Thailand Non-B Visa for Teachers: School Packet, e-Visa, Arrival
School Sponsors. You File. Stamp Then Permit
I've lived in Thailand for 20 years, and from our office in Ban Lum I tell new teachers the same thing about visas: the Non-B is for entry, and the work permit is the job. Your school sponsors you, you file the e-Visa, and you print the PDF. Pack your degree in the cabin bag. Rules and fees change, so check that week. This is not legal advice.
The Non-B visa is for entry. The work permit is the job, and it names your school. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a Non-B holder must be granted a work permit before starting work. Tourist entry, the education visa (ED) and the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) are not for teaching work, so check with your school and the Department of Employment. Your school sponsors you. You file the e-Visa on thaievisa.go.th if your embassy takes it, print the PDF, file your Thailand Digital Arrival Card, and keep your degree in the cabin bag. KET is a placement agency, not Immigration. For the permit, see our Thai work permit guide. For the wider picture, see our teacher visa overview.
01: Visa Is Entry. Permit Is the Job
Two documents, two jobs. A teacher needs both.
"In 20 years here, the mix-up I hear most is teachers thinking the visa lets them work. It does not. The visa gets you in. The work permit is the job, and it names your school. Keep the two straight and the rest is just paperwork."Matthew John : Co-Founder & Operations Manager, KET
Non-B Visa: Entry 🛂
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues it at Thai embassies and consulates. For a single entry it lists a stay of up to 90 days at first. Some teachers convert inside Thailand instead. See section 05.
Ministry of Foreign AffairsWork Permit: The Job 📑
The Department of Employment issues it, and it names your school. Your school files it, not KET. The Ministry says a Non-B holder must be granted a permit before starting work. See our Thai work permit guide.
School filesNot for Teaching 🚫
Tourist entry, the education visa (ED) and the DTV are not for teaching work. Check with your school and the Department of Employment before you start. Your case is your own, and this is not legal advice.
02: Two Stacks of Paperwork
Yours and your school's. Ask your school for its exact list.
🗂️ You Bring Yours. The School Brings Its Own.
Your school sponsors you and prepares its own papers. You gather yours. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says copies of school documents must be signed by an authorised person and stamped with the school seal, so leave that to your school. Embassies differ, so ask your school and check your embassy's list.
Scans are fine for the online form, but your school and the labour office may want to see the originals in person. For papers from home, see our degree legalization guide.
| Document | Who | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | You | Original and transcripts. Do not laminate. Our understanding is that a degree is the baseline, and your school decides. |
| Police clearance | You | From home. Ask your school how recent it must be and whether it needs authentication. |
| Passport and photos | You | The Ministry lists a passport valid for at least 6 months. Bring spare photos. |
| Sponsor letter and school papers | Your school | Your school prepares these. Ask what it will send to your embassy or immigration office. |
| Medical check | You, in Thailand | Your school tells you when and where. We know it as part of the work permit step. |
Pack your degree, transcripts, police clearance and spare photos in your cabin bag, never in checked luggage. If a bag goes missing, your school cannot move ahead until it sees the originals.
03: e-Visa, PDF and TDAC
Two online steps before you fly.
💻 The e-Visa Site
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs the e-Visa site at thaievisa.go.th. You make an account, fill in the form, upload your documents, pay the fee and wait. The site checks whether your embassy takes e-Visas, and not every one does.
Print the PDF. The approval is emailed to you as a PDF. We tell teachers to print it and carry the paper copy with the passport. The site says the fee is not refundable once paid.
Print the PDF📲 TDAC Before the Flight
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is a separate form on tdac.immigration.go.th. It is free, and the site says to file it up to 3 days before you arrive. It does not replace your visa.
Save the QR code and keep a paper backup. For the steps and the exceptions, see our Thailand Digital Arrival Card guide.
Free. Official site only04: Typical Fees: Ranges Only
Typical ranges. Fees change, so check that week.
💵 What You Might Pay
The visa fee, the medical check and the work permit fee are separate. Who pays for what depends on your contract, so read it and ask your school. Embassies may charge in local currency, and some take cash only.
