Thai Immigration Now Accepts Applications For Permanent Residency

[george]

Thai Immigration Now Accepts Applications For Permanent Residency

Thai Immigration Bureau now accepts applications for permanent residency (PR). The application window for 2012 is open until December 31, 2012.

More info about permanent residency:

http://www.thaivisa.com/300.0.html

Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process:

http://www.thaivisa....idence-process/

Advantages of Permanent Residence in Thailand:

http://www.thaivisa....t-thailand.html

-- 2012-`12-07

Full announcement (Thai language, PDF format):

20121204_immigration_d1.pdf

[DonaldBattles]

Does anyone know of a Farang who received Thai Residence during the rain of the Taksin family old and new?

[lopburi3]

Yes many have received PR this year. It was the years since between where people were not being approved. Read the reference thread.

[ubonjoe]

Actually there have been hundreds issued this year by the current government as they cleared a backlog of applications from the previous and coup government.

Edited December 7, 2012 by ubonjoe

[likewise]

Wonder if it is possible to obtain without paying taxes in the country ?

[ubonjoe]

You have to have a work permit and pay taxes.

[lopburi3]

All information is in the reference thread (long but mostly on-topic) but in short an income/tax payment record of about 80k per month is a normal bench mark (but it is a point system so some flexibility).

[PhilipCook]

going to pay and receive mine next week. i submitted my application 4 years ago this month.

[thaiowl]

I received my PR last month, having applied in December 2007

[JoePai]

you need to apply each year for a re-entry permit (endorsement) at 1,000 baht (multiple entry).

I think this price is a little out of date !

[Gary A]

I certainly wouldn't consider the 200,000 baht price tag even if I did qualify.

[SaorAlba]

I will apply for mine next year. I thought there was a language requirement to speak/read/write Thai to grade 10 level (or something of that nature). I do not see that requirement listed now.

[meatboy]

can you pick up the application forms at in my case korat immigration or download them,too late this year but goner give it a try next yr.

[ubonjoe]

Unless a person has already been planning on applying this year and has all the documents together they would never get application done this month.

Info on PR is here on immigration website. Criteria and conditions for foreign national residential permit consideration

[nurgut73]

Does anyone know of a Farang who received Thai Residence during the rain of the Taksin family old and new?

Two friends of mine just received their permanent residency, 1 Brit got it yesterday whereas he applied for 8 years ago, 1 Aussie got it on Monday last week. No idea when he applied

[Sandman77]

hi!

One question !

If I married a thai woman, but my monthly income is lower then 80000k

Is it them the same rule like for non married people ?

Makes the law any different between married or not?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ubonjoe]

hi!

One question !

If I married a thai woman, but my monthly income is lower then 80000k

Is it them the same rule like for non married people ?

Makes the law any different between married or not?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

The rules actually say 30,000 baht combined income proven by Tax receipts if married to a Thai Lady under the humanitarian category of the rules. Source: http://www.immigrati...n_notice_en.pdf

So you should be able to apply but getting it is another question.

Edited December 7, 2012 by ubonjoe

[Arkady]

I certainly wouldn't consider the 200,000 baht price tag even if I did qualify.

Sour grapes but they seem to have plenty people applying who are qualified and willing to pay the fees which are 50% less for those married to Thais. So I guess they aren't going to lower the bar for you.

For those who do wish to apply it is good news that they have opened for applications quite early in December. In previous years, they tended to open just before Christmas, making it hard for those who had travel plans over the holidays to get everything together in time. Last year the order setting the quota was signed by the Interior Minister on 14 Dec and was published in the Royal Gazette on 20 Dec. This year it was signed on 15 Nov and published on 19 Nov. That seems to indicate that the new minister is likely to continue to the momentum created by his predecessor who signed off on a huge backlog of PR applications, not to mention hundreds of citizen applications by minority groups.

Edited December 7, 2012 by Arkady

[Dork]

hi!

One question !

If I married a thai woman, but my monthly income is lower then 80000k

Is it them the same rule like for non married people ?

Makes the law any different between married or not?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

As Lopburi said, it is a points system so there is some flexibility. But several years ago the PR department staff told me that the unofficial minimum for an applicant married to a Thai is 50K/month.

[capt_canada42]

Does anyone know of a Farang who received Thai Residence during the rain of the Taksin family old and new?

You mean reign, not rain Don. Yes there are people who got residency when Taksin was in power with out any money being paid. There were none given out during the Military time in power or since then as some people are waiting.

[capt_canada42]

Does anyone know of a Farang who received Thai Residence during the rain of the Taksin family old and new?

You mean reign, not rain Don. Yes there are people who got residency when Taksin was in power with out any money being paid. There were none given out during the Military time in power or since then as some people are waiting.

I just talked to my friend who got it here in Phuket and said he knew of none given out since that he knew of as these people are still waiting.

