Permanent residency salary requirements?

[noodleslayer]

Hi, I just had a quick question, I was wondering what the salary requirements are in order to qualify for permanent residency with a non-b visa. I know you need to hold the same visa for 3 years. Incase it matters, I'm American and my job would be English teaching. Also, is getting permanent residency realistic, or is it very hard to get?

 

@ubonjoe

Edited February 28, 2022 by noodleslayer

[ubonjoe]

The normal requirement is a salary of 80k baht if working. 

[noodleslayer]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The normal requirement is a salary of 80k baht if working. 

Okay so as I'd be making somewhere between 35-50k baht I guess that wouldn't be an option. I do plan on getting married to my Thai girlfriend sometime in the future though and I'd like to hear about my option of the permanent residency with the non-o visa. I know in order to qualify for permanent residency you need 3 yearly extensions on the same visa.... can you work on a non-o visa, and not have to switch to a non-b visa? What are the full requirements in order to qualify for permanent residency on a non-o visa?

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, noodleslayer said:

Okay so as I'd be making somewhere between 35-50k baht I guess that wouldn't be an option. I do plan on getting married to my Thai girlfriend sometime in the future though and I'd like to hear about my option of the permanent residency with the non-o visa. I know in order to qualify for permanent residency you need 3 yearly extensions on the same visa.... can you work on a non-o visa, and not have to switch to a non-b visa? What are the full requirements in order to qualify for permanent residency on a non-o visa?

You can get a work permit and work with a non-o visa entry or extension of stay based upon marriage.

You could apply for permanent residency as married to a Thai with you current extension and only need 50k baht of income.

If married to a Thai you can apply for Thai citizenship with 40k baht of income without getting permanent residency first.

[noodleslayer]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

You get a work permit and work with a non-o visa entry or extension of stay based upon marriage.

You could apply for permanent residency as married to a Thai with you current extension and only need 50k baht of income.

If married to a Thai you can apply for Thai citizenship with 40k baht of income without getting permanent residency first.

But isnt thai citizenship a lot more difficult to get? I've read you need to get PR before you can get citizenship, and that it takes years longer to qualify for citizenship. Also, for both PR and citizenship, it requires you knowing how to read/write in Thai, right? I'm about to start studying Thai so that shouldn't be a problem for me. And to be clear, 50k is the minimum salary needed while married in order to qualify for PR?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, noodleslayer said:

But isnt thai citizenship a lot more difficult to get? I've read you need to get PR before you can get citizenship, and that it takes years longer to qualify for citizenship.

That info is way of date info. Since the nationality act was changed in 2008 those married to a Thai you do not need to have PR to apply for Thai citizenship. 

I suggest you look at this long ongoing topic. dbrenn's story of Thai citizenship application

[noodleslayer]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

That info is way of date info. Since the nationality act was changed in 2008 those married to a Thai you do not need to have PR to apply for Thai citizenship. 

I suggest you look at this long ongoing topic. dbrenn's story of Thai citizenship application

That post is from 2007, is that topic still relevant today? Is there any article that shows all the information about getting citizenship, the requirements etc? I assume I'd need to be married in order to qualify for citizenship, and be able to read/write in Thai? Do you need the 3 yearly extensions on a non-o visa to get citizenship, or is it longer?

[EricTh]

23 minutes ago, noodleslayer said:

But isnt thai citizenship a lot more difficult to get? I've read you need to get PR before you can get citizenship, and that it takes years longer to qualify for citizenship. Also, for both PR and citizenship, it requires you knowing how to read/write in Thai, right? I'm about to start studying Thai so that shouldn't be a problem for me. And to be clear, 50k is the minimum salary needed while married in order to qualify for PR?

That's what most foreigners thought before they started to learn Thai.

 

Thai is a completely different creature than European languages. I've known many foreigners who still can't speak Thai at an intermediate level after 10 years in Thailand let alone read/write Thai.

 

Believe me, most Thai teachers can't teach properly.

 

I believe you also need to sing the Thai national anthem (without much of a foreign accent) which is quite difficult.

 

Not many farang have gotten Thai citizenship due to the financial and language requirements.

Edited February 28, 2022 by EricTh

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, noodleslayer said:

That post is from 2007, is that topic still relevant today? Is there any article that shows all the information about getting citizenship, the requirements etc? I assume I'd need to be married in order to qualify for citizenship, and be able to read/write in Thai? Do you need the 3 yearly extensions on a non-o visa to get citizenship, or is it longer?

Look at last few pages of that topic and you see that most people that have applied for it the past few years are married to Thais.

Download this file: Guidelines and documents required for application for Thai citizenship by naturalization 

[noodleslayer]

See this is what I meant before, so you're sure you no longer need PR first? It says it right here on this file:

 

They should have been permanently resident in the Kingdom of Thailand for not less than 5 years counted from the date they received their Certificate of Residence, Alien Registration Book or House Registration Certificate (Thor Ror 14) that proves incontrovertibly that they have been permanently resident in Thailand for not less than 5 years

[skatewash]

Luckily there's a website that contains solid and up-to-date information about this topic put together by Chris Larkin who has been through the process himself.

https://www.thaicitizenship.com/

UbonJoe is correct regarding the requirements he stated.  There is a lot of outdated and flat out incorrect information about this subject.  Take a while to read the website I've recommended.  I believe that will answer 95% of the questions you may have about the process.  Good luck!

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, noodleslayer said:

See this is what I meant before, so you're sure you no longer need PR first? It says it right here on this file:

You should looked further down the page.

In the one you are probably reading this which means you must be registered in a house book a nd that can be yellow one.

"House Registration Certificate (Thor Ror 14) that proves

incontrovertibly that they have been permanently resident in Thailand for not

less than 5 years"

 

"3.2 Applicants with direct personal ties with Thailand, such as those married to a

Thai citizen, those with children who are Thai citizens, or those who

graduated from an institute of tertiary education in Thailand should have an

income of not less than 40,000 baht a month supported by a letter of

confirmation of monthly salary/income and must show evidence that they

have paid tax for not less than 3 years; or they should they should have paid

personal income tax of more than 50,000 baht per year for the 3 tax years

prior to their application for naturalization"

[SteveB2]

The Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce is organising a presentaion on this topic in a few days time at the Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok. 03 Marcg 2022

You could get up to speed quickly by booking yourself a place on the seminar and asking your questions there.

https://www.thaitch.org/event/ticc-seminar-thai-permanent-residency-and-citizenship-3-march-2022/