Virtual office, company registration & VAT
Virtual office and company registration for foreign shareholders and directors in Thailand
Incorporating in Thailand with foreign shareholders or directors adds three things to the ordinary case: overseas documents must be certified in a form the registrar accepts; shareholding and the business activity must be assessed under the Foreign Business Act; and officers usually inspect premises more closely where foreign capital is involved. We provide genuinely inspectable premises, signature certification by a Notarial Services Attorney under Lawyers Council regulations, and preparation of the DBD filing. We do not guarantee any authority's decision, and we do not arrange nominee Thai shareholders to disguise ownership — that is unlawful.
Work we accept
- A genuinely inspectable Bangkok or Khon Kaen address for companies with foreign capital
- Review of overseas documents: parent-company certificates, passports, powers of attorney and translations
- Signature and document certification by a Notarial Services Attorney under Lawyers Council regulations
- Guidance on shareholding and the activity lists under the Foreign Business Act
- Memorandum, articles and registration documents workable for signatories abroad
- Document preparation and inspection attendance for VAT registration
- Post-registration accounting, tax and filing, including withholding tax on outbound payments
What we do not do
- Arranging nominee Thai shareholders to disguise foreign ownership — unlawful
- Assurances that a foreign business licence, BOI promotion or visa will be granted
- Visa and work-permit applications without a written scope of engagement
- Opinions on the law of jurisdictions outside Thailand
Documents to prepare
- Passports of foreign shareholders and directors, with relevant immigration stamps
- Parent-company incorporation certificate and authority to sign (corporate shareholders)
- Power of attorney signed abroad, certified as Thai agencies require
- Thai translations of foreign documents
- A short business plan and the activities to be carried on in Thailand
- Source-of-funds evidence where a bank or agency requests it
How the work proceeds
1.Assess the activity under foreign-business rules
We first check whether the intended activity falls in the Foreign Business Act schedules and how far the desired shareholding is permissible. Some activities need a licence or rely on treaty or investment-promotion rights. If the structure the client wants is not lawful, we say so plainly and propose what is workable.
2.Handle overseas documents and certification
Documents signed abroad usually need signature certification and further legalisation before use in Thailand. We identify the form the receiving agency accepts, prepare translations, and where the signatory is in Thailand our Notarial Services Attorney certifies the signature within the scope the Lawyers Council regulations allow.
3.Register the company and set signing authority
We draft the memorandum, articles and shareholder list, designing signing authority that works when directors are overseas — joint signing arrangements and limited powers of attorney — then file with the premises evidence.
4.Register for VAT and open banking
After incorporation we prepare the VAT documents and attend the inspection, which tends to be more detailed with foreign capital. For banking we prepare the pack and explain what banks typically ask, though approval is the bank's decision.
5.Set up accounting and ongoing compliance
Foreign-capital companies commonly have related-party transactions — service fees, royalties, interest — touching withholding tax, tax treaties and transfer-pricing documentation. We set the document system from the start so it is auditable and disputes with the Revenue Department are less likely.
Statutory deadlines
- Some foreign certifications are accepted only for a limited period — check before filing
- Changes of directors or shareholders must be notified to DBD within the statutory period
- Annual shareholder lists and financial statements filed on DBD's schedule
- Withholding tax on outbound payments remitted within the Revenue Code period
- Immigration reporting duties for foreign employees follow the relevant agency's schedule
Before you decide
- Nominee shareholding carries criminal exposure for everyone involved
- Using an address that does not exist or cannot be inspected forfeits VAT registration and affects other licences
- Payments to overseas affiliates without contracts and evidence are a frequent audit target
- Law and practice change; this page is general information, not legal advice on a specific case
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Thai company?
It depends on the activity. Many fall within the Foreign Business Act schedules, needing a licence or treaty/investment-promotion rights, while some — certain manufacturing, for instance — permit full foreign ownership. We review the activity actually intended and explain the lawful options; we never propose nominee holdings.
Must a foreign director travel to Thailand to register?
Not in every case. Most documents can be signed abroad and then certified and legalised as Thai agencies require. Some steps, notably bank account opening, usually need a director in person. We tell you in advance which steps can be done remotely and which cannot.
Is VAT registration harder for foreign-capital companies?
In practice officers examine the address, trading evidence and business plan more closely. We prepare the address agreement, nameplate photographs, purchase or service contracts and attend the inspection. The decision remains the Revenue Department's and we do not guarantee it.
Can the office certify documents for use abroad?
Our lawyer is a Notarial Services Attorney and can certify signatures and copies within the scope Lawyers Council regulations allow. Documents may then need further legalisation by the relevant authorities depending on the destination country. We map the sequence before starting so documents are not rejected at the far end.
How many Thai employees are needed and how do work permits fit in?
Thai-to-foreign staff ratios and capital requirements depend on the permit type and the deciding agency. We explain the framework and its effect on capital structure, but work-permit and visa work requires a separate written scope, and we do not guarantee the agency's decision.
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Next step
Send the documents you hold and the work type. The accounting team will survey scope, document volume and statutory deadlines, then quote in writing before work begins. We do not guarantee the tax outcome — the Revenue Department decides.
Contact the officeChecks before you submit
Align the company name and stated objectives with the real business before reserving the name with DBD.
Foreign shareholding ratios change which licences you need — settle the structure before filing.
Shareholder or director documents issued abroad usually need legalisation and translation before use in Thailand.
Attorney-supervised
The office checks purpose, legal scope, and certification sequence before work starts. Registered company 0405565001923.
Compare certification routesReal customer questions, answered by our attorneys
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Related service: Notary Public ThailandKey facts at a glance — End-to-end certification and translation
- Indicative price
- Contact us for a quote — a firm quote is always given before work starts
- Turnaround
- 1–7 business days by document type and receiving authority
- What you receive
- Properly certified documents plus guidance on the next filing step
- Service coverage
- Nationwide Thailand — courier and fully online intake, no in-person visit required.
Figures above are indicative ranges; the final quote depends on page count, language pair and receiving authority.
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