Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[jayboy]

6 minutes ago, stbkk said:

When I renewed my 5 year license last year, the first level staff I spoke to had no idea about PR's, but quickly called their supervisor/manager. She was very familiar with it, and it was all completed smoothly enough once she got involved. My suggestion would be to just lead with the pink id card, and see what happens. I made the mistake of giving them my pr book and the pink id, which may have caused the confusion.

Your suggestion to lead with the pink id would be more compelling if most officials were familiar with it.Since I've had one the typical reaction when produced is profound bafflement.To be fair my sense it is now being more widely understood though the golden rule for the time being is bring along another form of id just in case.

[stbkk]

27 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Your suggestion to lead with the pink id would be more compelling if most officials were familiar with it.Since I've had one the typical reaction when produced is profound bafflement.To be fair my sense it is now being more widely understood though the golden rule for the time being is bring along another form of id just in case.

Indeed, I agree it does vary considerably between offices, and even individuals in the office. I can only pass on my personal experience in the hope that it helps. In my case the manager/supervisor at the DLT office in Sukhumvit was very familiar with it. 

[orientalist]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Snr now quickly commands the gang of cops that have gathered to stand back and salute and he waves us on our way. 

Excellent! Seems like I go through this type of BS every time I open a bank account. SCB absolutely refused to open one for me even though I have been here legally for decades. PR simply wasn't on their list of requirements. No problem if I had had a yellow tabien baan though. 

[cocoonclub]

Blue book / red book — confused 

 

Sorry for asking what has probably been discussed here at length but the topic is hundreds of pages…

 

1. Could someone explain to me what different colored books I need and how and when to do it in the process? (Ie., how much preparation time should I spare?)
 

2. I understand one of those books requires my landlord to put me on his book. I am planning to let my gf do this since she owns a condo which is just around the corner of where I live:
 

— Does she need to check anything whether her condo is eligible for that? Or can any property owner in Thailand do that? 
 

— Does she need to prepare anything in advance or can it be done once the PR has been approved?
 

— I understand I don’t actually have to physically live there, is that correct? 
 

— Should we ever decide to break up and she decides to remove me from her house book, how much time do I have to convince my landlord or find someone new? 

[scorecard]

12 minutes ago, cocoonclub said:

Blue book / red book — confused 

 

Sorry for asking what has probably been discussed here at length but the topic is hundreds of pages…

 

1. Could someone explain to me what different colored books I need and how and when to do it in the process? (Ie., how much preparation time should I spare?)
 

2. I understand one of those books requires my landlord to put me on his book. I am planning to let my gf do this since she owns a condo which is just around the corner of where I live:
 

— Does she need to check anything whether her condo is eligible for that? Or can any property owner in Thailand do that? 
 

— Does she need to prepare anything in advance or can it be done once the PR has been approved?
 

— I understand I don’t actually have to physically live there, is that correct? 
 

— Should we ever decide to break up and she decides to remove me from her house book, how much time do I have to convince my landlord or find someone new? 

I have PR (25 years), I can answer some your good questions but not all, other PR holders will be able to answer some of your points:

 

1. Could someone explain to me what different colored books I need and how and when to do it in the process? (Ie., how much preparation time should I spare?)

 

Your name can go into the typical dark blue book, many PR holders (me included) are in a dark blue book. I don't know if you can go into a yellow boook but I would be surprised it you can't.

 

I understand erstand one of those books requires my landlord to put me on his book. I am planning to let my gf do this since she owns a condo which is just around the corner of where I live:
Your name can go into your GF book attached to her owning her condo. Proximity of location is not 

relevant.

 

— Does she need to check anything whether her condo is eligible for that? Or can any property owner in Thailand do that? 

 

If she is the owner of the condo, your name can go into her book, nothing to do with overall administration of the full building. Yes any property owner can alllow you to have your your name entered into the Tabien Baan book for the property they own. Note 1: names are entered/removed into/from a tabien baan book at the local amphur office, the relevant land itles office is not involved in any way. 2. The 'house master' (person who holds the responsibility to ensure the tabien baan book is always up to date) doesn't have to be the person recorded as the owner of the property on the land title (land titles office). My Thai son has his own property and he's the house master. His very old mother has a land title in her name for the property where she lives but my son is recorded as the house master for his mother's property.

