Is there a realistic route to PR without being employed in Thailand?

[bigt3116]

12 minutes ago, hughrection said:

This means that I do earn 40,000 baht

They want to see a minimum of 80,000 a month

[bigt3116]

15 hours ago, Maestro said:

There is no quota for Permanent Residence (PR). PR holders are non-quota immigrants.

yes there is, 100 per nationality per year

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=1744

[Tuvoc]

3 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

But then again, if I was 70 I'd just buy the 1 Million THB 20 year Visa & be done with it (am sorely tempted to do this now at 57, if I was 70 it would have been done 3-4 years ago).  

 

Yes, at 63 I'm incredibly tempted to do the same. I probably will at around 65. I'm sure I wouldn't be around at 85 to worry about any renewal. Of course, that won't give the main benefit of PR - free medical care.

[jayboy]

5 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

the main benefit of PR - free medical care.

Not true.There is no free medical care that goes with PR.

[scorecard]

19 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Getting an agent will solve your problems from reading your reason's above. 

 

Not expensive, no need to go to immigration office, they do my 90 day, exit/re-entry etc. 

 

But I have PR already (27 years) so I don't have any visa problems, therefore no need for an agent.

 

I'm not suggesting 'no need for 90 day reports' is a major benefit of PR. And in reality many visa holders do it online or a quick Imm. office visit.

So 'they' is not needed at all.

Edited July 16, 2023 by scorecard

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

It is actually 100 per year per nationality, and that quota is never met

Actual numbers were published a few years back:

 

Typical data:

- Total max. allowed for a country = 100, but in reality total actually approved 20 or even much less.

 

I shared earlier, the year I got PR the total approved for my country was 5.

 

[scorecard]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:07 PM, Pib said:

Red,

  Well, waived is probably not the word I should have used, but more like the Thai language requirement carries little weight in the review process and only a very/low level of understanding is needed....especially when you have a Thai spouse.   About a year ago when I did some serious googling on the PR requirements I came across several very creditable websites that gave good details and how when you have a Thai spouse the PR hurdles are lowered in some ways. I guess the Thai authorities don't want to disapprove a PR "just because a person can not speak Thai" when a Thai spouse is involved because the Thai spouse has no problem communicating with the foreigner PR applicant and the PR applicant has basically proven he can fit into Thai society by getting to the point in the PR process where an immigration officer(s) wants to ask a few questions in Thai...and even then if needed immigration would help the applicant to understand what is being asked.  Over the coming days I see if I can find those website again.   But in the interim, I did find the one below where it talks about the Thai language skills needed. 

 

https://attorneysinthailand.com/permanent-residence-in-thailand/

 

 

And it has serious errors:

"Benefits of permanent residence
in Thailand

-Ease of buying property, business, no ned to apply for work permit."

[scorecard]

23 minutes ago, scorecard said:

And it has serious errors:

"Benefits of permanent residence
in Thailand

-Ease of buying property, business, no ned to apply for work permit."

Perhaps this is possible in some extreme situations where there is BOI approved investment but I doubt it.

Further into the above quoted legal services website:

"

What Are the Benefits of Being a Permanent Resident in Thailand?

If you are granted Permanent Residence in Thailand, you can avail these advantages:

• You can apply for an accessible work permit;"

This conflicts with an earlier clause in the law company webiste saying that PR holders don't need a work permit.

 

And there's more errors in the law company website.

 

 

The reality from the actual experiences of hundreds of PR holders:

For standard situations where the foreigner is an employee of a Thai company then Work Permits are definitely needed*, as a serious pre-requisite to gaining PR and after PR is approved.  (*And to get a work permit the foreigner must be employed by a Thai registered company.)

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by scorecard

[scorecard]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:46 PM, DD25 said:

It looks like you need 3 continuous years on an O visa, but can you change the reason for extension e.g. 1 year education (that's an O visa, right?) 2 years visit spouse, then apply?

The applicant must have proof of holding a Thai Work Permit continuously for 3 years and still hold the WP at the date of applying and for further time.

 

The applicant must also submit written proof that their personal Tax Thai returns for th same period have been submitted and totally clearly (paid).

 

Holding a work permit also means that the applicant must have a visa which aligns to holding a work permit. 

 

You need to check whether the visas you mentioned do align to holding a work permit.

[SAFETY FIRST]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

The applicant must have proof of holding a Thai Work Permit continuously for 3 years and still hold the WP at the date of applying and for further time.

 

The applicant must also submit written proof that their personal Tax Thai returns for th same period have been submitted and totally clearly (paid).

 

Holding a work permit also means that the applicant must have a visa which aligns to holding a work permit. 

 

You need to check whether the visas you mentioned do align to holding a work permit.

Lots of good information here but you've left out the most important thing, minimum, MONTHLY SALARY 

 

I read it's 80000 baht. 

Edited July 17, 2023 by SAFETY FIRST

[scorecard]

On 7/15/2023 at 5:46 PM, Ralf001 said:

I work here, it aint easy.

The approval rate is very low, and is way way less than the maximum number of approvals allowed each year.

 

It's not just a 'get the is and ts all in order on the app. docs and your in'.  

[Ralf001]

9 minutes ago, scorecard said:

The approval rate is very low, and is way way less than the maximum number of approvals allowed each year.

 

It's not just a 'get the is and ts all in order on the app. docs and your in'.  

I Know, tried once.

Not sure if will try again.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

I Know, tried once.

Not sure if will try again.

What blocked that try?

[Misty]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

I Know, tried once.

Not sure if will try again.

I did too. More than met every requirement and spent a considerable amount of time and effort making sure my application was complete.  Language was not an issue, had 3 hour conversation in Thai with the Immigration desk. They could find no issue with the application.  But still, they wouldn't accept it. 

 

Some clues: they tried to shake down my accountant in a back room (I'd brought her in case they had any detailed questions on our accounts) - had mistaken her for an "agent".  

 

In the end, they wouldn't accept my application because I did not use an agent and had not paid the required "VIP service fees."

 

Thank heavens for the BOI and the LTR visa.  Even comes with a 5 year digital work permit.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

18 hours ago, scorecard said:

And it has serious errors:

"Benefits of permanent residence
in Thailand

-Ease of buying property, business, no ned to apply for work permit."

While PR does not allow one to buy land, there is some benefit when it comes to purchasing a condo: With PR, it is no longer necessary to bring funds from outside Thailand and local banks are supposedly allowed to provide normal mortgages.

[Ralf001]

7 hours ago, Misty said:

I did too. More than met every requirement and spent a considerable amount of time and effort making sure my application was complete.  Language was not an issue, had 3 hour conversation in Thai with the Immigration desk. They could find no issue with the application.  But still, they wouldn't accept it. 

 

Some clues: they tried to shake down my accountant in a back room (I'd brought her in case they had any detailed questions on our accounts) - had mistaken her for an "agent".  

 

In the end, they wouldn't accept my application because I did not use an agent and had not paid the required "VIP service fees."

 

Thank heavens for the BOI and the LTR visa.  Even comes with a 5 year digital work permit.

Yeah am on BOI employment extension myself so not overly concerned.

Was eligible to apply, so I did.... waste of time !!

Edited July 17, 2023 by Ralf001