Residency Booklet

[Afronaught]

I was going through your website and came across your section on residency. In the section it talks about a red residency booklet. I have just applied for residency in Thailand and have just received my Booklet but it is Yellow, not red.

I have been told that I may change this booklet to blue after 5 years by the Foreign Ministary.

My question is; is there a difference between the red and yellow booklets, if so what?

I was not informed about a red booklet by the Foreign Ministary

Kind regards,

Ian

South African in Thailand age 34

Edited July 10, 2005 by Afronaught

[Afronaught]

If anyone know's

I would Apreciate some info or clarification.

[Bobcat]

The only "yellow" book I know of is the yellow tabian baan - or house registration. Foreigners can apply for (or have their names inserted into) a tabian baan, but only get a yellow one unless they have PR. If you get PR, you get two books - one blue (from immigration) and one red (from your local police station). The blue one is your residence permit, and the red one is your alien book (equivalent to Thai ID card, but for foreigners with PR).

PR is approved by the Ministry of Interior and applications are made at Room 301 (Suan Plu Immigration) every December.

It doesn't sound to me like you're talking about PR with your yellow book. When you say you applied for residency and just got it, what exactly did you apply for, where, and what did you get? What fee did you pay? PR costs around Baht 192,000 if you're not married to a Thai or about Baht 95,000 if you are married to a Thai national. If you haven't paid these fees for your "residence" then I think you're talking about something else entirely.

[dutch]

I arrived in Thailand on 30 Dec. 2004.

I received my yellow tabien Baan in February 2005.

Obviously no need for PR ( or may be just a helpful official? )

[george]

I arrived in Thailand on 30 Dec. 2004.

I received my yellow tabien Baan in February 2005.

Obviously no need for PR ( or may be just a helpful official? )

Yellow Tabien Baan books are issued to condominium owners (foreigners).

[Bobcat]

George is correct. No need to have PR for the yellow tabian baan. However, a foreigner can get a blue tabiann baan only if he/she has PR. Both the tabian baan books (blue and yellow) are totally different to the blue and red books given to foreigners who acquire PR in Thailand. Different books, issued by different departments.

[trajan]

Bobcat's right....I got:

1. huge dark red (maroon) "Alien Certificate" book (issued by the local police station) (if this is the equivalent of an ID card, its totally impractical to carry around)

2. navy blue "Certificate of Residence" book (issued by the Immigration Dept) and I get this stamped at the airport everytime I leave or enter the Kingdom

3. purple-blue Household Registration Book (tabien baan) (issued by the local district office)

4. light blue Work Permit book (issued by the Labor Dept)

5. fat little passport with stamps all over the place (issued by my homeland)

6. little paper tax ID card (issued by the Revenue Dept).

no yellow color books anywhere...am I missing something??? Afronaught/Ian what does your yellow book say on it? who issued it?

[Simpleton]

The yellow book is the same as your "purple blue" household registration search. Once you get PR, you are eligible for the "purple blue" one. Before that, best you can get is yellow.

[trajan]

thanks simpleton, I thought I might have skipped something......

[dutch]

Sorry George,I don't own a condominium.

Our house on (of course) on my wife's name.

I still do have the yellow tabien baan.

To be honest,I do think the official was not right to issue.However as long as I have it no one can take it away.

May be the small size of amphur and the fact that everybody knows everybody.

It's only 15 km's south of Korat (Nakorn Ratchasima)

[Afronaught]

Hi Folks,

Yes sorry I am Talking about the yellow tabien baan. My apologies. I Was isuued it by the local Ampur Office in the District I'm living in NE Thailand. The process of obtaining it was quite tedious but not difficult. I am Married on A Thai Marriage certificate 7 years already.

Also after some enquiring around from the Local Ampur office and a few contacts I have in the foreign ministary. With this tabien baan I am allowd to change to a Blue tabien baan after five years and am also eligable to obtain a Thai ID Card. This came from the Horses mouth in the Foreign Ministary. To me this sounds rediculously easy, And I'm currenly trying to get this confirmed from other sources in the Ministary.

Also with the Yellow tabien baan I have Just recieved my Thai Drivers Liscence. and I am also able to own 49% of property in Thailand without having to prove any Ofshore income or investment. Or register under a Company. I do however still have to meet the Visa Requirements in Thailand.

