Married to a Thai. Can I Apply for Permanent Residency?

[EricTh]

3 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

From what I've seen, there seems to be a good success rate for people who apply. It sounds like those who really don't stand a chance are advised that before they even put the application in. You can find many many success stories just from this forum. 

 

Really? How many have actually succeeded versus those who failed. Please have a link to official statistics.

 

Many people failed the Thai language test and Thai songs requirement. You won't pass the test if you sound like a farang speaking elementary Thai.

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, SpanishExpat said:

......who are out of TH now....

You first post stated....

56 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

retired people in TH are seen

Small error. So your referring to folk trying to return to Thailand.

Do you know many countries have closed borders. In my country Australia currently you can't even cross some state borders.

You have not looked into such things as capacity to quarantine etc.

Naive view.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

Having a Non-O Visa with Retirement Extension with multiple entries, listing in a Yellow Book, and Thai ID card, I thought I was considered a Thai Permanent Resident. Not so?

 

No, not at all.

 

Permanent Residency is a legal status and very difficult and complicated to obtain.

 

You have annual permissions to stay with no guarantee of extension the next year. Which is exactly the situation of most of us so you have plenty of company!

 

 

[gamini]

3 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

Having a Non-O Visa with Retirement Extension with multiple entries, listing in a Yellow Book, and Thai ID card, I thought I was considered a Thai Permanent Resident. Not so?

No it's not. I had permanent resident . Lost it. I didn't bother to renew it because it's so easy to get, marriage or retirement Visa. 90 day reporting has never been an issue you can do it online posted or get someone to get it for you. You can even pay an agent  a small fee

[rimmae2]

12 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Ha, ha ha, what do we know what 2021 brings in Thailand and you want a crystal ball analysis of what is going on in 2024?

For a PR you need to live on one and the same visa for consecutively three years and fulfill basic criteria of either supporting Thai minors or work and pay taxes on a minimum of THB 110K etc. You will need to pass an interview in Thai language which will be recorded and it takes anything between 9 to 15 months to get the permit. It costs you close to THB 100K for the official government fee; it helps if you get some law office to help you through the maze and keep the file on top of the pile which will be anything between another THB 150K-250K; in today's terms something like USD 12'000. Quite some juice for not showing your face four times a year at the immigration. Forget about buying land in your name too. 

Above is status today and is based on my present understanding, but - in closing - get it from the horse's mouth and ask the immigration at Chaengwattana Road, their head office, as they make and execute the rules and regulations.

As far as 2024 is concerned; why not cross the bridge once you get there? 

Incorrect and very misleading information in this post including this comment "it helps if you get some law office to help you through the maze and keep the file on top of the pile which will be anything between another THB 150K-250K". Anybody who is serious about PR should refer mainly to Camerata's Guide.......

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, jackdd said:

Every year you have to hope to get permission to stay a further year, how permanent does this sound to you?

You are a "temporary visitor", basically the same as a tourist.

We are all one grumpy IO or some 'incident' involving the police away from farewell Thailand. So be a good boy, and don't get involved in any political demonstrations.

[jayboy]

2 hours ago, rimmae2 said:

Incorrect and very misleading information in this post including this comment "it helps if you get some law office to help you through the maze and keep the file on top of the pile which will be anything between another THB 150K-250K". Anybody who is serious about PR should refer mainly to Camerata's Guide.......

Agreed.One point needs to be made very clearly on PR applications.It's not a mysterious opaque business.The criteria are very clear.Those that comply with them will almost certainly be successful.Don't get too hung up on the Thai language aspect: if everything else is in order you can get through on a snake snake fish fish basis.I've known successful PR applicants who got through without much Thai at all though I believe the standard has been raised in recent years. I would have thought the events of the last 8 months would have emphasised the great value of PR. Citizenship might be a better way to go for many although personally, despite being deeply attached to the country, I would never want to be a Thai even on a transactional basis. PR works for me.

[hotchilli]

On 11/10/2020 at 11:50 PM, wtboatr said:

I'll be 55 by the time I retire toThailand.  I have no desire to work in Thailand.  I might start a business though.  Would that qualify me to apply for PR or Citizenship?

 

Thanks,

Get a retirement visa, renew annually at a cost of 1,900 baht, 90 day reports can be done online.

As long as you have 800,000 baht in the bank [at time of renewal] or minimum pension/income 65,000 per month baht you will have no issues.

Having permanent residency/citizenship gives you no added benefits or rights as a foreigner.

You cannot purchase land in your name, it can only be bought/registered in a Thai name.

 

[rimmae2]

23 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Get a retirement visa, renew annually at a cost of 1,900 baht, 90 day reports can be done online.

