keep up 90-day reporting, address notifications and any change of position or workplace.
Typical timing
Document preparation and translation 3–7 business days · permit processing follows the employment office's queue · the extension of stay is decided by Immigration
Common pitfalls
Do not start work before the permit is issued, even if the correct visa is already in the passport.
The permitted position must match the actual work; operating outside its scope carries legal risk.
When employment ends, the permit must be returned or cancelled within the prescribed period.
Every document must spell your name exactly as in your passport. If the spelling differs, attach the name-change certificate or a transliteration note.
Torn, corrected or copy-of-a-copy originals are commonly rejected at the legalisation stage — request a freshly issued copy from the issuing authority first.
Some documents carry a validity window (often 3–6 months from issue) set by the receiving authority. Check it before starting the chain.
Practical tips
Scan every original to a 300 dpi colour PDF before sending it out, in case you must refile or the destination asks for a soft copy.
Always prepare two sets — one to submit, one to keep. Many authorities retain the submitted originals.
If the documents will be used in more than one country, say so up front: the number of sets and the attestation format differ by destination.
Leave at least two weeks' buffer before your real deadline: Thai public holidays and embassy holidays do not coincide.
Keep every receipt and acknowledgement slip — they are what lets you trace the file or request a replacement if it is lost.
Relevant authorities
Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour · Immigration Bureau
Comparison: notarial certification vs MFA legalisation
Aspect
Notarial Services Attorney
Department of Consular Affairs (MFA)
What is certified
The signature, the true copy, an affidavit, and facts witnessed in person
The signature and seal of the Thai official who signed the document
Issuing authority
A lawyer registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand
Officers of the Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs
Order in the chain
First step for private documents and translations
After translation or certification, before the destination embassy
Acceptance abroad
Many countries require legalisation and embassy steps on top of this
A standard prerequisite before most embassies will attest
If done out of order
The set is typically rejected and must be redone from the start
The stamp will not cover a translation attached afterwards
More than a processing agency — an advisor through the whole process
Our team has worked on cross-border documentation for more than 15 years. You get more than a completed errand: we map the correct order of steps from the start, flag the items receiving authorities most often send back, and explain the fastest route that fits your specific case.
Case assessment before we start — which documents are genuinely required and which are not, so nothing is done twice.
A dedicated advisor for your case, so you never have to re-explain your situation.
Step-by-step progress updates and a digital copy of every page at completion for future reference.
Continued guidance after delivery — when documents need renewing and what the next step in the same matter looks like.
Note: we provide document preparation, translation and certification services. Approval decisions always rest with the receiving authority.
Prefer not to handle this yourself?
We handle the whole chain — document review, translation, certification by a Notarial Services Attorney, MFA legalisation and the destination embassy. Send one set and receive the finished file with a digital copy of every page.
