How can I obtain PR status(Permanent Residency)

[YangYaiEric]

Can anyone send me a link, or, give me some pointers as to how to get PR status in Thailand? I've been living here permanently for last 3 years with my Thai wife  and would like to explore getting PR Status. What are the salient points to obtaining one?

Edited June 25, 2019 by YangYaiEric

[Briggsy]

You need to have been working and paying income tax for the last 3 years. If not, you cannot apply (with very few exceptions).

[geoffbezoz]

Have you been working and paying taxes in Thailand for the last 3 years ? If so I understand one of the conditions is having a 5 year history of it. Also you need to be aware only 100 of each nationality is accepted for PR application every year.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

If so I understand one of the conditions is having a 5 year history of it.

You only have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years not 5 and it has to be 3 years on continuous extensions of stay.

[geoffbezoz]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You only have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years not 5 and it has to be 3 years on continuous extensions of stay.

Thanks for the correction.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Thanks for the correction.

FYI and others the latest requirements for applying for PR for each category that is dated this month is here in Thai and English.

https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1560937657542.pdf

[YangYaiEric]

Many thanks for the info guys! Since I DONT work or pay income tax in Thailand, I guess I cannot get PR! I've been retired for last 3 years and work with my wife in our property rental business(unofficially!). So much for that then!

[geoffbezoz]

5 minutes ago, YangYaiEric said:

Many thanks for the info guys! Since I DONT work or pay income tax in Thailand, I guess I cannot get PR! I've been retired for last 3 years and work with my wife in our property rental business(unofficially!). So much for that then!

Yes that is unfortunate that there is no option for folks married long term, with perhaps children and been living in Thailand long term whom are not now working being able to apply for PR.  But Thais have the right to make their own rules so it is what it is.

[ExpatDraco]

I thought you could get PR with marriage also, but I'm unsure about the requirements.

[Salerno]

23 minutes ago, YangYaiEric said:

I've been retired for last 3 years and work with my wife in our property rental business(unofficially!).

How many property rental companies are there in Nakorn Rachasima? Asking for a friend 5555

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

But Thais have the right to make their own rules so it is what it is

Of course they have. What about your country of origin? Do they make their own rules, and have a legislation that originates from the country?

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

Yes that is unfortunate that there is no option for folks married long term, with perhaps children and been living in Thailand long term whom are not now working being able to apply for PR.  But Thais have the right to make their own rules so it is what it is.

There is an option. It´s called planning your life and reading the rules and consider your options.

As 50 year old you can get retirement extension and live happily ever after. 

If married you can get extension based on your marriage, and live happily ever after.

Got thai children? No problem, get an extension based on child dependant, and live happily ever after.

Not have anything of that or just to young. Yes! then you have to try to cheat the Immigration everytime you wish to live in the country, which luckily is getting harder and harder.

If your only possibility to visit a country is to do it on a tourist visa, then you are not supposed to live in the countery, hence the name.

[NCC1701A]

Thailand is the best country in the world. Why let other people become citizens?  

 

All they do is complain and try to change things. 

[elviajero]

6 hours ago, YangYaiEric said:

Many thanks for the info guys! Since I DONT work or pay income tax in Thailand, I guess I cannot get PR! I've been retired for last 3 years and work with my wife in our property rental business(unofficially!). So much for that then!

As long as you have a non-immigrant visa, and have extended your stay (visa) for 3 consecutive years, there are five categories under which applicants can apply. That said, if you're not working, probably the only other way you could apply would be investment based.

 

"There are several options open to foreigners in Thailand who wish to apply for permanent residency status. The first one is based on investment, which consists of two components: presenting proof of investment both before permanent residence is granted and after it is granted. Before the permanent resident status is granted, the applicant must have invested at least 10 million baht into the country. Thereafter, the applicant must maintain the investment for three consecutive years after the permanent resident status is granted. Specifically, that amount of money must be invested in one of three targets:

(1) a Limited Company or Public Limited Company 

(2) a bond issued by the government or a state enterprise in which the Ministry of Finance or Bank of Thailand is a guarantor or

(3) shares or other instruments in the Thai stock market which has been certified by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

[snip]"

 

https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/thai-permanent-residency-category-investment/

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, ExpatDraco said:

I thought you could get PR with marriage also, but I'm unsure about the requirements.

Working with a work,  paying taxes and etc for 3 years. Minimum salary is 50k baht unless that has changed in the last few years (not shown in the list of requirements)

See page 11 of the PDF file I post a link to in my previous post ( https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1560937657542.pdf ).

[wobalt]

I worked in the past 10 years in Thailand but the salary was split in a foreign part and a small local part (government). Additionally I was tax exempted (developing work). Can I apply?


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[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, wobalt said:

I worked in the past 10 years in Thailand but the salary was split in a foreign part and a small local part (government). Additionally I was tax exempted (developing work). Can I apply?

Only if you had paid taxes on a income of 80k baht per month here for 3 consecutive years on extension of stay (not visas).

There are other categories to apply for other than the standard working one (expert is one). You should look through the file I posted earlier.

