A Thailand work visa (Non-Immigrant B) requires a job with a Thai employer and a WP32 letter; you may only work once you hold a work permit via e-WorkPermit.
Last checked: 11 October 2026
In short (as of 11 October 2026)
Working without a work permit is prohibited, whatever your visa (embassy in The Hague, general information, updated 1 September 2026).
The Non-Immigrant B visa for a job (B1) requires an approval letter from the Ministry of Labour (WP32) and at least 30,000 baht in financial proof. It costs 70 euros in The Hague and 80 euros in Brussels (since 15 July 2024).
Since 13 October 2025 the work permit is applied for nationwide via e-WorkPermit of the Department of Employment.
For the extension of stay based on work (up to 1 year, 1,900 baht), immigration requires, among other things, 2 million baht of paid-up capital, 4 permanent Thai employees per foreigner and, for Dutch and Belgian nationals, a salary of 50,000 baht per month.
40 types of work are reserved for Thai nationals, 27 of them completely (Ministry of Labour, 1 April 2020).
Since 15 September 2026 the visa exemption only applies to tourism; for business visits there is the Non-B "business visit".
This article is for Dutch and Belgian nationals who are going to work or do business in Thailand, or who are moving there with someone who works there. The general Thai rules in this guide apply to all nationalities; the parts about embassies and documents are written for Dutch and Belgian passport holders, so if you hold another passport, check the requirements of the Thai embassy or consulate that serves you.
Thailand work visa: the types of Non-B
The e-Visa system and the document list of the embassy in The Hague (31 August 2026) include:
B1, employment: a job with an employer in Thailand. Single entry, valid for 3 months.
B2, business visit: a business visit on invitation. Single entry (3 months) or multiple entry (1 year).
B3, frequent business visit: multiple entry, valid for 3 years.
B5, academic staff/teacher: teachers and lecturers.
Also internships (B4), sports coaches (B6) and BOI variants (IB1 to IB3).
With a Non-Immigrant visa you get up to 90 days on arrival; the immigration officer decides the exact length (embassy in The Hague, general information, updated 1 September 2026).
The work permit
The work permit and the occupations reserved for Thai nationals are set out in the 2017 emergency decree on the management of foreign workers (พระราชกำหนดการบริหารจัดการการทำงานของคนต่างด้าว พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๐), amended in 2018. According to the embassy in The Hague (updated 1 September 2026), no foreigner may work in Thailand without a work permit, whatever the visa, and you need the right visa to be able to apply for the work permit.
e-WorkPermit. According to the Ministry of Labour (7 October 2025), eworkpermit.doe.go.th has been in use nationwide since 13 October 2025. You register online, submit the application, follow its status and pay the application fee online. After approval you pay for the permit and book an appointment at one of the 54 service centres for a biometric check (face, iris, fingerprints).
Costs. You pay the application fee and the permit fee in e-WorkPermit (Ministry of Labour, 7 October 2025). The e-WorkPermit home page lists no amounts (as of 11 October 2026); ask the Department of Employment beforehand (hotline 1506, option 2).
Occupations reserved for Thai nationals
The Ministry of Labour announcement of 1 April 2020 (Royal Gazette 21 April 2020, in force sixty days after publication) lists 40 types of work in four lists:
List 1, completely prohibited (27): including Thai massage, hairdresser and beautician, tour guide and tour leader, clerk or secretary, driver (except international pilot and forklift), street vending, legal services (except arbitration) and traditional crafts.
List 2 (3): accounting, civil engineering and architecture, only under international agreements or with a Thai professional licence.
List 3 (8): including agriculture, fishing and construction work, only skilled or semi-skilled work for an employer.
List 4 (2): unskilled work and shop sales, only for workers who come under a labour agreement (MOU) between governments.
Employer and salary requirements for the extension
After the first 90 days you apply at immigration for an extension of stay, up to 1 year at a time. Immigration Division 1 in Bangkok publishes the criteria with the annexes of Order of the Immigration Bureau No. 242/2566 of 27 September 2023:
You hold a Non-Immigrant visa.
Your income follows the table in Annex A: for Dutch and Belgian nationals ("Countries in Europe (except Russia)") 50,000 baht per month.
The company has at least 2 million baht of paid-up capital.
The company shows with audited annual accounts that it is genuinely and continuously active.
The company has 1 foreign employee per 4 permanent Thai employees.
