Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), as amended
Governs visa categories, extensions of stay, residence notification and grounds of inadmissibility.
Eastern Thailand — Chonburi
Immigration & Foreign Nationals in Chonburi
Visas, work permits, residency and lawful status
Why Chonburi matters are different
Chonburi holds three economies in one province: industry around Laem Chabang and Sriracha, tourism and foreign residence in Pattaya, and commerce in the provincial city. Legal work here ranges from factory labour disputes and subcontracting agreements to promoted-investment structures, real-estate work and family matters for foreign residents.
Legal advice and filings on the status of foreign nationals in Thailand — visa categories, extensions, work permits, 90-day reporting, and difficult cases such as overstay, refusal and appeals.
- The industrial base drives a high share of labour and subcontracting disputes, making time records and work orders critical evidence from day one.
- Pattaya sees heavy foreign condominium activity; recurring issues are the building’s foreign quota and unpaid common-area fees attaching to the unit.
- Many projects sit within investment-promotion zones, so employment and shareholding arrangements must match the conditions on the promotion certificate.
- Two provincial courts sit in this province, so the correct venue must be confirmed from domicile and the place of the events before filing.
Courts and authorities in Chonburi
Jurisdiction and filing requirements should be confirmed for each matter, because practice and required attachments differ between offices.
| Court / authority | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Chonburi Provincial Court, Pattaya Provincial Court and Chonburi Municipal Court | Civil and criminal cases by territorial jurisdiction in the province |
| Chonburi Juvenile and Family Court | Family and juvenile matters |
| Labour Court Region 2 | Labour cases across the eastern region, driven by the industrial base |
| Chonburi Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office | Receives complaints and mediates labour disputes before litigation |
| Chonburi Provincial Land Office and branch offices | Land, condominium and lease registration |
| Chonburi Immigration Office | Extensions of stay and foreign-national matters for Pattaya and Sriracha |
| Chonburi Legal Execution Office | Enforcement of judgments in the province |
| Chonburi Provincial Commercial Office | Local company registration services |
What we handle in Chonburi
- Business, work, family, retirement and long-term visas
- Work permits and change of employer
- Extensions of stay and re-entry permits
- Overstay, entry refusal and review requests
- Permanent residence and naturalisation
- Supporting documents requiring certified translation and legalisation
The local process, step by step
- 1Review current status and immigration history
- 2Select the category with the strongest prospects on the facts
- 3Produce a tailored document checklist and verify completeness
- 4Translate and legalise foreign documents as required
- 5File the application and follow up until decision
Documents to prepare
- Passport with latest entry stamp and TM.6 where issued
- Proof of address and lawful accommodation notification
- Financial evidence or employment certification
- Civil-status documents such as marriage or birth certificates with certified translation
- Police clearance certificate where required
Points to watch
- Even one day of overstay is recorded and affects future applications.
- Requirements vary between immigration offices; verify before travelling to file.
- Never submit financial or employment documents that misstate the facts — it is an offence and leads to blacklisting.
Typical timeframe
Extensions are usually decided within weeks; permanent residence and naturalisation take years.
Timeframes are indicative and depend on the court calendar and the authority handling the matter in Chonburi.
Areas of Chonburi we regularly serve
เมืองชลบุรีพัทยาศรีราชาแหลมฉบังบางละมุงสัตหีบจอมเทียนนาเกลือพนัสนิคมบ่อวิน
Laws that govern this matter — Chonburi
Summarised for general understanding only. The application of each provision depends on the facts of your case.
Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Foreigners B.E. 2560 (2017)
Governs work permits and permissible occupations for foreigners.
Nationality Act B.E. 2508 (1965), as amended
Sets the criteria for Thai nationality and related permanent-residence considerations.
Example situations and how they are handled — Chonburi
These are constructed examples used to explain procedure. They are not client matters, and no outcome is implied or guaranteed.
Illustrative scenario: extension refused over financial evidence
Situation: The applicant meets the amount but not the required seasoning period.
Usual approach: Verify seasoning rules and evidence format before the filing date and allow time for bank letters; document practice varies between immigration offices. (Hypothetical.)
Advice for your specific situation — Chonburi
Long-stay foreign residents
- Never overstay even by a day — it affects future applications.
- Keep arrival cards, residence notifications and receipts — they are often requested later.
Employers hiring foreign staff
- Keep the work-permit position aligned with actual duties to reduce inspection risk.
- Prepare company documents in advance — financial statements and tax filings are commonly required.
Every matter — what to do in the first 7 days
- Gather every original document in one place, keep scanned copies, and note the date you received each one.
- Write a dated timeline — the date you received a notice or learned of the event usually starts the limitation or appeal clock.
- Do not sign a settlement, debt acknowledgement or withdrawal before a lawyer reviews it — it may extinguish existing rights.
- Preserve digital evidence unaltered (full screenshots, original files, emails with headers) — edited files are easy to challenge.
Questions people in Chonburi ask
Dismissed from a factory in Chonburi — where do I start?
Start by keeping the termination letter, recent payslips and time records. You may then either file with the labour inspector or sue directly in Labour Court Region 2. The first route has no filing fee and is often faster; the second reaches a wider range of damages, so the choice follows the nature of the claim.
Buying a resale condominium in Pattaya — what must be checked?
Check the building’s remaining foreign quota, the debt-free certificate for common-area fees, registered encumbrances on the unit title, and the status of the condominium juristic person — outstanding fees block transfer registration even though the buyer did not incur them.
Subcontracting inside an industrial estate — which clauses matter most?
Focus on defect liability, staged delivery, retention-money terms and joint liability under labour protection law — a principal can in some circumstances be jointly liable for the wages of a subcontractor’s employees.
Does a visa alone allow me to work?
No. Working in Thailand requires a valid work permit, which is separate from the visa.
What must be done with foreign documents?
They generally need authentication in the issuing country, translation into Thai or English, and legalisation of the translation at the Department of Consular Affairs.
Does Thailand accept Apostille yet?
Thailand acceded to the Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, entering into force on 28 February 2027. Until then, consular and embassy legalisation remains the route.
Same service in other provinces
Immigration & Foreign Nationals — BangkokImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Chiang MaiImmigration & Foreign Nationals — PhuketImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Khon KaenImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Udon ThaniImmigration & Foreign Nationals — SongkhlaImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Surat ThaniImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Chiang RaiImmigration & Foreign Nationals — RayongImmigration & Foreign Nationals — NonthaburiImmigration & Foreign Nationals — nationwide
Other legal services in Chonburi
Litigation & Court Representation — ChonburiCivil, criminal, labour, family, succession and land disputesCorporate & Commercial — ChonburiIncorporation, contracts, foreign business, BOI and complianceIntellectual Property — ChonburiTrademarks, copyright, patents and enforcementLand & Real Estate — ChonburiTitle due diligence, sale, lease and transfer at the Land OfficeFamily & Succession — ChonburiMarriage, divorce, custody, wills and estate administrationMediation, Arbitration & Enforcement — ChonburiResolving disputes outside court and making awards effectiveNotarial Services & International Documents — ChonburiSignature and document certification, translation, consular and embassy legalisationBOI Promotion & Foreign Business Licensing — ChonburiStructuring foreign investment in Thailand correctly from day one.
Discuss your Chonburi matter with an attorney
Tell us the facts and we will explain which authority applies, what documents are needed and the realistic timeframe.