Permanent Residency - Any Good Legal Firms to Recommend?

[Charis]

After more than 10 years here, we're starting to think about getting PR.  Has anyone been successful recently and willing to recommend a legal firm to process this? Would be great to hear back thank you!

[ubonjoe]

Do you qualify for PR?

Have you been working with a work permit and paying taxes for at least 3 years?

Most people with PR will tell you a lawyer will not be able to do anything other than helping to do the paperwork.

[varun]

Besides 3 un-interrupted extensions of stay, and paying taxes for 3 years,

there is a salary requirement:

 

1) 50,000 THB/month, if married to Thai national

2) 80,000 THB/month, if single/married to a foreigner

 

If you satisfy the salary requirements and the 3 continuous extensions, you're good to go.

Otherwise, better not to bother applying for PR.

 

[Charis]

Yep I know the requirements and we do qualify! But still need a kinda agency for this application right? Any recommendations?

[tomazbodner]

3 minutes ago, Charis said:

Yep I know the requirements and we do qualify! But still need a kinda agency for this application right? Any recommendations?

No. If your Thai is good enough (and you'll be tested on it), you can do it by yourself. Get list of documentation, fill out the form and apply. Other than checking the paperwork for you and filling out forms for you in Thai (which your friend of wife or whoever could do) I did not see what value lawyer could bring.

[Charis]

10 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

No. If your Thai is good enough (and you'll be tested on it), you can do it by yourself. Get list of documentation, fill out the form and apply. Other than checking the paperwork for you and filling out forms for you in Thai (which your friend of wife or whoever could do) I did not see what value lawyer could bring.

Thanks! My Thai is conversational but I cannot read :).  Don't have Thai spouse so...  Any foreigner here who DIY all the way successfully?

 

I'm all for doing it myself I I could but it's almost like applying / renewing work permit right? We all could potentially do this but it's such a mysterious-black-hole of paperwork most use agencies. 

[tomazbodner]

19 minutes ago, Charis said:

Thanks! My Thai is conversational but I cannot read :).  Don't have Thai spouse so...  Any foreigner here who DIY all the way successfully?

 

I'm all for doing it myself I I could but it's almost like applying / renewing work permit right? We all could potentially do this but it's such a mysterious-black-hole of paperwork most use agencies. 

Yes, but that was more than 10 years back. Not sure how relevant it is to today. Used Camerata's guide to PR from this forum as a guide.

 

Not exactly same as WP, but similar. Biggest difference was the need to have additional documents and any documents submitted had to be certified by your country of nationality's foreign ministry or embassy, then translated to Thai and again certified by Thai foreign ministry to be accepted. So all had to be in Thai, English wasn't accepted. And all had to have lots of certification stamps on.

 

In my case, as the country doesn't think anything outside EU exists and had no relations with Thailand, I had to get my paperwork certified by notary service, then translated by court translator, go to court to certify the translator, to Ministry of Justice to certify the court, to Ministry of Foreign affairs to certify the Ministry of Justice and was in the end supposed to have it stamped by country's embassy in Thailand but instead had Thai consulate there certify it, which was accepted. Like in other cases, they could all of a sudden ask for additional documentation... not listed anywhere... which, unless you have someone in your home country to do it on your behalf, would mean a flight home to get it done and resubmit in 1-2 weeks they gave me.

 

After paperwork was accepted, there were 2 things that happened - they would start scheduling appointments for going through documents and make statements, and they changed my extension of stay from work-permit based one to based on PR under consideration. This made things easier in one way and harder in another - easier as it needed no paperwork. Show up there and you get another 6 months stamp. Harder because you only get 6 months stamp, so any re-entry permits are for only 6 months but cost the same. There's no fee for extension though.

 

During the process you'll listen as they read out to you what will be submitted as a "cover letter" and get you fingerprinted. At another time they call you to come for language exam. And after some time they send you a letter to your WORK ADDRESS as it was submitted at the time of application (so if your company moved, tough luck) that you need to set up appointment in 7 days to collect your PR booklet and pay that 192.xxx baht fee. Usually you will be without passport for a day or 2 while they are processing a booklet (hand-written one, really classy). While your fingerprint will be put on the booklet itself and in some huge book they keep all PR applicants in, you'll have finger digitally scanned to receive the book.

 

They'll need tons of photos, 12 I think. Not just for immigration but also for police (as you'll need to go to police station responsible for your area next to register yourself there - and get a red book with 1 or 6 years validity - they cost nearly same so pick 6 years) before going to housing authority and putting your name in blue book. You can also ask for pink ID at that time for extra 60 baht I think so you don't need to carry passport with you in your province. The number on it indicates that you're PR. Technically you are supposed to carry red book with you (not blue PR book) but it's VERY fragile and I doubt anyone will ever ask you for it.