Exceptions:
Representative office, regional office or branch of a foreign company: points 3 and 4 do not apply, ratio 1 to 1.
18 target industries and startups: 50,000 baht per month, 1 million baht of capital (at least 25% paid up in year 1, fully paid up by year 4), a confirmation from the competent authority listed in Annex C and a ratio of 1 to 1 (for startups only after the fifth year).
The Department of Employment assesses the work permit separately; ask your employer which requirements apply there.
Step by step
The employer arranges the WP32 with the Ministry of Labour.
Apply for the visa via thaievisa.go.th (see The Netherlands and Belgium).
Enter Thailand within the 3-month validity.
Work permit via e-WorkPermit, including the biometric appointment. Only then may you start work.
Extension of stay at immigration.
Re-entry permit for every trip abroad; without a re-entry permit your permission to stay lapses (Immigration Division 1).
90-day report: if you stay longer than 90 days, you report your address every 90 days (Immigration Act 1979, section 37(5)).
Document checklist
B1 visa (The Hague 31 August 2026; Brussels, leaflet November 2023, the same):
Passport page with personal details and a passport photo no more than 6 months old
Proof of your current place of residence
At least 30,000 baht, for example bank statements for 3 months or a sponsor letter
WP32, or for a follow-up visa the work permit
Extension (Immigration Division 1, Bangkok):
TM.7, copy of your passport, employer's statement in the prescribed format and copy of the work permit
Company registration and shareholder register, no more than 6 months old
Balance sheet and profit and loss account for the last year
Withholding tax returns (P.N.D.1) for the last 3 months, covering the Thai employees and you
Your latest income tax return (if you have one)
Map and photos of the workplace during working hours, and a business licence if the activity requires one
The authorised director signs and stamps every page of non-government documents.
Teachers
For the B5 the embassy asks for a letter from, for example, the Ministry of Education, a university or an international school, and a statement that you have no criminal record from your country of residence. For an extension for a private school, Bangkok names a teaching licence from the Teachers' Council of Thailand or an exemption, and a maximum of 10 percent foreigners among the teaching staff.
Business visits since 15 September 2026
The Royal Gazette (31 August 2026) and the embassy in The Hague (23 September 2026) state that since 15 September 2026 Dutch and Belgian nationals may come for 30 days without a visa for tourism. For business the e-Visa system has:
B2: an invitation letter from a Thai company, 30,000 baht (single entry) or 120,000 baht (multiple entry).
B3: proof of permanent residence in the country where you apply, 3,000,000 baht and proof of a business background.
If you are unsure whether your trip counts as tourism, ask the embassy.
Partner and children
Family members apply for a Non-Immigrant O ("to stay with non-Thai family residing in Thailand"): passport, passport photo, proof of place of residence, 30,000 baht, the details and residence permit of the family member in Thailand and proof of the relationship (marriage, birth or adoption certificate).
Immigration extends their stay by up to 1 year at a time (Bangkok):
Partner: the marriage is legal and genuine.
Children: unmarried, aged 20 or under and living with the parent (exception for illness or disability).
Parents: aged 50 or over.
Foreign certificates must be certified by the embassy of the country that issued them. A family member may only work with their own work permit (embassy in The Hague).
BOI companies
For a company with BOI promotion, the IB1 to IB3 visas apply (with a BOI letter instead of a WP32), with its own extension route (Investment Promotion Act 1977).
Costs
Euro amounts next to baht amounts are an indication, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 October 2026: 1 euro = 37.574 baht.
Non-B, 1 entry The Hague 70 euros Brussels 80 euros
Non-B, multiple entry The Hague 175 euros Brussels 170 euros
(The Hague: 1 year)
Non-B, 3 years (B3) The Hague and Brussels 350 euros
Non-O family member, 1 entry The Hague 70 euros Brussels 80 euros
Extension of stay 1,900 baht (about 50.57 euros)
Re-entry permit, 1 entry 1,000 baht (about 26.61 euros)
Re-entry permit, multiple 3,800 baht (about 101.13 euros)
Work permit amount via e-WorkPermit or DOE (1506)
Financial proof (not a cost)
B1, B2 single, Non-O 30,000 baht (about 798 euros)
B2 multiple 120,000 baht (about 3,194 euros)
B3 3,000,000 baht (about 79,842 euros)Visa fees are not refunded. The immigration fees have applied since 26 August 2003.
Time limits and deadlines
The Hague: apply 1 to 2 months before departure; an application more than 90 days in advance is refused.
