Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[Arkady]

If you let it expire (your re-entry, that is), it will be expired (your PR status, that is).

You have three choices:

1. Come back in time and get your stamp.

2. Apply again from srcatch.

3.Re-enter as a tourist.

Cheers, I hope this helped.

Unfortunately Immigration has no flexibility in this matter whatsoever. According the law they must revoke your PR, if you can't make it back before your re-entry stamp expires. A friend was inadvertently delayed coming back to Thailand beyond the cut off date, as he had to have an emergency operation to save his life and brought back detailed documentation from the hospital to vouch for the reason for the delay. Immigration was highly sympathetic but revoked his PR and invited him to re-apply the next December.

The procedure for renewing PR is to apply again from scratch and pay the full fees, assuming you are still qualified by being on a work permit for the last three years and having the last three complete calendar years' of tax receipts. It is not a thing to give up lightly.

Gee, that's harsh. So, the permance of the residency permit resides with a single window of reporting rather than being permanently (with brief exceptions) in the country, and humanitarian reasons will not be considered. I find that rather tough.

Yes, it is tough but I think that the law doesn't make any provision for extenuating circumstances to be considered at the discretion of the Director General of Immigration or even the Interior Minister. So there is no basis for an appeal and nothing else Immigration can do. In the case I mentioned my friend did re-apply the next December and did get his PR re-instated within less than a year with lots of help from sympathetic Immigration officers. But that was in the late 90s and I don't know what would happen today. On the other hand there is no minimum time you have to stay in Thailand as long as you can renew your re-entry permit on time every year. I may be wrong but I believe ILR can be cancelled in the UK, if the holder doesn't spend enough time there, and there are similar restrictions on absent PRs in Taiwan and other countries. The US also operates a one year re-entry system for green card holders but reserves the right to cancel green cards held by holders deemed to have moved elsewhere permanently and holders get a hard time from Immigration returning to the US for annual renewals (as I once witnessed when travelling with a green card holder in this situation).

Edited November 17, 2010 by Arkady

[pit101]

I have been on Friday to the Immigration division 1 at Cheng Watthana Road. The purpose was to ask for some updated information according to apply for the Resident Permit.

The answer of the friendly lady at counter D was in sense:

“The period has not yet been opened and due to a personal change at the head of the department we don’t know jet it will be possible this year or not. Please check our web site for more information in begin of next month!”

Does someone have some more information’s about it?

Regards

[SAMCHAROEN]

I have been on Friday to the Immigration division 1 at Cheng Watthana Road. The purpose was to ask for some updated information according to apply for the Resident Permit.

The answer of the friendly lady at counter D was in sense:

“The period has not yet been opened and due to a personal change at the head of the department we don’t know jet it will be possible this year or not. Please check our web site for more information in begin of next month!”

Does someone have some more information’s about it?

Regards

FYI nobody has been granted PR since 2006.

What is the website address that they gave you?

[pit101]

The website mentioned on the general information sheet: www.immigration.go.th

[Arkady]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

[SAMCHAROEN]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

If you are applying for citizenship, I don't think that there should be any objection to having applied (concurrently) for PR as well.

In fact, having a PR is a perquisite for applying citizenship.

What puzzles me is that since the chances of getting PR these days is slim, does it mean that one cannot even apply for citizenship (unless he is married to a Thai national) ?

Second thing which is puzzling me is what will be the fate of those who have already applied for the PR and have been waiting for more than 4 years ?

[aaoaahq]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

If you are applying for citizenship, I don't think that there should be any objection to having applied (concurrently) for PR as well.

In fact, having a PR is a perquisite for applying citizenship.

What puzzles me is that since the chances of getting PR these days is slim, does it mean that one cannot even apply for citizenship (unless he is married to a Thai national) ?

Second thing which is puzzling me is what will be the fate of those who have already applied for the PR and have been waiting for more than 4 years ?

It seems that I spoke too soon.....

Logically one would assume that they would now clear their desks and approve the applications that have stacked up since 2006, many of which have been approved by the immigration commission, but heaven knows what is going on.