 

— Does she need to prepare anything in advance or can it be done once the PR has been approved*?

 

As soon as PR is approved and you receive the letter stating you have been approved. Part of the 'next steps' is for you to take your approval letter to an amphur office (bigger amphur office) and get a 'Certificate of Residence' book#. Into the future this is your proof that you hold a 'Certificate of Residence' for Thailand (also known as Permanent Residence - PR). When I got PR the approval letter stated that there's a time limit to get the Certificate of Residence (PR) book and get entered onto a *abien Baan book and also to get your RED Police Regisration book. From memory it must all be completed within 7 or 10 days (this needs to be checked and maybe after 25 years this has changed). # Your Certificate of Residence book never needs updating.

 

The only time it will be subject to any further administration is;

 

a). If you lose your Certificate of Residence book - PR book and it must be replaced - obviously this can be done and there's no penalty for losing it.

 

b). Every page of your Certificate of Residence book is full. Every time you exit and re-enter Thailand the passport officer wil stamp your passport and your Certificate of Residence book with an exit and arrival stamp, therefore over time your Certificate of Residence book -PR book will be full. When this happens you need to go to a bigger Thai Immigration office and get the Certificate of Residence book book reissued / replaced because it's full. This is a purely mechanical process; you don't have to get your actual Certificate of Residence book PR reapproved, and there's no interview etc., just an admin. exercise.

 

Further note:

c). Certificate of Residence  - PR holders don't have to do 90 day reports.

d). When you exit from / enter Thailand the passport folks prefer that you join/use the 'Thai Passports line.  If another person in the queue queries you just show your Certificate of Residence book, they won't know what it is but very doubtful they will make any further comment. 't bookBOOK DOES NOT

 

— I understand I don’t actually have to physically live there, is that correct? 

 

Correct. In fact there's several million Thais living in apartments, houses, condos or whatever in Bkk who have their names in the family Tabien Baan books upcountry at their parents/uncles/cousins/old friends house. 
 

— Should we ever decide to break up and she decides to remove me from her house book, how much time do I have to convince my landlord or find someone new? 

 

How long is a piece of string? I don't know the answer but I suspect if you ask this question at 5 different amphur offices you'll get 5 different answers. Best of course to keep all these items up to date, which is not difficult.

 

Not difficult to find a Thai friend who will allow you to be entered into their Tabien Baan book. 

 

Good luck.

 

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, cocoonclub said:

 — Should we ever decide to break up and she decides to remove me from her house book, how much time do I have to convince my landlord or find someone new? 

From what I recall you are supposed to notify change of address and tabien baan within 30 days.  I did it about 3 months late as a PR and had to pay a small fine - I think 100 baht in those days but it is probably a bit more now. Not serious. I don't think the householder can just unilaterally move someone from their tabien baan when they get fed up with them.  Again from what I recall the district office needs to be informed which district the resident is moving to and the resident has to sign the form anyway. I think I did the exit from the first district office by myself without having to involve the householder.  Basically you would have plenty of time to organise the process in my opinion and should not lose any sleep about that particular aspect of a potential separation.

[Arkady]

On 4/1/2022 at 11:35 AM, scorecard said:

How true, many gov't officers, many ministries have never heard of PR and have serious doubts that such a thing exists.

 

I was coming off Rama 4 Rd onto the tollway to Chonburi on a green light, still green when we arrived at the tollgate. Instantly a policeman appeared in my window and claimed fai dang fai dang 500B. My 20 yo Thai son was with me (he hates the police for his own reasons) and he politely told the officer 'it was green 20 metres back from this point, my father has not broken any law'. 

 

At the same time my son has opened the small zip puch where I keep my passport, PR book, police Red book etc which was sitting near the gear shift between the 2 front seats.