Government fees change and clinic prices vary. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, your embassy, your clinic and your school the week you file.
| Item | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-B visa, single entry | About 2,000 THB | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists 2,000 THB for a single entry. Your embassy may differ, so check it. |
| Work permit fee | About 1,500 to 3,100 THB | Not checked with the Department of Employment. It may vary with permit length. Ask your school who pays. |
| Medical check in Thailand | About 300 to 900 THB | Varies by clinic or hospital. Ask your school where to go. |
| Thailand Digital Arrival Card | 0 THB (free) | Free on tdac.immigration.go.th. Do not pay anyone else for it. |
| Extension of stay | About 1,900 THB | A typical figure only. Immigration sets it, so check that week. |
* Disclaimer: These are typical ranges for planning only, not quotes. Fees change. Check the current amount on the official site or with your school the week you file. KET is a placement agency, not Immigration, and does not set these fees.
05: In-Province or Laos
What happens when you arrive without the Non-B.
In-Province Conversion 🏛️
Some teachers arrive on a visa exemption and convert to a Non-B at their provincial immigration office. It depends on the office, your school's papers and the days left on your stamp. Each office decides, so ask your school first.
Laos Visa Run 🎒
If your office will not convert, teachers often go to a Thai consulate in Laos. Most teachers never need this. See our Non-B visa run to Laos guide for the van, or our DIY visa run to Laos guide to go alone.
Non-Native Speakers 🌍
It is case by case, and the school decides. Some schools hire non-native speakers who have a Bachelor's degree and clear English, and some ask for a TOEIC or IELTS score. See our non-native teachers guide.
Licence and TEFL 📜
Schools often like a 120-hour TEFL, which is a school preference. Teachers' Council licensing is a separate matter, and your school tells you what applies. See our teachers license guide.
06: Four Steps: Stamp, Then Permit
In order, and case-specific.
🛠️ How a Teacher Gets a Non-B Visa and Work Permit
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Get Your School's Papers
Your school sponsors you and gives you its papers, such as an invitation letter. You gather your own: degree, transcripts, police clearance, passport and photos. Ask your school for its exact list.
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File the e-Visa and Print the PDF
Use the Ministry of Foreign Affairs e-Visa site, thaievisa.go.th, if your embassy takes e-Visas. Make an account, fill in the form, upload your documents and pay. Print the approval PDF and carry it.
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Register the TDAC and Fly
File your Thailand Digital Arrival Card on tdac.immigration.go.th up to 3 days before you land. Keep your degree, transcripts and police clearance in your cabin bag.
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Medical Check, Then the Work Permit
The visa is for entry. Your school handles the work permit, which is the job. Do a medical check in Thailand when your school asks, and go to the labour office when told.
Ready to apply? Start your application.
Non-B Visa Questions
What is the difference between a Non-B visa and a work permit?
A Non-B visa is for entry. A work permit is for the job, and it names your school. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a Non-B holder must be granted a work permit before starting work. So a teacher needs both, and your school handles the permit.
Can I change from visa exemption to a Non-B inside Thailand?
Sometimes. Some provincial immigration offices will do it if your school's papers are ready and you have enough days left on your stamp, but each office decides. If yours will not, teachers often go to a Thai consulate in Laos. Ask your school before you fly, and see our Laos visa run guides.
How does the e-Visa work?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs thaievisa.go.th. You make an account, fill in the form, upload your documents, pay the fee and wait. The approval comes by email as a PDF. We print it and carry it. Not every embassy takes e-Visas, so check yours.
Do I need to file the Thailand Digital Arrival Card?
Most foreign visitors flying in need one, and the official site lists a few exceptions, such as airside transit. File it at tdac.immigration.go.th up to 3 days before you land. It is free. See our TDAC guide.
Can a non-native English speaker get a Non-B for teaching?
It is case by case, and the school decides. Some schools hire non-native speakers who have a Bachelor's degree and clear English, and some ask for a TOEIC or IELTS score.
Why carry my degree in my cabin bag?
Your school and the labour office may want to see the originals in person, and a lost checked bag can hold everything up. So we pack the degree, transcripts and police clearance in the cabin bag. Do not laminate them.
Matthew John
Co-Founder & Operations ManagerI'm Matthew, co-founder of Kids English Thailand. I've lived in Thailand for 20 years and work from our office in Ban Lum, Sukhothai. Since 2009 we have placed over 1,500 teachers in Thai schools, and I still learn something from my Thai colleagues every year.