If Zoowatch is correct then it seems that they might be preparing to change the application guidelines (and benefits) for PR. He also mentioned that they are waiting for constitutional changes that could pave the way for these revisions, but as Arkady has pointed out, PR is not even mentioned in the 1997 or 2007 constitution so I'm not sure what the hold up is.

I do hope someone will be able to clarify what is going on soon.

[Arkady]

If you are applying for citizenship, I don't think that there should be any objection to having applied (concurrently) for PR as well.

In fact, having a PR is a perquisite for applying citizenship.

What puzzles me is that since the chances of getting PR these days is slim, does it mean that one cannot even apply for citizenship (unless he is married to a Thai national) ?

Second thing which is puzzling me is what will be the fate of those who have already applied for the PR and have been waiting for more than 4 years ?

Those interested will have to ask Special Branch whether they can apply for citizenship with the PR application stamps in their passports. I can't see any reason why not but we are talking about a bureaucracy.

For those who cannot get PR and are not married to Thais there is effectively no way to apply for citizenship, apart from this special provision in Section 11 of the Act, "The provisions of Section 10 (4) and (5) shall not apply if the applicant for naturalisation as a Thai has rendered distinguished service to Thailand or has done acts to the benefit of official service, which is deemed suitable by the Minister." Section 10 (4) and (5) refer to the requirements to have 5 years' of residence in the Kingdom and knowledge of the Thai language respectively.

Re your last question. This is a big mystery but something must be cooking, although it is unlikely to be related to the two proposed amendments to the constitution that have just been submitted to Parliament. My guess is that major changes to the antiquated PR system are indeed being quietly discussed which makes certain people in the ministry reluctant to approve any more under the present system. On the other hand, the citizenship process, also under the responsibility of the Interior Ministry, has continued without interruption and there was even practically a record number of approvals in 2007 the year before the latest Nationality Act was promulgated. I assume that PR will continue in some shape or form. It exists in all ASEAN countries (without bothering to consider Burma, Laos or Vietnam) and it is unlikely that Thailand would want to be hugely different, since they are already considering things like a common ASEAN tourist visa. Thailand is a great place for legal grandfathering and I would bet that those who have already applied will eventually get PR under the existing requirements.

[aaoaahq]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

Up until (Dec) 2006 immigration would publish all approvals from the immigration commission on their website assuming that they would automatically be granted (approved) PR by the Minister of Interior within a few months. As there has been no such announcements since then I would assume that immigration are not at all confident the the MoI will approve these applications or they do not want to advertise that these applicants have indeed passed the criteria for PR but are sitting in a vacuum. Despite the present political uncertainty, i do not see how the approval of a couple hundred PR applications submitted under the current guidelines (and approved by the immigration commission) would effect the current status quo.

I am surprised though, that no one out of the hundreds of applicants, seems to know what is going. It would be interesting to hear from 2009 applicants as they would still be in regular communication with immigration and might be able shed some light on what is happening.

Edited November 25, 2010 by aaoaahq

[SAMCHAROEN]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

Up until (Dec) 2006 immigration would publish all approvals from the immigration commission on their website assuming that they would automatically be granted (approved) PR by the Minister of Interior within a few months. As there has been no such announcements since then I would assume that immigration are not at all confident the the MoI will approve these applications or they do not want to advertise that these applicants have indeed passed the criteria for PR but are sitting in a vacuum. Despite the present political uncertainty, i do not see how the approval of a couple hundred PR applications submitted under the current guidelines (and approved by the immigration commission) would effect the current status quo.

I am surprised though, that no one out of the hundreds of applicants, seems to know what is going. It would be interesting to hear from 2009 applicants as they would still be in regular communication with immigration and might be able shed some light on what is happening.

Quoting Camerata's post dated 2006-07-02 (the very first post under this topic):

"The applications for new PR Immigration is open for applications from about mid-December until the last working day of the year. Only two weeks."

Maybe the applicants who have tried to apply this year are being told to wait for official confirmation that the window will be opened as scheduled.