[SaorAlba]

1.4 The applicant must be able to understand and speak Thai language.

- Not very clear - for those of you that got your PR, what is your level of Thai? I am currently Intermediate. Did you have to sit an exam as part of the application?

A bit concerning that it takes 4-5 years to get it after application. Will have to find a way to expedite it after application next year!

Edited December 7, 2012 by lopburi3
correct font

[rotary]

I wonder if a person could get PR if he works outside Thailand, makes frequent trips back, but supports 2 college kids that he is the father of? I would guess no chance. Does anyone have a constructive comment?

[theajarn]

Funny, I didn't remember Australia having such a steep "price" for permanent residency. But I can understand why Thailand would want you to make $$$ more than the average Thai. Afterall, who else would they fleece?

[yellow1red1]

I will apply for mine next year. I thought there was a language requirement to speak/read/write Thai to grade 10 level (or something of that nature). I do not see that requirement listed now.

? Citizenship...? you mean.

to become a Thai... [not PR]

Section 10. An alien who possesses the following qualifications may apply for naturalisation as a Thai:

(1) becoming sui juris in accordance with Thai law and the law under which he has nationality;

(2) having good behaviour;

(3) having regular occupation;

(4) having a domicile in the Thai Kingdom for a consecutive period of not less than five years till the day of filing the application for naturalisation;

(5) having knowledge of Thai language as prescribed in the Regulations.

If this accurate and up to date?

What Requirements Are There To Be Awarded Permanent Residency? - Like any country, Thailand has certain requirements and also certain things that will automatically block you from being given permanent residency.

a) You must have been in Thailand for at least 3 years on non-immigrant visa. The non-immigrant visa cannot have any lapse times, so must have been automatically renewed every year for 3 years. (this is difficult for many expats, if they haven't kept the same job for three years).

You cannot have any criminal record either in Thailand or your country of origin. You will have fingerprints taken for the Thai portion of it and must also get a certified letter from the embassy of your country of origin, saying you don't have a criminal record.

c) You must give the Immigration Bureau information about your income, assets, family status and education background.

d) You must be able to speak, read and write Thai at at least a grade six level. You will be tested on this ability.

Edited December 7, 2012 by yellow1red1

[ubonjoe]

I wonder if a person could get PR if he works outside Thailand, makes frequent trips back, but supports 2 college kids that he is the father of? I would guess no chance. Does anyone have a constructive comment?

Since there is a requirement that you be on extension of stay for 3 consecutive years you would not qualify unless you got an extension of stay based upon having a Thai child. Plus you would have to be working here.

Edited December 7, 2012 by ubonjoe

[Whale]

I always wanted PR for the last 6 years, but in the interim I passed 50 (retirement visa) and married a non-Thai so the PR does not hold any benefits for me anymore.

[ramjane]

Does anybody know any lawyer or agency who can help in the process

[Johnniey]

Does anyone know of a Farang who received Thai Residence during the rain of the Taksin family old and new?

I assume you mean Thai Citizenship. I know of only one guy who got it in Taksin's time.

Taksin changed price for PR from about 9,000 baht to 90,000 baht. Also , the visas went up from 500 baht to 1900 baht. Unbelievably, many stillthink that Taksin was good for foreigners here.

[Arkady]

No you can't apply, if you don't have a WP and 3 years' tax receipts. The income bar is technically lower for those who apply under the humanitarian category and can include spouse's income. However, for all practical purposes I think they will probably reject males who don't also qualify under the business category. I have the sense that the humanitarian category is really intended for women married to Thais who prefer to apply for PR rather than citizenship, maybe because they would have to give up their existing citizenship. I think it would be hard for them to see how a foreign male who is financially dependent on his Thai wife would be regarded as someone making a significant contribution to Thai society, rather than being a burden. Immigration have some internal guidelines that are not usually disclosed to the public, or had when I applied in the 90s when a police general in Immigration explained it all to me. At that time they automatically rejected everyone working for a 2 million baht company, as they regarded these as Mickey Mouse and not real businesses, but I can't say if that still happens today.

There has been a Thai language requirement since the early 2000s and before that you were allowed to use an interpreter as the whole procedure was designed for Chinese coolees coming off the boat in the late 20s, who got PR straight away if they could convince the officer they had a trade. It started off as a simple multiple choice test where the answers were obvious but those who applied in 2011 have been interviewed in Thai by a panel of senior bureaucrats from some of the govt agencies who sit on the Immigration Commission. Apart from the usual questions about your circumstances in Thailand they will ask you questions like, "What do you believe is your contribution to Thai society?" and "Do you have many Thai friends? If yet, please give me the full names and details of some of them (not just Nit, Noi and Nut." So they combine a general interview with a spoken and oral comprehension test of Thai. They are not looking for total fluency and knowledge of written Thai is not required but they do expect you to be able to communicate at intermediate level.