At a Glance

  • Immigration authorities at both the One Stop Service Center and the Immigration Bureau in Chaengwattana are requesting additional documentation to support long-term visa extensions and renewals.
  • Employers should ensure that they provide their foreign national employees with the required corporate documents as foreign nationals who do not provide these additional documents will have their applications denied.

The situation

Immigration authorities at both the One Stop Service Center and the Immigration Bureau in Chaengwattana are requesting additional documentation to support long-term visa extensions and renewals.

A closer look

The new required documents include the following:

Document Description

Original tax receipts

  • Most recent monthly salary withholding tax receipt for all Thai and foreign employees. If filed at the Immigration Bureau, the latest three months of tax receipts are required.
  • Most recent monthly Value Added Tax (VAT) return (Phor Por 30 form) receipt. If filed at the Immigration Bureau, the latest three months of tax receipts are required.
  • Most recent corporate income tax return (P.N.D.50 form).
  • Most recent personal income tax return for the visa holder (P.N.D.91 form).
  • Note: If filing taxes through the regular process at the Revenue Department counter, the taxpayer will receive the yellow tax receipt which must be included with the visa extension application. If filing taxes online, the taxpayer will also receive a tax receipt, which the applicant must print and submit with their visa extension.

Original receipts for fees paid for document certification at the Ministry of Commerce

  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining company's affidavit
  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining List of Shareholders
  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining certified copy of form for submission of audited financial statement for the previous accounting year, acknowledged by the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce (Sor Bor Chor 3 form).

Original receipt of payment for fees paid for the tax certification at the Revenue Department

  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining certified copy of monthly salary withholding tax (P.N.D.1) for the latest month for all Thai and foreign employees. If filed at the Immigration Bureau, the latest three months of receipts are required.
  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining a certified copy of the monthly VAT return (Phor Por 30 form) for the latest month. If filed at the Immigration Bureau, the latest three months of fee payment receipts are required.
  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining a certified copy of the latest corporate income tax return (P.N.D.50 form)
  • Fee payment receipt when obtaining a certified copy of the latest personal income tax return for the visa holder (P.N.D.91 form)

Impact for employers

Employers should ensure that they retain their original receipts of the above-listed documents to provide them to their employees who are applying for long-term visa extensions or renewals.

Impact for foreign nationals

Foreign nationals should ensure that they have the above documents ready for their visa extension renewal or extension appointment at the One Stop Service Center or Immigration Bureau in Chaengwattana.

As usual, foreign nationals who are unable to file for a renewal or extension prior to expiry will need to leave Thailand and apply for a new non-immigrant visa to re-enter Thailand in order to file for a long-term visa extension.

Background

The additional documentation requirements are likely due to findings of incorrect or fraudulent documents supporting visa applications and a new head of the One Stop Service Center as of October 1, who is implementing new rules to ensure that the proper documentation is coming from the Revenue Department and Ministry of Commerce.

Looking ahead

Since Thailand's immigration system remains complex and stringent with rules that are intended to closely monitor and regulate the presence of foreign nationals in the country, it is likely that further compliance measures will be implemented surrounding immigration processes. It is possible that the government may apply the documentary requirements explained above to other provinces. Fragomen will report on related developments.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.