Current Residency Requirements Q&A

[yooper]

The immigration website has a list of requirements but hey, no surprise if other requirements are imposed in various localities.

I'd like to see some dialog of recent applications and also info about the quota for US citizens if anyone has any info to share.

 

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/thai-permanent-residency.php

 

The first requirement is a non-o visa for 3 years, with 3 consecutive 1 yr extensions. 

• You must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of your application. Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant visas can not apply. You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify.

 

Apparently if my no-o visa expires without a current extension of stay and I would need to re-apply for a new visa, then I would not be able to apply for residency. This seems to be a huge consideration when I'm due for an extension... it would seem that a 60 or 90  day extension would be counter-productive, a failure to satisfy requirements.

 

Surely I will need to apply for the yearly extension if my goal is residency. A question I have then, how does the 'multiple entry' aspect of the visa work with a one year stamp....  if the extension date is beyond 90 days are you waived thru immigration upon re-entry?  

 

 

[BritTim]

21 minutes ago, yooper said:

Surely I will need to apply for the yearly extension if my goal is residency. A question I have then, how does the 'multiple entry' aspect of the visa work with a one year stamp....  if the extension date is beyond 90 days are you waived thru immigration upon re-entry?  

If you have an extension of stay, and want to keep your permission to stay intact when you leave and then reenter Thailand, you must get a re-entry permit (1,000 baht for a single re-entry or 3,800 baht for a multiple re-entry permit).

[yooper]

26 minutes ago, BritTim said:

If you have an extension of stay, and want to keep your permission to stay intact when you leave and then reenter Thailand, you must get a re-entry permit (1,000 baht for a single re-entry or 3,800 baht for a multiple re-entry permit).

Yes, I see the fees listed in the link below, and will almost certainly be living near this immigration office in Samut Prakan.

You are saying all I'd need is the single entry then, if I only needed to leave the country once per year... my question was also about what happens upon re-entry?  Is there a new stamp then or does the existing one determine the expiration date?

 

http://www.samutprakanimmigration.go.th/immigration-fees/

 

the part: "

•  You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify."

 

gives me pause for thought:  I need to apply for an initial extension 90 days after arrival.   That  can be the time to apply for a 1 yr extension?  Then there is no  subsequent 90 day action item?  As my 90 days would end in Mid February, a one year extension would move the cheese to Feb 2019.  Then,  if I leave country in May or June to begin the process of liquidating my oversea  belongings,  I just need to return prior to  Feb/'19 and move toward my 2nd 1 yr extension.  I think it will take me 2 or 3 trips to take care of things in the usa, so hopefully the final trip will have me in compliance for a residency permit.... you think?

Edited November 9, 2017 by yooper
more info

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, yooper said:

You are saying all I'd need is the single entry then, if I only needed to leave the country once per year... my question was also about what happens upon re-entry?  Is there a new stamp then or does the existing one determine the expiration date?

A "single re-entry permit" would allow you to leave and return once during the 1-year permitted stay which you are preserving with the re-entry permit.

 

1 hour ago, yooper said:

I need to apply for an initial extension 90 days after arrival.   That  can be the time to apply for a 1 yr extension?

In the last 30-days of your 90-day entry, you would apply for the 1-year extension.

 

1 hour ago, yooper said:

As my 90 days would end in Mid February, a one year extension would move the cheese to Feb 2019.  Then,  if I leave country in May or June to begin the process of liquidating my oversea  belongings,  I just need to return prior to  Feb/'19 and move toward my 2nd 1 yr extension.

I think it will take me 2 or 3 trips to take care of things in the usa, so hopefully the final trip will have me in compliance for a residency permit.... you think?

If you get a multiple re-entry permit (instead of a single), you can leave and enter all you want.  But you are correct that you will need to be in Thailand when your 1-year permission of stay ends, so you can do a new extension.

 

As your goal is Permanent Residency, be aware that site you linked to in your first post is not accurate.  Absent exceptional circumstances (famous, etc), you need to be working and paying taxes for years to qualify.  Just being here and retired - or even married to a Thai for 20+ years and raising a family - doesn't qualify. 

 

See this thread for a comprehensive discussion on the subject:

 

All those coming to Thailand should be prepared to live 1 year at a time, aware that a change in the rules can end your stay.  Everyone should have a "Plan B."

Edited November 9, 2017 by JackThompson

[yooper]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

A "single re-entry permit" would allow you to leave and return once during the 1-year permitted stay which you are preserving with the re-entry permit.

 

In the last 30-days of your 90-day entry, you would apply for the 1-year extension.

 

If you get a multiple re-entry permit (instead of a single), you can leave and enter all you want.  But you are correct that you will need to be in Thailand when your 1-year permission of stay ends, so you can do a new extension.

