Thai Resident Application - Successful!

[Dork]

OP do you think that the reason yours took so long is due the reputation that Walen has with regards processing Thai visas for those who otherwise would struggle to stay long term?

Perhaps you think this is a clever comment. However if you knew anything about this subject you would know that there had been virtually no PR's issued in the last 6 years until the recent batch.

[DonW]

But it took him 10 years, not 6.

[DonW]

OP do you think that the reason yours took so long is due the reputation that Walen has with regards processing Thai visas for those who otherwise would struggle to stay long term?

Perhaps you think this is a clever comment. However if you knew anything about this subject you would know that there had been virtually no PR's issued in the last 6 years until the recent batch.

And by definition I asked a 'question' and we tend to ask questions when we seek information, right. And we tend to comment when we already have adaquate information.

[david555]

I'm happy with only a retirement visa.

me too, i do not like to dash Thai immigration / TH. gov a sum equal to a condo purchase.....

[Spoonman]

If you are a foreigner, you must be paid a certain amount in order to obtain a work permit. And, of course pay tax on that amount.

Nah, you need to earn a certain amount to qualify for the extension of stay not to obtain the work permit.

[NewlyMintedThai]

If you are a foreigner, you must be paid a certain amount in order to obtain a work permit. And, of course pay tax on that amount.

Nah, you need to earn a certain amount to qualify for the extension of stay not to obtain the work permit.

OK, then... just try to apply for a work permit on a job paying 10,000 baht and see what happens.

[Spoonman]

If you are a foreigner, you must be paid a certain amount in order to obtain a work permit. And, of course pay tax on that amount.

Nah, you need to earn a certain amount to qualify for the extension of stay not to obtain the work permit.

OK, then... just try to apply for a work permit on a job paying 10,000 baht and see what happens.

I reckon volunteer/charity workers with work permits would love to earn 10,000b per month.

As I said there is no minimum salary required for a work permit. the minimum salary set is by Immigration and that is to qualify to have your entry extended based on employment.

[Mario2008]

There is no minimum income requirement for a work permit, other than the offcial minimum wage which depends on the province you are in.

It is indeed immirgaiton who sets minimum income requirements for an extension of stay, hence many people make a borderrun every 90 days because they do have a WP but don't meet the requirements for an extension of stay.

Having said that, there are of course a few labour offices that do set minimum requirements. If that is legal is an entirely different matter.

[Arkady]

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.

Camelot is correct. I went along to renew my driving licence with a farang friend in the last couple of years lifetime licences were available. We had also got our original Thai licences at the same time. I got a lifetime licence because I had PR and my friend, on a NON-IMM visa and WP, got a 3 year licence (now 5 year licences are available). And, yes, you can also get a licence to keep a gun in your home.

[lopburi3]

I obtained a lifetime license in 1969 and did not and do not have PR.

[Arkady]

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

Only if one of the parents were Thai.

In fact MacWalen is correct. Section 7 of the current 1965 Nationality Act provides for Thai nationality for those born in the Kingdom of Thailand with certain exceptions in Section 7 bis that was added in 1971.

"Section 7.

The following persons acquire Thai nationality by birth:

(1) A person born of a father or a mother of Thai nationality, whether within or outside the Thai Kingdom;

(2) A person born within the Thai Kingdom except the person under Section 7 bis paragraph one."

Without quoting Section 7 bis in its entirety the exceptions are effectively children born to alien parents or just one alien parent on a temporary visa or illegal immigrants. That means that children born in Thailand to two foreign parents who both have permanent residence at the time of their birth are automatically Thai.

[lopburi3]

That was not in answer to a post by MacWalen and I have no reason to believe the poster has or was talking about PR.

[samran]

I obtained a lifetime license in 1969 and did not and do not have PR.

Lop, I thought that pre-1970-something, any visa of 3 months + was essentially PR. Not exactly sure why, just something in my head remembers a comment Arkady made about this at one point.

[lopburi3]

That could be - but as I recall it was an option - believe one year was 100 baht (which I had first year) and lifetime about 250 or 300 baht so kind of made sense to get even if not intending to be here more than another year.

