Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[jayboy]

1 hour ago, onthemoon said:

At Bangkok Bank, they even asked for my pink ID... Have changed to pink ID also at SCB and K-Bank. 

 

At the airport for domestic travel, I sometimes have to show my driver's licence, because the pink ID shows the name only in Thai while the ticket is in English. The last time anybody asked for my passport is many years ago.

 

So yes, your mileage may differ.

I have no doubt the pink ID will be universally accepted before long.And yes my mixed experience is based on incidents a few years ago so to that extent I'm out of date.Your account of good experience at banks confirms things are moving in the right direction.

[onthemoon]

56 minutes ago, Michael Hare said:

When renewing my work permit, my passport can not be used as there is no visa permit in it.  Because I own a company all the accounts have to be shown. Actually it is a real hazzle and I get our accountant to handle it. The accountant asks for my PR book (the old red book) , house registration and ID card. The amount of papers I have sign is incredible. Fortunately, I only need to get the work permit every two years. 

 

Incidentally, the work permit renewal is the only case where I do use my passport. Which makes no sense, as a PR holder should not need a WP. Anyway, I always have an immigrant visa in my passport, because I travel a lot. Which again makes no sense, PR holders shouldn't have to renew their visas every year; in fact, they shouldn't need visas.

But they, nobody ever said the world is perfect. ????

[Michael Hare]

40 minutes ago, onthemoon said:

Incidentally, the work permit renewal is the only case where I do use my passport. Which makes no sense, as a PR holder should not need a WP. Anyway, I always have an immigrant visa in my passport, because I travel a lot. Which again makes no sense, PR holders shouldn't have to renew their visas every year; in fact, they shouldn't need visas.

But they, nobody ever said the world is perfect. ????

My passport is absolutely clean. I got my new ten year passport in January 2020, and haven't travelled since due to covid. Normally I would have a non-quota immigrant visa in it (I call it it a reentry permit). When renewing my driver's licence every 5 years, I don't use my passport. 

[Bangel72]

Quick question on tm6 form.  Pre-covid they always stapled it into my passport on arrival, last month they didn't so now I do not have one and BOI is wanting it.

 

Anyone else noticed a change on this front, could have just been oversight on immigration on arrival and I may need to apply for a replacement. 

 

Thinking about it they may have actually given me a separate arrival card when I left so I used that which meant I did not get a new one.

[Bangel72]

17 minutes ago, Bangel72 said:

Quick question on tm6 form.  Pre-covid they always stapled it into my passport on arrival, last month they didn't so now I do not have one and BOI is wanting it.

 

Anyone else noticed a change on this front, could have just been oversight on immigration on arrival and I may need to apply for a replacement. 

 

Thinking about it they may have actually given me a separate arrival card when I left so I used that which meant I did not get a new one.

Ahh seems they dropped it recently, maybe nobody told BOI.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Bangel72 said:

Anyone else noticed a change on this front, could have just been oversight on immigration on arrival and I may need to apply for a replacement. 

The TM6 forms were temporarily eliminated from July 2nd onward.

Show the announcement in Thai to them. Royal Gazzett TM6 Annoucement (1).pdf

[DrJoy]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:20 PM, ubonjoe said:

The TM6 forms were temporarily eliminated from July 2nd onward.

Show the announcement in Thai to them. Royal Gazzett TM6 Annoucement (1).pdf

Can you please share the original Thai version?

[ubonjoe]

14 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Can you please share the original Thai version?

Clicked the wrong file. This is the Thai version.

Royal Gazzett TM6 Annoucement.pdf

[scorecard]

On 7/29/2022 at 8:58 AM, jayboy said:

I have no doubt the pink ID will be universally accepted before long.And yes my mixed experience is based on incidents a few years ago so to that extent I'm out of date.Your account of good experience at banks confirms things are moving in the right direction.

Further, I'm hoping in the future there will be a specific ID card just for PR holders, with all words & numbers in both Thai and English and mentioning valid for lifetime.

 

Also, on the back of the card the words about only allowed to travel locally etc., completely gone. 