As long as you have 800,000 baht in the bank [at time of renewal] or minimum pension/income 65,000 per month baht you will have no issues.

Having permanent residency/citizenship gives you no added benefits or rights as a foreigner.

You cannot purchase land in your name, it can only be bought/registered in a Thai name.

 

More b...<deleted>. Have you actually checked and do you know about buying land if one is a Thai citizen? Doubt it.

Do you actually know and undertand the benefits of PR and citizenship? Clearly not.

So why potentially scare people from seriously applying? Obtaining either is not so difficult unless for example one is from a country where there are significantly more people applying for PR than the quota. As your name is '.....chilli' perhaps you are from one of the above countries.

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Having permanent residency/citizenship gives you no added benefits or rights as a foreigner.

Wrong on the citizenship part. A person that has applied for Thai nationality has the same rights as a Thai. They can but land houses and etc.

Permanent residency does allow some addition rights. For example the can be registered in a blue tamien baan and a few other things.

[Sydebolle]

4 hours ago, rimmae2 said:

Incorrect and very misleading information in this post including this comment "it helps if you get some law office to help you through the maze and keep the file on top of the pile which will be anything between another THB 150K-250K". Anybody who is serious about PR should refer mainly to Camerata's Guide.......

So Zarathustra spoke, it seems. I am sitting on a PR for more than 30 years and saw lots of my friends going through the process. 

Legally speaking you can do it yourself but you might have bigger fish to fry than to run in and out of these offices, getting your overseas papers translated, notarized and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for stuff coming from your Embassy) and the Ministry of Interior (under which you'll find the police and, under the latter you find the immigration). 

See a law office with specialists in immigration and migration, i.e. KSS or similar. 

[sometimewoodworker]

18 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

With all of the above that you listed, you are a resident in Thailand,

That depends on your definition of residence. It would be better and more accurate to say temporarily resident at best or  long term visitor the tax department considers you resident after 6 months the immigration department, never without PR or citizenship. 

[jomtienisgood]

On 11/11/2020 at 2:00 PM, EricTh said:

People seem to forget that in the past, many foreigners have applied for PR and most have failed even after living in Thailand for more than 10 years.

 

 

 

 

Where did you get this info????????

[jomtienisgood]

5 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That depends on your definition of residence. It would be better and more accurate to say temporarily resident at best or  long term visitor the tax department considers you resident after 6 months the immigration department, never without PR or citizenship. 

Indeed, as long as your Passport says Non Imm. you are not really resident...

[jomtienisgood]

22 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

No, not at all.

 

Permanent Residency is a legal status and very difficult and complicated to obtain.

 

You have annual permissions to stay with no guarantee of extension the next year. Which is exactly the situation of most of us so you have plenty of company!

 

 

I am sorry to say that what you are writing can be very confusing, it is to me, PR is not a renewal or extending of any kind of Visa. Am I correct??

[jomtienisgood]

7 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

So Zarathustra spoke, it seems. I am sitting on a PR for more than 30 years and saw lots of my friends going through the process. 

Legally speaking you can do it yourself but you might have bigger fish to fry than to run in and out of these offices, getting your overseas papers translated, notarized and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for stuff coming from your Embassy) and the Ministry of Interior (under which you'll find the police and, under the latter you find the immigration). 

See a law office with specialists in immigration and migration, i.e. KSS or similar. 

How much did you get for this Ad??? I did it all by myself without any problem, except the usual paper work....

[jomtienisgood]

On 11/11/2020 at 4:52 PM, ftpjtm said:

I didn't realize there was something else. What is the "Permanent Resident" visa type? Does it have to be renewed? Are 90 day reports required? Can it be revoked?

 

I know what my (lack of) status is, I didn't realize there was anything more available short of Elite Visa or Citizenship.

PR does not have to be renewed... no 90 days.... In passport says : Immigrant.....Mandatory report every 5 years to police. Nothing else to do.

[Sydebolle]

4 minutes ago, jomtienisgood said:

How much did you get for this Ad??? I did it all by myself without any problem, except the usual paper work....

Well, some have the time and the nerves and others do not. If you have time to get the papers from your home country, then get them translated in a legally binding way, then get them over to your embassy to certify them , then see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notarize the signatures of the Embassy staff ...... fine. 
 

Most people are not as privileged as you - congrats are in order! 

And giving a hint or advice does not automatically call for a remuneration - at least with me. 

[jomtienisgood]

4 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Well, some have the time and the nerves and others do not. If you have time to get the papers from your home country, then get them translated in a legally binding way, then get them over to your embassy to certify them , then see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notarize the signatures of the Embassy staff ...... fine. 
 

