Thai Resident Application - Successful!

[MacWalen]

Hi guys, I thought I update you on the resident application status. Today I was happy to receive my resident permit so it is possible to become a Thai resident if you really want it and satisfy the requirements. Walen school is well known to the Immigration and officers were very helpful and friendly. Khun Tanawan from the Honeysun law firm (affiliated with Walen school) in Times Square prepared all documents and was keeping track of the progress. It is a happy day indeed.

Walen School

Knowledge is power -share it!

[Mario2008]

Congratulations, it seems htey ar working away the back log.

[prighas]

Congratulations indeed. When did you exactly apply?

[Gone]

I'm already a resident of Thailand. Do you mean citizenship?

[MacWalen]

Congratulations indeed. When did you exactly apply?

Preparing papers took a few months and application was submitted in December 2006. Quite a long process. Apparently it will be much faster now.

[MacWalen]

I'm already a resident of Thailand. Do you mean citizenship?

Gone, are you sure you are a resident? Perhaps a temporary resident based on some kind of non immigrant visa. As long as you need a Thai visa you are not a resident of Thailand.

[davejones]

I'm already a resident of Thailand. Do you mean citizenship?

Gone, are you sure you are a resident? Perhaps a temporary resident based on some kind of non immigrant visa. As long as you need a Thai visa you are not a resident of Thailand.

You are a resident of the place you reside. I reside in Thailand and am therefore a resident. When official forms ask for my country of residence I say Thailand, and that is accepted. You can be a resident and not a citizen.

[beano2274]

I thought it was called a "residence permit" and not a "resident permit".

Anyhow congratulations.

[MacWalen]

Point taken Dave, so being more specific it is permanent residency. No more Thai visas needed. If I make a kid he will be Thai, taking a Thai queue at the airport immigration and few other things. In time being able to apply for Thai citizenship.

[MacWalen]

I thought it was called a "residence permit" and not a "resident permit".

Anyhow congratulations.

If so I stand corrected. Close enough though.

[beano2274]

It is something I would love to get, but in the future.

[yankee99]

Point taken Dave, so being more specific it is permanent residency. No more Thai visas needed. If I make a kid he will be Thai, taking a Thai queue at the airport immigration and few other things. In time being able to apply for Thai citizenship.

first congradulations.....You dont need permanent resisdency for you child to be thai. This assuming the mom is thai....

If it is not to personal what did this cost? Also did you have any surprises like having to sing songs?

[moe666]

who is that immigration officer on the right she is kind of cute. Maybe if I got to know her I would meet all of the requirements hehehe. But congradulations on the big day.

[Gone]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

[ccarbaugh]

Congratulations Mac! I am sure almost all

of the rest of us would love to be rid of

the whole Visa/90-day Report hassle!

[Mario2008]

1 off topic post removed.

[monty]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

Easy, with permanent residency you do not need a visa of any kind anymore, you come and go as you please.

Only once every 5 years have to check in at the police department.

Not many more advantages, still need a workpermit if you want to work etc. Still cannot own land...

Citizenship is one step up from that. You become a Thai citizen and will get every right/duty any other Thai citizen has (some with a delay, you only get voting rights after 5 years).

No restricted occupations (can become a tuk tuk driver if you so please), can own land, companies and so forth without any of the restrictions foreigners have. For all legal means and purposes you are the same as any other Thai national...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Payboy]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

Easy, with permanent residency you do not need a visa of any kind anymore, you come and go as you please.

Only once every 5 years have to check in at the police department.

Not many more advantages, still need a workpermit if you want to work etc. Still cannot own land...

Citizenship is one step up from that. You become a Thai citizen and will get every right/duty any other Thai citizen has (some with a delay, you only get voting rights after 5 years).

No restricted occupations (can become a tuk tuk driver if you so please), can own land, companies and so forth without any of the restrictions foreigners have. For all legal means and purposes you are the same as any other Thai national...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

Don't forget that you still need to do the annual pilgrimage to the immigration office to get a reentry permit. A multiple reentry will set you back 5k.

[p_brownstone]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

Easy, with permanent residency you do not need a visa of any kind anymore, you come and go as you please.

Only once every 5 years have to check in at the police department.

Not many more advantages, still need a workpermit if you want to work etc. Still cannot own land...

Citizenship is one step up from that. You become a Thai citizen and will get every right/duty any other Thai citizen has (some with a delay, you only get voting rights after 5 years).

No restricted occupations (can become a tuk tuk driver if you so please), can own land, companies and so forth without any of the restrictions foreigners have. For all legal means and purposes you are the same as any other Thai national...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

Don't forget that you still need to do the annual pilgrimage to the immigration office to get a reentry permit. A multiple reentry will set you back 5k.

Not "Annual" at all.

If you have Permanent Residence, unless you need to leave the Country you never need to have any contact with Thai Government agencies except for the requirement to renew your Alien Residence Permit at the local Police Station once every 5 years.

Patrick

[Payboy]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

Easy, with permanent residency you do not need a visa of any kind anymore, you come and go as you please.

Only once every 5 years have to check in at the police department.

Not many more advantages, still need a workpermit if you want to work etc. Still cannot own land...