 

As your goal is Permanent Residency, be aware that site you linked to in your first post is not accurate.  Absent exceptional circumstances (famous, etc), you need to be working and paying taxes for years to qualify.  Just being here and retired - or even married to a Thai for 20+ years and raising a family - doesn't qualify. 

 

See this thread for a comprehensive discussion on the subject:

 

All those coming to Thailand should be prepared to live 1 year at a time, aware that a change in the rules can end your stay.  Everyone should have a "Plan B."

I'm still wondering if you get a free pass thru immigration with the 1 yr extension stamp if it is beyond 90 days. i.e. if the stamp was for Feb 2019 and I was returning in Oct '18, would my 1yr extension be replaced by a 90-day permission? (to Jan vs Feb)

 

 

[JackThompson]

22 minutes ago, yooper said:

I'm still wondering if you get a free pass thru immigration with the 1 yr extension stamp if it is beyond 90 days. i.e. if the stamp was for Feb 2019 and I was returning in Oct '18, would my 1yr extension be replaced by a 90-day permission? (to Jan vs Feb)

No, the Feb 2019 date would stay the same.  A re-entry permit does not have a "value" of so many days - only preserves an existing "permitted stay date." 

 

When you purchase a re-entry permit, whatever "permission of stay" date is in your passport is preserved.  So if your permitted-stay date is Feb 10, 2019, you have a re-entry permit, and you return any time before that date, your new permitted-stay date is still Feb 10, 2019. 

[BritTim]

27 minutes ago, yooper said:

I'm still wondering if you get a free pass thru immigration with the 1 yr extension stamp if it is beyond 90 days. i.e. if the stamp was for Feb 2019 and I was returning in Oct '18, would my 1yr extension be replaced by a 90-day permission? (to Jan vs Feb)

As already explained, that would depend on whether you have a re-entry permit to keep your previous permission to stay intact. If you have a re-entry permit, that will usually be used. (If the time remaining on your re-entry permit is very short, you may be offered other alternatives.) If you have no re-entry permit, but have an unexpired visa, that will be used for your entry (your previous extension, if any, will then be dead.). If you have neither a re-entry permit, nor a valid visa, you will be granted a 30-day visa exempt entry if you are entitled to one.

[yooper]

42 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

No, the Feb 2019 date would stay the same.  A re-entry permit does not have a "value" of so many days - only preserves an existing "permitted stay date." 

 

When you purchase a re-entry permit, whatever "permission of stay" date is in your passport is preserved.  So if your permitted-stay date is Feb 10, 2019, you have a re-entry permit, and you return any time before that date, your new permitted-stay date is still Feb 10, 2019. 

thanks Jack,

 

I notice on the TM-7 form they ask for the number of days of requested extension. I suppose that is where I'd ask for 1 yr,  in my case the reason is to support wife and her family.  

 

As far as  residency requirements, if I can't depend on  Immigration website info I'll just hope the phone numbers are at least correct and call when the time comes. It seems I'll need at least 3 yrs of continuous extensions before I need worry about that step, there will probably be all sorts of changes by then.

 

[ubonjoe]

6 hours ago, yooper said:

I notice on the TM-7 form they ask for the number of days of requested extension. I suppose that is where I'd ask for 1 yr,  in my case the reason is to support wife and her family.  

You put 365 days.

Have you noticed that applying for residency requires you to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years.

There is some info on this immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/permanent_resident_in_the_kingdom

[Sydebolle]

Either get it from the horse's mouth (i.e. the Embassy in your country) or get in touch with a professional immigration lawyer (www.kss.co.th); Khun Anuchai is the man of the hour and very much on top of things with good contacts into the immigration; more about him at: http://www.kss.co.th/firm-members.html#Anuchai 

[AlQaholic]

The permanent residence also cost somewhere around 200,000 Baht.....

And every time you need to travel abroad, you need to make an application to do so, there are no multiple entry thingies either.

I think the whole process is so difficult, one might just apply for Thai citizenship, however that is a lengthy process but a bit lesser complicated, however, there is that final signature by the King required, which takes time...And the interviews by senior govt. people etc.

Edited November 10, 2017 by AlQaholic

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

And every time you need to travel abroad, you need to make an application to do so, there are no multiple entry thingies either.

The re-entry permit for permanent residents is available as a multiple.

8 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

I think the whole process is so difficult, one might just apply for Thai citizenship,

Unless married to a Thai the application requires a person to have permanent residency for 5 years to do it. 

[Mattd]

9 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

And every time you need to travel abroad, you need to make an application to do so, there are no multiple entry thingies either.

Not correct, a PR that needs to travel has to obtain a reentry permit (Non-Quota Immigrant Visa) that is valid for one year from immigration, this can be used multiple times in the year.

