How to apply PR in Thailand?

[maxlloyed]

Hello ,

I'm Max , student in Bangkok University from Bhutan,currently doing BBA. i would like to know how it works? I have staying here consecutively 3 years with extension ,Am I eligible to apply as a permanent resident under the non immigrant ED visa ?

[ubonjoe]

You have to be working here with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay in order to apply for PR.

[maxlloyed]

oh okey but one of my thai friend told me i can apply under academic categories .i pay annual car tax ,even im planing to buy one condo next year

[ubonjoe]

You can look on immigration website for info.: Criteria and conditions for foreign national residential permit consideration

[Arkady]

Unfortunately there is a lot incorrect information flying around this and you were misinformed. There is no academic category for permanent residence. Most of the categories involve working in Thailand. The only exceptions are for dependents of permanent residents and former Thai citizens (the latter can get PR automatically without going through the normal application process with Immigration).

You will need to have had a job with a work permit and notarised salary tax receipts for at least 3 years. Since applications only open once a year at the end of December, that probably means you have to have have been working for more than 3 years in order to get the 3 years' worth of tax receipts, as the tax year ends in December. Those earning low salaries (probably less than B80k per month) and working for small companies (less than B5m paid-up capital) or companies that are not profitable risk being rejected. If you are married to a Thai, you may apply under the humanitarian category and sow a combined salary with your spouse of B30k a month. In recent times the processing time for PR has taken 5-6 years.

For those who marry Thai citizens, it is actually easier to obtain citizenship than PR. In this case, assuming you are a male, graduating from a Thai university would reduce the required salary from B80k to B40k per month. Processing time for citizenship is also usually several years.

[maxlloyed]

thanks ubonjoe and arkady anyways how about if i marry my thai gf ?

[ubonjoe]

if you get married you can go directly for citizenship without PR first and the salary requirement is lower if you are married to a Thai.

For PR you gain points for being married.

[horsesr4all2luv]

I am so glad to be able to not just read everyone's posts and replies because NOW I can post too! I hope this is "somewhere" near the subject here, but I am still a little confused on the financial requirements for a Marriage Visa! It IS a 1 YEAR Visa? Also, is it 400K or 40K per month, and most importantly, I am told you can use a "combination" of the 2 to add up to the 400K! Is this correct?

[olddoc]

There is no "marriage visa"

If you wish to apply for an extension of stay based on marriage the financial requirements are 400,000Bht in a Thai bank or an income of 40.000Bht/month as evidenced by an affidavit/ letter from your Embassy.

There is no provision for a "combination.

[TerryLH]

For an extension based on marriage, you should get yourself a Non Imm O Visa at a consulate.

That will give you a 90 day entry.

At the end of that entry, up to 30 days prior to your permission to stay to date, go to an immigration office and apply for an extension.

Assuming you have your documents and finances in order, they'll give you 30 days. Go back in 30 days and get the remainder of the year.

[zeichen]

I wonder why PR is so hard and not a requirement for Citizenship. It offers very little in comparison. It is almost like they created it for extra paperwork but no real purpose.

[ubonjoe]

I wonder why PR is so hard and not a requirement for Citizenship. It offers very little in comparison. It is almost like they created it for extra paperwork but no real purpose.

PR is required to get citizenship unless married to a Thai.

[horsesr4all2luv]

For an extension based on marriage, you should get yourself a Non Imm O Visa at a consulate.

That will give you a 90 day entry.

At the end of that entry, up to 30 days prior to your permission to stay to date, go to an immigration office and apply for an extension.

Assuming you have your documents and finances in order, they'll give you 30 days. Go back in 30 days and get the remainder of the year.

Thanks, but can I apply for that in Thailand or maybe Laos? And please help me understand what you refer to as "the remainder of the year"! Also will it be a 1 year Extension/Visa so I can open a Bank Account? Don't know why I'm so confused, sorry!

[Mario2008]

What kind of entry are you now on and how much time do you have left?

[maxlloyed]

I wonder why PR is so hard and not a requirement for Citizenship. It offers very little in comparison. It is almost like they created it for extra paperwork but no real purpose.

PR is required to get citizenship unless married to a Thai.

So you mean if i married to any thai girl ,i can apply for citizenship without PR ?

[Mario2008]

Indeed, if married to a Thai you do not need to go through PR first to get Thai nationality.

[horsesr4all2luv]

What kind of entry are you now on and how much time do you have left?

Thanks for the reply Mario. I am on a 60 Day Tourist Visa, extended to 90 days, and I have until March 5th! I wonder if I can go the route of getting a muti-entry Visa somewhere on the Laos Border as I've seen posted on here? We haven't finalized all the paper work needed to get the Marriage Cert as I didn't know I needed a copy of my Divorce Decree from over "20 years ago"!! Any help would be appreciated asap!

[samran]

I wonder why PR is so hard and not a requirement for Citizenship. It offers very little in comparison. It is almost like they created it for extra paperwork but no real purpose.

PR is required to get citizenship unless married to a Thai.

So you mean if i married to any thai girl ,i can apply for citizenship without PR ?

you still need to have 3 years of tax receipts however showing at least 40K per month in income derived from work (not investments/retirement funds).

[Mario2008]

What kind of entry are you now on and how much time do you have left?