So lets not jump to conclusions as yet.

I do, however, have a gut feeling that the reason why the MoI may not be accepting new PR applications for the time being is that they will now start clearing up the backlog.

I guess with the elections coming up, they would like to start with a fresh clean slate in 2011.

If they wished to reject some or all the applications since 2006, it would only create a bad impression, since they would have made the applicants wait such a long time just to be told in the end that their applications have been rejected.

Some if not most of the applicants have a very decent background and are persons of good standing in society.

Quoting aaoaahq:

"Up until (Dec) 2006 immigration would publish all approvals from the immigration commission on their website assuming that they would automatically be granted (approved) PR by the Minister of Interior within a few months. As there has been no such announcements since then I would assume that immigration are not at all confident the the MoI will approve these applications or they do not want to advertise that these applicants have indeed passed the criteria for PR but are sitting in a vacuum"

In my case (applied in 2006), I was told by my lawyer that he has seen my name appear on the notice board outside room 202 (Soi Suan Phlu era). However, it is true that I personally did not see it either on the notice board or their website.

Edited November 26, 2010 by SAMCHAROEN

[Arkady]

I do, however, have a gut feeling that the reason why the MoI may not be accepting new PR applications for the time being is that they will now start clearing up the backlog. I guess with the elections coming up, they would like to start with a fresh clean slate in 2011.

If they wished to reject some or all the applications since 2006, it would only create a bad impression, since they would have made the applicants wait such a long time just to be told in the end that their applications have been rejected.

Some if not most of the applicants have a very decent background and are persons of good standing in society.

I also don't think they will reject applicants since 2006 en bloc. This has been going on during the watches of several Interior Ministers and there must be some thinking behind it, however arcane, and it can't be explained by one man's xenophobia like the en bloc rejection's during Purachai's watch. Interior Ministry and Immigration officials might want to clear up the problem before the next elections and change of minister, although there is no political capital to be gained since the views of foreigners don't count in politics.

Not accepting applications for a year would indeed reduce the workload in 2012 because there would be no Chinese and Indian quotas for 2010. Most other nationalities would not hit the ceiling, although there is a possibility that Taiwanese, American and British applications might hit the quota ceilings of 100 per nationality. I would think that news of large numbers of approvals would encourage more people to apply, thereby increasing the risk of hitting nationality quotas. I am not sure how the quotas are decided but I was once in the 90s sitting in the room of a Immigration general waiting for my appointment and observed a Chinese couple with a broker being interviewed by him. Since he spoke to them in Mandarin, I have no idea what was discussed.

[Siamfan]

Is there any clarification already about qualifiying for ciizenship with the PR stamps in the passport? Is it possible?

As I am already divorced from my Thai wife, but have the sole custody for my two kids with Thai( and European...) passports, is there a chance for me to get Citizenship ?

Anybody have any idea?

[Arkady]

Is there any clarification already about qualifiying for ciizenship with the PR stamps in the passport? Is it possible?

As I am already divorced from my Thai wife, but have the sole custody for my two kids with Thai( and European...) passports, is there a chance for me to get Citizenship ?

Anybody have any idea?

The exemption from the residence qualification under the 2008 Nationality Act only applies to foreign males who are currently married to Thai citizens. In addition to checking your marriage certificate, Special Branch and the National Intelligence Agency will also interview you with your wife. They may also investigate whether the marriage is ongoing by checking with neighbours and others.n Having Thai children doesn't provide exemption from the residence qualification. You must have PR to apply.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Arkady

[chivo]

i've been to the website for immigration thailand... still no date announced for application for PR... anyone?

[tombkk]

i've been to the website for immigration thailand... still no date announced for application for PR... anyone?

It was mentioned earlier in this thread that apparently, there will be no PR application acceptance this year.

Post #996: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/74654-cameratas-guide-to-the-permanent-residence-process/page__st__975__p__4039692#entry4039692

[p1pp0]

Hello all, newbye question.

