Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[Jsu360418]

The receipt is for 60 THB for the card itself. It says, and I'll do a lose translation since its in Thai, " new normal card for person without Thai nationality". The receipt has your picture and thumb print on it. You show that it pick it up.

[ubonjoe]

The receipt sounds like what they gave Thai's as a temporary ID card back before they started doing them as soon a the request was done.

[onthemoon]

The receipt is for 60 THB for the card itself. It says, and I'll do a lose translation since its in Thai, " new normal card for person without Thai nationality". The receipt has your picture and thumb print on it. You show that it pick it up.

I didn't have to pay for the letter that showed the date (31 February in my case) when I could pick up the card. Hm.

[Ruamari]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

[Jsu360418]

I might be wrong but I don't believe you can as you have to submit three (3) full, complete years of your personal tax return from your PN.D 91.

[PH59]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Edited July 19, 2015 by PH59

[Ruamari]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Thanks. I have been on a single Non Immigrant Visa for the same period of time, probably even a few days longer, so that won't be a problem.

But both will only be of two years and eleven months in duration at the end of 2015 and I will not be able to submit a full three year record of paying taxes.

I work for a BOI-registered company who uses a professional service to complete the visa and work permit processes and have paid full taxes. I think I would have no problem meeting all requirements if the application window was rolling.

However, I will not have reached three years by the end of 2015.

I was hoping that it would be possible to submit prior to the three year mark, or if it would be possible to submit in early 2016.

It seems like the answer is no.

My back up plan is likely to be a Thai Elite visa as I am planning to set up my own company at some point soon. I could delay for a few months, but not for a whole year.

Thanks again for your help.

[onthemoon]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Did they change the regulations? During my times, it was 3 years on the same work permit. If you were in the country on non-B for 10 years but just changed jobs and were therefore on a new work permit, you'd have had to wait until 3 years on that work permit were competed. Unless memory does not serve well.

I don't think you get a work permit on an Elite Visa, but that is off-topic here.

[Arkady]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Did they change the regulations? During my times, it was 3 years on the same work permit. If you were in the country on non-B for 10 years but just changed jobs and were therefore on a new work permit, you'd have had to wait until 3 years on that work permit were competed. Unless memory does not serve well.

I don't think you get a work permit on an Elite Visa, but that is off-topic here.

First of all the January application deadline for 2014 applications was an aberration because they couldn't organise the cabinet resolution that is required by the Immigration Act in time to take applications in December 2014, since the government only took office in September. I would expect the window for 2015 applications to be in December 2015.

I am pretty sure you will need to have the 3 years' on a work permit and 3 (calendar) years' tax receipts in hand at the time of application but I would be happy to be proved wrong. I have heard of Immigration giving a one month extension to submit home country police clearance, as they know that can take some time, but that's all. To get your tax receipts in January you would need cooperation from your company to give you your 50 bis document early and would also have to avoid claiming any non-standard deductions to get the Revenue Department to approve you tax return instantly. Thus I think it unlikely that Immigration would wait for same year tax receipts, as you can't be sure how long they will take.

I don't think there has ever been a requirement to be 3 years on the same work permit, just the continuous NON-B extensions with back-to-back job changes, if you have changed jobs. A colleague in applied in the late 90s when we had just done a merger which meant that he had a new employer and a new work permit, even though he was effectively in the same job. He didn't have any problem with that and got his PR within a year, as was normal in those days.

Same thing with citizenship. I changed jobs less than a year before I applied for citizenship and that didn't cause a problem, although they did check that my work permits were continuous because the same 3-year work permit rule applies.

I believe you can get a work permit on an Elite Card, although that may depend on what type of card you buy. However, there is little point in spending the money, if you are going to apply for PR a year later. You will get 6-month visa extensions free of charge, no questions asked, for however long your PR application takes.

[Dogmatix]

A friend was asked to pay an "express" fee of B5,000 for the issue of his residence book after being made to wait a month for an appointment, so they could smooth out the work flow, given the large batch approved by the minister.

[Andrew Eldritch]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Did they change the regulations? During my times, it was 3 years on the same work permit. If you were in the country on non-B for 10 years but just changed jobs and were therefore on a new work permit, you'd have had to wait until 3 years on that work permit were competed. Unless memory does not serve well.

I don't think you get a work permit on an Elite Visa, but that is off-topic here.

PH59 is correct. It does not need to be 3 years on the same work permit. I changed employers during the 3 year period before my application. What is important is that you don't break your extension for 3 years and that you are above the income threshold for all 36 months prior to your application.

