Thai Residency Permit

[ray23]

I know the pros and con. However, I have been told by a person who applied last year that they would not accept applications for the program. Anyone got personal experience are these permits actually still being issued?

[Siam International Legal Group]

Permanent Residence Status in Thailand

Every year many foreigners and investors contemplate submitting an application for permanent residence in Thailand. However, the question is, do they comply with the required criteria for eligibility? What are the actual requirements and most importantly how long does the whole process take before approval is given? The annual quota for granting permanent residency in Thailand currently stands at a maximum of 100 persons per nationality. In the last cycle of approved applicants, only 196 passed the approval process under the quota system. The Interior Minister responsible for issuing the announcement each year notifies the applicants that the quota is open for submission, from October 2007 to the end of December. The Immigration Bureau is the government agency responsible for handling all procedures and applications for permanent residency in Thailand. This year's process will be most arduous for the paperwork preparation since the tax and company documents will need a verification signature of the person who prepared the documents.

There are a number of areas where an applicant may satisfy the requirement for this status. The most common method of obtaining permanent residency permit is by the following:

• A potential applicant must have received permission for a non-immigrant visa for at least three consecutive years prior to the submission of an application for permanent residency. Holders of multiple non-Immigrant visas do not qualify. You must have 3 straight yearly extensions in order to qualify.

• An applicant must be holding a non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting an application.

There are other categories by which a permanent residency may be obtained. These are based on an individual’s personal qualifications as outlined below:

1. Investment category (minimum of 10 million baht being invested in Thailand)

2. Working/Business

3. Support of a family or for humanity reasons: The applicant must have a close relationship with a Thai National or a Non-Thai National that has permanent residence status either as:

- A legal husband/wife;

- A legal mother/father; or

- An unmarried child who is under 20 years of age up to

the submission date of application.

4. Expert Category

For an applicant to apply under the Expert Category, they must provide the

following documentation:

i. Graduated from a University with at least a Bachelor Degree, and provide a

special service/ability to the Thai authorities.

ii. Supported by the authority concerned, and be officially certified.

iii. Certifying letter from the authority concerned confirming the applicant’s

service, and their position up to the date of submission.

Procedures on Submission of Application

All applications are submitted for consideration by the Immigration Commission which has representatives from the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Thai Police Headquarters, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Supreme Attorney, the Board of Investment, the Security State Council, the Immigration Bureau with the final approval by the Interior Minister. For the final approval for a permanent residence application, the Immigration Commission will take into consideration, among others, the applicants’ qualifications, income, assets, knowledge, professional expertise, relationships with any Thai citizens, national security, character, health, understanding of Thai language and other considerations deemed appropriate by government policies.

The immigration officers will normally grant the applicant a 180 day extension of stay on the date of the applicant’s submission and the next extension will be granted for an additional 180 days until the final approval has been given. During the initial process, the applicant will receive an appointment card stating the interview date and time with immigration. The interview will consist of a verbal and written test in the Thai language.

All applicants over the age of 14 must undergo a criminal record check. This consists of the following:

- Their fingerprint sheets are sent to the Criminal Records Division for

the criminal record check in Thailand

- Their passports undergo a blacklist check to verify whether the applicant is

a “prohibited person” according to the regulations as stated by the Immigration Commission.

- The applicants are checked by Immigration as to whether they are classed

as “wanted” by Interpol.

Fees for Permanent Residency

A non-refundable application fee for a residence permit is 7,600 baht. Upon approval of a residence permit a further payment of 191,400 baht is payable. For foreign nationals who are married to Thai citizens, this fee is only 95,700 baht.

Submission Period

Applicants can only submit their application once a year. Normally, the opening date for the applications is in October or November. However, we recommend applicants to begin preparation at least 3-4 months prior to the deadline, as at times; the collation of various documents may be substantial. Once the date is announced, applications can be submitted until the last working day of the year, which in this case is the 31st December 2007).

The results will be announced by the Immigration Commission in May 2008 and the residence permits will be issued to successful applicants in December 2008.

What Happens After?

Once approved, the successful applicant will receive what is often coined a blue book. The foreign resident must then register their place of residence in Thailand at the local Municipal Office and obtain a house card. Seven days after receipt of the residence certificate you then apply for an alien book or a red book at your local police station.

It should be noted that the Residency Permit never expires unless it has been revoked. If the residence permit holder decides to leave the country and return, the permit holder must apply for a re-entry permit which is endorsed in their passport. This can be easily obtained at the permit holder’s local immigration office.

Also, as a permit holder, you must present yourself at the police station covering the area where you are resident once every five years to receive a stamp in your permit book.

Advantages

Applying for a permanent residency appears to be a costly and time-consuming process. It is therefore fitting to ask what the distinct advantages of getting one are. There are, in fact, various advantages to holding a permanent resident status in Thailand. These include, among others, the following:

1. It allows the permanent residence holder to live permanently in Thailand, with no requirement to apply for an extension of stay at immigration each year.

2. The permanent residence holder also receives an alien registration book and number, which is equal or similar to that of a Thai Identification Card.

3. A permanent resident holder can have their name included on a house registration book (tabien baan).

4. The permanent residence holder will still need to obtain a work permit to work in Thailand, but the requirements are much less stringent.

5. The holder can purchase a condominium without the need to transfer money from abroad;

6. Apply for Thai Citizenship after 5 consecutive years as a permanent residence holder.

7. Their children born in Thailand can apply for Thai Citizenship.

8. The permanent residence holder can become a director of a Thai public company.

(e) They can apply for an extension of stay or permanent residence for non-Thai family members.

Having permanent residency status in Thailand may not be for everyone. However, for those who are eligible, the time and effort in obtaining one can be a priceless investment for the future. To obtain permanent residency comes with it a desire to embrace the very core of Thailand and its way of life. For those who have made Thailand their home away from home, this is especially important as it helps to strengthen their connection to a country with a culture and lifestyle in which they wish to play an integral role. The advantages, therefore, it seems are both tangible and intangible.

Siam Legal offers the service to professionally prepare the PR application for submission to the Immigration Bureau. You can review the information at this link.

Dennis P. Ramm

Siam International Legal Group

www.siam-legal.com

[email protected]

[Tywais]

Siam Legal offers the service to professionally prepare the PR application for submission to the Immigration Bureau. You can review the information at this link.

You may want to update the information at that link, specifically > "retirement (aged 60 years or older and having a net monthly income no less than 30,000 baht)." My understanding PR based on retirement had stopped 2 or 3 years ago.

[ray23]

Thanks Dennis not for the faint of heart is it

[ray23]

Forgot one question how long is the permit good for?

[RickFarang]

Forgot one question how long is the permit good for?

Hi Ray,

The permit is "permanent". Of course, we know that nothing is really permanent

Poking around on the Immigration Bureau's website a couple of months ago, I ran across the list of people granted permanent resident status last year. I stopped by Immigration in Bangkok last week and stopped in room 301 and asked about the permanent resident permit, and the officer I talked to confirmed that- the permanent resident permit is still alive and well.

It is not clear to me that non-Asians have the greatest chance of being successful. The names that I found on the list were predominantly Asian, but then again, it seems there is little reason for most Europeans and Americans to seek PR status.

[ray23]

The only reason I could see would be peace of mind.