 

Policeman demanded my passport, son instantly handed him my PR book and said 'my father is a resident of Thailand'.

 

Second higher rank policman now turns up and asks what's happening. Before the first policeman can explain my son quickly starts talking (politely) and says that 'my father didn't go through a red light and you can see he's a resident of Thailand'.

 

Higher cop says something about the 'my father' comment made by my son. Son already has his Thai ID out of his wallet, gives it to the senior cop and points out that the family name is a typical western name. Snr cop looks like he's seen a ghost'. Meanwhile senior cop is quickly reading every page of my PR book. Son now hands him my RED police registration book.

 

Senior cop totally confused and suddenly says to the more junior initial cop 'maybe from an embassy!' Junior responds 'YES'.

 

Both cops now take a very different attitude, snr salutes me and says politely to my son 'where are you going, do you want a police escort to your destination?

 

Son says 'No thank you, we just want to get going'.

 

Snr now quickly commands the gang of cops that have gathered to stand back and salute and he waves us on our way. 

What a sorry bunch of half wits!

[MRtommyR]

Have any PR holders any experience of registering on a tabien baan in Phra Khanong district in Bangkok?

 

I got my approval in February and I already have a yellow tabien baan from Phra Khanong but am having difficulty getting them to allow me to transfer into the blue one.

Firstly they asked for a lot of irrelevant documents, which I nevertheless provided (work permit, marriage certificate, child's birth certificate) and then they questioned the authenticity of the of my residence certificate and alien registration book. They said they would need to confirm with Immigration and the police.

 

It's been two months now and when I follow up they just say they don't get any reply and I should keep waiting.

 

It's exasperating

[onthemoon]

On 4/15/2022 at 12:15 PM, MRtommyR said:

Have any PR holders any experience of registering on a tabien baan in Phra Khanong district in Bangkok?

 

I got my approval in February and I already have a yellow tabien baan from Phra Khanong but am having difficulty getting them to allow me to transfer into the blue one.

Firstly they asked for a lot of irrelevant documents, which I nevertheless provided (work permit, marriage certificate, child's birth certificate) and then they questioned the authenticity of the of my residence certificate and alien registration book. They said they would need to confirm with Immigration and the police.

 

It's been two months now and when I follow up they just say they don't get any reply and I should keep waiting.

 

It's exasperating

I'm in Prakanong. I had no problems. Just needed to bring two people (one of who happened to be the house owner) and I don't remember the documents, but nothing unreasonable. I had also just completed my pink ID there, so they knew me. It took abut 2 hours or so in total.

 

The difference between you and me is that I was never in any yellow tabien baan, but I think it should have made it easier for you rather than more difficult. 

[scorecard]

On 4/5/2022 at 2:30 PM, Arkady said:

What a sorry bunch of half wits!

Just also remembered, when the family moved to Chiang Mai.

 

When we were about to move I went to the big Bang Lamung police centre and asked 'moving to CM, what do I have to do re my RED police registration book? 

 

Lady asked for the full details and said 'come back tomorrow same time and I'll have a sealed envelope for you to take to the main Police Station in CM.

 

We picked up the envelope next day and a couple of days later we went to a big police station not far from our new CM house. We showed them the RED book (It wasn't in the sealed envelope).

 

Several cops looked at it and it was obvious they had never seen this book before.

 

Senior cop then asks "what's the problem" and he looks at the RED book (front and several internal pages) then berates his staff with comments like "You can see from the book this is a farang  immigration matter", then he tells my son in Thai and me in English "Go to the Immigration office just before the left turn into CM airport".

 

We went to Immigration and as soon as we walked in I spotted 2 very pleasant ladies who speak good English who take care of exit/re-entry stamps and more for PR holders. I had been to their office the day before to get a new exit/re-entry stamp.

 

They both approached me and my son and we said "Police (near 109 market) told us to come here with the RED book (now being shown to the Imm. ladies) to add my new CM home address to the RED book". 

 

Both ladies mystified and asked me to explain it further. Suddenly one of them realized what the book was and where it's administered in CM.

