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A Non-immigrant visa is a visa issue to a person under the conditions of applying for a temporary stay in the Kingdom as follows:

• Performance official duties;
• Business;
• Investing under the concurrence of the Ministries and Departments concerned;
• Investing or other activities relating to investing subject to the Provisions of Law on Investment Promotion;
• Study or observation;
• Mass media;
• Missionary work under the concurrence of the Ministries and Departments concerned;
• Scientific research, training or teaching in a Research institute or institute in the Kingdom;
• The practice of skilled handicrafts or as a specialist;
• Other activities such as to perform duties or missions in the family of alien who entered to stay temporary in the Kingdom as the parents, spouse or child under patronage and being a part of the household of the said person; or to provide or received support from the person whose nationality is Thai or the alien who has been granted and has taken up permanent residence in the Kingdom as the parents, spouse or child under patronage and being a part of household of the said person;  or to perform duties for the state enterprises or social welfare organization.
  

Important Information regarding Non-Immigrant Visas

The Visa Section at the Royal Thai Consulate General in Chicago will be granting visas according to the PURPOSE of the applicant who will travel into the Kingdom of Thailand based on the rules and regulations set forth by the Immigration Bureau of Thailand and the authorities concerned. It must be understood that we will not issue a visa beyond the category which is appropriate to the purpose of the applicant's travel to Thailand.

I. Conducting business (not including employment), the visa applicant must include with his or her visa application any such documentation the Consulate deems necessary for consideration of the visa application which includes the following:

• An original letter of invitation on company letterhead from the business host in Thailand;
• A copy of the host's Registration of Trade which states the amount of capital investment which is issued by the Department of Commercial Registration with certification by the Department not more than six months earlier;
• Certified documentation of the payment of taxes by the business host of the past two years.
• Certified approval Letter from the Labor Department by the Department of Consul, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand.
• Any documents that prove you are traveling for business purposes;

II. Employment

• Approval from the Alien Occupational Control Division, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

III. Teaching [ For teaching in private schools at the levels below university level ]

• Passport or travel document with validity of not less than 6 months
• Completed visa application form
• Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.
• Letter of acceptance from employing institute or school in Thailand.
• Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
• Evidence of educational qualification such as diplomas or teaching certificates.
• School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile.
• Applicant’s resume.
• Police certificate verifying that applicant has no criminal record or equivalents or letter issued by authorised agencies in applicant’s country. (The requirement of the submission of such police certificate is optional. The applicant must submit it if consular officer requests he/she to do so. This requirement is effective as from May 2007)

IV. Research

• The original invitation letter from the institution concerned.
• The approval from the Ministry or the Government University concerned;

V. Religious purposes

• approval from the Religious Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education. (When the applicant is approved by the Religious Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education, the religious institution would then send the approval document to the applicant and to Consulate for consideration in issuing the visa.)

VI. Visiting family

• To visit as a spouse of a Thai national
  • a valid and effective marriage certificate (original)
  • a certified copy of the Thai national's passport/ I.D. card of the spouse.
  • a certified letter from the Thai spouse stating that he or she is still married to the applicant.
  • Fianc้s or fianc้es are not included in this category
• To visit as a relative of a Thai national
  • documents proving such relationship.

VII. Retirement in Thailand (see also Retirement Visas), the applicant must be at least 50 years old and must submit documents as follows :

• documentation showing proof of retirement
• bank statement or monthly/year income.
• a copy of the applicant’s criminal record from the local police department
• a certificate of health.

These documents must be certified by a Notary Public and certify true signature of the notary public by the Secretary of State.

VIII. Studying

• For studying in private schools or private colleges.
  • Approval from the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of University Affairs (When the applicant has been approved by the above-mentioned offices, the school or college would then send the approval document to the applicant and to the Consulate for consideration in issuing the visa.)
• For studying at a government school or government university
  • Approval from the Ministry of Education/Ministry of University Affairs or the University's administration. (When the applicant is approved by the Ministry of Education / Ministry of University Affairs or the University's administration, the school or college will then send the approval document to the applicant and to the Consulate for consideration in issuing the visa.)

For other purposes not listed above, please contact the Visa Section at the Royal Thai Consulate General in Chicago

Non-Immigrant Visas will not be issued for such purposes as tourism, seeking employment opportunities in Thailand, looking for a school for teaching or studying purposes, etc.

For such purposes a 60-day Tourist Visa may be granted which can be extended up to 30 or more days in Thailand through Thai Immigration. For more information on extending visas in Thailand, please see Thai Immigration's web site (see "Extension of Visa" under "Available within the Kingdom"). The holder of any category of visa to the Kingdom of Thailand may apply in Thailand to change to another visa category when you are in Thailand, if you are qualified for that type of visa. The applicant can apply for changing a visa category at the Immigration Bureau Office in Thailand.