CI Book for Myanmar Workers and CI to PJ in Thailand

CI book (Certificate of Identity) is a document used in place of a passport for Myanmar migrant workers. The work permit and the right to reside in the Kingdom are entirely tied to this book. If the book expires, the work permit cannot be renewed, and the employer immediately becomes an employer of a migrant worker in violation of the law. Exworker provides comprehensive services, from checking Myanmar-side documents, booking center queues, accompanying migrant workers through the process, to handling the notification of travel document changes with the Department of Employment and the Immigration Bureau.

Which path is your case on — Choose before reading further

CI book procedures are not all the same. Look at what your employee currently holds.

Path A — Has a CI book, but it's nearing expiration or has already expired. A new book/renewal must be done before renewing the work permit.
Path B — Belongs to the group that could not obtain a passport by the deadline of July 31, 2569. This group is covered by a Cabinet resolution dated July 14, 2569, but there is a submission deadline that must not be missed.
Path C — Wants to change from CI back to a PJ passport. This can be done in Thailand; there's no need to send the migrant worker back to their home country.

If you're unsure which path your employee is on, send photos of the CI book's cover and the work permit page via LINE @exworker. Our team can check it for you first, free of charge.

Most common problems employers encounter with CI book procedures

Mistaking the expiration date on the wrong document — The expiration date of the CI book and the end date of the permission to stay in the Kingdom on the stamp are different dates. They must always be checked together, not just one document to feel at ease.
Realizing too late — Center queues are long when many people rush to process at the same time. Starting 2-3 months before expiration is the minimum buffer, not an ample allowance.
Multiple employees with different expiration dates — Managing queues for each person individually becomes a bottleneck. Some miss deadlines unnoticed.
Incomplete Myanmar-side documents — Taken to the center only to be turned back, losing travel costs, wages for missed work, and the booked queue slot.
Encountering agents of unknown origin — Collecting money and then disappearing, or charging excessive fees, with no way for the employer to verify anything.

Path A: CI book nearing expiration or expired

The work permit cannot be renewed if the identification document has expired. The correct order of operations is to clear the book first, then proceed with the work permit renewal, not the other way around.

Check the actual status of each employee — How much validity remains on the CI book, until when is the stay permitted on the stamp, and when does the work permit expire? These three dates do not necessarily have to match.
Check Myanmar-side documents before travel — Myanmar ID card or household registration must be legible and the information must match the documents used for working in Thailand. Mismatched name spelling is the most common reason for being turned back.
Book a center queue — Choose the center with open queues and the most convenient travel from the establishment's location.
Accompany migrant worker to the center — The migrant worker must present themselves for photo taking and data collection. Our staff will meet and stay with them until completion.
Proceed after obtaining the book — Notify the Department of Employment and the Immigration Bureau of the travel document change, and then renew the work permit.

Path B: Could not obtain passport by July 31, 2569

The group of Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnamese migrant workers who were permitted to work until December 11, 2569, according to the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568, were required to obtain passports and apply for visa endorsements by July 31, 2569, which was already an extension from the Cabinet resolution of March 10, 2569.

Those who missed the deadline are not left behind — The Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2569, covers two groups: those who obtained work permits and visa endorsements until December 11, 2569, and those who obtained work permits until December 11, 2569, but could not obtain passports by July 31, 2569, or whose passports expired before December 11, 2569. They are granted an extension to stay and work until December 11, 2570.

Application deadline: December 11, 2569 — Submit via electronic system or at locations designated by the Department of Employment. The applicant can be the migrant worker themselves, the employer, or an authorized foreign worker recruitment company.
Must undergo a health check and register as an insured person or obtain health insurance if not in the social security system.
Department of Employment circular No. Rong 0316.5/Wor 12389 dated August 13, 2569, states that the work permit or document indicating permission to work until December 11, 2569, can be used as evidence to undergo a health check and obtain health insurance immediately.
While awaiting visa endorsement, they can stay until June 30, 2570, and then the visa will be endorsed until December 11, 2570.

Figures indicating the scale of this task: Within this group of approximately 720,000 people, 562,068 have not yet received visa endorsements, with 551,198 being Myanmar nationals — therefore, center queues and visa endorsement queues are consistently packed before the deadline. Those who start early gain a distinct advantage here.

Path C: Change from CI back to PJ passport

CI can be used for identification and work in Thailand, but it cannot be used for international travel like a passport. Employees who need to return home or wish to hold a book with a longer validity often choose to change back to a PJ passport, which can be processed in Thailand without sending the migrant worker back to Myanmar. However, the migrant worker must present themselves, and after obtaining the new book, the visa stamp must also be transferred; otherwise, the right to stay will remain tied to the old book.

