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What is the Certificate of Residence and who qualifies?

Featured Replies

Hello everyone...

Any knowledgeable expats out there care to answer this one..

People with such a certificate are seemingly allowed to enter the country.
I’m stuck outside.

Does a 30 year lease mean anything in relation to this requirement I wonder.

Very hard to get any info from the government... of course..

 

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Cannot enter the country with Cert of Residence. It's just a document that certifies you live at a certain address. Required for getting a driver's licence mainly for expats. I think you may be confusing it with people who have "Permanent Resident" status. 

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Airport Immigration entry control: farang demanding entry with a one year stamp based on having a Certificate  of Residence.  37 people laughing their guts out, 24 crying and 197 delayed for 1.5 hours.  Only 3 hospitalizations.

6 minutes ago, Mahseer said:

Certificate of entry is what you are referring to:

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/abudhabi/contents/files/news-20200609-205147-781608.pdf

I and most of the rest of us retirees are not addressed in the PDF above.  At least, that's the way I read it.  This PDF refers to only two groups of people:

  • 1. Staff of diplomatic, consular missions, International Organizations, or representatives of foreign governments performing their duties in the Kingdom of Thailand
  • 2. Persons with work permit or permission from Thai Government agencies to work in the Kingdom
7 minutes ago, MrBrad said:

I and most of the rest of us retirees are not addressed in the PDF above.  At least, that's the way I read it.  This PDF refers to only two groups of people:

Pretty certain I have seen a recently expanded list that includes those married to Thai nationals.

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1 hour ago, mikey88 said:

Hello everyone...

Any knowledgeable expats out there care to answer this one..

People with such a certificate are seemingly allowed to enter the country.
I’m stuck outside.

Does a 30 year lease mean anything in relation to this requirement I wonder.

Very hard to get any info from the government... of course..

In this instance, a certificate of residence refers to the Permanent resident document, of the same or similar name, not a resident certificate from immigration.

 

Thai Permanent Resident Book

 

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1 hour ago, tonray said:

Cannot enter the country with Cert of Residence. It's just a document that certifies you live at a certain address. Required for getting a driver's licence mainly for expats. I think you may be confusing it with people who have "Permanent Resident" status. 

You are confusing a resident certificate from immigration, and a certificate of residence (the document that says you are a permanent resident).

People with PR are allowed back in.

 

Certificate of residence

Thai Permanent Resident Book

 

Resident Certificate

How to Get a Residence Certificate in Thailand

14 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You are confusing a resident certificate from immigration, and a certificate of residence (the document that says you are a permanent resident).

Oh so it is like the guy who tried to get into the football game with his passport thinking it was a sports pass.

 

Okay back to reality whatever that is.  Thanks Peter for the clarification, most of us do not know details about permanent residence and the associated certificate of residence(never saw one until your post above).

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'Permanent Residence', As already mentioned not that many foreigners have it, there are annual quotas re how many foreigners (per country) can be granted Thai Permanent Residence PR. You could describe it as 'Thai visa for life'. It doesn't need annual renewal. 

 

It's not based on having lived in Thailand for x or y years. And it's not based on the current visa a foreigner is holding.

 

It's not based on marriage. 'You have to be married to a Thai person to get Thai PR' is NOT true.

 

The main criteria is having worked in Thailand with a work permit continuously for 3 or more years and proof that the foreigners personal Thai taxes have been formally cleared/finalized for the years of holding the work permit, clean police record in Thailand and in home country, plus other considerations.

 

It's not an official record of your address, but on receiving PR the foreigner is assigned a Thai ID number and his/her name is then recorded (at the local amphur office) in the Tabien Baan book for the house/condo where the foreigner lives. This can be the original dark blue Tabien Baan book held by the vast majority of Thai folks. My name is in the Tabien Baan book (dark blue) for my Thai son's house. It's not true that foreigners holding PR have to have a yellow Tabien Baan book.

 

You can't apply for PR at any date that you choose. There's an annual window of time when applications are accepted.

 

There's a personal interview. A very high % of PR applications don't get approved. 

 

True, it's not well known, plenty of staff in Thai banks etc., have never heard of it. 

 

Many police officers don't know what it is. 

 

 

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

You can't apply for PR at any date that you choose. There's an annual window of time when applications are accepted.

 

There's a personal interview. A very high % of PR applications don't get approved. 

 

True, it's not well known, plenty of staff in Thai banks etc., have never heard of it. 

 

Many police officers don't know what it is. 

 

 

An annual amount of about 100 PRs are offered.

Permanent Residence. 

Some fluency is required in Thai and the applicants are tested.

If you have one if these you are acceptable for re entry.

13 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

You are confusing a resident certificate from immigration, and a certificate of residence (the document that says you are a permanent resident).

People with PR are allowed back in.

 

Certificate of residence

Thai Permanent Resident Book

 

Resident Certificate

How to Get a Residence Certificate in Thailand

 

Yes, these two actually sound the same but are different documents so it's quite confusing.

 

Actually what immigration wants is a Certificate of Entry and NOT Certificate of Residence.

