The Cabinet has approved a special visa for foreign nationals working in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to attract specialists and executives in various fields to work in the Corridor and promote the country’s target industries.
The EEC visa has a ten-year validity, depending on the employment contract. Multiple entries and exits are allowed. The visa grants a period of stay in the Kingdom on the first entry not exceeding five years. The visa scheme also provides the benefit of a personal income tax rate of 17%.
The scheme is divided into four categories: EEC Visa “S” for Specialist, EEC Visa “E” for Executive, EEC Visa “P” for Professional, and EEC Visa “O” for Other, such as spouses and persons under the visa holder’s supervision.
The fee for issuing and changing the type of visa to an EEC visa is 10,000 baht (US$273)/ person/ year. The EEC work permit application is 20,000 baht (US$547)/ person.
The EEC is a special economic area across three eastern provinces of Thailand (Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong), designated for foreign investment in target industries, such as future automotive, smart electronics, health tourism, agriculture and biotechnology, food for future, robotics and automation, aviation and logistics, bio-fuels and bio-chemical, and medical services. (PRD)