Kind Regards

Ian

[Bobcat]

Also after some enquiring around from the Local Ampur office and a few contacts I have in the foreign ministary. With this tabien baan I am allowd to change to a Blue tabien baan after five years and am also eligable to obtain a Thai ID Card. This came from the Horses mouth in the Foreign Ministary. To me this sounds rediculously easy, And I'm currenly trying to get this confirmed from other sources in the Ministary.

Also with the Yellow tabien baan I have Just recieved my Thai Drivers Liscence. and I am also able to own 49% of property in Thailand without having to prove any Ofshore income or investment. Or register under a Company. I do however still have to meet the Visa Requirements in Thailand.

I was always under the impression that one could not obtain a blue tabian baan book unless one either had PR or Thai citizenship. I was not aware that simply having your name in a yellow tabian baan booklet for five years would allow you to "upgrade" to a blue book. But this does raise some interesting issues about the qualifications for Thai citizenship. I have reviewed the regulations many times and must say that I still find them to be unclear. There is something that says that one of the qualifications is that you have PR for 5 years or your name has been registered in a tabian baan for 5 years. My lawyer friends have told me that the tabian baan being referred to here is not the yellow one, but the blue one. Therefore, logically, ou cannot obtain Thai citizenship unless you have PR - simply becuase you cannot get your name in a blue tabian baan booklet unless and until you have been granted PR. That seems to make sense to me. However, as many regulations are unclear, perhaps it is possible to obtain Thai citizenship without PR if the authorities consider the yellow book to be a tabian baan for the purposes of the citizenship regulations. This would, of course, disturb me beyond measure, as I could have had my name in a yellow tabian baan book 5 years ago.

I am very interested to hear from anyone on this board who has actually applied for Thai citizenship on the basis of their PR or their being in a tabian baan booklet (either blue or yellow). I'm thinking of simply going down to the police officer in charge of citizenship applications - I believe he is stationed at the police station opposite Central World Plaza. Couldn't hurt to go down and get the word from the source. If I do, I'll be sure to report my findings to the group.

As to the matter of your having obtained a driver's license, I'm not sure what that has to do with the ability to own property. Generally, foreigners cannot own land (other than in the the "1 rai of land for residential purposes / 40m Baht investment" exception). You may be referring to ownership of condominiums - whereby a foreigner may own 100% of a condo provided that the total number of condos in the building doesn't exceed 49%. Having a Thai driver's license doesn't allow you to own property.

Cheers,

Bob

[Afronaught]

As to the matter of your having obtained a driver's license, I'm not sure what that has to do with the ability to own property. Generally, foreigners cannot own land (other than in the the "1 rai of land for residential purposes / 40m Baht investment" exception). You may be referring to ownership of condominiums - whereby a foreigner may own 100% of a condo provided that the total number of condos in the building doesn't exceed 49%. Having a Thai driver's license doesn't allow you to own property.

Dont misunderstand me The Documents required for a Drivers Liscence are as follows:

Documentary evidence to be attached to the application for a driving licence

4. Non-residents: A copy of the passport of a non-resident, showing that a valid Non-Immigrant Visa is held; residents: a copy of the Alien Book and Residence Book. (At the time of submitting the application, the original passport or Alien Book and Residence Book will have to be shown to the receiving officer.)

5. A certified letter of address from the Embassy/Consulate of the applicant, or from a government agency of Thailand such as the Immigration Bureau, or a house registration form.

6. A medical certificate that certifies that the applicant is not insane or suffering from mental problems or diseases that would to be a danger when driving.

7. Two photographs, size 1x1 inch (taken within the six months prior to submitting the application

But wit the Tabien Ban booklet All I did was hand 2 photocopies along with the original. 2 copies of my International Driving Permit. 2 copies of the front page of my passport, 2 Copies of My South African Driving Liscence. 2 Copies of My Eye-test report and Medical Fitness report and 4 photographs.

I did a Small test for hand eye Co-ordination as wel as the colourblindnes test and Blind spot test. I was Placed infront of a Television and made to watch a short film. 2 hours later I walked out with 2 Drivers Liscences for Motor vehicle and Motorcycle.

The Tabien ban book also alows you to own 49% of LAND, The building is a seperate entity and is Taxed seperately as I understand it. I hav a 60 Rai Farm here and I leagaly own 49% of it on Paper commonly refered to as a Chanote. I did not have to produce any Bank statements or proof of income or Business rites. My wife owns the other 51%

This Is my situation I can only relate My experience as I have been through it.