 

However unless e-channel registered and even then... you'd need to take both your passport and blue book with you out of the country and you'll have both stamped by Thai immigration. The reentry permit (called Non quota immigrant visa + endorsement) are more expensive than those for non-PR, but about the same as if you put 1 year extension of stay + reentry permit together. No fuss getting them. 15 minutes exercise to get stamps in and big boss signing.

 

Overall I'm happy you're considering it and I think it'll make your life somewhat easier.

 

Getting a lawyer to help you through may help, but if you are on good terms with your company HR, you might get through it just as easy.

[Charis]

9 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Yes, but that was more than 10 years back. Not sure how relevant it is to today. Used Camerata's guide to PR from this forum as a guide.

 

Not exactly same as WP, but similar. Biggest difference was the need to have additional documents and any documents submitted had to be certified by your country of nationality's foreign ministry or embassy, then translated to Thai and again certified by Thai foreign ministry to be accepted. So all had to be in Thai, English wasn't accepted. And all had to have lots of certification stamps on.

 

In my case, as the country doesn't think anything outside EU exists and had no relations with Thailand, I had to get my paperwork certified by notary service, then translated by court translator, go to court to certify the translator, to Ministry of Justice to certify the court, to Ministry of Foreign affairs to certify the Ministry of Justice and was in the end supposed to have it stamped by country's embassy in Thailand but instead had Thai consulate there certify it, which was accepted. Like in other cases, they could all of a sudden ask for additional documentation... not listed anywhere... which, unless you have someone in your home country to do it on your behalf, would mean a flight home to get it done and resubmit in 1-2 weeks they gave me.

 

After paperwork was accepted, there were 2 things that happened - they would start scheduling appointments for going through documents and make statements, and they changed my extension of stay from work-permit based one to based on PR under consideration. This made things easier in one way and harder in another - easier as it needed no paperwork. Show up there and you get another 6 months stamp. Harder because you only get 6 months stamp, so any re-entry permits are for only 6 months but cost the same. There's no fee for extension though.

 

During the process you'll listen as they read out to you what will be submitted as a "cover letter" and get you fingerprinted. At another time they call you to come for language exam. And after some time they send you a letter to your WORK ADDRESS as it was submitted at the time of application (so if your company moved, tough luck) that you need to set up appointment in 7 days to collect your PR booklet and pay that 192.xxx baht fee. Usually you will be without passport for a day or 2 while they are processing a booklet (hand-written one, really classy). While your fingerprint will be put on the booklet itself and in some huge book they keep all PR applicants in, you'll have finger digitally scanned to receive the book.

 

They'll need tons of photos, 12 I think. Not just for immigration but also for police (as you'll need to go to police station responsible for your area next to register yourself there - and get a red book with 1 or 6 years validity - they cost nearly same so pick 6 years) before going to housing authority and putting your name in blue book. You can also ask for pink ID at that time for extra 60 baht I think so you don't need to carry passport with you in your province. The number on it indicates that you're PR. Technically you are supposed to carry red book with you (not blue PR book) but it's VERY fragile and I doubt anyone will ever ask you for it.

 

However unless e-channel registered and even then... you'd need to take both your passport and blue book with you out of the country and you'll have both stamped by Thai immigration. The reentry permit (called Non quota immigrant visa + endorsement) are more expensive than those for non-PR, but about the same as if you put 1 year extension of stay + reentry permit together. No fuss getting them. 15 minutes exercise to get stamps in and big boss signing.

 

Overall I'm happy you're considering it and I think it'll make your life somewhat easier.

 

Getting a lawyer to help you through may help, but if you are on good terms with your company HR, you might get through it just as easy.

OMG!  I'm inspired.  You're a super human to have gone through all those loops and obstacle course! ???? Kudos...  Obviously being here over 10 years I have my fair share of such bureaucratic hassles and paperwork.  Will try to go read up the latest on this!

 

But at the same time, if anyone has agency recommendations to share, please do! Tks ahead.

[hackjam]

On 6/24/2020 at 1:56 PM, ubonjoe said:

Do you qualify for PR?

Have you been working with a work permit and paying taxes for at least 3 years?

Most people with PR will tell you a lawyer will not be able to do anything other than helping to do the paperwork.

I worked here on a work permit for a multi national for 10 years, then went on a retirement visa about 3 years ago. Would I still be eligible?

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, hackjam said:

I worked here on a work permit for a multi national for 10 years, then went on a retirement visa about 3 years ago. Would I still be eligible?

Not anymore. You have to have a current work permit on the day apply and until it is approved.