Michael Hare

3 hours ago, Naiyana said:

I need to change my passport - I will do it in my home country. Would that be a problem when I’m entering Thailand? Or would it be better if I do it in my embassy in Thailand? And would I have to change the passport number in PR book and Alien book? 

Thank you!

In my PR book and Alien book there is no mention of my passport number. The main thing is to have the reentry permit in your new passport if you are using that to reenter Thailand using your new passport. I am not sure how you can do that. I guess you depart from Thailand using your old passport with the rentry permit and then you get your new passport in your home country with no reentry permit. I think you then must show the old invalid passport at Thai immigration when you return, showing your reentry permit and the also new valid passport to actually enter. 

I always get my new passports mailed to me through the post from my home country. My embassy will not issue passports. 

17 hours ago, Tummamuang said:

Is this enough to leave the country and return while keeping my PR valid? 
 

Passport stamp: “Non-quota immigrant visa. This visa is good for multiple return journeys to Thailand. It must be utilized before September 2024.”

 

Blue book stamp: “Endorsed on September 2023. Valid until September 2024.” 

 

Got the above stamps September last year before going on a trip. Paid 5,700 Baht (if I recall correctly) and made sure it’s multiple entry. 
 

Is this sufficient to leave the country again and return before September 2024? Or do I need to do anything else for this second trip? 
 

For example, when I got these stamps, the IB asked for my travel dates at that time. Even though I don’t find these travel dates in my stamps, do I need to inform immigration about the travel dates of this trip? Or can I just use the stamps and that’s it? 

No need to inform immigration about travel dates. Just go and come back before September 2024.

On 10/14/2023 at 12:13 PM, Ryokan said:

My wife and I are seeking for a quick escape at a hotel within a three-hour drive from Ubon Ratchathani. We are in search of a retreat that offers a combination of relaxing amenities and natural beauty. Here are our preferences:

 

1. Location: We prefer a hotel/resort that is conveniently located within a three-hour drive from Ubon Ratchathani.

2. Scenic Beauty / Nature

3. Pool

4. Relaxing and Fun Activities such as massages, horse riding, hiking, biking, ect. Whatever, really

 

We welcome any recommendations or suggestions.

Thank you in advance!

 

https://tohsang.com/khongchiam/

17 minutes ago, Kan Win said:

1st time, one year and then after that every 5 years, just done mine last week, at a cost of 820/- b... which has not changed in 21 years.

 

Win

Same here. Every five years at the local police station here in Ubon Rarchathani. Only need the red book and a few photos. 

16 minutes ago, Kayahammer said:

For what it's worth, I applied for PR early 2017, using the visa/HR lady at my work. She gathered all related documents from work and told me what I had to do (including photos outside my house, outside my village, inside all rooms in my house, outside my place of work, inside my pace of work). We submitted all the paperwork, and each subsequent time we went back they asked for something else. Each visit the immigration officers at CW tried to sell us things like a Thai course (wife informed them I didn't need it as I spoke Thai well enough), a fast track (no thanks, we can wait) etc. until we were called in to an unofficial interview where they asked about savings, assets etc. I'm not stupid, so I said we had none. They explained I would not pass unless we made a contribution (not their policy, but their superiors we were told). It wasn't a great amount, and we were cornered, so we paid. After that it was plain sailing. Short, easy interview. The visit from local immigration beforehand was tension filled as the main guy was not happy about having to perform this task, and didn't hide it.

 

The whole process was about a year.

 

As an aside, the visa lady from work tried to trick me out of 100K as a payment to immigration officials, which we refused to pay (immigration asked for a lot less than that).

 

I will add that having PR is nice, however I have since bought a couple of condos, and both land and house offices refused to accept I now have the right to buy a condo without sending money from overseas, even when I showed them the official rules and regs regarding foreigners purchasing property).

 

Lastly, I am about to get my PR renewed for the first time - does anyone know what documents I have to produce for this?

 

Thanks in advance

All you need is the red PR book and a passport size photo or two. 

1 minute ago, BritTim said:

In Thailand, for anything other than petty bribes, corrupt officials will usually want to carry out the transaction via third parties (agents). As you write, directly asking for bribes is a high risk action.