[MacWalen]

I just noticed this thread. Congratulations Mac. I think you're the type of foreigner that Thailand is looking for. You help others speak Thai, you provide Thai people jobs, you pay your taxes, and you don't cause any problems in Thailand. I would say you deserve this. Keep up the good work!

Richard, thank you, very kind of you to say that.

[simon43]

How could one not qualify for PR (in a million years)? You just need three years wirth of extensions, right and not be a known crim...

Yes, on paper it sounds extremely easy, but I can tell you from personal experience that it can be very difficult to meet the criteria, even if you are married to a Thai and with a profitable business in Thailand.

(I can give this information now, because I no longer live in Thailand, having relocated to Myanmar earlier this year).

I lived in Thailand for 10 years, am married to a Thai lady and have a Thai son. During that time I started several legal businesses (small hotels), paid all taxes that were due, and worked as a volunteer Thai translator for a total of 6 years for the Thai Tourist Police in Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya.

During all that time, I was never able to persuade the Phuket Labour Office to issue me with a work permit as manager of my own hotel business. On each and every occasion (3 times), and using different lawyers/accountants on each occasion, the Phuket Labour Department refused to issue me with a work permit for my business.

So that meant that although I had business in Thailand, I was never able to meet the work permit criteria for PR application....

After being given the runaround for 10 years, and after personally being affected by the corruption of officials in Thailand, I decided to move to Myanmar and persuade work, business and charity interests in that country.

As a result of the recent annoucements by the Myanmar government about criteria for PR in Myanmar, I already find myself as a prime candidate for PR...

My post is not sour grapes - I congratulate those who have been able to obtain PR and/or Thai citizenship!

Simon

[David Peters]

How could one not qualify for PR (in a million years)? You just need three years wirth of extensions, right and not be a known crim...

Yes, on paper it sounds extremely easy, but I can tell you from personal experience that it can be very difficult to meet the criteria, even if you are married to a Thai and with a profitable business in Thailand.

(I can give this information now, because I no longer live in Thailand, having relocated to Myanmar earlier this year).

I lived in Thailand for 10 years, am married to a Thai lady and have a Thai son. During that time I started several legal businesses (small hotels), paid all taxes that were due, and worked as a volunteer Thai translator for a total of 6 years for the Thai Tourist Police in Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya.

During all that time, I was never able to persuade the Phuket Labour Office to issue me with a work permit as manager of my own hotel business. On each and every occasion (3 times), and using different lawyers/accountants on each occasion, the Phuket Labour Department refused to issue me with a work permit for my business.

So that meant that although I had business in Thailand, I was never able to meet the work permit criteria for PR application....

After being given the runaround for 10 years, and after personally being affected by the corruption of officials in Thailand, I decided to move to Myanmar and persuade work, business and charity interests in that country.

As a result of the recent annoucements by the Myanmar government about criteria for PR in Myanmar, I already find myself as a prime candidate for PR...

My post is not sour grapes - I congratulate those who have been able to obtain PR and/or Thai citizenship!

Simon

I got PR in Thailand several years ago. It was a straight-forward process, but it did take nearly 3 years to move through the desks at the Ministry in Bangkok. I find it very strange that you couldn't get a work permit. Must be something behind that. I thought that one must have a work permit in order to operate a business. That is, form the company on paper, get a work permit and then set up a business. I find it interesting that you were able to operate a hotel business without a work permit. Also, having the work permit enables one to get the one year visa easily. Good luck in Myanmar.

[Tomtomtom69]

Why would you want the expense (1m++thb)? For what? Really, I am not seeing it. I see no benefit so help me out. You don't have to visit Immigration office??

I think there is a subset of guys that like to feel like they belong as much as possible, PR makes them warm and fuzzy. Another similar group are the document collectors: taben bahn, etc...

Not only loss of 1m but on interest, dividend, profit..

I have just received PR after a long wait.I was however fairly sure I would qualify once the logjam was unlocked.This was on the basis of excellent advice from Camerata and others, supplemented by working with a top flight Thai lawyer.

Over time there have been quite a few posts on the lines of that from bangkokburning.As far as one can tell these members who see no value in PR don't qualify for it anyway, so I am at a loss to understand why they get so heated about what is beyond their grasp.