The main reason for this requirement is to ensure that the PR doesn't spend more than 365 days outside of Thailand in one go, if that happens, they lose the PR status.

Cost would depend on the marriage status of the applicant, if married to a Thai it is around 97k.
 

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, yooper said:

... if I can't depend on  Immigration website ...

Many sites have inaccurate info, and the one you linked to (thaiembassy dot com) is not an official Thai website.  Foreign-consulate websites are often outdated, also.  UbonJoe linked to the "official" immigration website. 

 

The forum-thread, which I linked to above (Camerata's Guide...), has useful first-hand experience of people going through the steps to obtain PR status. 

 

11 hours ago, yooper said:

I notice on the TM-7 form they ask for the number of days of requested extension. I suppose that is where I'd ask for 1 yr,  in my case the reason is to support wife and her family. 

UbonJoe answered the number of days, but ... Earlier, you mentioned the basis of your Non-O was retirement.  You can use retirement whether married to a Thai or not.  But the reason for requesting your extension of stay would be "retirement" OR "married to a Thai."  The "retirement" option is quicker/easier if you meet the financials, and the "married to a Thai" option requires lower financials.  Many who are married to a Thai opt to get their extensions based on retirement, because it involves less paperwork.

 

But, with regard to your PR query - if you are married to a Thai, citizenship may be a better option, though this also requires years of working and paying taxes.  See here for a similar discussion of others outlining their experiences, with several successfully completing the process:
 

 

[yooper]

good grief.

I am 71,  not going to get work in Thailand.... so I wouldn't ever qualify for citizenship according to info above. 

I am married to a Thai for 43 yrs, she would like that we live out our days with family in Thailand,  we have  the original Thai marriage certificate.

I have a visa which simply says: Category = O  No. of entry = M  Enter before: Sep 2018, my passport is good until 2026.

I get social security adequate to meet income requirements to live in country as well as savings that could meet any other possible requirement I have seen so far. 

We will arrive in a week and plan to stay until May or June, then return to the US for a few months to settle affairs there. 

I don't care what it's called, I'm just looking to get my passport stamped with a permission to live with my wife and not have to leave the country every so often in order to get extensions of permission.  If a retirement "visa" or extension, or permission, does that and is the least paperwork with the longest interval between extensions and can be extended locally it sounds like the winner to me.

 

We have a couple family members who speak english very well, and  one is a retired govt employee with friends in local govt. I'm confident they will get answers for us and make recommendations regarding the choices we have.... I'm mostly just killing time here trying to get an idea of what to look forward to.  

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, yooper said:

We will arrive in a week and plan to stay until May or June, then return to the US for a few months to settle affairs there. 

I don't care what it's called, I'm just looking to get my passport stamped with a permission to live with my wife and not have to leave the country every so often in order to get extensions of permission.  If a retirement "visa" or extension, or permission, does that and is the least paperwork with the longest interval between extensions and can be extended locally it sounds like the winner to me.

You can apply for one year extension of stay based upon on marriage to a Thai or retirement.

For marriage you need 400k baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 2 months or 40k baht income proven by a income affidavit from the the US embassy.

For retirement you need 800k baht in Thai bank for 60 days for the first extension (3 months after that) or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You can apply for either extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from your non-o visa.

[yooper]

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for one year extension of stay based upon on marriage to a Thai or retirement.

For marriage you need 400k baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 2 months or 40k baht income proven by a income affidavit from the the US embassy.

For retirement you need 800k baht in Thai bank for 60 days for the first extension (3 months after that) or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You can apply for either extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from your non-o visa.

Sounds encouraging.... Opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank is #1 on my list, a foreign currency account for myself and the wife needs a baht account to pay bills. We can deposit enough in my account to start the 60 day timer such that the 60 days will have elapsed right when I need to request the extension,.  I'll just need to get my account opened in the first week or two.

 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, yooper said:

We can deposit enough in my account to start the 60 day timer such that the 60 days will have elapsed right when I need to request the extension,.

The 800k baht has to be in the account for 60 days on the date you apply for the extension at immigration. You will have almost 30 days to have the money in the  account after you enter the country.

[yooper]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 800k baht has to be in the account for 60 days on the date you apply for the extension at immigration. You will have almost 30 days to have the money in the  account after you enter the country.

Since the money should just stay parked in the account in my name I think I'll go with the 400K for  the marriage extension ... I am not totally clear on whether there is any advantage to retirement vs marriage,  also can a foreign currency/us dollars account be used for an equivalent of the 400K baht?

[BritTim]

28 minutes ago, yooper said:

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 800k baht has to be in the account for 60 days on the date you apply for the extension at immigration. You will have almost 30 days to have the money in the  account after you enter the country.

