Permanent Residence: Procedure, Advantages

[dr_Pat_Pong]

[JimGant]

Is it true that the visa to "support Thai wife" allows application for a work permit, if desired, the other does not?

Yes.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Seconded Jim

[RamdomChances]

Just a quick question on the 3 years. Do you need 3 years unbroken time or 3 "extentions". I'll be applying for my 3rd "supporting thai wife" extention this year, but thats only 2 years actual time, I wont hit 3 years until I have to apply for the fourth extention. Would I be able to apply for PR once the 3rd extention is given or do I have to wait until the year after. The above starts off saying "

An applicant must have received permission for yearly stays in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa for at least of three years prior to the submission of an application for permanent residency

which I take to mean you actually have to live here for 3 years prior,but then goes on to say

You must have 3 un-broken yearly extensions in order to qualify

Which could mean that as soon as you have the 3rd extention you can apply for PR

RC

Edited August 16, 2005 by RamdomChances

[lopburi3]

It is three years here, in Thailand. You don't have a 3rd unbroken extension until it has been completed in my reading (into the 4th) - if you forget six months into the 3rd and leave without a re entry permit it is back to square one.

[Diggerbasher]

3 unbroken years means you cannot do two years,then go to the UK for a year and then come back and do a third one year extension of a new three month visa.Three years straight after each other.

Does anyone know the ratio of PR rejections,successes?

[RamdomChances]

It is three years here, in Thailand.  You don't have a 3rd unbroken extension until it has been completed in my reading (into the 4th) - if you forget six months into the 3rd and leave without a re entry permit it is back to square one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tend to agree with you Lop, a bit confusing though as I will have my 3rd extention this year but only two years unbroken in time. I'll ask when I'm doing my next one just to check. I've actually got an other two years unbroken of "Non O"s" prior to the "supporting thai wife extentions" but I messed up a bit and the continuity was broken by about 3 boarder runs so back to square one.

Cheers RC

[Maestro]

You almost have it now - the O is indeed other and the A simply means pre approved by immigration for a one year stay.  With that pre approval the holder gets stamped into Thailand for one year when they enter instead of the normal 90 days.

The confusion is that 'O-A' became an all-encompassing shorthand for a stamp in your passport allowing you to stay for one year, based either on marriage or retirement. For most, this is a one year extension of stay, obtained IN Thailand, of your 'O' visa. Both 'marriage' (actually, support of a Thai dependent) or 'retirement' are the two criteria. On the other hand, the 'O-A' can only be obtained OUTSIDE Thailand at a Thai Embassy or Consulate -- in which case only 'retirement' qualifies as criteria.

<singing> I can see clearly now

I find this discussion truly amazing and extremely helpful. I shall save it in my folder “Retirement”, which I started some 10 years ago to collect ideas for that event.

Although I shan't need to apply for my non-imm visa until late next year I have already started reflecting whether I should apply for the 90-day visa and have it extended in Bangkok, or get the visa that would give me a one-year "stay until" stamp upon arrival. Now I know that by stating the purpose "support of Thai wife" in my application I shan't have to make that decision: a 90-day non-imm O "support Thai wife" it will have to be (as I favour that option over the retirement visa, unless of course I change my mind by then). No problem for me, since my wife and I plan to stay 5 months during that trip, which will give me plenty of time to apply for the extension, which I have learnt I should submit in good time as it will take several weeks to get it considered and, hopefully, approved that first time.

Reminder to myself: don’t forget the re-entry permit stamped in my passport before leaving Thailand. Can be obtained at the Immigration Office or, last minute, at the airport. Best do it at Suan Plu at the same time when getting the visa extension (but different counter)

[danone]

3 unbroken years means you cannot do two years,then go to the UK for a year and then come back and do a third one year extension of a new three month visa.Three years straight after each other.

Does anyone know the ratio of PR rejections,successes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

my take is that about 80-90 percent get rejected.

but as said before: the rules are clear, there is no corruption involved and the process is transparent, but not fast.

if you fulfill the clearly stated requirements there is nothing to fear. just be around for the regular interviews and have a decent basic thai ready.