Citizenship is one step up from that. You become a Thai citizen and will get every right/duty any other Thai citizen has (some with a delay, you only get voting rights after 5 years).

No restricted occupations (can become a tuk tuk driver if you so please), can own land, companies and so forth without any of the restrictions foreigners have. For all legal means and purposes you are the same as any other Thai national...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

Don't forget that you still need to do the annual pilgrimage to the immigration office to get a reentry permit. A multiple reentry will set you back 5k.

Not "Annual" at all.

If you have Permanent Residence, unless you need to leave the Country you never need to have any contact with Thai Government agencies except for the requirement to renew your Alien Residence Permit at the local Police Station once every 5 years.

Patrick

Yup that's right. If you don't want to leave LOS once in a while.

[TerryLH]

"In time being able to apply for Thai citizenship."

I believe the rules have changed and you no longer need to be a permanent resident to apply for citizenship. As long as you are married to a Thai you can skip over that hurdle.

[Spoonman]

so being more specific it is permanent residency.<snip> If I make a kid he will be Thai

If I made a kid here would he not be Thai ?

so being more specific it is permanent residency. <snip> taking a Thai queue at the airport immigration and few other things

Work permit also gets you into the Thai queue, I assume you have one for what ever it is you do at your school.

[lopburi3]

If I made a kid here would he not be Thai ?

Only if one of the parents were Thai.

[sas_cars]

so being more specific it is permanent residency.<snip> If I make a kid he will be Thai

If I made a kid here would he not be Thai ?

so being more specific it is permanent residency. <snip> taking a Thai queue at the airport immigration and few other things

Work permit also gets you into the Thai queue, I assume you have one for what ever it is you do at your school.

Work Permit gets you into Thai Passport queue? This is new information for me.

[Bpuumike]

Ok well thanks for the explanation. I thought that what you have just received was "Thai Citizenship" not just residence. Where you can vote, collect the pensions etc but this is new news for me. This took 6 years and now you also need to apply for citizenship?

I am confused however congrats on your status (I think.)

PS: Can someone then explain what the difference is in Citizenship and this Permanent residence?

Easy, with permanent residency you do not need a visa of any kind anymore, you come and go as you please.

Only once every 5 years have to check in at the police department.

Not many more advantages, still need a workpermit if you want to work etc. Still cannot own land...

Citizenship is one step up from that. You become a Thai citizen and will get every right/duty any other Thai citizen has (some with a delay, you only get voting rights after 5 years).

No restricted occupations (can become a tuk tuk driver if you so please), can own land, companies and so forth without any of the restrictions foreigners have. For all legal means and purposes you are the same as any other Thai national...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

Don't forget that you still need to do the annual pilgrimage to the immigration office to get a reentry permit. A multiple reentry will set you back 5k.

A multi entry permit was Thb 3,800 a couple of months ago?

[tinfoilhat]

I'm already a resident of Thailand. Do you mean citizenship?

Gone, are you sure you are a resident? Perhaps a temporary resident based on some kind of non immigrant visa. As long as you need a Thai visa you are not a resident of Thailand.

You are a resident of the place you reside. I reside in Thailand and am therefore a resident. When official forms ask for my country of residence I say Thailand, and that is accepted. You can be a resident and not a citizen.

and you can keep nitpicking over semantics while on your next visa run as he sites at home.

so, even if you win this pointless argument, he wins residence

[Camelot]

There used to be other advantages to permanent residence. For instance, I received a driving licence for cars and motorbikes that was valid for life, not one or five years. Unfortunately that was one of the benefits that was dropped around the time the fees went up. Thankfully, it was not retroactive so I still have my "life" driving licence.

I was also told I could buy a gun although I had no wish to. The best thing is that you never need to visit Immigration ever again unless you want to leave the country and then it's a brief, hassle-free trip to get an endorsement and re-entry visa. Renewing a police book every five years is a simple formality that costs 800 baht and takes very little time. You don't even have to do it yourself.

[Spoonman]

so being more specific it is permanent residency.<snip> If I make a kid he will be Thai

If I made a kid here would he not be Thai ?

so being more specific it is permanent residency. <snip> taking a Thai queue at the airport immigration and few other things

Work permit also gets you into the Thai queue, I assume you have one for what ever it is you do at your school.

Work Permit gets you into Thai Passport queue? This is new information for me.

Maybe not officially but I have never been turned away when I show mine.

[lopburi3]

There used to be other advantages to permanent residence. For instance, I received a driving licence for cars and motorbikes that was valid for life, not one or five years. Unfortunately that was one of the benefits that was dropped around the time the fees went up. Thankfully, it was not retroactive so I still have my "life" driving licence.

I was also told I could buy a gun although I had no wish to. The best thing is that you never need to visit Immigration ever again unless you want to leave the country and then it's a brief, hassle-free trip to get an endorsement and re-entry visa. Renewing a police book every five years is a simple formality that costs 800 baht and takes very little time. You don't even have to do it yourself.

Lifetime license had nothing to do with PR. It was open to anyone and just eliminated and made 5 years for new applicants.

[Lancelot]

Congratulations!