 

 

 

8 hours ago, scorecard said:

'

 

There's a personal interview. A very high % of PR applications don't get approved. 

 

 

What are the reasons for non-approval if they already met the 3 years work permit and clean criminal records.

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

What are the reasons for non-approval if they already met the 3 years work permit and clean criminal records.

"...The main criteria is having worked in Thailand with a work permit continuously for 3 or more years and proof that the foreigners personal Thai taxes have been formally cleared/finalized for the years of holding the work permit, clean police record in Thailand and in home country, plus other considerations."

 

As mentioned there are other considerations, a certain level of Thai language skill, proven provision to take care of yourself financially long-term, higher education, your work considered to be developing the capabilities of Thailand, and more, and up to the discretion of the committee, I have heard of higher education being waived because of other valuable personal attributes. 

 

There's a pinned thread at the start of the TV visa etc., section which gives a lot more detailed and clear information. 

 

Other points:

 

- Foreigners who have PR are not required to submit TM30 documents and not required to do 90 day reporting.

 

- After gaining PR if you wish to go outside of Thailand for a holiday, for work etc., you do need to have a current exit/re-entry stamp in your passport and your PR book. 

 

- At the airports for departure and on arrival you must present your passport and your PR book to the Imm. officer. Immigration prefers that PR holders us the 'Thai Passports' lines rather than the 'Foreign passports' line. 

 

- There's a fee to lodge the application, several thousand Baht, non refundable. Plus, on approval you then pay the actual listed PR one time fee. I'm not up to date with the exact fees; around 50,000Baht if the foreigner is married to a Thai and around 190,000Baht for single applicants.

 

 

 

Edited by scorecard

17 hours ago, Mahseer said:

Pretty certain I have seen a recently expanded list that includes those married to Thai nationals

I read the same.. 

here is an attached  Document from my nearest Thai Embassy mentioning foreigners who are allowed to re enter 1st July.

I have applied since I’m married to a Thai.

 

also link to CAAT site with FULL list of whos allowed in. 

https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/51825

 

2. Permit for passenger aircraft will be given by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand for flying over, flying into or out of, and taking off or landing at an international airport in the Kingdom only if the passengers or persons on board are one of the following categories:

  1. Thai nationals
  2. Persons with exemption or persons being considered, permitted or invited by the Prime Minister, or the head of responsible persons accountable for resolving state of emergency issues to enter the Kingdom, as necessary. Such consideration, permission or invitation may be subject to specified conditions and time limits.
  3. Non-Thai nationals who are a spouse, parents, or children of a Thai national.
  4. Non-Thai nationals who hold a valid certificate of residence, or permission to take up residence in the Kingdom
  5. Non-Thai nationals who hold a valid work permit or are allowed to work in the Kingdom, including their spouse or children.
  6. Carriers of necessary goods, subject to immediate return after completion.
  7. Crew members who are required to travel into the Kingdom on a mission, and have a specified date and time for return.
  8. Non-Thai nationals who are students of educational institutions approved by Thai authorities, including the parents or guardians of the students.
  9. Non-Thai nationals who are in need of medical treatment in Thailand, and their attendants. However, this shall not include medical treatment for COVID–19.
  10. Individuals in diplomatic missions, consular affairs, international organizations, government representatives, foreign government agencies working in Thailand, or individual in other international agencies as permitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including their spouse, parents, or children.
  11. Non-Thai nationals who are permitted to enter the Kingdom under a special arrangement with a foreign country.
  12.  

 

Emb Announcement on- spouse &children.pdf

Edited by bolt

15 hours ago, dallen52 said:

An annual amount of about 100 PRs are offered.

Permanent Residence. 

Some fluency is required in Thai and the applicants are tested.

If you have one if these you are acceptable for re entry.

100 PRs / Nationality....

15 hours ago, DJ54 said:

I read the same.. 

Yes now a longer list but I don't think the OP fits any category. He said his wife I not Thai. At the moment even if you are in an approved category, the entry requirements are fearsome! For how long this will be do is anybody's guess. 

Getting back to the original subject in a way...

 

Mr K's licences expire early August.  He's going to need a certificate of residence; has anyone obtained one recently? 

 

Last time we had to get one for my licence we had to wait for 6 weeks. We were given a date and time to pick it up - we arrived on time and waited for 3 hours for the big cheese who signs them to turn up.  Horrible experience, is it still the same?

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

12 minutes ago, Konini said:

Getting back to the original subject in a way...

 

Mr K's licences expire early August.  He's going to need a certificate of residence; has anyone obtained one recently? 

 

Last time we had to get one for my licence we had to wait for 6 weeks. We were given a date and time to pick it up - we arrived on time and waited for 3 hours for the big cheese who signs them to turn up.  Horrible experience, is it still the same?

Got one recently, you have to apply before 12:00, pickup next morning. They charge 500THB for which they do of course not issue a receipt.

Besides the usual stuff (passport copies, TM30, photo...) make sure to bring a copy of the rental contract or house book or something which confirms the address, even though you probably already gave them this when doing the TM30, they want it again.

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