Qualifying for permanent residency...

[Nickelbeer]

An old expat told me that I could qualify for permanent residency in Thailand after I had been here for 10 years. whether or not I was a fluent Thai speaker. This conflicts with everything I have heard. but the expat is not known for giving out false information. Can anyone confirm the veracity of his claim? I have always been told that PR requires fluency in the language. impossible in my case. Comments welcome.

[richard_smith237]

Fluency in Thai is not a requirement. 

 

PR approval is based on a a points system.... Thai language ability is a contributing factor, as is marital status, age, education etc....  The primary factor is ‘tax records’.

 

You have to show that you have been working and paying Tax here (over a certain amount) for at least the past three years. 

 

There are a few websites about this. 

There is also the Bangkok Podcast - one of the episodes covers this in reasonable detail.

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/becoming-thai-talking-chris-larkin-from-thaicitizenship/id372985372?i=1000511302308

 

 

https://www.thaicitizenship.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-thai-permanent-residence/

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by richard_smith237

[FriendlyFarang]

Don't need to be fluent, but you have to be able to speak some.

Most people fail to qualify because they haven't worked in Thailand long enough or didn't receive enough salary.

[ubonjoe]

That is false info.

You have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for at least 3 years to apply for permanent residency.

Info can be found it this long ongoing topic. Camerata's Guide to Permanent Residence

[userabcd]

Just have to read the actual official requirements on the Thai immigration website.

Edited April 22, 2022 by userabcd

[bluecolour]

What about those who had been working in Thailand for the 6 years and were paying tax, but now I've stop working, and for the past 4 years on the Covid 19 and Marriage extension. What are the percentage of success?

[FriendlyFarang]

9 minutes ago, bluecolour said:

What about those who had been working in Thailand for the 6 years and were paying tax, but now I've stop working, and for the past 4 years on the Covid 19 and Marriage extension. What are the percentage of success?

0 percent, you have to be working when applying for it.

[saakura]

19 minutes ago, bluecolour said:

What about those who had been working in Thailand for the 6 years and were paying tax, but now I've stop working, and for the past 4 years on the Covid 19 and Marriage extension. What are the percentage of success?

Zero

[NativeBob]

According to my experience some referrals would be helpful. One dude got reference letter from the governor of ****** province and that smoothed his path to PR. But as I heard it was an exceptional case. Everybody I knew who worked in Thailand for decades, had properties, kids and companies - all failed. 

[Nickelbeer]

If working and paying taxes is a requirement. I will never get residency because I cannot work on a Non-O visa.

[FriendlyFarang]

1 hour ago, Nickelbeer said:

If working and paying taxes is a requirement. I will never get residency because I cannot work on a Non-O visa.

On a non-o visa for having a Thai spouse you can

[CartagenaWarlock]

2 hours ago, bluecolour said:

What are the percentage of success?

Nobody has done controlled statistical analysis to find out the percentage of success and the government most probably does not publish this statistics. 

[DrJoy]

2 hours ago, NativeBob said:

According to my experience some referrals would be helpful. One dude got reference letter from the governor of ****** province and that smoothed his path to PR. But as I heard it was an exceptional case. Everybody I knew who worked in Thailand for decades, had properties, kids and companies - all failed. 

Utter rubbish. Its 3 years of Non -B, WP and 80,000 baht monthly salary.

 

The immigration does not accept your application if it does not hold merit.

 

When they accept your documents, it means you are good to go.

 

99% have been granted PR in less than 18 months of the acceptance of their paperwork.

 

80K baht salary rule is only applicable to those who are unmarried or married to non Thai citizens.

 

Fee = 204,000 baht approx

Edited April 22, 2022 by DrJoy

[DrJoy]

3 hours ago, bluecolour said:

What about those who had been working in Thailand for the 6 years and were paying tax, but now I've stop working, and for the past 4 years on the Covid 19 and Marriage extension. What are the percentage of success?

Marriage extension is fine. Get working again with a 80,000 baht monthly salary. Pay tax

 

wait for 3 yrs, Apply PR

[SGD]

7 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Marriage extension is fine. Get working again with a 80,000 baht monthly salary. Pay tax

 

wait for 3 yrs, Apply PR

And PR is worth exactly what ?

Minus 204,000 baht I think ???? 

[Wiggy]

2 hours ago, SGD said:

And PR is worth exactly what ?

Minus 204,000 baht I think ???? 

- No 90 day reporting.

- No visa worries ever again.

- Not subject to future rule changes.

- Complete peace of mind.

- Makes life a whole lot easier. 
- Worth every baht, IMO.

 

[Sydebolle]

55 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

- No 90 day reporting.

- No visa worries ever again.

- Not subject to future rule changes.

- Complete peace of mind.

- Makes life a whole lot easier. 
- Worth every baht, IMO.

 

I second that - being a PR since 1988 (at arguably much smaller fee) but would do it anytime again - even at 200K to 300K; in real money it is nothing compared to the peace of really everything.

[jayboy]

14 hours ago, NativeBob said:

According to my experience some referrals would be helpful. One dude got reference letter from the governor of ****** province and that smoothed his path to PR. But as I heard it was an exceptional case. Everybody I knew who worked in Thailand for decades, had properties, kids and companies - all failed. 