[onthemoon]

On 7/29/2022 at 8:58 AM, jayboy said:

I have no doubt the pink ID will be universally accepted before long.And yes my mixed experience is based on incidents a few years ago so to that extent I'm out of date.Your account of good experience at banks confirms things are moving in the right direction.

I just completed another domestic trip. Didn't bring my passport. The problem with the pink ID is that the name is only in Thai. Airline staff and airport security had trouble to verify that it is the same name as in the ticket. So I also handed my driver's licence to them for the name. I don't know whether they would have accepted it instead of the pink ID, as they couldn't accept it at all because it is expired. But it still helped them verify the name.

 

No problem al all at the hotel upon check-in. They accepted the pink ID without question. 

[anthonyT]

Good morning.

 

I have a question.

 

Currently my application for PR is under review and i get the 6 month stamp for extension because of it. In November i will be traveling to my home country and will be back before this extension stamp expires. Would i still need to go to Chaeng Wattana to have any forms filled in or get any new stamps in my passport or am i ok to travel and return to Thailand on this visa with my PR application still continuing?

 

Would appreciate advise from anyone who knows, to avoid any issue later.

 

Thank you.

 

Ant.

 

 

[Kan Win]

A re-enter stamp is required.

 

[anthonyT]

Thank you for your reply Kan Win. 

Another trip then to Chaeng Wattana. Any document i should prepare, to be filled in? Or no need when the application is only under review?

 

Thks

Ant. 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, anthonyT said:

Thank you for your reply Kan Win. 

Another trip then to Chaeng Wattana. Any document i should prepare, to be filled in? Or no need when the application is only under review?

 

Thks

Ant. 

Normally you can get an 'exit/re-entry stamp' at the airport near the departure passsport desks, (I have PR 24 yrs but I've never done that), so perhaps other PR holders can confirm that the posters 'under consideration' status is acceptable for the member to get the 'exit/re-entry stamp' at the airport.

 

Good luck.

[anthonyT]

thank you for the reply score card. Much appreciated. Would be obliged if any other knowledgeable PR holder could confirm also, to make sure.

 

Many thanks

 

Ant.

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

3 hours ago, anthonyT said:

thank you for the reply score card. Much appreciated. Would be obliged if any other knowledgeable PR holder could confirm also, to make sure.

 

Many thanks

 

Ant.

 

I think that until you actually receive PR, your sole requirement will be to have a valid non-immigrant visa (re-entry visa) in your passport in order to keep your current extension of stay and your PR application alive. I understand one can be obtained at the airport, but have no experience getting one there.

 

Given the importance of keeping your extension of stay and PR application alive, you might be well-advised to call immigration just to make sure. Things may have changed since the 1990s when I received PR.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I think that until you actually receive PR, your sole requirement will be to have a valid non-immigrant visa (re-entry visa) in your passport in order to keep your current extension of stay and your PR application alive. I understand one can be obtained at the airport, but have no experience getting one there.

 

Given the importance of keeping your extension of stay and PR application alive, you might be well-advised to call immigration just to make sure. Things may have changed since the 1990s when I received PR.

Good advice. I got PR 24 yrs ago, I'm aware there have been changes but not aware whether your points have changed. Best check. Don't be frightened to call CW, they don't bite. Their e.mail address is   [email protected]

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Good advice. I got PR 24 yrs ago, I'm aware there have been changes but not aware whether your points have changed. Best check. Don't be frightened to call CW, they don't bite. Their e.mail address is   [email protected]

Further, I've e.mailed to division 1 several times, every e.mail has been fully clearly answered between 2 or 3 days up to 2 weeks. Some answers needed reading a few time to get the meaning , some in perfect English. Best example was when I got caught in Australia couldn't return because of covid- 19 retrictions. I have PR (25 years). I e.mailed to seek clarification about the extension of time for PR holders to return (past the stamped re-entry date).

 

I got a prompt response excellent English, it was obvious the officer had checked with the managment, the answer was complete and shared that for PR holders the return date had been extended indefinitely. The e.mail included an invitaton to e.mail again for any changes in the policy. I did that a month later (and again), every time I got a quick answer (same officer) with valuable comment. 

