Tabiyan Baan, Extension Of Stay, Quarterly Report

[Khon Baan Nok]

Background: US citizen, age 62, resident for 5 years in Thailand on Non-Immigrant F visa, retiring from UN service at end of October. Aiming to initially obtain retirement-based extension of stay, probably attempt to convert to Residential visa next year. Have a long-standing relationship with a Thai woman though we are not married to each other.

The Question: On the assumption that all goes well with the retirement extension of stay process, I will have (eventually) a yearly renewable conditional permission to stay in Thailand. I presently live in Bangkok and will remain here for the immediate future. Consequently I assume that my quarterly reporting to Immigration will be done here in Bangkok at Chaeng Wattana. My partner and I are building a cottage on her family property up-country. We would both like for me to get on a yellow tabiyan baan for the up-country property. If we do that, will I then be obliged to do my quarterly reporting up-country, or can I still do that here in Bangkok?

Related Question 1: It is my understanding that I can obtain the yellow tabiyan baan even though we are not married. Is that correct?

Related Question 2: I have two vehicles (car and motorcycle) registered (white plate) here in Bangkok. If I go on the tabiyan baan from up-country, do I have to move the registration to that changwat also?

Tks,

S.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Longish thread on the "yellow book," the Tambien Baan here:

Note, it's generally issued based on your wife's BLUE tambien baan, which is where she's registered. Thus, after you build cottage, which'll be in her name, and if she elects to have her blue tambien baan based there, you could tag along, if you were married.

Absent that, it's also issued to foreigners who own a condo.

Absent that, I forget the details, so go through the long thread for ideas.

Re the 90-day reporting requirement, you'd only be required to do it upcountry if you elected to do your annual "retirement" extensions in that province. If you've been doing them in Bangkok, can do the 90-day report there too.

Re vehicle registration, not related. I have a yellow tambien baan based here in Pathum Thani, my Toyota pickup is registered in Bangkok.

FYI, the yellow tambien baan isn't all that important or essential I've found, but it can be handy. Especially when you need a verification of your address for, say, renewal of your Thai driving permit.

Mac

[samran]

you mention that you are aiming to convert to a residency visa? By this, do you mean permanent residency in Thailand?

As I understand it, it will be difficult to get residency from a retirement visa, especially as residency generally requires 3 years of tax returns immediately preceeding your application. If permanent residency is the aim, you might be hindering your application by applying for a retirement visa.

Others will know better than me, so I stand to be corrected.

[Khon Baan Nok]

you mention that you are aiming to convert to a residency visa? By this, do you mean permanent residency in Thailand?

As I understand it, it will be difficult to get residency from a retirement visa, especially as residency generally requires 3 years of tax returns immediately preceeding your application. If permanent residency is the aim, you might be hindering your application by applying for a retirement visa.

Others will know better than me, so I stand to be corrected.

Yes, I meant permanent residency visa.

You've raised an interesting point. I have the residency requirement, but since I've been employed by an international organization, I have paid taxes in my home country (US), not here, in accordance with International and Thai conventions.

Even if you are right, I'm not sure that I have an easy alternative. Assembling the paperwork for the residence visa will take longer than I currently have, so I may just have to bite the bullet and proceed.

Tks for the alert.

S.

[Lite Beer]

Permanent Residency will not be issued to a Retiree.

Also I think that it has not been issued to anyone since 2006.

[samran]

you mention that you are aiming to convert to a residency visa? By this, do you mean permanent residency in Thailand?

As I understand it, it will be difficult to get residency from a retirement visa, especially as residency generally requires 3 years of tax returns immediately preceeding your application. If permanent residency is the aim, you might be hindering your application by applying for a retirement visa.

Others will know better than me, so I stand to be corrected.

Yes, I meant permanent residency visa.

You've raised an interesting point. I have the residency requirement, but since I've been employed by an international organization, I have paid taxes in my home country (US), not here, in accordance with International and Thai conventions.

Even if you are right, I'm not sure that I have an easy alternative. Assembling the paperwork for the residence visa will take longer than I currently have, so I may just have to bite the bullet and proceed.

Tks for the alert.

S.

If I were you, I'd head down to immigration ASAP - before the month is out and explain your situation to the PR desk there. Applications open in December, usually for two weeks.

From what friends have told me, you don't need to have all your paperwork up front. If you go down to speak to them now, they can outline the proceedure for you, and give an indication as to your eligibility.

Having contracted at ESCAP myself (never again!!! 5555), once you've spoken to immigration to find out how to handle the tax issue (which is very critical for most applications - but perhaps not yours) you should get the HR people to bang out a letter showing in Thai and English chapter and verse of the agreement which exempts you from Thai tax. This will be good ammo to have with for the PR application.

As I said though, gut feeling is that if you go to the retirment visa first, you'll be killing your chance at PR for good. You basically need to be working in the year you apply, and not on a retirment visa to have any chance of success at PR.

[Time Traveller]

Recommend that you contact to the PR applications people at immigration since you are in an unusual case. Normally for your application to be accepted you need to be working with a work permit. Are you working for a Thai entity ? If not, then the it's unlikely your PR application would be accepted especially without work permit. Of course Tax returns are necessary also, but tax returns alone are not enough (since anyone living in Thailand can submit tax return whether you're working or not). The main factor they look at is that you are working. Whether it can be for an international organisation is something I think you would need to check with them. Good luck and please let us know after you contact them.