Kind Regards

Ian

Edited July 12, 2005 by Afronaught

[Bobcat]

The Tabien ban book also alows you to own 49% of LAND, The building is a seperate entity and is Taxed seperately as I understand it. I hav a 60 Rai Farm here and I leagaly own 49% of it on Paper commonly refered to a Chanote. I did not have to broduce any Bank statements or proof of income or Business rites. My wife owns the other 51%

A yellow tabian baan book does NOT allow you to own 49% of land in Thailand. I am sorry to be so suspicious, but I I find it difficult to believe that your name is written on the chanote as the owner of 49% of 60 rai of land. Perhaps you own the land through a Thai company, and you own 49% of that company. I do not wish to cause you concern, nor am I saying that you are not telling the truth - I am simply very doubtful that things are as you say they are.

I have a couple of questions for you:

1. Can you read Thai? If yes, have you seen the chanote and confirmed your name on it? If you cannot read Thai, have you independently confirmed that your name in on the chanote?

2. Are you certain you own 49%? What makes you believe this?

3. If the property was purchased through a company, what rights do you have as the 49% shareholder that have been built into the articles of association?

I am sorry if these questions are offensive to you. That isn't my intention. I just want you to be aware that a yellow tabian baan book doesn't give you the right to own 49% of land in Thailand - period.

Cheers,

Bob

[Afronaught]

No Offence bob,

To answer your questions.

1 No I can’t read Thai; I have confirmed that my name is on the document by a Minister in the Foreign Ministry, and an Educated English speaking Thai National.

2 According to Thai Law a foreigner ("Alien") may only own 49% shares of a Thai owned company that owns freehold. I Have No Company or belong to a company but My Name and my wife’s name is on the Nor Sor 4 Jor Title Deed (Chanote). According to my contact in the Ministry, He informs me that my share of the ownership is 49%.

3. The land was not purchased though a company my wife, who initially owned 100% of the property, had the Title deed changed in the province we are staying in all I produced was my Tabien ban along with a copy and a copy of my Passport and Marriage certificate.

As I said, I can only relate my experience to you, I have only moved to Thailand with my wife recently. My wife is a Thai national, and we have been married for several years already. I am new to Thai law and maybe me obtaining ownership of land in this manner is a pure fluke.

Kind regards

Ian

[Richard Hall]

Also after some enquiring around from the Local Ampur office and a few contacts I have in the foreign ministary. With this tabien baan I am allowd to change to a Blue tabien baan after five years and am also eligable to obtain a Thai ID Card. This came from the Horses mouth in the Foreign Ministary. To me this sounds rediculously easy, And I'm currenly trying to get this confirmed from other sources in the Ministary.

Kind Regards

Ian

I think in this part there is a slight misunderstanding and it must rather read "after having constantly resided for a minimum of 5 years in Thailand a foreigner is eligible to APPLY for a Thai ID Card (= Thai citizenship)".

Alternatively, there is also the way to APPLY for a permanent residence status first which one is elibible to after having constantly stayed a minimum of 3 years in the Kingdom of Thailand. The requirement here is a Non Immigrant Visa (single entry) extended 3 times in annual intervals and other aspects such as for example financial security, minimum knowledge of the language etc. People that have to carry out visa runs (multiple entry visa) are not eligible to apply for permanent residency even if they have stayed more than 3 years in the country on that base.

Upon having obtained permanent residence status and holding it for a minimum of 5 years an individual is eligible to APPLY for Thai citizenship on base of his long time staying in the country.

The list of requirements to eventually obtain Thai citizenship is quite long and the requirements are always the same independant from whether one applies straight without holdig a PR first (reasons of humanity, great benefit for the country, its culture and its people etc.) or solely on time base.

Needles to say that fundamental knowledge of the language is and should be an important criteria for obtaining naturalization in a country but is just one issue to be covered among many more.

The very best that actually comes with residing a long time in the Kingdom is just to acquire eligibility to file an application for PR and/or citizenship but neither one is granted automatically on just being here for a long time. Otherwise, I guess, the Thai ID cards showing "trunk faces" would have already outnumbered the once held by those acquired via birth right.

Cheers,

Richard

[Bobcat]

Afronaught, good for you. Stranger things have happened in Thailand, so anything's possible. I believe you are the first foreigner I have heard of who has had his name registered in a chanote as the co-legal owner of land.