I previously held a Non Imm "B" & a Work Permit for 3 consecutive yrs 1994-1996 and have just returned to work in Thailand in Jun 2002 again with a Non Imm "B" visa & Work Permit.

My question is whether I can now apply for residency (having already fulfilled the 3 yr requirement) or do I have to wait until Jun 2005, before applying?

My spouse is also Thai.

Regards

You did not enter again with a valid re-entry permit, rather a new Non-Immigrant visa "B", I understand.

Then you are at square one again, and you can apply for residency again after 3 consecutive years, with yearly extensions at the Immigration.

It seems one can't emphasize the importance of getting a re-entry permit enough. I wish someone had told me about it after I applied for a residency permit in December 1999 (after being in Thailand for 5 years on a B visa) and then left for an 8 month assignment in Japan without getting one. When I returned, I was given a 30 day visa even though the stamp in my passport clearly showed that I was permitted to stay in the Kingdom until the next 90 day stamp.

marty