Strange. I have lived in Thailand for over 30 years and I have never come across petty bribes and using third parties in cases where I can do the work myself. 

From reading the above posts about the difficulty of getting PR it seems to me to be different processes involved with different applications. I applied through the yearly country quota system which is in December of each year. Others it seems to me, apply any time of the year through a business application process. This may be more difficult. With my application, besides all the personal documents, I had to show taxes paid and that I had worked successfully in Thailand and my presence and work had benefitted Thailand in a significant way. On the day of submitting my application I joined a queue of about 8-10 people. From memory at the first desk my application was looked at and maybe a few questions were asked. Didn't take long. None of this 3 hour grill. I think I paid a small application fee which I received a receipt for. With waiting in the queue I was in and out in about 1 hour. 

1 hour ago, onthemoon said:

How exactly did the consultant reduce the paperwork for you? Did they request certain documents from your home country for you, or did they contact the accounting department in your company for the documents directly? The latter actually can be done by your secretary if you don't want to do that by yourself. Did they make the photocopies of old passports for you? I really don't get how they could help in any way.

 

Of course they would say it's a lot of headache, otherwise you wouldn't need them. Oh, you don't.

Completely agree. Straight forward process but it took time, especially getting all the documents that were in English translated into Thai. I contaced my embassy in Bangkok and they got the police report from my home country. Likewise, I popped along to my local police station in Thailand and got their report. I did make mistakes with copies of my tax reports as I didn't know that copies of every page had to be signed. Even then, some documents had to be done again but that was no problem. And I flew down to Bangkok four times for interviews etc. On the fourth visit I got my PR. 

21 hours ago, TomH said:

Hi, I am looking for an agency to handle my application for my permanent residency.

I've been here for over 10 years and I meet all the requirements listed on the immigration website. 
 

Can anyone please recommend a reputable agency that they know of that I can use? 

We're looking for an agency that is experienced and has handled several successful applications in the past.

 

Many thanks.

Do everything yourself. Straight forward. 

Not quite on the topic, but if anyone wants a range of food for dinner, the new Centara Hotel puts on a good buffet dinner every Saturday and Sunday evening. 

Try https://www.facebook.com/jayjaycarrentubon/ They may have a car and driver

Ricco Cafe has a wide range of Thai and Western food. Great atmosphere. I recently enjoyed dinner at the new Centara hotel restaurant. Sapori's cold cuts are always good. Risotto has consistently served good Italian food for over 20 years. Papillo House is good for lunch. For Vietamese food, I enjoy VT restaurant. For quick Japanese food, Fuji in Central Plaza never disappoints. The range of good restarants in Ubon is endless. Venezia has good food presentation. 

56 minutes ago, anthonyT said:

Thanks.

Just got back from the Amphur office here in Banglamung.

 

Need next to copies of all the books including the work permit she saw and the marriage certificate a legalized, and certified by the MIFO  a translated to Thai language copy of the first page of my passport. 

 

That and 2 Thai's with bluebook and Id card for the next visit together with my wife who is the owner of our house.

 

fyi, for anybody trying to get on the blue Tabiaan Baan book here also. 

 

 

Ant. 

I didn't need all that. I had a marriage certificate legalised immediately after I got married in Thailand. That was no problem. I don't remember taking my passport in. I am in Ubon Ratchathani and the Amphur just recognised the red book. Maybe because they are familiar with PR as there are or were several hundred local Chinese-Vietnamese with PR. 

A PR holder name goes into the blue book. I don't know if it must be listed, but having your name in the blue book certainly helps with documentation from time to time. Like getting your renewable of a driver's licence. No need to ever show your passport again when getting a driver's licence. Show your red book and blue house registration book. My advice to you is get it done as quickly as possible. Nothing to do with the Puyai Baan. While getting the blue book, get your pink ID card. 

On 5/19/2023 at 8:35 AM, jerrymahoney said:

I think this hotel just recently re-opened

We went to this restaurant last night. No buffet. The international food wasn't that interesting. We ordered Thai instead.  

On 4/22/2023 at 11:44 AM, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Is there anybody in this thread who obtained PR in the past few years, who can tell how long it took for the whole process?

I applied in December 2001 and obtained PR in August 2004. At the time I thought it was an extremely long time. 

