OSSC no longer processing applications for non-BOI companies without Bangkok office

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The One Stop Service Center (OSSC) will no longer provide work permit or long term visa processing to companies that do not have a registered office in Bangkok and are not registered with either the Board of Investment (BOI) or Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT).

What does the change mean? Non-BOI companies without a registered head or branch office in Bangkok can no longer rely on the expedited visa-extension process at the OSSC and must apply at the Immigration Office in the province where the company is registered, even if the company’s registered capital or net assets exceed 30 million bahts (about US$976,000).

• Implementation time frame: Immediate. The change took effect May 31.
• Visas/permits affected: Work permits, long-term visas, long-term visa extensions.
• Business impact: Affected companies should anticipate longer processing times and additional documentary requirements at the provincial Immigration Office.
• Next steps: Companies that are not registered with the BOI or IEAT and do not have a registered office in Bangkok should plan for processing changes for their expatriate employees, as the provincial Immigration Offices require extensive documentation and issue a one-month temporary visa before a decision on the one-year visa extension is granted.

Background: The change in policy was announced without notice and took effect May 31.

Among the changes, non-BOI companies that relied on the expedited OSSC process for one-year visa extensions will now need to apply at the provincial Immigration Office where the company is registered. The Immigration Office applications involve a longer process and require more documentation than the OSSC—such  as three months of tax withholding and VAT (instead of one month required by the OSSC), a lease agreement and notification of residence of foreigners via the TM-30 form from the employee’s landlord, and photos of the director and authorized signatories of the company.

Analysis & Comments: Companies that will no longer be able to rely on the expedited OSSC process should plan to follow the provincial Immigration Office requirements and should be aware that the employee will be issued a one-month temporary visa while the visa extension application is pending. The employee may travel outside Thailand during this time, but must be in Thailand before the one-month period expires to receive an approved extension and multiple reentry visas.

Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.