So am I. I am also at a loss to understand why anyone would want to live in a country for a long time and NOT want to become at least a permanent resident, if not a citizen of that country, given the chance. Thailand makes it harder than western countries do to obtain either permanent residency or citizenship, but at least it's not impossible. Since you don't have to give up your existing citizenship(s) when you take up Thai citizenship, there is no reason why you wouldn't want to take up Thai permanent residency or citizenship, given the chance.

[stbkk]

Why would you want the expense (1m++thb)? For what? Really, I am not seeing it. I see no benefit so help me out. You don't have to visit Immigration office??

I think there is a subset of guys that like to feel like they belong as much as possible, PR makes them warm and fuzzy. Another similar group are the document collectors: taben bahn, etc...

Not only loss of 1m but on interest, dividend, profit..

I have just received PR after a long wait.I was however fairly sure I would qualify once the logjam was unlocked.This was on the basis of excellent advice from Camerata and others, supplemented by working with a top flight Thai lawyer.

Over time there have been quite a few posts on the lines of that from bangkokburning.As far as one can tell these members who see no value in PR don't qualify for it anyway, so I am at a loss to understand why they get so heated about what is beyond their grasp.

So am I. I am also at a loss to understand why anyone would want to live in a country for a long time and NOT want to become at least a permanent resident, if not a citizen of that country, given the chance. Thailand makes it harder than western countries do to obtain either permanent residency or citizenship, but at least it's not impossible. Since you don't have to give up your existing citizenship(s) when you take up Thai citizenship, there is no reason why you wouldn't want to take up Thai permanent residency or citizenship, given the chance.

I saw a while ago that one of the (new) requirements for citizenship was that you had to sign a letter renouncing your existing citizenship, which is why I will be stopping at PR thanks. I'd be happy to hear that is not the case, of course!

[Mario2008]

You sign a letter stating your intention to give up you existing nationality, which is slightly different from actually renouncing it.

Note that some nationalities can not be revoked as the nationality laws of their country simply doesn't allow that you renounce it.

[Petez988]

Dear All,

I'm new to this forum. I joined this forum because I want to get more info about how to apply for the Thai Permanent residence. I am a Malaysian and my wife is a Thai. We have married about 6 years and we have a daughter aged 5 years old.

I really appreciate if anyone can provide me the information on how and where should I go to apply and do i need a lawyer to process my application?

Thanks again,

Peter

[Mario2008]

Dear All,

I'm new to this forum. I joined this forum because I want to get more info about how to apply for the Thai Permanent residence. I am a Malaysian and my wife is a Thai. We have married about 6 years and we have a daughter aged 5 years old.

I really appreciate if anyone can provide me the information on how and where should I go to apply and do i need a lawyer to process my application?

Thanks again,

Peter

All information, constantly updated, can be found here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/74654-cameratas-guide-to-the-permanent-residence-process/

[Arkady]

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.

There is no regulation about this but some officers may be nice enough to allow it in the same way they normally let foreigners accompanying Thai family in the Thai queue. This latter may change soon since most Thais are now going through the automatic gates and there is no real need for the Thai family members to stand in any queue. I think PR are the only foreigners who are specifically permitted to use the Thai queue, they are considered "khon pai nai" (internal persons) by Immigration. Last time I came back I got through the Thai queue while Mrs Arkady was still fiddling with the automatic gate.

[tjansen]

Can anyone tell me what is required for a translator (Thai citizen) to become qualified to stamp translations of documents that are to be submitted to Thai government offices? Also for various embassies?

This is probably not the right forum. Can someone please put my post in the right place?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[Mario2008]

There is no requirement. In fact anybody can do it, as long as he signs his name etc under the document. That is why many language schools offer this service. Their staff have no other qualification then that they can speak, read and write English and Thai.

[lopburi3]

That may be true now but I know for a fact it was not true a decade ago for MFA documents - the translator had to be approved by someone on a list of approved translation services to obtain registration as an official document. For direct submission to other offices there likely is no such requirement.

[Mario2008]

Some time ago I had to legalise some documents at the Foreign MInistry, Consular Department in Chiang Mai. They made it clear that anyone can translate the papers.

I can't find it specifically in their info, but it simply states that you have to provide a translation.

http://www.chiangmai.go.th/passport/1341304796.pdf