 

She quickly said "I'll find the address of that police staion for you, just a moment please". She searched something on screen then made a phone call. She came back 2 minutes later with the police station address written in Thai and English and a phone number and said "I just called this station and confirmed that's where you need to go".

 

We drove straight to the big station in the city .

 

Sure enough 2 minutes later we found the admin. cop who takes care of RED book issues and updates, pleasant guy, he opened the big sealed envelope and checked everything inside. All happy.

 

He then did an address update in the RED book, all done, we were gone in about 20 minutes. 

 

Great service. 

[Arkady]

20 minutes ago, anthonyT said:

Thank you all for the information posted here on the topic of the permanent resident permit. It has been very helpful in my application.

 

I just have one curiosity question, as i have applied in December 2021 for this permit and had my interview with the board a few weeks ago. Generally how long did it take in the recent year(s) to know if the test was ok and you know your application would be approved or if the test was not ok, what would be the next requirement. 

 

I read some where earlier in the old applications it could 12 to 18 months or longer. Is that still the case? And if so, would i be able to travel overseas on my "Under application" visa i have now?

 

Many thanks

I don't know how long approvals are currently taking but for sure you can travel in and out of the country on your under consideration visa for as long as it takes, provided you get it endorsed every 6 months. Before the last coup applications were backlogged for up to 7 or 8 years and those applicants continued to use that visa which is a breeze to maintain.

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, anthonyT said:

Thank you very much for the reply Arkady. That is a relief, as did not travel back home in the last 2 years during the pandemic and my family there is getting older.

 

Then only the uncertainty remains if or if not the application is successful. Would be interested to know from any last year graduates, how long it took for them to get the approval or rejection.

Just remember to make sure your consideration endorsement will be still valid on the date you return to LoS.

 

I think that, if you didn't make a complete horlicks of the interview, e.g. unable to understand or reply to their questions, you can assume you passed.  CW usually does a good job of weeding out anyone with something lacking in their qualifications before the interview stage. Often they are invited to fix the problem and reapply.  The panel of bureaucrats doing the interviews are not going to want to fail someone on a totally subjective basis who has all the qualifications, unless it is obvious they can't communicate in Thai at all. They might worry about getting a case against them in the administrative court which can drag on for years, or of being accused of rejecting qualified applicants because they didn't pay bribes. 

[Bangel72]

On 4/15/2022 at 12:15 PM, MRtommyR said:

Have any PR holders any experience of registering on a tabien baan in Phra Khanong district in Bangkok?

 

I got my approval in February and I already have a yellow tabien baan from Phra Khanong but am having difficulty getting them to allow me to transfer into the blue one.

Firstly they asked for a lot of irrelevant documents, which I nevertheless provided (work permit, marriage certificate, child's birth certificate) and then they questioned the authenticity of the of my residence certificate and alien registration book. They said they would need to confirm with Immigration and the police.

 

It's been two months now and when I follow up they just say they don't get any reply and I should keep waiting.

 

It's exasperating

I've had similar issues up country near Surin, point blank refusal for blue book transfer even after I put them through to PR department at CW.

 

Red book at police station is also painful but at least only every five years, first time I was passed back and forth between two stations, then asked to find my own stamp as they did not have one. My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay.

 

Would have had zero chance had I not had Thai speaker with me. If I ever move address then no way will they know how to do exit and prepare paperwork for re-register at different location.

 

[Bangel72]

Has anyone done PR re-entry permits recently?  I heard building works at Chang Wattana so was wondering if they could be done at airport like other visas?

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Bangel72 said:

I heard building works at Chang Wattana so was wondering if they could be done at airport like other visas?

You can only apply for it at Chaeng Wattana immigration.

 

[stbkk]

22 minutes ago, Bangel72 said:

Has anyone done PR re-entry permits recently?  I heard building works at Chang Wattana so was wondering if they could be done at airport like other visas?

Yep,

 

Did one there last week. No problem.

