Treaty of Amity Business Certification
When a US founder or US-incorporated entity wants to enter Thailand commercially and retain 100% ownership without a Thai partner — the Treaty of Amity is the fastest path. Embassy certification + Ministry approval in 4–6 weeks.
FAP
Registered CPAs
DFK
International Network
200+
Clients Served
24h
Response Time
What You Get
Full Ownership. Full Control. No Thai Partner Required.
U.S. Embassy Nationality Certification
We prepare your ownership documentation and coordinate directly with the U.S. Embassy Commercial Section in Bangkok to obtain official nationality certification.
Ministry of Commerce Approval
Complete Treaty application submitted to the Thai Ministry of Commerce — we track the review, respond to queries, and receive the official certification letter.
Company Formation with 100% Ownership
Thai limited company registered with 100% U.S. shareholder structure, MOA and Articles drafted to reflect Treaty-exempt status.
Annual Compliance & Status Maintenance
Quarterly activity reviews, annual ownership verification, and change notifications to the Ministry — keeping your Treaty certification valid indefinitely.
15+
Years of Experience
500+
Companies Registered
45–60 Days
Typical Timeline
15+
Years of Experience
500+
Companies Registered
45–60 Days
Typical Timeline
How It Works
Our Process
A clear, structured approach from start to finish.
Step 1: Eligibility Assessment
Confirm US citizenship or US-majority incorporation for all owners; review intended activities against Treaty excluded sectors.
Step 2: Company Formation
Register Thai limited company with 100% US ownership structure (if not yet incorporated).
Step 3: US Embassy Certification
Submit ownership documentation to the US Embassy Commercial Section (Bangkok); receive nationality certificate (typically 1 week, USD 60 fee).
Step 4: Ministry of Commerce Application
Submit Treaty certification application with Embassy certificate; coordinate Ministry of Commerce review (2–3 weeks).
Step 5: Governance & Annual Compliance
Adopt compliance calendar for annual ownership verification, Ministry notifications, and change management; document Treaty-termination contingency plan.
Step 1: Eligibility Assessment
Confirm US citizenship or US-majority incorporation for all owners; review intended activities against Treaty excluded sectors.
Step 2: Company Formation
Register Thai limited company with 100% US ownership structure (if not yet incorporated).
Step 3: US Embassy Certification
Submit ownership documentation to the US Embassy Commercial Section (Bangkok); receive nationality certificate (typically 1 week, USD 60 fee).
Step 4: Ministry of Commerce Application
Submit Treaty certification application with Embassy certificate; coordinate Ministry of Commerce review (2–3 weeks).
Step 5: Governance & Annual Compliance
Adopt compliance calendar for annual ownership verification, Ministry notifications, and change management; document Treaty-termination contingency plan.
Transparent Pricing
Treaty of Amity — Pricing & Process Anchors
DBD fee is THB 7,000; US Embassy certification fee is USD-denominated. Plizz engagement scopes by ownership structure (individual US shareholders vs. US-corporate parent) — we quote within 1 business day.
About our pricing:
| Tier / Variant | What's included | Timeline | Govt / 3rd-party fees | Plizz service fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treaty registration engagementMost common | Eligibility assessment, US Embassy certification coordination, DBD application, registration. Standard: individual US-citizen shareholders, single US-source ownership. | 4–6 weeks (including Embassy certification) | DBD 7,000 + US Embassy certification (USD-denominated, variable) | Get a quote · 1 business day Reason for quote: Why: individual vs. US-corporate parent ownership; multi-tier LLCs add Embassy certification scope |
| Annual compliance (post-registration) | Annual filings to maintain Treaty status. See Corporate Changes. | Annual cycle | DBD/MOC filing fees as applicable | Get a quote · 1 business day Reason for quote: Why: ownership-structure complexity drives annual compliance scope |
Treaty registration engagement
Eligibility assessment, US Embassy certification coordination, DBD application, registration. Standard: individual US-citizen shareholders, single US-source ownership.
- Timeline
- 4–6 weeks (including Embassy certification)
- Govt / 3rd-party fees
- DBD 7,000 + US Embassy certification (USD-denominated, variable)
- Plizz service fee
- Get a quote · 1 business day
Reason for quote: Why: individual vs. US-corporate parent ownership; multi-tier LLCs add Embassy certification scope
Annual compliance (post-registration)
Annual filings to maintain Treaty status. See Corporate Changes.
- Timeline
- Annual cycle
- Govt / 3rd-party fees
- DBD/MOC filing fees as applicable
- Plizz service fee
- Get a quote · 1 business day
Reason for quote: Why: ownership-structure complexity drives annual compliance scope
Optional Add-Ons
| Add-on | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Limited Company registration (required) | THB 29,900 one-time Starter — Standard THB 50,000 | See Thai Limited Company. Government fee THB 7,000 separate. |
| Visa & Work Permit | From THB 25,000 one-time | See Work Permit. Bundle Visa + Work Permit at THB 35,000. |
| Monthly accounting | From THB 14,900 / month | See Bookkeeping. |
Limited Company registration (required)
Starter — Standard THB 50,000
See Thai Limited Company. Government fee THB 7,000 separate.
Visa & Work Permit
See Work Permit. Bundle Visa + Work Permit at THB 35,000.
Monthly accounting
See Bookkeeping.
Pricing Notes
- All Plizz fees exclude 7% VAT.
- Treaty of Amity is open ONLY to US citizens / US-majority companies — not available for any other nationality.
- Treaty registration typically takes 4–6 weeks including US Embassy certification.
- Excluded activities: communications, transport, banking, exploitation of natural resources, land ownership, agriculture.
- For non-US foreign investors in restricted activities, use FBL or BOI Promotion instead.