Most people are not as privileged as you - congrats are in order! 

And giving a hint or advice does not automatically call for a remuneration - at least with me. 

5555555, the remuneration part was just a joke... for the rest I did everything here.. while running a Company... requested documents from my home country are all available by email... e.g. National Service Statement, Birth Certificate, Non-Conviction, etc, etc, rest is easy, go to SID to get no conviction paper in Th, translations and legalizing can be done at MFA, Chang Watthana.;;;

[EricTh]

10 hours ago, jayboy said:

Agreed.One point needs to be made very clearly on PR applications.It's not a mysterious opaque business.The criteria are very clear.Those that comply with them will almost certainly be successful.Don't get too hung up on the Thai language aspect: if everything else is in order you can get through on a snake snake fish fish basis.I've known successful PR applicants who got through without much Thai at all though I believe the standard has been raised in recent years. I would have thought the events of the last 8 months would have emphasised the great value of PR. Citizenship might be a better way to go for many although personally, despite being deeply attached to the country, I would never want to be a Thai even on a transactional basis. PR works for me.

 

If it is really that easy to get PR, most of us won't be on our current visa.

 

Do you have a link to an official document as to the requirements for applying for PR?

 

 

[jayboy]

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

If it is really that easy to get PR, most of us won't be on our current visa.

 

Do you have a link to an official document as to the requirements for applying for PR?

 

 

There is a link somewhere, probably on Camerata's thread.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, jomtienisgood said:

I am sorry to say that what you are writing can be very confusing, it is to me, PR is not a renewal or extending of any kind of Visa. Am I correct??

Yes, you are correct.

 

And PR is impossible to get unless you have worked and paid taxes here for at least 3 years and even then is difficult, time-consuming and expensive to obtain.

 

The person I was responding to does not have PR. He has annual extensions of stay based on either marriage or retirement.

 

I was responding to a question as to whether having a pink ID card and being listed in a yellow tabian ban means one has PR.  It does not.

[KhaoNiaw]

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

If it is really that easy to get PR, most of us won't be on our current visa.

 

Do you have a link to an official document as to the requirements for applying for PR?

 

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/quota_detail_en.pdf

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/26122546_regulation_notice_en.pdf 

[judokrab]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:19 PM, abrahamzvi said:

Mind you, for both PR and citizenship, a reasonable knowledge  of the Thai language is required.

No knowledge of Thai language is required when applying for citizenship, if married to a Thai.

[judokrab]

On 11/11/2020 at 4:55 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

Permanent resident is not a visa and requires you to be working in Thailand for years, it is an easier ( not easy) option for those not married to a Thai.

 

Both PR and citizenship can be revoked.

Actually, PR *is*  visa. If you leave the country without a re-entry permit, your PR visa automatically gets cancelled just like any other visa.

Also, it would be extremely unusual for citizenship to be revoked, and it could never happen if you no longer had citizenship of any other country.

[Neeranam]

19 minutes ago, judokrab said:

No knowledge of Thai language is required when applying for citizenship, if married to a Thai.

It was for me, to get me over the 50 points required. Also, pretty hard to do the interviews if you can't speak Thai! 

The  multiple choice test was easy but of course in Thai. Nowhere in the process will they speak anything other than Thai. 

If you make no effort to learn the language, you might find your file rotting in some back office.  

[judokrab]

13 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Having permanent residency/citizenship gives you no added benefits or rights as a foreigner.

You cannot purchase land in your name, it can only be bought/registered in a Thai name.

 

That is not true. With citizenship you can buy land and do everything else that a Thai do except be a politician.

[Neeranam]

On 11/11/2020 at 4:14 PM, ftpjtm said:

Having a Non-O Visa with Retirement Extension with multiple entries, listing in a Yellow Book, and Thai ID card, I thought I was considered a Thai Permanent Resident. Not so?

You'll find you also don't have a Thai ID card if you have a yellow house book. It will be a Non-Thai Id card. 

[judokrab]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

It was for me, to get me over the 50 points required. Also, pretty hard to do the interviews if you can't speak Thai! 

The  multiple choice test was easy but of course in Thai. Nowhere in the process will they speak anything other than Thai. 

If you make no effort to learn the language, you might find your file rotting in some back office.  

Yes, knowledge of Thai helps raise your points level (which may or may not be mecessary) but that is a different matter, and my statement is correct: The requirement to be able to speak Thai and sing the national anthem has been removed (for anyone married to a Thai). They will speak to you in English as nexcessary.

[judokrab]

For anyone married to a Thai, there is zero advantage to getting PR. They instituted the "fast track" to Thai citizenship so that you could skip that step.