[brianinbangkok]

On 1/12/2022 at 8:16 PM, scorecard said:

The original order on this subject (signed by the PM and the Interior minister) stated that foreigners holding PR could wait to return past the re-entry date in their passport and PR book, the order also mentioned that the Thai Immigration Bureau would eventually announce a final deadline date to return.

 

I've held PR for 24 years. Because of more complex health issues I was delaying my return. I was following this matter regularly, until recently, by asking Thai Immigration Division 1 (by e.mail) to confirm that the bureau had not made such announcement.

 

The most recent response I've had was on 21 Nov 2021, confirming that the Imm. Bureau had not yet made the deadline date announcement. In a couple of their responses to my mails there was mention that the deadline date was postponed indefinitely, but that could of course be countermanded at any time.

 

With a 'Thailand Pass' (TP) I returned to Thailand Suvarnabhumi, on the 9th of December 2021. As follows:

 

- I arrived at Suvarnabhumi, joined the queue for the final check of all the TP documents. All checked OK within a few minutes.

 

- Then to the Passport desk (Thai line). No other passengers present. The Imm. officer took my passport and PR white book and then quickly looked at me with concern and pointed to the re-entry stamp and said 'this has expired'.

 

- His buddy quickly looked at my docs and said in Thai and English 'this is all OK' and at the same time he was calling a snr. officer to come.

 

- Snr. guy, pleasant, arrived quickly, had a quick look and said to me in perfect English and also in Thai 'you can enter, there's no problem at all, I just need to get a code number' and at the same time he was on the phone. 

 

- Two seconds later he said 'I've got the number' and he quickly told his officer to use his 'Admitted' stamp and under the stamp he slowly dictated what to write. All done in 1 minute. 

 

- Officer returned the books to me and asked "where is your home in Thailand?" I responded Chiang Mai.

 

- A little later I sent my Thai son a smartphone photo of the two (identical) stamps and the hand written comments.  His translation was 'entered under xxxxx waiver'.

 

How long it will remain open I don't know of course. Easy enough to find the e.mail address of Thai Immigration DIvision 1. My e.mails to them all in English, they responded within a few days to my several mails. 

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

I also lost my PR that had re-entry date of 4 March 2020 , Netherlands had already been hit by Covid.

So later the Thai extended the re-entry dates, however I understood this was only for re-entries expiring after 26 March 2020.

So now I am about to fly back to TH for a family visit, I plan to get a Tourist visa and have a chat with PR section at CW. What was the expiration date on you re-entry?

I think I am one of the few PRs who fall outside of the re-entry and will have to re-apply for PR and pay up again.

Anybody out there done this yet ?

 

Regards, brianinbangkok

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, brianinbangkok said:

I also lost my PR that had re-entry date of 4 March 2020 , Netherlands had already been hit by Covid.

So later the Thai extended the re-entry dates, however I understood this was only for re-entries expiring after 26 March 2020.

So now I am about to fly back to TH for a family visit, I plan to get a Tourist visa and have a chat with PR section at CW. What was the expiration date on you re-entry?

I think I am one of the few PRs who fall outside of the re-entry and will have to re-apply for PR and pay up again.

Anybody out there done this yet ?

 

Regards, brianinbangkok

The re-entry expiry date in my passport and PR book 16 Nov 2020.

 

I returned to Bkk on 9 dec 2021. No issues whatever, passport snr. officer told the passport desk guy to stamp me in and write in Thai 'entered under xxx waiver'. (I / Thai family members can't decipher the xxx word.)

 

All done in less than 5 minutes, and moved on to pick up my luggage. 

 

(From my understaning PR holders who got caught out of Thailand under the Covid- 19 travel etc, issues can stiil enter under the xxx waiver. Suggest you e.mail to division1.immigration@ gmail.com to get confirmation. Also if you look on the main Thai Immigration Bureau website  the one page graphic on this subject is still appearing.)   

 

Also please take a look at the last page of the file (Thai and Eng) that I have attached. Please read all the pages several times, it can be confusing in terms of the dates involved. Note the purple arrow I've added on the last page.