[thedemon]

8 hours ago, elviajero said:

As long as you have a non-immigrant visa, and have extended your stay (visa) for 3 consecutive years, there are five categories under which applicants can apply. That said, if you're not working, probably the only other way you could apply would be investment based.

 

"There are several options open to foreigners in Thailand who wish to apply for permanent residency status. The first one is based on investment, which consists of two components: presenting proof of investment both before permanent residence is granted and after it is granted. Before the permanent resident status is granted, the applicant must have invested at least 10 million baht into the country. Thereafter, the applicant must maintain the investment for three consecutive years after the permanent resident status is granted. Specifically, that amount of money must be invested in one of three targets:

(1) a Limited Company or Public Limited Company 

(2) a bond issued by the government or a state enterprise in which the Ministry of Finance or Bank of Thailand is a guarantor or

(3) shares or other instruments in the Thai stock market which has been certified by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

[snip]"

 

https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/thai-permanent-residency-category-investment/

 

I'm pretty sure that even though it's not written in the rules, if you apply under the investment category you still need to show 3 years tax receipts for an income greater than 80k/month. So it has no advantage over applying under the working category.

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, thedemon said:

I'm pretty sure that even though it's not written in the rules, if you apply under the investment category you still need to show 3 years tax receipts for an income greater than 80k/month.

Correct

From page 7 of the file I posted earlier.

[scorecard]

46 minutes ago, thedemon said:

 

I'm pretty sure that even though it's not written in the rules, if you apply under the investment category you still need to show 3 years tax receipts for an income greater than 80k/month. So it has no advantage over applying under the working category.

Plus, to be clear 'investment' doesn't mean buying an expensive house and car etc., it does mean establishing a real business and employing larger numbers of Thai workers.

[elviajero]

16 hours ago, ExpatDraco said:

I thought you could get PR with marriage also, but I'm unsure about the requirements.

You can, but “PR” is granted based on the foreigner financially supporting the Thai family member, or vice versa; therefore, you need to be working too. I don’t know the current financial requirements, but the income required is less if you’re married to a Thai than for someone applying based on their work.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, thedemon said:

 

I'm pretty sure that even though it's not written in the rules, if you apply under the investment category you still need to show 3 years tax receipts for an income greater than 80k/month. So it has no advantage over applying under the working category.

No you don’t.

 

Work or investment are two separate options. The investment has to remain in place for at least three years instead.

Edited June 26, 2019 by elviajero

[elviajero]

17 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Plus, to be clear 'investment' doesn't mean buying an expensive house and car etc., it does mean establishing a real business and employing larger numbers of Thai workers.

No it doesn’t. You just need to invest a limited or public company and provide the relevant company tax returns etc for three years.

[Greyhat]

I've been working on a WP and paying tax for well over 3 years but I'm not considering PR because from what I've read about it, it seems to be a long arduous process that will likely end in failure. Would anyone care to correct me?

[Briggsy]

37 minutes ago, Greyhat said:

I've been working on a WP and paying tax for well over 3 years but I'm not considering PR because from what I've read about it, it seems to be a long arduous process that will likely end in failure. Would anyone care to correct me?

Long. Yes

Arduous. Yes particularly at the beginning with the "document chase".

Likely to end in failure. Not really. Once your application is accepted, it seems to be very much a waiting game. 

 

I know plenty of people with PR. I know nobody who had their application accepted and was then refused. I know it does happen though, often because their circumstances change during the long wait.

[dbrenn]

16 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Thailand is the best country in the world. Why let other people become citizens?  

 

All they do is complain and try to change things. 

Indeed, and Thailand does let other people become citizens. 

[rimmae2]

1 hour ago, Greyhat said:

I've been working on a WP and paying tax for well over 3 years but I'm not considering PR because from what I've read about it, it seems to be a long arduous process that will likely end in failure. Would anyone care to correct me?

If you meet the requirements then the risks of failure are I would say mainly if the requirements change (for example min salary as it did several years ago) or your personal situation changes. If you apply this year then based on recent experience and assuming no change in Govt/Minister you may have a reasonable chance of obtaining PR next year.

[Greyhat]

@Briggsy & @rimmae2,

Cheers, I should probably take a more serious look into it then.

[Requiem]

Sorry, can someone list the advantages of becoming a Permanent Resident of Thailand?

[Sydebolle]

Go and see the immigration people at Chaengwattana; they are the ultimate source for correct information. 
Apart from working expatriates with a monthly taxable salary of not less than B 110K there is the category of investor (ask the immigration about the bench marks here) and the third category was supporting Thai nationals (i.e. wife, children etc.). 

It was correct, however, that 100 persons per nationality would be considered. Coming from Western countries this is not an issue; it might look different if you're South Asian, Southeast Asian or North Asian (Japanese, Korean). 

In closing, get it from the horse's mouth. The time window to apply was the last two weeks in December of each year; beware though about the papers you will have to file such as extract on criminal record of your home country as well as from the Thai police (Rama I), education and work certificates etc. Latter can take some time so start early enough with compiling the paper pile (might be the size of the telephone directory of New York - but you do this only one more/last time) ????