Been in Thailand for 11 years. PR applicant, class of '06. In limbo like many others. I need to change job in January.

I have read a few posts indicating how, in this situation, I should submit a letter describing the change in circumstances to immigration. This morning we called immigration, and they told us (over the phone) that no documentation is required in this case (they said it would be required only if I were to change house).

I don't particularly trust them. Does anybody have any hard info on this matter?

Thanks.

[skyaslimit]

Hello all, newbye question.

Been in Thailand for 11 years. PR applicant, class of '06. In limbo like many others. I need to change job in January.

I have read a few posts indicating how, in this situation, I should submit a letter describing the change in circumstances to immigration. This morning we called immigration, and they told us (over the phone) that no documentation is required in this case (they said it would be required only if I were to change house).

I don't particularly trust them. Does anybody have any hard info on this matter?

Thanks.

Hi

As far as my knowledge is concern you require 3 years of contineous visa and related taxes at the time of ur application, Immigration may ask for the tax papers and DNA's for a year or two after the application, but there is no written rule that you have to inform them every time u change the job ( after the application) , but ur adress is important so that they can keep u posted about all the progress in ur case..

[tombkk]

Hello all, newbye question.

Been in Thailand for 11 years. PR applicant, class of '06. In limbo like many others. I need to change job in January.

I have read a few posts indicating how, in this situation, I should submit a letter describing the change in circumstances to immigration. This morning we called immigration, and they told us (over the phone) that no documentation is required in this case (they said it would be required only if I were to change house).

I don't particularly trust them. Does anybody have any hard info on this matter?

Thanks.

Hard info (also class of 2006): I changed jobs in 2008. All that was required was a letter informing them, and it was important that the letter show the reference number of your PR application. That's all, you don't need to explain or describe the change in circumstances. You just need to inform them.

In addition to the extension of stay you get when you have a work permit (and which gets cancelled when you leave that company), you also have an extension of stay from the PR department. Make sure you keep that updated as well, as the two departments don't seem to communicate. If you don't update your extension of stay at the PR department, they might not be aware that you are still in Thailand.

I changed jobs before my PR was approved (I passed the approval process, my application is only waiting for the signature of the Interior Minister). I was told the whole approval process is based on my situation at time of application. Any change of job afterwards has no effect.

By the way, I also changed my house at the time (as the previous appartment was a company appartment). Same story, they just need a letter informing them of the new address. I did not have to submit any documents apart from that letter written by myself (or my secretary, rather) in Thai language.

Oh, and I have just changed jobs again effective today.

Edited November 30, 2010 by tombkk

[p1pp0]

Thanks for the replies. I'll send them a letter then, just to be on the safe side.

I have never kept my PR extension of stay updated, though. I asked immigration (room 301 is Suanplu) about that when changing passport in 2008, they told me it was not needed as I already had an extension of stay arranged though my employer/BOI. My current passport does not bear any stamp indicating I ever applied for PR.

Thanks

[Arkady]

I was told by Special Branch the same thing applies when applying for citizenship, i.e. the application depends on your circumstances at the time you make the application and that it was impractical to continuously update changes of applicants' circumstances. Obviously you need to keep them informed of any change of address and I would think it is advisable to maintain some kind of a job with a WP in Thailand, if you become unemployed or retire, just to be on the safe side. However, they might require evidence that you still have a Thai wife, if you want to pay the reduced fee.

[tombkk]

Thanks for the replies. I'll send them a letter then, just to be on the safe side.

I have never kept my PR extension of stay updated, though. I asked immigration (room 301 is Suanplu) about that when changing passport in 2008, they told me it was not needed as I already had an extension of stay arranged though my employer/BOI. My current passport does not bear any stamp indicating I ever applied for PR.

Thanks

OK. I suggest you ask the PR office to stamp your new passport, for example when you report your new job. Tell them it makes you feel better.

FWIW if you don't have a new job, they can always stamp an extension of stay for 6 months in your passport, as long as your PR application is under consideration.

