Queries On Residency

[Mike W]

Hi

I have applied for Thai residency and had my interview on 1st March. Since that date I have been made redundant from my position, although have recieved another position in Thailand. The problem is that I will be earning less than the recommended 80, 000 baht. Although my application at present meets all requirements. A few queries

Has anyone any idea of how long it takes to receive notification about the result of residency application, and how do they let you know by post or phone?

Will my changing jobs, and having to change work permit affect my present application?

Mike

[samran]

based on my friends experience, you are unlikely to hear anything until the end of the year. Having said that, there is nothing to stop you dropping in to immigration to get an update. They were most willing to talk to my friend and pass on any news they could.

As for your change of status, it unlikely to change anything. I guess the main thing you should be trying to ensure is that you remain legal in thailand for the time being, on a work permit, just in case this application gets rejected.

you don't want to have the 3 year immigration clock reset as you let your visa lapse.

[Bobcat]

I had my interview in March 2004, and received my residency in February 2005. You should not expect to hear anything until the end of the year as Samran says. They will let you know by post or fax. I wouldn't expect your change in employment to have any bearing on your application. Good luck!

[boris]

Hi

I have applied for Thai residency and had my interview on 1st March. Since that date I have been made redundant from my position, although have recieved another position in Thailand. The problem is that I will be earning less than the recommended 80, 000 baht. Although my application at present meets all requirements. A few queries

Has anyone any idea of how long it takes to receive notification about the result  of residency application, and how do they let you know by post or phone?

Will my changing jobs, and having to change work permit affect my present application?

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's bad news and there's -in a way- good news.

The bad news is that your application was made on the basis of your former occupation and thus it is now null and void since you have changed jobs.If you had changed jobs - assuming seamless work permits for both- before finalising your application my understanding -putting the salary issue on one side- is there should not have been a problem.Thus I am afraid in the current circumstances you will have to begin the process all over again later this year.

The good (sort of) news is that IF you have completed and submitted all paperwork satisfactorily and IF you have completed all interviews and IF you have satisfied Immigration as to your eligibility, the approval from the Ministry of Interior (which comes by registered post) will arrive without any further call on you to supply documents (eg tax receipts for period after your application finalised) or present yourself at Suan Plu.Difficult to predict when approval would happen but probably before March 2006.

If I was in your position I would however come clean as I would feel too uncomfortable maintaining residence under false pretences.Presumably in your passport Immigration have stamped application for residence under consideration?But have a talk about this with a first class Thai immigration lawyer.

[Bobcat]

The bad news is that your application was made on the basis of your former occupation and thus it is now null and void since you have changed jobs.

I'm not sure this is true. I cannot find anything in the regulations to suggest this is the case.

The application for residence, in this case, is not made on the basis of any particular job - it is made on the basis of three years of uninterrupted non-immigrant category B visas. I would have thought that what happens after the application is submitted, as long as your current visa is not revoked, should not make any difference to your application.

I will check with one of my Thai lawyers and let you know what they think.

Bob

Edited May 25, 2005 by Bobcat

[Artisi]

I think it would be prudent to advise them of the change - but bear in mind, if you were made redundant, that means your work permit was terminated which in turn cancels your visa, as they go hand-in-hand. If you are still on your old w/permit and visa you are now working illegally.

[paulfr]

Please forgive the slight diversion, but ..

I seem to recall that obtaining residency costs some 100,000 Baht.

True ??

[Bobcat]

I paid Baht 191,400 in Feb 05. Half the price is you are married to a Thai person. I don't know if the fees have changed since the 2004 intake.

[danone]

I would not tell them.

but question: did you apply for family reasons or a biz residency?

if for family reasons, the only thing they want to see when your application should be approved is your wife. yes, you have to go again with your wife to suan plu to get the final stamps. they just want to make sure she's real.

for biz residency I dont know if there's a final check up.

any way: you fulfilled the basic necessities of an uniterrupted 3 year stay on a work permit with sufficient salary.

as nowhere in the application papers it is written that one has to inform the residency authorities about a change in the work situation I would not get nervous about this.

your papers are ok.

and if you have a visa stamp of the residency office just go there and let it be extended. normally they dont ask any questions. they just stamp it.

good luck!

[boris]

The bad news is that your application was made on the basis of your former occupation and thus it is now null and void since you have changed jobs.

I'm not sure this is true. I cannot find anything in the regulations to suggest this is the case.

The application for residence, in this case, is not made on the basis of any particular job - it is made on the basis of three years of uninterrupted non-immigrant category B visas. I would have thought that what happens after the application is submitted, as long as your current visa is not revoked, should not make any difference to your application.

I will check with one of my Thai lawyers and let you know what they think.

Bob

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have checked with my lawyer who is one of the top immigration experts.He points out that there is standard Immigration Department policy on residence applications not all of which is set out in the regulations.He went on to say that evidence may be needed to demonstrate applicant still employed until the result of the application is known.My own take is that in practice this may not be a problem if paperwork correct and all interviews completed.My lawyer made the point that if employment was discontinued during the application process for whatever purpose, the new employment should be of a reasonably similar and salary to the former job.The decision on this is at the sole discretion of the Immigration Department and of course assumes there is no significant gap between the two jobs.