How It Links to the Non-B Visa and the 1-Year Extension

A permit is not issued for longer than the period the foreigner is permitted to stay in the Kingdom. Non-B holders are typically granted up to one year at a time and renew annually, while BOI cases follow the period approved for the position.

The usual sequence is: (1) the employer prepares corporate documents and the offer/employment letter; (2) the employer files on the foreigner's behalf to obtain the notification of consideration used for the Non-B visa; (3) the foreigner obtains a Non-B visa at a Thai embassy or consulate, or changes visa category inside Thailand; (4) after entering on the correct visa, the work permit application is filed at the local employment office; (5) the permit is issued and the one-year extension of stay is filed.

Yes. The foreigner must already be permitted to stay in a category that allows work — usually Non-Immigrant B — before the work permit application can be filed. Spouses of Thai nationals holding Non-O may also obtain a work permit provided the employer qualifies.

It is possible in some cases by filing a change of visa category with the Immigration Bureau, provided you have the required number of days remaining and the employer's documents are complete. It remains at the officer's discretion; if documents fall short, the alternative is applying at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad.

You must file TM.7 for an extension of stay before your permitted stay expires, attaching the work permit and the employer's tax and social-security records. If approved, extensions are granted for up to one year at a time and must be refiled annually.

Obtain a re-entry permit before departure. Without it, your permission to stay ends the moment you leave, and on return you are only granted entry according to the visa you hold — which disrupts the continuity of your work permit as well.

You restart the employer-side process. A work permit is tied to a named employer, position and work location. When you resign, the former employer must notify the Department of Employment of the termination, and your permission to stay begins to run out. The usual sequence is to file the new work permit application with the new employer first, then submit TM.7 for an extension of stay with the new company's full document set.

No. The DTV is designed for remote work performed for employers or clients located outside Thailand, and for soft-power activity participants. Providing services to a Thai entity for remuneration is work that requires a permit. To work for a Thai employer you need the Non-B plus work permit route, or SMART/LTR if you qualify.

File the work permit renewal before the expiry date. Working after the permit lapses is unauthorised work even if the visa is still valid, and conversely, once the permit ends the basis for the Non-B extension of stay falls away. The safe practice is to renew the work permit roughly thirty days ahead, then file TM.7.

Yes. A Thai work permit is tied to the employer, the workplace and the described duties, so it does not transfer. The former employer must notify the Department of Employment within 15 days of termination, and you must apply afresh with the new employer. Because a Non-B extension based on employment can be cut short after the job ends, the two filings should be sequenced so there is no gap in status.