I just dug out my old letter and noticed that I had to attach a copy of the new work permit showing the name of the new company, and the relevant company documents of the new company.

[chivo]

wow. still no announcement of when to apply this year?

[anatta]

wow. still no announcement of when to apply this year?

No, but I asked at Chiang Mai Immigration today and was told applications for PR *will* be accepted in the last two weeks of December.

[pit101]

No, but I asked at Chiang Mai Immigration today and was told applications for PR *will* be accepted in the last two weeks of December.

This is in general true. But this year seems to be different! May be that the information has not yet come to Chiang Mai immigration office!

[brianinbangkok]

" Immigration today and was told applications for PR *will* be accepted in the last two weeks of December."

I need to get a re entry permit renewed as I already have a PR.

Is the immigration office closing down for new year or do they stay open till 30 December ?

[Arkady]

" Immigration today and was told applications for PR *will* be accepted in the last two weeks of December."

I need to get a re entry permit renewed as I already have a PR. Is the immigration office closing down for new year or do they stay open till 30 December ?

Might be closed on 30 Dec as they sometimes get some extra holidays. Better ask them.

I hope you are right about accepting PR applications. I have just had a look in the Royal Gazette and the Interior Minister's announcement of the quota, which is a pre-requisite to opening the applications window, has not been announced yet for this year. The setting of annual quotas is a formality required under the Immigration Act. In practice the minister has always set the quota at the maximum permitted by law which is 100 for each nationality and 50 for stateless persons. This announcement has previously come out any time from September to December. In 2008 it came very late, dated 9 December and was only published in the Royal Gazette on 17 December.

Given the time lag between the date of the announcement and its publication in the Royal Gazette, I am sure that Immigration would already have been informed by ministry officials, if the announcement had been issued and was awaiting publication. It is cutting it fine, if there is no announcement yet but not impossible. If anyone wants to have look, go into http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/RKJ/index/index.htm and search for ถิ่นที่อยู่ (residence).

There is no obligation on the Minister to set an annual quota but I don't think a year has ever been skipped in recent times. If there is no quota for applications in 2010, I think we will be able to assume that it was the ministry's policy and nothing to do with the department head changing at Immigration. If the Minister sets a quota, the department head would not be able to justify ignoring the order.

On a more positive note, there is no legal obligation to only open for applications in December. It has just become common practice either due to late announcements by the Minister or to reduce the number of applications or both. The ministry might decide to skip a year due to the backlog and announce a quota in January. So don't throw away those notarised documents just yet.

Edited December 15, 2010 by Arkady

[brianinbangkok]

Just te be clear I did not hear any news regarding the opening of PR applications , just meant are they really open for business in last 2 weeks of this year so can get a re-entry permit.

" Immigration today and was told applications for PR *will* be accepted in the last two weeks of December."

I need to get a re entry permit renewed as I already have a PR. Is the immigration office closing down for new year or do they stay open till 30 December ?

Might be closed on 30 Dec as they sometimes get some extra holidays. Better ask them.

I hope you are right about accepting PR applications. I have just had a look in the Royal Gazette and the Interior Minister's announcement of the quota, which is a pre-requisite to opening the applications window, has not been announced yet for this year. The setting of annual quotas is a formality required under the Immigration Act. In practice the minister has always set the quota at the maximum permitted by law which is 100 for each nationality and 50 for stateless persons. This announcement has previously come out any time from September to December. In 2008 it came very late, dated 9 December and was only published in the Royal Gazette on 17 December.

Given the time lag between the date of the announcement and its publication in the Royal Gazette, I am sure that Immigration would already have been informed by ministry officials, if the announcement had been issued and was awaiting publication. It is cutting it fine, if there is no announcement yet but not impossible. If anyone wants to have look, go into http://www.ratchakit...index/index.htm and search for ถิ่นที่อยู่ (residence).

There is no obligation on the Minister to set an annual quota but I don't think a year has ever been skipped in recent times. If there is no quota for applications in 2010, I think we will be able to assume that it was the ministry's policy and nothing to do with the department head changing at Immigration. If the Minister sets a quota, the department head would not be able to justify ignoring the order.

