Thai Business Visa (Non-B) in Phuket: Getting & Renewing 2026

If you want to work legally in Thailand — whether as an employee, company director, or business owner — you need a Non-Immigrant B visa, followed by a work permit. This is the standard route and there are no real shortcuts.

After six years in Phuket, going through this process multiple times personally and watching dozens of other expats navigate it, here's the complete, honest guide to getting and renewing a Non-B in Phuket. It's not as complicated as it sounds once you understand the sequence.

Non-B vs Other Business Visas: What's Available in 2026?

Thailand has introduced several business-friendly visa categories beyond the traditional Non-B in recent years. Understanding where the Non-B sits in the landscape is helpful before committing to it.

If you're a remote worker earning income from a foreign employer and don't have a Thai employer, the LTR Visa (Long-Term Resident) may suit you better — it doesn't require a work permit for remote work and comes with a 10-year validity. But it has income requirements (minimum USD 80,000/year or equivalent assets).

The Non-B remains the correct route for: employees of Thai companies, directors of Thai companies who are actively managing the business, and people whose employer (Thai or foreign entity) is registered in Thailand and sponsoring their work permit.

Step 1: Getting Your First Non-B Visa

The Non-B visa is issued at a Thai embassy or consulate outside Thailand. You cannot convert a tourist visa or visa-exemption stamp to a Non-B inside Thailand (in virtually all cases — there are narrow exceptions that are complex to navigate).

Common Application Points Near Phuket/Thailand

• Penang, Malaysia — historically the most popular visa run destination; Thai consulate in Penang is experienced with Non-B applications
• Kuala Lumpur — Thai embassy; slower but convenient if already there
• Vientiane, Laos — Thai embassy; an option but a longer trip
• Your home country — before you move to Phuket, getting the Non-B in your home country's Thai embassy is the cleanest route

Documents Required for Non-B Application

• Valid passport (6+ months validity; some consulates require 18+ months)
• Non-Immigrant visa application form
• Passport photos (typically 2 × 4cm × 6cm, white background)
• Letter of employment or invitation from Thai company (on company letterhead, signed by authorised director)
• Copy of company's Department of Business Development registration
• Copy of company's Revenue Department registration (Phor.Por.20)
• Company's latest corporate income tax return (Phor.Ngor.Dor.50)
• Financial statements or VAT filings showing the company's activity
• Your employment contract or job offer
• Fee payment

This list looks long. In practice, your employer (or a visa agent) will prepare most of this. The key point: the company that employs you needs to have its paperwork in order. A company that's delinquent on tax filings or has just been registered will have trouble issuing the supporting documents you need.

Step 2: Applying for a Work Permit in Phuket

The Non-B visa gets you into Thailand and gives you 90 days of entry. Before you start working — technically on day one — you need a work permit. This is a separate process from the visa.

Work permits in Phuket are issued by the Department of Employment (กรมการจัดหางาน), Phuket Provincial Labour Office. The office is on Tilok Uthit 2 Road in Phuket Town, near the Provincial Hall complex. It's worth knowing exactly where you're going before the day of your appointment.

Work Permit: What You Need

• Valid Non-B visa (or Non-Immigrant visa of another category that permits a work permit)
• Completed work permit application form (Tor.Tor.3)
• Passport photos (typically 3)
• Employment contract with Thai company
• Medical certificate from a Thai doctor (standard check; most clinics do this within a day)
• Criminal background check (from your home country; check current requirements with Labour Department)
• Educational certificates (original and certified copies; profession-dependent)
• Company documents: registration, shareholder list, tax returns, VAT filings, social security filings
• Company financial statements

The Thai employer must maintain at least ฿2,000,000 in registered capital and at least 4 Thai employees for every 1 foreign work permit holder. This 4:1 ratio is important — it's why you can't just register a ฿1M company with yourself as the sole employee and get a work permit.

Work Permit Processing Time & Cost

Step 3: Annual Renewal at Phuket Immigration

Once you have your Non-B and work permit, you're in a stable position. Your Non-B visa extension (permission to stay) is tied to your work permit and renewed annually at Phuket Immigration.

Phuket Immigration is located at the Phuket Government Complex on Chaofah Road East, Chalong (near Chalong Pier). It gets busy — especially in high season when tourist visa extensions are being processed simultaneously. Arrive early (7:30–8am for a queue number) if you want to be done by midday.

Annual Renewal: Document Checklist

• Passport (original + copies of all relevant pages)
• Current Non-B visa page copy
• Current work permit (original + copies)
• TM.7 form (extension of stay application — download from Thai immigration website)
• Passport photos (1–2 × 4×6cm)
• Letter from employer requesting extension
• Recent payslip or tax withholding certificate
• Company documents (as for work permit — your employer provides these)
• Government fee: ฿1,900

The 90-Day Reporting Requirement

Even with a 1-year extension, you must report your address to immigration every 90 days. This can be done online through the Immigration Bureau website (quality varies — it sometimes fails), in person at Phuket Immigration, or by registered post. Missing it incurs a ฿5,000 fine. Set a calendar reminder.

Non-B for Business Owners vs Employees

There's an important distinction between getting a Non-B as an employee and as a business owner/director.

As an Employee

Simplest path: your Thai employer sponsors your Non-B and work permit. They provide all company documents. Your role is to provide personal documents (passport, education certificates, background check). The employer must meet the 4:1 Thai:foreign employee ratio and capital requirements.

As a Company Owner / Director

More complex. You need your own company to be the sponsoring entity — which means you need to set up the company first (see our Thai company setup guide). You essentially self-sponsor but the company must meet all the same requirements (capital, Thai employees, tax compliance). Many expat-run companies use an employer-of-record arrangement to avoid setting up their own entity.

Common Non-B Problems and How to Avoid Them

• Getting refused at the consulate: Usually because company documents are incomplete or the employment letter isn't properly formatted. Use a visa agent for the first application.
• Work permit rejection: The 4:1 Thai:foreign employee ratio is the most common blocker for smaller companies. The company must have genuinely employed Thai staff, not paper employees.
• Overstaying: If your extension application is in progress but your current permission expires, you are technically overstaying. Apply at least 30 days before expiry. Don't leave this to the last week.
• Company tax non-compliance: If your employer hasn't been filing tax returns or paying social security, your renewal will be refused. The employer's compliance directly affects your visa status.
• Missing 90-day reports: ฿5,000 fine every time. Automate the reminder.

Alternative: Employer-of-Record (No Company Needed)

If you're a freelancer or remote worker without a Thai company to sponsor you, an employer-of-record like Iglu Thailand can be the employer on paper. They employ you through their company, handle payroll and social security, and provide the sponsorship for your work permit. You work for your own clients. Cost: ฿9,000–฿15,000/month including the EoR service fee.

This is increasingly popular among remote workers in Phuket who want to be fully legal but don't want the hassle of setting up their own Thai company. See our full guide to Iglu and umbrella companies in Phuket.