 

After I dredged up all my old records to figure out what forms I needed, of course. Hadn't done one for 3 years... Lol.

 

[onthemoon]

11 minutes ago, stbkk said:

Yep,

 

Did one there last week. No problem.

 

After I dredged up all my old records to figure out what forms I needed, of course. Hadn't done one for 3 years... Lol.

 

You get all the forms (two in total) at the counter outside. Just show them your white book, they know which forms you'll need. You don't need to figure out anything.

If you forget to bring photos, there is a shop downstairs in the basement. 

All very easy. Just bring enough money.

[scorecard]

28 minutes ago, Bangel72 said:

I've had similar issues up country near Surin, point blank refusal for blue book transfer even after I put them through to PR department at CW.

 

Red book at police station is also painful but at least only every five years, first time I was passed back and forth between two stations, then asked to find my own stamp as they did not have one. My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay.

 

Would have had zero chance had I not had Thai speaker with me. If I ever move address then no way will they know how to do exit and prepare paperwork for re-register at different location.

 

FROM ABOVE:

 

"My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay."

 

Not sure what you're meaning...

 

- Blue book. Are you meaning the dark blue Tabien Baan book? How does that connect to Chaeng Wattana? Immigration does not administer Tabien Baan books, that's done by Amphur offices. You say 'transfer' of blue book are you meaning transfer from a yellow Tabien Baan book to a dark blue Tabien Baan book? Even so that's done by Amphur offices, not immigration. 

 

On the other hand are you talking about replacing your dark blue Certificate of Residence (PR) book because it's full on in and out immigration departure/arrival stamps? This is handled by Immigration.

 

- My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, ...  took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay. 

 

Not sure what you mean by renewal. I suspect you're talking about your RED police registration book. It's true that not every police station is geared / expected by the police authoritie to take care of issuing, updating the RED police reg. 

 

When I moved to Chiang Mai to live my Thais adult son took me to a bigger police station near our new house to get an address update in my RED police book. None of the cops there, incl. the station chief, had ever seen a RED book or the white 'Certificate of Residence'* book, and it was the station chief who said 'this is immigration, go to the CM immigration office near the airport'. We did that and luckily one of the snr Imm. ladies quickly understood, she called a big police admin., centre station in the main city area in CM and they confirmed they handled RED book admin.  Imm lady gave us their phone no. and the name of the relevant cop at the city police centre and a map. We found it quickly and my RED book had a change of address entered in 5 minutes. All done.

 

The snr cop asked my adult son what the 'Certificate of Residence' book was. My son quite professionally and clearly explained it's a status available to foreginers who pass certain requirements to gain similar to a visa for lifetime until death. The snr cop laughed and said pben by mai dai' (impossible) there's no such thing. Snr cop had noticed my aust. passport and said to my son 'maybe you should go to the Aust. embassy in Bkk to get some help with all these books. Then he suggested go to Imm. near CM airport.

 

I'm surprised that Imm. at CW would talk to the police at about the RED police book. Police don't take instruction from Immigration (on these matters or on any matters).

[scorecard]

46 minutes ago, scorecard said:

FROM ABOVE:

 

"My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay."

 

Not sure what you're meaning...

 

- Blue book. Are you meaning the dark blue Tabien Baan book? How does that connect to Chaeng Wattana? Immigration does not administer Tabien Baan books, that's done by Amphur offices. You say 'transfer' of blue book are you meaning transfer from a yellow Tabien Baan book to a dark blue Tabien Baan book? Even so that's done by Amphur offices, not immigration. 

 

On the other hand are you talking about replacing your dark blue Certificate of Residence (PR) book because it's full on in and out immigration departure/arrival stamps? This is handled by Immigration.

 

- My last renewal they told me it could not be done and that I should go to immigration at the border, ...  took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay. 

 

Not sure what you mean by renewal. I suspect you're talking about your RED police registration book. It's true that not every police station is geared / expected by the police authoritie to take care of issuing, updating the RED police reg. 