This is contrary to the experience of everyone I know who has PR. I do not know of one person complying with the very clear criteria who has failed to achieve PR.If you do not comply (working the required period on the right visa and paying the right amount of tax, being the most common obstacle), the Immigration Department will tell you it's not worth proceeding with the application.

 

Did all the people you know that failed comply with basic criteria?

[thaiowl]

I applied in 2007 (had tax records for many years before that) and got my PR in 2012! Massive wait apparently due to 2006 coup, Anyway, just get all the documents they require, submit, and wait. That's it really.

[Jack Batty]

That’s too bad about the salary requirement. Working on my Thai fluency everyday, and spending about $36k of my pension yearly in this country. Been here three years and will probably make the ten-year mark, where I would assuredly be fluent. I would like to think I could get permanent residency then, even if I never worked here. Seems like a ridiculous requirement, considering everything. 

[Excel]

2 minutes ago, Jack Batty said:

That’s too bad about the salary requirement. Working on my Thai fluency everyday, and spending about $36k of my pension yearly in this country. Been here three years and will probably make the ten-year mark, where I would assuredly be fluent. I would like to think I could get permanent residency then, even if I never worked here. Seems like a ridiculous requirement, considering everything. 

Lived here over 38 years which is half my lifetime. Never bothered with PR and certainly would not entertain Thai citizenship, no need to anyway. So why do you consider obtaining PR here of such importance you consider some of the requirements to be ridiculous ? Its what the Thai government needs so just because it may be difficult to achieve for some that's the rules.  Just like people wishing to settle their wife in the UK. For many the income requirements are considered ridiculous, but again it's their rules. 

[DrJoy]

10 hours ago, thaiowl said:

I applied in 2007 (had tax records for many years before that) and got my PR in 2012! Massive wait apparently due to 2006 coup, Anyway, just get all the documents they require, submit, and wait. That's it really.

Now under the military junta, its pretty fast. TAT of 18 months

[DrJoy]

On 4/22/2022 at 5:04 PM, bluecolour said:

What about those who had been working in Thailand for the 6 years and were paying tax, but now I've stop working, and for the past 4 years on the Covid 19 and Marriage extension. What are the percentage of success?

As you mentioned you are married to a Thai, youre allowed to skip PR and apply for Thai citizenship directly.

Salary requirement is thb 40,000/-

Fee for Thai citizenship application is 5000/- only.

 

Its not only cheaper but its more easy and less paperwork

 

But u still need 3 yrs of WP and 3 yrs of extension of stay and 40k baht monthly salary

 

Going out of the country without a re entry or getting a new visa resets the clock to zero

 

No need to be sad, you may start a company with your wife and pay yourself salary of 40k baht.

 

After 3yrs you will be eligible.

[Misty]

14 hours ago, jayboy said:

This is contrary to the experience of everyone I know who has PR. I do not know of one person complying with the very clear criteria who has failed to achieve PR.If you do not comply (working the required period on the right visa and paying the right amount of tax, being the most common obstacle), the Immigration Department will tell you it's not worth proceeding with the application.

 

Did all the people you know that failed comply with basic criteria?

Since 2019, there is an additional unwritten requirement to hire an agent and pay VIP service fees.  No matter how much you meet the all the written criteria (for example work for many years on NonB visa, pay tons of Thai tax, speak and write Thai) Immigration has not been accepting applications without an agent + more than six figure "VIP service fees."

 

People who received PR before this time period had a very different experience, I know.  But that's the state of play now. Might as well make sure interested applicants are aware of it.

[jayboy]

8 hours ago, Misty said:

Since 2019, there is an additional unwritten requirement to hire an agent and pay VIP service fees.  No matter how much you meet the all the written criteria (for example work for many years on NonB visa, pay tons of Thai tax, speak and write Thai) Immigration has not been accepting applications without an agent + more than six figure "VIP service fees."

 

People who received PR before this time period had a very different experience, I know.  But that's the state of play now. Might as well make sure interested applicants are aware of it.

It's true my experience was all before 2019 and I had heard rumours of creeping corruption in processing PR applications.But what you report is very depressing.

[Nickelbeer]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:26 PM, ubonjoe said:

That is false info.

You have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for at least 3 years to apply for permanent residency.

Info can be found it this long ongoing topic. Camerata's Guide to Permanent Residence

I won't be working ever again. I am retired. Basically, what you are saying is that retired people cannot achieve PR.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Nickelbeer said:

I won't be working ever again. I am retired. Basically, what you are saying is that retired people cannot achieve PR.

Yes and it is the same for many others that do not have a need or desire to work.

[Misty]

On 4/24/2022 at 7:16 AM, jayboy said:

It's true my experience was all before 2019 and I had heard rumours of creeping corruption in processing PR applications.But what you report is very depressing.

Indeed.  The system has moved from 1) VIP service fees paid to get applications that don't meet requirements to be accepted and processed, to 2) applications that are more than qualified being rejected unless they are accompanied by "VIP service fees."

 

That's a big change for the worse. I think there's possibly a name for it.  And yes, I agree that it's very depressing.