Since the money should just stay parked in the account in my name I think I'll go with the 400K for  the marriage extension ... I am not totally clear on whether there is any advantage to retirement vs marriage,  also can a foreign currency/us dollars account be used for an equivalent of the 400K baht?

The money must be in a bank account in Thailand. A foreign currency account can be acceptable, as long as the money is immediately available on call.

 

The retirement extension is simpler, requiring much less supporting paperwork. For a marriage extension, there is mucking about with photos, an under consideration period, possible home visit, and sometimes a requirement for you to produce witnesses that you are in a genuine marriage.

[yooper]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

The money must be in a bank account in Thailand. A foreign currency account can be acceptable, as long as the money is immediately available on call.

 

The retirement extension is simpler, requiring much less supporting paperwork. For a marriage extension, there is mucking about with photos, an under consideration period, possible home visit, and sometimes a requirement for you to produce witnesses that you are in a genuine marriage.

yes I have seen those requirements on this Samut Prakan immigration office page, that office is where I will applying.  With plenty of family in the area I don't see any major issue with the additional documentation. We will be sure to call ahead.

 

page: http://www.samutprakanimmigration.go.th/list-of-documents-for-support-thai-wife/

[yooper]

Given the relative simplicity of the retirement extension, Income verification seems to be the best route.... has anyone done this through the US consulate?  I finally looked into that (duh) and have downloaded the necessary form, but it isn't clear what supporting documents are required to prove the income claimed.  I also downloaded the past 12 months of  bank statements showing recurring deposits  of the amount I claim....  wondering if I should print them out or if they will accept them as pdf files on a memory stick?  I'll also bring a copy of last years tax return...

 

http://www.samutprakanimmigration.go.th/list-of-documents-for-retirement-visa/

 

I could deposit the 800K baht soon after I arrive and avoid a trip to the US consulate, but the 3 month on deposit rule wouldn't be valid by the time I would want to apply for the extension.... during the last 30 days of the initial 90 day permission on my non- imm "O" visa. 

 

[JackThompson]

41 minutes ago, yooper said:

Given the relative simplicity of the retirement extension, Income verification seems to be the best route.... has anyone done this through the US consulate?  I finally looked into that (duh) and have downloaded the necessary form, but it isn't clear what supporting documents are required to prove the income claimed.  I also downloaded the past 12 months of  bank statements showing recurring deposits  of the amount I claim....  wondering if I should print them out or if they will accept them as pdf files on a memory stick?  I'll also bring a copy of last years tax return...

The Embassy will not attempt to "verify" any documentation of your income - forbidden by US law.  All you are doing is swearing the form you downloaded from the embassy-website is true/accurate.  No need to bring any docs to the embassy.

 

The Immigration office could choose to ask for supporting documentation to back up your embassy-stamped statutory declaration of income, for which the docs you have described (printed - not on a memory-stick) could be helpful.   I would not offer them, unless asked.

 

Quote

I could deposit the 800K baht soon after I arrive and avoid a trip to the US consulate, but the 3 month on deposit rule wouldn't be valid by the time I would want to apply for the extension.... during the last 30 days of the initial 90 day permission on my non- imm "O" visa. 

If it is your first retirement extension, you only need to have the money in a Thai bank for 60-days to qualify.  This is because most people either arrive on a Non-O, or get a Non-O conversion, and it is understood that you would need time to get the bank account set-up and money transferred. 

But if you do another extension next year back-to-back on this one, then you will need the 3 mo seasoning.

Edited November 12, 2017 by JackThompson

[yooper]

Great info Jack,  thanks.  Maybe I'll set up the bank account to meet the retirement requirement and hit immigration right on the 60 day mark, if they balk I should still have time to get the income verification.  I'll call the US consulate and see how soon an appointment can be scheduled.

[JackThompson]

10 minutes ago, yooper said:

Great info Jack,  thanks.  Maybe I'll set up the bank account to meet the retirement requirement and hit immigration right on the 60 day mark, if they balk I should still have time to get the income verification.  I'll call the US consulate and see how soon an appointment can be scheduled.

Appointments are scheduled with the US Consulate online:

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsappointment

It's a date-picker system, so you can see the next available dates/times.

Edited November 12, 2017 by JackThompson

[yooper]

15 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Appointments are scheduled with the US Consulate online:

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsappointment

It's a date-picker system, so you can see the next available dates/times.

awesome!! I see that availability of appointments for notary service are abundant on short notice... I bookmarked the page and saved the location on google maps. Probably best for me to get over there and go the income verification  route for retirement so I can minimize the cash I need  to  keep in the bank  for this trip,  until more concrete long term plans are in place.