 

When I moved to Chiang Mai to live my Thais adult son took me to a bigger police station near our new house to get an address update in my RED police book. None of the cops there, incl. the station chief, had ever seen a RED book or the white 'Certificate of Residence'* book, and it was the station chief who said 'this is immigration, go to the CM immigration office near the airport'. We did that and luckily one of the snr Imm. ladies quickly understood, she called a big police admin., centre station in the main city area in CM and they confirmed they handled RED book admin.  Imm lady gave us their phone no. and the name of the relevant cop at the city police centre and a map. We found it quickly and my RED book had a change of address entered in 5 minutes. All done.

 

The snr cop asked my adult son what the 'Certificate of Residence' book was. My son quite professionally and clearly explained it's a status available to foreginers who pass certain requirements to gain similar to a visa for lifetime until death. The snr cop laughed and said pben by mai dai' (impossible) there's no such thing. Snr cop had noticed my aust. passport and said to my son 'maybe you should go to the Aust. embassy in Bkk to get some help with all these books. Then he suggested go to Imm. near CM airport.

 

I'm surprised that Imm. at CW would talk to the police at about the RED police book. Police don't take instruction from Immigration (on these matters or on any matters).

More:

 

You wrote: "...took a lot of back and forth to find one person at the station who had done this before, then had to come back when boss was there to sign and then still had to get rep at CW to talk with them on phone to say its okay."

 

I mentioned getting my address updated at CM police centre in the city. The cop who was asigned full-time to police RED book admin and maintaining all the files of foreigners in that area with PR (he had several filing cabinets full of the individual PR files) wrote the relevant details in my RED book then took my money, issued the receipt, then had to take the book, the receipt, and the cash to a police general in the main building to get a much more snr cop to sign it all off.

 

He came back to his office where I was waiting within a few minutes, gave me back my RED book and the receipt, but the cash had gone.  He also gave my son a police business card and said 'please call me before you come so I can check if the snr. officer who has to sign off in in the building'. 

 

0 

[stbkk]

On 5/24/2022 at 5:01 PM, onthemoon said:

You get all the forms (two in total) at the counter outside. Just show them your white book, they know which forms you'll need. You don't need to figure out anything.

If you forget to bring photos, there is a shop downstairs in the basement. 

All very easy. Just bring enough money.

Yes you can indeed. But also if you know what you are doing (or can remember, lol), its easy to fill them in at home and go straight in and get your queue number. I find it saves having to queue at the counter outside.

[scorecard]

57 minutes ago, stbkk said:

Yes you can indeed. But also if you know what you are doing (or can remember, lol), its easy to fill them in at home and go straight in and get your queue number. I find it saves having to queue at the counter outside.

Have you received your exit/re-entry stamp at the airport just before departure many times?

 

I've never done it, always had some concern that desk might be closed etc.

 

On the other hand the Imm. office is not that far from my home in Chiang Mai, and they have 3 sometimes 4 staff on this task, so I've never had to wait more than 1 or 2 minutes to start the process, usually completed within 10 minutes.  

[stbkk]

13 hours ago, scorecard said:

Have you received your exit/re-entry stamp at the airport just before departure many times?

 

I've never done it, always had some concern that desk might be closed etc.

 

On the other hand the Imm. office is not that far from my home in Chiang Mai, and they have 3 sometimes 4 staff on this task, so I've never had to wait more than 1 or 2 minutes to start the process, usually completed within 10 minutes.  

No sorry, I've never done it at the airport.

 

I am like you, worried it might not be open. And to be honest, a couple of hours (most of which is fighting the traffic and finding somewhere to park!) one day a year to renew it at immigration is not too inconvenient.

[Michael Hare]

The last time, three years ago, when I got a reentry visa at Ubon Immigration there were no forms to fill out. The staff just took my PR books and passport and typed all the information into their computer. They called out and asked when I was flying overseas and I just picked out a date and a country off the top of my head. I did have to give them two photos. 