Get a quote — typical response 1 business day
No commitment · Reply within 24 hours · Free initial consultation
Plizz vs the Alternatives
Why US founders use Narai Partners rather than going direct or using a US law firm
Treaty certification is a dual-jurisdiction workflow — US Embassy coordination and Thai Ministry of Commerce, in the right sequence.
| Dimension | Self-directed | US law firm in Bangkok | Mid-market agent | Narai Partners (Plizz Group) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement fee (THB) | ~7,000 DBD fee + USD 60 Embassy | THB 150,000–300,000 | THB 30,000–80,000 | Get Quote — returned in 1 business day |
| Typical turnaround | 8–12 weeks (self-coordination) | 6–8 weeks | 6–8 weeks | 4–6 weeks |
| BOI cascade test included | No | Yes | Rarely | Always — Phase 1 mandatory |
| Treaty termination contingency planning | No | Yes | Rarely | Yes — documented backup in every engagement |
| Annual compliance + ownership verification | Self-managed | Separate engagement | Separate engagement | Included — same Group |
| DFK / IR Global cross-border integration | No | No | No | Yes — DFK accounting, IR Global legal |
Common Misconceptions
What the Treaty does NOT give you
Five assumptions US founders bring into Phase 1 that need correcting before the structure is built.
| Misconception | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Treaty means I can own land in Thailand" | No. The Land Code prohibits foreign-majority entities from owning Thai land regardless of Treaty status. US-owned companies can own buildings, lease land (30-year terms), but the land title is not available. |
| "Treaty covers all business activities" | No. Five sectors are excluded: communications, transportation, banking and finance, natural-resource extraction, and land ownership. US founders with telecom, media, or fintech activities often discover this in Phase 1. |
| "Treaty is permanent" | No. Either party may terminate with one year's written notice. This risk returned to the diplomatic agenda during the 2025–2026 US tariff cycle. Plizz documents a backup structure in every engagement. |
| "Treaty = no CIT" | No. Treaty provides ownership parity, not tax exemption. Standard Thai CIT (20%) applies to Thai-source profits. BOI provides CIT exemption — Treaty does not. |
| "A US holding company in a treaty country extends Treaty benefits to non-US shareholders" | No. Treaty benefits flow to natural US persons and US-incorporated entities. A Cayman or BVI holding company owned by US persons does not qualify — the entity itself must be US-incorporated. |
Who This Is For
Who Qualifies for Treaty of Amity?
The Treaty of Amity is exclusively available to US citizens and US-majority entities. You likely qualify if you recognize yourself in any of these situations.
- US citizen founders or US-incorporated companies (C-Corp, S-Corp, LLC, partnership) entering Thailand commercially and wanting to retain 100% ownership without a Thai majority partner.
- US founders whose activity is not BOI-promoted, or where BOI compliance overhead exceeds the CIT benefit for a low-tax service business.
- US companies restructuring an existing 49/51 Thai-majority company where the foreign-control mechanics through share class or shareholder agreement have become unworkable.
- MNC subsidiaries consolidating Thai operations under a single 100%-US-owned holding entity for clean group reporting.
- US founders preparing for a US-side fundraise or M&A event who need a simple, US-majority Thai cap table for US investors and acquirers.
- US franchise systems establishing company-owned Thai locations or licensing operations to Thai franchisees under a 100%-owned Thai holding vehicle.
Your Plizz Contact
Supanut Sajjasai
Senior Lawyer
Corporate & Commercial Law, Foreign Direct Investment, Immigration, Dispute Resolution, IP Law — Thai Lawyer Licence
Why Plizz
Why Choose Plizz for Treaty of Amity Certification
Treaty of Amity engagements are delivered by Narai Partners, the legal arm of Plizz Group — a registered Thai law firm, IR Global member, and DFK International network firm. We manage the dual US Embassy–Ministry of Commerce workflow and include Treaty-termination contingency planning in every engagement.
Embassy and Ministry in One Workflow
Plizz coordinates the US Embassy Commercial Service filing and the Ministry of Commerce submission as a single workflow — not two siloed engagements. Both ends of the dual-certification process are tracked under one Plizz project file.
Termination Contingency Planning in Phase 1
Every Treaty engagement includes a documented backup plan — 49/51 restructure, FBC pathway, or BOI conversion — in case the Treaty is terminated. US founders should not bet a 10-year business plan on Treaty permanence without a fallback structure.
DFK International and IR Global Network
Plizz Thailand is a DFK International member and Narai Partners is an IR Global member — US-side audit, parent-company tax, and cross-border M&A integration sit under one accountability chain. Critical for US founders who need the Thai entity to report cleanly into a US parent.
Annual Compliance and Change Management
Treaty status is sensitive to ownership changes and activity drift. Plizz tracks the annual compliance calendar, coordinates Ministry notifications, and — if you ever sell to a non-US buyer — manages the pre-closing restructure before the problem becomes an FBA violation.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions before and during engagement.
Explore More
Related Services
Treaty of Amity certification sits alongside these services — typically needed in combination for a complete US-majority market-entry structure.
Thai Limited Company
The Treaty certifies an incorporated Thai entity — the limited company is the prerequisite. Starter THB 29,900 / Standard THB 50,000.
BOI Promotion
For US founders whose activity is BOI-eligible, a Treaty + BOI structure can deliver 100% ownership and CIT exemption simultaneously.
Foreign Business License
For non-US founders in restricted activities — or for US founders whose activity falls inside a Treaty-excluded sector.
Get Started
100% US ownership in Thailand, done in 4–6 weeks.
Free Treaty eligibility assessment — we confirm your structure qualifies, coordinate US Embassy certification, and deliver Treaty status end-to-end.
No credit card required · No commitment · Reply within 24 hours