 

Perhaps  the contents of this file could be a good anchor point for a discussion with division1 Immigration). 

 

Good luck.

AW - PR & Visa - Thai Immigration order 7 April 2020.docx

[scorecard]

33 minutes ago, scorecard said:

The re-entry expiry date in my passport and PR book 16 Nov 2020.

 

I returned to Bkk on 9 dec 2021. No issues whatever, passport snr. officer told the passport desk guy to stamp me in and write in Thai 'entered under xxx waiver'. (I / Thai family members can't decipher the xxx word.)

 

All done in less than 5 minutes, and moved on to pick up my luggage. 

 

(From my understaning PR holders who got caught out of Thailand under the Covid- 19 travel etc, issues can stiil enter under the xxx waiver. Suggest you e.mail to division1.immigration@ gmail.com to get confirmation. Also if you look on the main Thai Immigration Bureau website  the one page graphic on this subject is still appearing.)   

 

Also please take a look at the last page of the file (Thai and Eng) that I have attached. Please read all the pages several times, it can be confusing in terms of the dates involved. Note the purple arrow I've added on the last page.

 

Perhaps  the contents of this file could be a good anchor point for a discussion with division1 Immigration). 

 

Good luck.

AW - PR & Visa - Thai Immigration order 7 April 2020.docx 859.31 kB · 0 downloads

Another possibility is to call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who are closely involved in these subjects:

 

 

There's plenty of advanced/perfect English speakers on 0 2203 5000, always good listeners, always very focused and good clear answers/guidance.

[rimmae2]

4 hours ago, brianinbangkok said:

I also lost my PR that had re-entry date of 4 March 2020 , Netherlands had already been hit by Covid.

So later the Thai extended the re-entry dates, however I understood this was only for re-entries expiring after 26 March 2020.

So now I am about to fly back to TH for a family visit, I plan to get a Tourist visa and have a chat with PR section at CW. What was the expiration date on you re-entry?

I think I am one of the few PRs who fall outside of the re-entry and will have to re-apply for PR and pay up again.

Anybody out there done this yet ?

 

Regards, brianinbangkok

Follow scorecard's advice and obtain a definitive answer rather than wasting years re-applying for PR. A trustworthy lawyer should know or if not be able to easily find out, but essential to get information from the horse's mouth.

 

So many extensions have been given for people who are too lazy to leave Thailand that I would hope that for people in your situation what scorecard did can still be done.

[scorecard]

24 minutes ago, rimmae2 said:

Follow scorecard's advice and obtain a definitive answer rather than wasting years re-applying for PR. A trustworthy lawyer should know or if not be able to easily find out, but essential to get information from the horse's mouth.

 

So many extensions have been given for people who are too lazy to leave Thailand that I would hope that for people in your situation what scorecard did can still be done.

One of the key words being used by Division1 was that the extension of the deadline date (for PR holders) to return was the word 'indefinitely' (obviously meaning extended indefinitely).

 

I did at one stage snag a snr. Immmigration general at Division 1 on the phone, speaking perfect English, polite and pleasant. This was when I was getting panicky about 'has Immigration issued a final date for PRs to return, etc., and I was following every angle I could dig up to try to get any new info on the 'deadline to return date'

 

He commented 'PR is issued for life', and therefore does not have a final date, and the exit/re-entry stamp process/data kept is just a simple means of having some idea of how many PR holders go out and come back and nothing more. This is not really important data and therefore no need to be serious about it. (I don't know his name.) 

[brianinbangkok]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

Another possibility is to call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who are closely involved in these subjects:

 

 

There's plenty of advanced/perfect English speakers on 0 2203 5000, always good listeners, always very focused and good clear answers/guidance.

Hi Scorecard,

 

Thanks for the advice. I will read the information you sent a few times.

I do see the date 26-3-2020 in your information hope they understand Covid was already ongoing in Europe.

My problem is my re-entry expired 4March 2020 so thats a  3 week gap, and my wife spoke to a sr. immigration officer at PR section at the time and he said because of this I do not come under this new law/regulation and will have to re-apply.

I will let you all know here how this goes once I get back next month.