 

[scorecard]

45 minutes ago, Michael Hare said:

The last time, three years ago, when I got a reentry visa at Ubon Immigration there were no forms to fill out. The staff just took my PR books and passport and typed all the information into their computer. They called out and asked when I was flying overseas and I just picked out a date and a country off the top of my head. I did have to give them two photos. 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

That would be good it it was standard and was 100% reliable.

If passport officers were, without exception by time etc., expected to do it like this 24/7 as a standard part of their job this would be great, and it could be done quickly. 

 

Two extremes; at Imm office much admin work in big books and with fingerprints/signatures, but as described by Michael Hare none of that. But if needed perhaps fingerprints could be done on the spot very quickly while the person was standing at the passport desk. 

 

Michael, did you pay cash to the passport officer?

 

 

[Michael Hare]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Thanks for sharing.

 

That would be good it it was standard and was 100% reliable.

If passport officers were, without exception by time etc., expected to do it like this 24/7 as a standard part of their job this would be great, and it could be done quickly. 

 

Two extremes; at Imm office much admin work in big books and with fingerprints/signatures, but as described by Michael Hare none of that. But if needed perhaps fingerprints could be done on the spot very quickly while the person was standing at the passport desk. 

 

Michael, did you pay cash to the passport officer?

 

 

Yes, I paid in cash. I have always paid in cash for a multiple reentry visa. I think it was 1,900 baht for the stamp in the blue PR book and 3,800 baht for the stamp in the passport. Total of 5,700 baht. Been that rate for many years. At the moment I have no plans to leave Thailand and so it may be a few more years before I get another reentry visa.  

[onthemoon]

22 hours ago, stbkk said:

Yes you can indeed. But also if you know what you are doing (or can remember, lol), its easy to fill them in at home and go straight in and get your queue number. I find it saves having to queue at the counter outside.

True. If you have all the forms at home, that's faster. If you have to dig and find out forms to use (as the poster to who I replied seemed to) and have to download them from the internet, it may be faster to fill them in on the spot. I can never remember which forms to use for what, and cannot be bother to do research on the internet if it is so easy at the counter. Different strokes for different folks.

[onthemoon]

4 hours ago, Michael Hare said:

The last time, three years ago, when I got a reentry visa at Ubon Immigration there were no forms to fill out. The staff just took my PR books and passport and typed all the information into their computer. They called out and asked when I was flying overseas and I just picked out a date and a country off the top of my head. I did have to give them two photos. 

 

That's the way it should be. In Bangkok, they protect the environment by getting rid of all the nasty trees, that's why they need paper forms for everything.

 

In fact, the whole re-entry permit (oh sorry, "Non-quota Imm Visa" and "endorsement") should be on the internet. I am willing to pay the fee (by credit card), I don't mind the fee. I do mind the fact that I have to travel all the way to CW and lose half a day.

 

It would be even better if they cancelled the requirement for this re-entry altogether; a PR should include the right to multiple re-entries automatically. Like in other countries. But I know, I'm dreaming...

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, Michael Hare said:

Yes, I paid in cash. I have always paid in cash for a multiple reentry visa. I think it was 1,900 baht for the stamp in the blue PR book and 3,800 baht for the stamp in the passport. Total of 5,700 baht. Been that rate for many years. At the moment I have no plans to leave Thailand and so it may be a few more years before I get another reentry visa.  

And did the passport guy put the normal exit/re-entry stamps in both of your books?

[Michael Hare]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

And did the passport guy put the normal exit/re-entry stamps in both of your books?

Yes, the normal stamps in each book. Pay the money and get a proper receipt. I have been doing this nearly every year since I got PR in 2002. But after covid came, I have not traveled outside of Thailand since January 2019. No need for reentry visas if one is not leaving the country. 

 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Michael Hare said:

Yes, the normal stamps in each book. Pay the money and get a proper receipt. I have been doing this nearly every year since I got PR in 2002. But after covid came, I have not traveled outside of Thailand since January 2019. No need for reentry visas if one is not leaving the country. 

 

Hoping this will become standard practice at every airport.

 

One final question, did you join the Thai or foreigners departure line at passport control?