[Lazy Sod]

I don't want to put a damper on things Maestro, and I wish you the best of luck, but I was told by both my lawyer and the immigration officer that I'd have a lot better chance of applying under the business category rather than the supporting Thai family category (even though I could have easily applied under the family category). From what I gathered, if you are simply married to a Thai, and believe this single plus point entitles you to PR then the chances are not good. It's all based upon points, you get points for how long you've been here,your employment history and current position, if you have Thai family, how much money you have in the bank, how much tax you are paying here, your Thai language ability, etc. etc. You can be low in some areas, but need to be very strong in other areas to make up the lost points. I know somebody with PR who can hardly speak a word of Thai, but he was very strong in all the other areas. Similarly, I heard of people who speak fluent Thai, who have been here ages, married to a Thai, who have been rejected.

Another point, you still have to report your whereabouts every 90 days (at least I do, and so do other people I know who have PR). This started to be enforced last year (in Bangkok at least).

[Bobcat]

Another point, you still have to report your whereabouts every 90 days (at least I do, and so do other people I know who have PR). This started to be enforced last year (in Bangkok at least).

I was also curious about this so when I received my PR earlier this year I asked the immigration officials about the need to continue the 90-day reporting requirement. The official ripped the little white departure card from my passport and threw it into the rubbish bin. She said that as a holder of PR, the 90 day reporting requirement no longer applies. So I have not reported since. Also, now when I return to Thailand from abroad, the officials at the immigration desk at the airport no longer staple the departure card in my passport anyway.

I was also told by the immigration officials at the airport that PR holders should use the line designated for Thai passport holders. I was reluctant to do this at first for fear of rejection , but now I use the Thai passport holder line each time and I have never had an issue at all.

Cheers,

Bob

[Maestro]

I was also told by the immigration officials at the airport that PR holders should use the line designated for Thai passport holders.  I was reluctant to do this at first for fear of rejection , but now I use the Thai passport holder line each time and I have never had an issue at all.

That gets you faster through immigration control, no doubt. Another advantage of PR, then, unless you still have to wait an eternity for your baggage. I (tourist, not PR) usually read a book while queuing in the farang line.

Do you have to present your red residence book together with your passport?

[Bobcat]

Do you have to present your red residence book together with your passport?

No, only passport and blue residence book. No need to bring the red residence book with you when you travel.

[Maestro]

I don't want to put a damper on things Maestro, and I wish you the best of luck, but I was told by both my lawyer and the immigration officer that I'd have a lot better chance of applying under the business category rather than the supporting Thai family category (even though I could have easily applied under the family category). From what I gathered, if you are simply married to a Thai, and believe this single plus point    entitles you to PR then the chances are not good. It's all based upon points,

...

Ah, yes, those interviews. I had forgotten about them for a moment.

A Thai, apparently not too fond of the government’s current CEO -- YOU KNOW WHO -- mentioned to me his (the CEO's) desperation to get additional government revenue, particularly from foreigners. Since an O-A costs double what a simple O "support Thai wife" costs, this could be part of the reason why the latter is approved more reluctantly.

Something more for me to ponder for the next fifteen months. I guess I shall be required to make that decision when applying for my first extension of the 3-month O visa with which I plan to enter Thailand in November 2006. Or must I chose between "purpose: retirement" and "purpose: support Thai wife" already when I make that original application, in my home country, for the 3-month o visa? If not, then I shall state "purpose: visit friends and family" on that original application".

[Maestro]

No, only passport and blue residence book.  No need to bring the red residence book with you when you travel.

I had an inkling it was only one of two, and picked the wrong one.

I believe to have read somewhere on this forum that the red book basically has the equivalent function of a Thai's ID card for the purpose of identification, meaning that a PR, if he wants to follow that official rule of always carrying identification, can carry the red book in lieu of his passport.

[Maestro]

Or must I chose between "purpose: retirement" and "purpose: support Thai wife" already when I make that original application, in my home country, for the 3-month o visa? If not, then I shall state "purpose: visit friends and family" on that original application".

Oops! I got that wrong. Lazy Sod compared the chances of getting residency based on a business visa, not retirement visa, with that of an O "support Thai wife"

I'm not quite sure if I want to include that third option, the business visa, in my evaluation.

[camerata]

A Thai, apparently not too fond of the government’s current CEO -- YOU KNOW WHO -- mentioned to me his (the CEO's) desperation to get additional government revenue, particularly from foreigners. Since an O-A costs double what a simple O "support Thai wife" costs, this could be part of the reason why the latter is approved more reluctantly.

Foreigner-related taxes and fees are just a drop in the ocean. Ask any Thai in the manufacturing business and they'll tell you how the Revenue Dept has been squeezing them dry in the last couple of years as the TRT administration became desperate for money.

But if the government really wants to "maximize" visa-related fees from foreigners, it should make it twice as easy for us single guys to get PR.