Thanks for the reply Mario. I am on a 60 Day Tourist Visa, extended to 90 days, and I have until March 5th! I wonder if I can go the route of getting a muti-entry Visa somewhere on the Laos Border as I've seen posted on here? We haven't finalized all the paper work needed to get the Marriage Cert as I didn't know I needed a copy of my Divorce Decree from over "20 years ago"!! Any help would be appreciated asap!

You can go to Laos and get a new (double) entry tourist visa. That is the only thing you qualify for till you get married and have a marriage certificate.

[horsesr4all2luv]

What kind of entry are you now on and how much time do you have left?

Thanks for the reply Mario. I am on a 60 Day Tourist Visa, extended to 90 days, and I have until March 5th! I wonder if I can go the route of getting a muti-entry Visa somewhere on the Laos Border as I've seen posted on here? We haven't finalized all the paper work needed to get the Marriage Cert as I didn't know I needed a copy of my Divorce Decree from over "20 years ago"!! Any help would be appreciated asap!

You can go to Laos and get a new (double) entry tourist visa. That is the only thing you qualify for till you get married and have a marriage certificate.

Again, thank you for the info! Can you please tell me the best place to go for the double-entry tourist visa? I am in Chaiyaphum, but I have access to a vehicle!

[horsesr4all2luv]

What kind of entry are you now on and how much time do you have left?

Thanks for the reply Mario. I am on a 60 Day Tourist Visa, extended to 90 days, and I have until March 5th! I wonder if I can go the route of getting a muti-entry Visa somewhere on the Laos Border as I've seen posted on here? We haven't finalized all the paper work needed to get the Marriage Cert as I didn't know I needed a copy of my Divorce Decree from over "20 years ago"!! Any help would be appreciated asap!

You can go to Laos and get a new (double) entry tourist visa. That is the only thing you qualify for till you get married and have a marriage certificate.

Again, thank you for the info! Can you please tell me the best place to go for the double-entry tourist visa? I am in Chaiyaphum, but I have access to a vehicle!

Also Mario or whoever can answer, how long will I have with the "new double-entry" tourist visa?

[Mario2008]

a single entry is 60 day and can be extended by 30 days and a double means you have 60 days and can extend it by 30 days, hop over the border and return to activate your second entry for another 60 days and 30 day extension.

Note that the second entry must be made before the visa expires, so you might have 1 or to days less on your first entry.

[horsesr4all2luv]

a single entry is 60 day and can be extended by 30 days and a double means you have 60 days and can extend it by 30 days, hop over the border and return to activate your second entry for another 60 days and 30 day extension.

Note that the second entry must be made before the visa expires, so you might have 1 or to days less on your first entry.

Again thank you and so sorry to bother you again! But can you please tell me the "best and easiest" place to go to obtain the double entry Visa? And also if you know, (i'm sure you do), how much will the single-entry and double-entry cost? After this I will try to leave you alone, (for awhile, lol)!

[Mario2008]

You will hav eto go to Laos, either Savanakhet or Vientiane.

The cost of a tourist visa is 1,000 baht in (local curency) per entry, so a double entry will be 2,000 baht.

[ubonjoe]

a single entry is 60 day and can be extended by 30 days and a double means you have 60 days and can extend it by 30 days, hop over the border and return to activate your second entry for another 60 days and 30 day extension.

Note that the second entry must be made before the visa expires, so you might have 1 or to days less on your first entry.

Again thank you and so sorry to bother you again! But can you please tell me the "best and easiest" place to go to obtain the double entry Visa? And also if you know, (i'm sure you do), how much will the single-entry and double-entry cost? After this I will try to leave you alone, (for awhile, lol)!

Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos are the only nearby locations doing 2 entry tourist visas.

Vientiane would probably be the easiest travel wise for you to get to dependent upon where you are located.

[horsesr4all2luv]

You will hav eto go to Laos, either Savanakhet or Vientiane.

The cost of a tourist visa is 1,000 baht in (local curency) per entry, so a double entry will be 2,000 baht.

Thanks for this too Mario.. I had almost decided to go to Nong Khai!? Will I need to change my flight on 5 March to a later date before applying for the double-entry? And what copies/documents besides my Passport will I need?

[Mario2008]

passport photo's, I believe two of them.

[dighambara]

You have to be working here with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay in order to apply for PR.

Such a rule eliminates over 90% of all foreigners living here permanently; Retirees and any wealthy who can afford to live here without working.

Only the poor who must work may apply for residency or citizenship, limiting most applications to Asians who have come here for jobs; Cambodians, Burmese, etc.

Seems just a little racist...HMMM...???

[samran]

You have to be working here with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay in order to apply for PR.

Such a rule eliminates over 90% of all foreigners living here permanently; Retirees and any wealthy who can afford to live here without working.

Only the poor who must work may apply for residency or citizenship, limiting most applications to Asians who have come here for jobs; Cambodians, Burmese, etc.

Seems just a little racist...HMMM...???

Hardly, given that there are very few countries which hand out residency or citizenship for just turning up, which is what retirees basically do. To get any PR elsewhere on a independent basis you basically have to be able to show you have already or in the case of Australia and Canada show you have the qualifications and will contribute productively if granted PR.

The only real spot where Thailand fails on this one is residency and work rights for spouses which I think need to be automatically granted.