Foreigners who assist the Thai Society for the Conservation of Wild Animals are doing so in a voluntary manner and are providing a cultural benefit to the country.

Volunteers are not deemed to be working, only helping. Official requirements depend on the length of time a foreign volunteer stays in Thailand and the specific activities they do.

We advise foreigners to seek a 90-day Non-Immigrant "O" visa with Multiple Entries that begins the day you arrive. This visa will allow you to exit Thailand and then re-enter during the 90 days, afterwhich the 90 days starts again. Usually, this type of visa must be obtained in the volunteer's country of residence. A Single Entry visa will expire once you first arrive, afterwhich you would have to exit and re-enter on a 30-day Visa on Arrival. Visas can be extended locally but usually the period is only short and there is a cost of US$50 per time.

To obtain a Non Immigrant visa the volunteer will need an introductory letter from us that states date of birth, residential address and all passport details and attach this to their application.

An alternative to the Non-Immigrant Visa is a 60-day Tourist Visa, which can come with an optional extension of 30 days. These visas are usually easier to obtain and cheaper. New Tourist visas can also be easily obtained in either Phnom Penh or Vientiane, both places being common destinations for volunteers adding a hoilday to their experience with us. Overland trips to these places are inexpensive.