Our service fee for changing CI to PJ is 7,000 Baht per person, including the process of transferring the visa stamp.

Documents to prepare

For a new CI book or renewing an existing one

Original Myanmar ID card or Myanmar household registration, along with a copy
Original CI book (if previously held)
Work permit or non-Thai national identification card, if available
Photographs as specified by the center

To change from CI back to PJ

Original PJ passport that expired no more than 5 years ago, along with copies of the data page and visa page
Original current CI book that has not expired, along with a copy
Original Myanmar household registration, along with a copy
Employer's supporting documents, for transferring the visa stamp after obtaining the new book

Documents may vary depending on the area and Cabinet resolution round. Send photos of your existing documents via LINE @exworker. Our team can check them for you first.

What risks do employers face if the book is allowed to expire?

Employing a migrant worker in violation of Section 9 of the Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment is punishable by a fine of 10,000–100,000 Baht per migrant worker. If the offense is repeated, the penalty is imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of 50,000–200,000 Baht per person, or both, along with a prohibition from employing migrant workers for 3 years from the date the court's judgment becomes final.

This fine is calculated per person, not per instance — factories with multiple employees whose documents are simultaneously invalid therefore face figures much larger than their annual operating costs.

How are costs divided?

Government fees — The work permit renewal fee according to the Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2569, is 1,000 Baht (application fee 100 Baht + permit fee 900 Baht).
Center-side book processing fees — As per the rates charged by the center for that period. Our team will inform you of the actual amount before each trip.
Health check and insurance fees — As per the rates of the healthcare facility used.
Our service fees — Calculated based on actual work performed. For changing CI to PJ, it is 7,000 Baht per person.

We always itemize costs this way so employers can see which portion is government fees and which is service fees.

Can employers do it themselves?

Yes. The law allows employers to submit applications themselves or for employees to submit them. Employers with few employees, matching expiration dates, and someone who can communicate in Myanmar language often complete the process themselves.

People usually choose us for cases like these: multiple employees with scattered expiration dates, no one to accompany them to the center on a workday, previously turned back due to mismatched source documents, or facing deadlines with no time for trial and error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can migrant workers who have never had a CI book before apply?

Yes, by using a Myanmar ID card or Myanmar household registration as proof of identity. Our team will first check if the information matches the documents used for working in Thailand.

How many days of work must be stopped?

The process at the center takes approximately 1 day, but travel time must be factored in depending on the province where the center operates. Our team will inform you of the schedule in advance so you can arrange work shifts.

What is the difference between CI and PJ?

CI is an identification document that can be used to reside and work in Thailand, while PJ is a passport that can be used for international travel and usually has a longer validity. If a migrant worker needs to return to their home country, holding a PJ passport is more convenient.

Does changing from CI back to PJ require returning to Myanmar?

No, it does not. It can be processed at the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand, but the migrant worker must present themselves, and after obtaining the new book, the visa stamp must also be transferred.

Can work continue if the CI book has expired?

No, it cannot, because the work permit is tied to an unexpired identification document. Processing should begin at least 2-3 months before expiration to allow for center queues.

Do employees who could not obtain passports by July 31, 2569, lose their rights?

No, they do not. The Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2569, also covers the group that could not obtain passports by that deadline, but the application must be submitted by December 11, 2569. Missing this date is a different matter.

Must a health check be done before or after obtaining the new book?

According to Department of Employment circular No. Rong 0316.5/Wor 12389 dated August 13, 2569, the work permit or document indicating permission to work until December 11, 2569, can be used to undergo a health check and obtain health insurance immediately, without waiting for the new book.

Do you also assist employees of other nationalities?

The CI book is specifically for Myanmar migrant workers. As for work permit and VISA renewal services, we cover Lao, Myanmar, Vietnamese, and Cambodian nationals.

Let us help with your case

Send photos of the CI book's cover and the employee's work permit page via LINE @exworker or call 098-648-6488. Our team can tell you which path this case is on, what needs to be done in what order, and which deadlines are approaching — we'll check it for you first, free of charge.

References

Summary of Cabinet Meeting News dated July 14, 2569, regarding the renewal of work permits for Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnamese migrant workers according to the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2568.
Summary of Cabinet Meeting News dated March 10, 2569, regarding measures to resolve obstacles in submitting work permit applications.
Department of Employment (SBT) Circular No. Rong 0316.5/Wor 12389 dated August 13, 2569.
Royal Ordinance on the Management of Migrant Worker Employment B.E. 2560 and its amendments (No. 2) B.E. 2561, Sections 9 and 102.