Brussels: 3 to 8 weeks before departure; in high season the processing time is 4 to 5 weeks.
The Netherlands and Belgium
Where to apply: The Hague only for residents of the Netherlands who are in the Netherlands during the whole procedure; Brussels refuses applications from outside Belgium or Luxembourg.
Criminal record (teachers): neither embassy names a specific document, and for the B5 neither gives a legalisation rule; ask which document and which legalisation they expect. The Netherlands: for legalisation you need a paper VOG (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, the Dutch certificate of conduct) (Dutch government). Belgium: if you live in Belgium, you request the extract from the criminal record (uittreksel uit het strafregister) from your own municipality; if you are no longer registered in Belgium, from the Central Criminal Record of the FPS Justice, free of charge.
Common mistakes
Starting work on a visa alone. Even with a Non-B you only work legally once the work permit has been issued.
A business trip on the visa exemption. Since 15 September 2026 the exemption is for tourism, according to the announcement.
What has changed
2017: emergency decree on the work of foreigners (amended in 2018).
21 April 2020: list of 40 reserved types of work.
27 September 2023: Order of the Immigration Bureau No. 242/2566 with the income table and company requirements.
15 July 2024: new consular fees in The Hague and Brussels.
13 October 2025: e-WorkPermit nationwide.
15 September 2026: visa exemption of 30 days, for tourism only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a work permit to work in Thailand?
Yes. According to the Thai embassy in The Hague (1 September 2026), no foreigner may work in Thailand without a work permit, whatever the visa. Since 13 October 2025 you apply for it via e-WorkPermit.
Can I go to Thailand on a business trip without a visa?
Since 15 September 2026 the 30-day visa exemption applies to tourism. For business visits there is the Non-B "business visit" (70 euros in The Hague, 80 euros in Brussels).
How much capital does a Thai employer need for a work visa?
For your extension, immigration requires 2 million baht of paid-up capital and 4 permanent Thai employees per foreigner (Order 242/2566). Offices of foreign companies and target industries have lower requirements.
What salary do I need for a Thailand work visa extension?
At least 50,000 baht per month for Dutch and Belgian nationals (Annex A to Order 242/2566 of 27 September 2023).
Which jobs are foreigners not allowed to do in Thailand?
The announcement of 1 April 2020 lists 40 types of work, 27 of them completely prohibited, such as Thai massage, hairdresser, tour guide and secretary.
Can my partner and children come with me to Thailand?
Yes, with a Non-Immigrant O. Immigration extends their stay by up to 1 year at a time; children must be unmarried and aged 20 or under.
Read also
Thailand LTR visa: Long-Term Resident : a 10-year stay with a digital work permit.
Extension of stay in Thailand at immigration : how an extension works.
Thailand re-entry permit : travelling abroad and back on your extension.
90-day report Thailand : in person, by post or online.
Thailand visa-exempt: 30 days and the extension : the exemption for tourism.
Sources
All sources opened on 11 October 2026.
Thai embassy in The Hague, overview of visa types (31 August 2026)
Thai embassy in Brussels, Non-Immigrant B and IB (November 2023)
Thai embassy in Brussels, fees (announcement 1/2567, 15 July 2024)
Thai embassy in The Hague, e-Visa conditions (11 February 2025)
Thai embassy in The Hague, general information (updated 1 September 2026)
Immigration Division 1 (Bangkok), extension of stay, sections 1, 7, 20 and 33
Order of the Immigration Bureau No. 242/2566 (27 September 2023), Annex A: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/Annex-A_Order-of-the-Immigraion-Bureau-no.242_2024.pdf (Annexes B and C at the same address with Annex-B and Annex-C)
Immigration Bureau, fees (Ministerial Regulation No. 27, in force 26 August 2003)
Thai Government Public Relations Department, e-WorkPermit (7 October 2025)
Royal Gazette, 30-day visa exemption for tourism (31 August 2026)
Thai MFA, summary of the visa exemption (in force 15 September 2026)
Thai embassy in The Hague, visa exemption for Dutch nationals (23 September 2026)
Flemish government, extract from the criminal record (application at the municipality)
FPS Foreign Affairs, extract from the criminal record for Belgians abroad
This article is general information, not legal advice. Thai visa rules can change and are sometimes applied differently from one office to another. Check the current requirements with the Thai embassy or the immigration office before you apply or travel.