On a more positive note, there is no legal obligation to only open for applications in December. It has just become common practice either due to late announcements by the Minister or to reduce the number of applications or both. The ministry might decide to skip a year due to the backlog and announce a quota in January. So don't throw away those notarised documents just yet.

[MikeyIdea]

If a moratorium is in place (thank you for linking that fascinating thread!) due to a possible change in rules/entitlements for PR then it might make more sense to stop accepting new PR applications until they have changed the pertinent provisions.

I will be applying for Thai citizenship in January as I see little point in just sitting around waiting for PR approval (applied in 2006) when I can apply for citizenship as the spouse of a Thai national. The application seems no more onerous than applying for PR and might even get approved before my PR does.

It seems that they have indeed stopped accepting new PR applications, at least for this year. Two friends who were planning to join the PR backlog this December have been told that the window won't be opening this year, confirming pip101's information. I don't think they were even given the feeble "change of personnel" excuse or told to check with the website in case the personnel difficulty got resolved in time to open for applications. As an aside, they should probably look at some redundancies in that department (and at the Interior Ministry) to save the taxpayer money, if the staff will have nothing to do next year. I would think that the Foreign Chambers and maybe even some of the less somnolent embassies should now take up this issue to ask the government to provide some sort of clarity over the PR application process. The government, of course, has the right to set whatever immigration policies it deems appropriate but in the interests of encouraging foreign investment, it has a duty to make these policies clear to interested parties.

I would think that others bogged down in the PR moratorium might also want to do what you suggest and apply for citizenship without waiting for the outcome of their PR applications. It doesn't affect me as I already have PR but I wonder, if Special Branch can accept concurrent citizenship applications from people who are applying for PR, or whether you would have to withdraw your PR application first.

Up until (Dec) 2006 immigration would publish all approvals from the immigration commission on their website assuming that they would automatically be granted (approved) PR by the Minister of Interior within a few months. As there has been no such announcements since then I would assume that immigration are not at all confident the the MoI will approve these applications or they do not want to advertise that these applicants have indeed passed the criteria for PR but are sitting in a vacuum. Despite the present political uncertainty, i do not see how the approval of a couple hundred PR applications submitted under the current guidelines (and approved by the immigration commission) would effect the current status quo.

I am surprised though, that no one out of the hundreds of applicants, seems to know what is going. It would be interesting to hear from 2009 applicants as they would still be in regular communication with immigration and might be able shed some light on what is happening.

I am 2009 class and was requested to provide one additional paper in late October which I did. The officer in charge of my application was nice and friendly as always. Confirm: 2009 applications are still being processed

I came back in November when it was time for nenewal of my work permit / extension and the same lady stamped a one year extension to my PR application in my passport. I am surprised when some of you report that you can't get more than 6 months, I didn't even ask and I got 12 months. We chatted about our kids and and joked and laughed in quick Thai, I have been on one year extensions for the last 10 years, I easily have enough points, maybe those things helped, especially us joking and laughing and chatting about our kids I suppose.

Apart from that, I have no information really, they seemed busy, one new face (in her early 40s, had been transferred in from another department), one 7-month pregnant. Everything seemed as normal

[THAIJAMES]

I think the reason you got 12 months is because you are doing your yearly renewal application and submitting all the required papers just like you would be if you were not applying for PR. Therefore you would be given 12 months as usual. (And the reason why you had to come back after one month to hear the results) Most of us are no longer submitting any paperwork and just go there to get the stamp. And I think this is the reason we only get 6 months.

Personally, I am extremely happy not to have to submit all the paperwork and all the work it requires and since you have to go there twice anyways to hear the results, I think that the 6 months option is better as it lets you keep in touch with them about what is happening.

[MikeyIdea]

Clarification: I renewed visa extension and work permit first, then went to Cheang Wattana to get the "residence" stamp a week later. Both were for a year.

Is it not mandatory to go and get the "residence" stamp too? I thought it was