For now I am going to get a tourist visa just be sure I am allowed into TH.

 

Also I have always thought failure to get back into Thailand before the re-entry expired was an automatic cancelation of the PR.

 

Thanks all,

 

Brian

[brianinbangkok]

57 minutes ago, scorecard said:

One of the key words being used by Division1 was that the extension of the deadline date (for PR holders) to return was the word 'indefinitely' (obviously meaning extended indefinitely).

 

I did at one stage snag a snr. Immmigration general at Division 1 on the phone, speaking perfect English, polite and pleasant. This was when I was getting panicky about 'has Immigration issued a final date for PRs to return, etc., and I was following every angle I could dig up to try to get any new info on the 'deadline to return date'

 

He commented 'PR is issued for life', and therefore does not have a final date, and the exit/re-entry stamp process/data kept is just a simple means of having some idea of how many PR holders go out and come back and nothing more. This is not really important data and therefore no need to be serious about it. (I don't know his name.) 

Only problem I see is my re-entry expired before these rules came into law.

The only sr. immigration officer said that meant re-apply as I did not come under this exemption.

[DrJoy]

12 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I understand one can be obtained at the airport,

Nope. PRs cannot get re entry at airports. It has to be obtained before hand at CW

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

26 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

Nope. PRs cannot get re entry at airports. It has to be obtained before hand at CW

I was referring to holders of extensions of stay under non-immigrant visas, not PR holders. And yes, such would need to be obtained before departure for those who are eligible.

 

I am aware that it is not possible to obtain an endorsement in one's certificate of residence at Suvarnabhumi. I don't know what the situation would be if one had a valid endorsement in the certificate of residence, but sought to obtain the re-entry visa at Suvarnabhumi. This might happen if one obtained a single entry visa, used it, and then sought to obtain another re-entry. Are you sure that a second re-entry could not be obtained as Suvarnabhumi if one still had time remaining on the endorsement in the certificate of residence? I haven't encountered this situation, so I really don't know.

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, brianinbangkok said:

Hi Scorecard,

 

Thanks for the advice. I will read the information you sent a few times.

I do see the date 26-3-2020 in your information hope they understand Covid was already ongoing in Europe.

My problem is my re-entry expired 4March 2020 so thats a  3 week gap, and my wife spoke to a sr. immigration officer at PR section at the time and he said because of this I do not come under this new law/regulation and will have to re-apply.

I will let you all know here how this goes once I get back next month.

For now I am going to get a tourist visa just be sure I am allowed into TH.

 

Also I have always thought failure to get back into Thailand before the re-entry expired was an automatic cancelation of the PR.

 

Thanks all,

 

Brian

You mention "

Also I have always thought failure to get back into Thailand before the re-entry expired was an automatic cancelation of the PR."

 

(NOTE: I have changed the word to be in bold and underlined. scorecard.)

 

Are you meaning after rather than before?

[onthemoon]

12 hours ago, scorecard said:

He commented 'PR is issued for life', and therefore does not have a final date, and the exit/re-entry stamp process/data kept is just a simple means of having some idea of how many PR holders go out and come back and nothing more. This is not really important data and therefore no need to be serious about it. (I don't know his name.) 

If that's true, that's new. In the past we were informed that the Permanent Residency is not permanent at all and certainly not issued for life; to the contrary, it will be automatically cancelled if you come back to Thailand and that stamp in your books has expired.

 

In fact, I had once forgotten to get the stamps, and at departure, the immigration officer was kind enough to notice it and ask me whether I really want to lose my PR status. I thanked him, took a taxi to CW to get those meaningless stamps and finally flew to Vietnam on the evening flight.

 

I understand that due to Covid, expiry has now been extended indefinitely. Does that mean we don't need to get these useless stamps at all any more, and PR has suddenly become permanent? This would be really good news.

[jayboy]

1 hour ago, onthemoon said:

I understand that due to Covid, expiry has now been extended indefinitely. Does that mean we don't need to get these useless stamps at all any more, and PR has suddenly become permanent? This would be really good news.

It would indeed be good news but in my view is as likely to happen as being decapitated by an errant frisbee.