Permanent Residency

[dthomasss]

I have lived here 5 years (working with the same company) and I am sure I qualify for Permanent Residency. I was thinking of applying this December but I know there are many forms and translations etc.

I contacted both Sunbelt Asia and Siam-Legal to see what their fees would be.

Sunbelt quoted me 19,500 plus 1,200 for trips plus 7% VAT for a total of 23,000

Siam-Legal quoted me "between 250,000 - 315,000) !!!

I am sure I need a third opinion! Any suggestions?

[lopburi3]

I suspect the Siam-Legal price included the application fee (191,400 if not married to a Thai)?

[THAIJAMES]

I suspect the Siam-Legal price included the application fee (191,400 if not married to a Thai)?

No it does not... The sunbelt fee seems way too low are you sure that is the correct price for PR?

[Tywais]

I suspect the Siam-Legal price included the application fee (191,400 if not married to a Thai)?

No it does not... The sunbelt fee seems way too low are you sure that is the correct price for PR?

It is correct and in line with a quote from Sunbelt that I received last year.

Sunbelt legal fees can be found here > http://www.sunbeltlegaladvisors.com/Sunbel...-Legal-Fees.php

[dthomasss]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

I suspect the Siam-Legal price included the application fee (191,400 if not married to a Thai)?

No it does not... The sunbelt fee seems way too low are you sure that is the correct price for PR?

It is correct and in line with a quote from Sunbelt that I received last year.

Sunbelt legal fees can be found here > http://www.sunbeltlegaladvisors.com/Sunbel...-Legal-Fees.php

[Tywais]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

[dthomasss]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

I did contact them. First they said the fee was 250,000 and then they said actually after VAT etc it was actually 315,000. It does NOT include the 191,000 fee for the permit itself

[THAIJAMES]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

I had contacted them last year and the fee does not include the PR fee. It is only for helping you through the process.

[dthomasss]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

I had contacted them last year and the fee does not include the PR fee. It is only for helping you through the process.

The Siam-Legal fee seems astronomical, but Sunbelt Asia was very reluctant to tell me exactly what their services include for 1/13th the cost. I am back to square one...

[samran]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

I had contacted them last year and the fee does not include the PR fee. It is only for helping you through the process.

The Siam-Legal fee seems astronomical, but Sunbelt Asia was very reluctant to tell me exactly what their services include for 1/13th the cost. I am back to square one...

Not sure, but if you haven't seen this thread yet (I'm assuming you have), it is worth a look for others who may be interested Guide to Thai PR

Do you need a lawyer?

It doesn't make any difference to Immigration if you use a lawyer or not. It doesn't make you look better or worse. But it does affect the process a little.

A legal firm with experience in PR applications should be able to give you useful advice on how to provide a "portfolio" showing your contribution to society, ensure all your Thai-language company documents are correct and complete, handle translation of documents, and save you some running around. Your own company lawyer - if you have one - can probably help with everything except the portfolio.

If you hire a legal firm, it will probably consider the approval of your application to be the end of the process. If you want them to help you with the various steps after approval, you'd better put that in the written agreement so it's understood by all. If you hand over a lot of documents to them, make a list and get them to sign for them in case any go missing.

One of the main problems with the PR process is that as an outsider it appears 'all a bit much', and that a lawyer appear to some to be a useful help - especially if you have work committments.

I think the main thing to realise (based on Friends experience), is that most of the documentation has to originate from you. With that, there is probably going to be a bit of running around involved to get all the required documentation and then translations done, police checks from home, medical checks etc etc etc; most if of which you will need to get anyway, or require your presence.

So while there are some things they can do in terms of foot work, there are other things they can't. Based on this, I suspect fees such as sunbelts will be for handling the translations and for the 'knowledge' of how things work so you have 'all you ducks lined up in a row' in time for the December application period.

Whatever happens, good luck with the application.

[dthomasss]

I can understand how different firms have different prices for the same service, but how is it possible that Siam Legal charges 1,400% more? I am trying to come up with a third law firm to see what is a realistic fee for good service.

Why don't you contact them and see what the charge is inclusive of. Still sounds like they are folding in the government fees into the total.

I had contacted them last year and the fee does not include the PR fee. It is only for helping you through the process.

The Siam-Legal fee seems astronomical, but Sunbelt Asia was very reluctant to tell me exactly what their services include for 1/13th the cost. I am back to square one...

Not sure, but if you haven't seen this thread yet (I'm assuming you have), it is worth a look for others who may be interested Guide to Thai PR

Do you need a lawyer?

It doesn't make any difference to Immigration if you use a lawyer or not. It doesn't make you look better or worse. But it does affect the process a little.

A legal firm with experience in PR applications should be able to give you useful advice on how to provide a "portfolio" showing your contribution to society, ensure all your Thai-language company documents are correct and complete, handle translation of documents, and save you some running around. Your own company lawyer - if you have one - can probably help with everything except the portfolio.

If you hire a legal firm, it will probably consider the approval of your application to be the end of the process. If you want them to help you with the various steps after approval, you'd better put that in the written agreement so it's understood by all. If you hand over a lot of documents to them, make a list and get them to sign for them in case any go missing.

One of the main problems with the PR process is that as an outsider it appears 'all a bit much', and that a lawyer appear to some to be a useful help - especially if you have work committments.

I think the main thing to realise (based on Friends experience), is that most of the documentation has to originate from you. With that, there is probably going to be a bit of running around involved to get all the required documentation and then translations done, police checks from home, medical checks etc etc etc; most if of which you will need to get anyway, or require your presence.

So while there are some things they can do in terms of foot work, there are other things they can't. Based on this, I suspect fees such as sunbelts will be for handling the translations and for the 'knowledge' of how things work so you have 'all you ducks lined up in a row' in time for the December application period.

Whatever happens, good luck with the application.

I would imagine that is what I would get from them, so it makes me wonder what Siam Legal provides for the extra 285,000 baht...I thyink the hardest part will be making the interview tape in Thai and learning the Thai alphabet (I am guilty of not learning to read Thai) and passing the multiple choice written test.