4 hours ago, jayboy said:

I may have not got this quite right but I seem to remember being advised by a senior Thai lawyer that it was better to apply for PR on the business rather than family basis since the criteria were exactly the same, and there was no need to involve the wife. So that is what I did.

More expensive though. I couldn't apply through business because I was a university lecturer.

10 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

 

I was married for less than one year when I applied (successfully) for PR back in the 1990s. My application did reference the marriage and that my wife was expecting. Since Immigration followed up and asked for a copy of the birth certificate during the course of the review period, clearly the marriage and child did count for something.

 

Having said that, I don't believe that there is a category for PR that is based upon marriage to a Thai. The requirements are visa, tax and education for the most part. Being married to a Thai may help, but isn't the basis for PR.

 

 

I got my PR in 2004 (applied in 2002) on the basis of being married to a Thai and having a dependent (our son). This was the cheapest category to apply for PR then. 25,000 baht in 2002, but by 2004 was up to 96,000 baht (Thaksin and Purachai put these fees up). My wife was definitely part of the process and was interviewed at length. 

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

Pull the other one dear boy! 

No, this was absolutely true. I think words were exchanged as my old friend who had travelled world-wide, but never to Australia, couldn't believe that a wooden pair of shoe stretchers had to be declared. 

15 hours ago, JensenZ said:

This reminds me of my own experience back in about 1998. I was flying from US to Australia. I packed 2 bananas in my carry on bag which I intended to eat on board. I'd forgotten about them, and when I was picking up my bags at the Brisbane airport the sniffer dogs were getting excited at the smell of overripe bananas.

 

They did a full search and treated me like a criminal due to an obvious mistake. Wtf would anyone smuggle 2 overripe bananas (practically mush at this point) into Australia. Customs officers are not allowed to use common sense. The whole customs team was totally bamboozled and didn't know what to do. I was there for hours, waiting for a decision. Luckily they didn't arrest me and sent a fine in the mail.

 

This is no way to treat tourists... over fruit. A tourist is not importing fruit, but bringing something to eat. Just throw it in a bin and tell the tourist it's not allowed.

 

 

You were very very lucky not to be fined. An Australian was fined over $2,000 for failing to declare a subway sandwich. 

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-traveller-hit-with-2664-fine-after-failing-to-declare-subway-sandwich-c-7516246

Hilary Swank was fined $200 for failing to declare an apple and a organge on arrival in NZ,

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/mar/31/filmnews.film

7 minutes ago, anthonyT said:

As an aside to my above approval for my resident permit, would anyone know if i need an approval letter of some sort, if i take my son alone with me to Europe to visit his grandparents? He is 5 years old and has dual Nationality. Any advise would be appreciated. I realize this might not be the correct forum to ask, but it seems like a very knowledge section on all things immigration related. 

Thank you!

Ant.

I don't think you need a letter of any sort. I traveled with my son when he was then 8 years old to my home country and needed no letters. He had both Thai and NZ passports. I presume his surname is the same as your surname?

Other airports are having long queue problems.

Auckland NZ airport  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/absolute-chaos-air-new-zealand-passengers-caught-in-huge-queues-at-auckland-airport/VJYLGS5JLFHCZMB6XL2GFR2CTY/

Sydney Australia airport https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/photo-of-queue-at-sydney-international-airport-sparks-outrage/R7HZZS6EU5FMJP6HTG43R42S5U/

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Many questions given your circumstances.

 

I can give you a specific answer one one point which may also give you more answers;

 

- I got PR 27 years ago.

- Initially the standard dark blue cover PR book, I filled that and it was replced by a white cover book and now on my third white cover PR book.

 

### Every time I had to get the book re-issued the immigration staff kept the full book. 

 

(The first time the book was replaced I asked "Can I keep the full book?"  Answer "NO".)

 

The exit/re-entry stamps., were they transferred to the new book? Sorry I don't remember on this point.

 

You could e.mai Immigration and ask your questions (in English):

 

[email protected]

 

They respond in English with clear answers. Usually with about 3 to 10 days.

 

They don't bite. 

 

 

Yesterday at Ubon Immigration when I collected my new white book, the old blue book was returned to me.