So you’re in Thailand on a tourist visa, and you just got a job offer. The first question that probably popped into your head is: “Do I have to fly out of the country first to get a work visa?” Good news — not always. Thai law actually lets you change your tourist visa to a work visa in Thailand without ever leaving, as long as you and your employer both meet the conditions set by the Immigration Bureau.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about changing a tourist visa to a work visa in Thailand — the conditions, the documents, the steps, the timeline, the costs, and the mistakes that get applications rejected. This process leans heavily on documents from your employer, so the sooner you loop in HR, the smoother this goes. Wait too long, and you’re the one stuck waiting.
What is “Changing a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa in Thailand”?
Changing a tourist visa to a work visa means applying to convert your visa type — from an ordinary tourist visa or a visa-exempt entry — into a Non-Immigrant “B” visa (Non-B), the visa category built for working in Thailand. You file this application right at the Immigration Bureau inside Thailand. No flight home, no trip to a Thai embassy or consulate required. (Want the full picture on eligibility? Check out our guide on the Non-B visa.)
Who Can Actually Use This Process?
This route works if you entered Thailand on a tourist visa or visa exemption, and you already have a Thai employer ready to hire you. Here’s the part people miss: the Non-B visa is only step one. Once you have it, you still need a Work Permit from the Department of Employment before you can legally start working. So talk to your employer early — they need to start pulling together company documents the moment you accept the offer, because your Work Permit application depends on it.
Conditions for Changing a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa in Thailand
Before you start gathering paperwork, you and your employer should confirm a few basics first.
- Your current visa or status has to be a type that’s eligible for conversion, and you can’t be overstaying.
- Submit your application at least 15–21 days before your current visa expires — that buffer matters for processing time.
- All documents, yours and your employer’s, need to be complete and current.
- Your employer has to meet legal requirements too: registered capital, the ratio of Thai to foreign employees, and the minimum salary tied to your nationality.
Note: for the specifics on minimum salary by nationality and employee ratio rules, our article on the Non-B visa covers it in detail.
Case 1: Tourist Visa or Transit Visa Holders — Use Form TM.86
If you entered Thailand on a Tourist Visa or Transit Visa that hasn’t expired, and you’re not overstaying, you can apply to change your visa type using Form TM.86.
Case 2: Visa-Exempt Entry (30/90-Day Stamp) — Use Form TM.87
If you entered Thailand under a visa exemption — say, a 30-day or 90-day stamp — you’ll use Form TM.87 instead to apply for conversion to a Non-B visa.
Documents Required to Change a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa
Under Forms TM.86/TM.87, the Immigration Bureau wants paperwork from both sides — you, and your employer. This is exactly why coordination matters so much. Your employer’s documents take time to put together, so check in with HR early and find out where things stand.
Documents You Need to Prepare
- 86 or TM.87 application form
- Passport
- A 4×6 cm photograph
- Educational certificates and proof of work experience, translated into English and legalized by your home country’s embassy in Thailand (or abroad) and by Thailand’s Legalization Division
- Form Sor.Tor.Mor.4 certifying your education and work experience
Documents Your Employer Needs to Prepare
- Company registration certificate
- Form Phor.Kor.0401
- List of shareholders (Form Bor.Or.Jor.5)
- Latest financial statements
- Forms Phor.Phor.20, Phor.Phor.01 (plus Phor.Phor.09 or amendment of registered capital, if applicable)
- Forms Phor.Ngor.Dor.1, Phor.Ngor.Dor.50, and social security documents
- Color photos and a map of the company location
- Letter confirming your employment and job position
- Letter explaining the business necessity for hiring a foreign employee
- Power of attorney (if not submitting the application in person)
- Other supporting documents as required
Required documents can shift depending on your business type, your nationality, and how the immigration officer reviewing your case sees things. Always confirm the latest checklist with your employer or an expert before you submit.
Step-by-Step: How to Change Your Tourist Visa to a Work Visa
The process generally breaks down into 6 main steps.
- Prepare all required documents — yours and your employer’s.
- Submit the application to change visa type (Form TM.86/TM.87) at the Immigration Bureau.
- Pay the application fee.
- Immigration officers review the documents and consider your application (around 3 weeks).
- Receive your Non-B visa stamp in your passport. Don’t forget to apply for your Work Permit through the e-workpermit system at the Department of Employment, before you start working.
How Long Does It Take to Change a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa?
The whole process takes about 4 weeks total — roughly 3 weeks to convert to a Non-B visa, plus around 1 week to get your Work Permit. Start preparing documents at least 21 days before your current visa expires, so you and your employer have some breathing room if anything needs fixing along the way.
How Much Does It Cost to Change a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa?
The application fee for changing visa type (TM.86/TM.87) is 2,000 THB.
Important Warnings When Changing Your Tourist Visa to a Work Visa
- Never start working before you receive your Work Permit — even after getting your Non-B visa. Non-B is a visa category, not permission to work.
- Watch your current visa’s expiry date closely, and always submit before it expires to avoid overstaying.
- Your employer’s documents must be current and accurately reflect the company’s real status — employee count, registered capital, all of it — or your application could get rejected.
- Translated and legalized documents need proper certification from your home country’s embassy and Thailand’s Legalization Division.
- If you travel outside Thailand while your application is pending, get a Re-Entry Permit first. Skip it, and your Non-B application gets automatically canceled.
Can a Student Visa Be Changed to a Work Visa?
No — a Student Visa (Non-ED) can’t be converted directly to a Work Visa (Non-B) inside Thailand. If you’re on a student visa and want to start working, you’ll need to leave the country and apply for a new Non-B visa from a Thai embassy or consulate abroad. (Our guide on changing a student visa to a work visa has the details.)
What About BOI-Promoted Companies?
If your employer is a BOI-promoted company, the process and documents look different from a standard company — they typically use the Non-IB visa category, which comes with its own specific conditions. (See our guide on the Non-IB visa for BOI companies.)
What If You Can’t Change Your Visa Inside Thailand?
If you don’t meet the conditions — overstaying, holding a visa type that can’t be converted, or missing documents — your option is to leave Thailand and apply for a new Non-B visa from a Thai embassy or consulate abroad.
FAQs
About 3 weeks for the Non-B conversion, plus around 1 week for the Work Permit — roughly 4 weeks total. Start preparing documents at least 21 days before your current visa expires.
The application fee is 2,000 THB, not including other related costs such as a Re-Entry Permit or Work Permit fees.
Yes — using Form TM.87 to apply for conversion to a Non-B visa, as long as you and your employer meet the required conditions.
Not yet. You still need to get your Work Permit from the Department of Employment before you can legally work in Thailand.
No. Student visa (Non-ED) holders need to leave Thailand and apply for a new Non-B visa from abroad.
If you don’t qualify to change your visa inside Thailand, your option is to leave the country and apply for a new Non-B visa from a Thai embassy or consulate — or talk to an expert who can review your documents before you reapply.
Summary
Changing a tourist visa to a work visa is a practical move — it saves you and your employer time and money, since there’s no need to leave Thailand. But it only works if you understand the conditions, the documents, and the steps clearly, and stay closely coordinated with your employer the whole way through. Skip a step, and you’re looking at delays or a flat-out rejection.
RLC Outsourcing | Visa and Work Permit Service
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View our visa and work permit services, or contact RLC Outsourcing today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