Also, you do not need 3 "full years" of personal tax returns at the time of submitting your application. I arrived during 2006 and applied in December 2009 using tax returns from 2006, 2007 and 2008. I was asked to provide my 2009 return in early 2010.

[Bangel72]

A friend was asked to pay an "express" fee of B5,000 for the issue of his residence book after being made to wait a month for an appointment, so they could smooth out the work flow, given the large batch approved by the minister.

I've also heard from a few people that this smoothing out the process fee was back in practice. A lot of people applied when it was the norm but it seemed to have dropped away in recent years, it would be a shame to see it back.

[Dogmatix]

A friend was asked to pay an "express" fee of B5,000 for the issue of his residence book after being made to wait a month for an appointment, so they could smooth out the work flow, given the large batch approved by the minister.

I've also heard from a few people that this smoothing out the process fee was back in practice. A lot of people applied when it was the norm but it seemed to have dropped away in recent years, it would be a shame to see it back.

My friend said he wasn't given a receipt for the express fee. Perhaps that was just an oversight by the officers but, given that they have spread out the appointments over several weeks to allow them to process them in an orderly manner, there is no conceivable justification for the express fee. Is there any published regulation that refers to it?

Edited July 24, 2015 by Dogmatix

[Michael Hare]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

1 Blue house registration book. I sold my house some months ago and moved into a new house. No problem in getting my name into the blue house registration book at the Ubon Amphur office. Took about 15 minutes.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

3 Drivers licence. A few weeks later I renewed my 5 year drivers licence. On the old licence was my Thai ID number. But on the new 5 year drivers licence they refused to put this on and put my New Zealand passport number on because this was the new regulation for all non-Thai citizens from this current government. I still think they are wrong but I couldn't be bothered wasting time to argue.

4 Renewing 5 year Registration certificate. Yesterday I renewed my 5 year registration certificate in the old reddish-brown book. 800 baht. Took about 1 hour at the Ubon city police station. This time they wanted 4 photos, one of which was pasted into the book to show my current face.

I asked the police officer there how many PR people were there in the Ubon area. He said over 400. I was quite surprised at this number. He then said that most were Chinese or Vietnamese. There were less than 10 Europeans with PR in Ubon. I don't know any of them. I think that some may be the older French Catholic priests who live in Ubon, but I am only guessing.

[onthemoon]

I will have completed three years on a single work permit in January of 2016.

But, it seems that the annual application window closes at the end of January. Is it possible for me to submit an application when I have two years and eleven months on a work permit, then reach the three year mark prior to the review process? Or would I have to wait another full year.

In the latter case, I would probably apply for an Elite Visa instead.

Thank you.

you need to have 3 years on a single Non Imm Visa with uninterrupted extensions, not a single work permit

yes you still need the work permit but the Non Imm and extensions are non negotiable

Did they change the regulations? During my times, it was 3 years on the same work permit. If you were in the country on non-B for 10 years but just changed jobs and were therefore on a new work permit, you'd have had to wait until 3 years on that work permit were competed. Unless memory does not serve well.

I don't think you get a work permit on an Elite Visa, but that is off-topic here.

PH59 is correct. It does not need to be 3 years on the same work permit. I changed employers during the 3 year period before my application. What is important is that you don't break your extension for 3 years and that you are above the income threshold for all 36 months prior to your application.

Also, you do not need 3 "full years" of personal tax returns at the time of submitting your application. I arrived during 2006 and applied in December 2009 using tax returns from 2006, 2007 and 2008. I was asked to provide my 2009 return in early 2010.

I stand corrected. This means that I could have applied a lot earlier... Never mind, river under the bridge.

[onthemoon]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

Yours is for life? When did you get it?

3 Drivers licence. A few weeks later I renewed my 5 year drivers licence. On the old licence was my Thai ID number. But on the new 5 year drivers licence they refused to put this on and put my New Zealand passport number on because this was the new regulation for all non-Thai citizens from this current government. I still think they are wrong but I couldn't be bothered wasting time to argue.

Yes, they were wrong.

[Bangel72]

A friend was asked to pay an "express" fee of B5,000 for the issue of his residence book after being made to wait a month for an appointment, so they could smooth out the work flow, given the large batch approved by the minister.

I've also heard from a few people that this smoothing out the process fee was back in practice. A lot of people applied when it was the norm but it seemed to have dropped away in recent years, it would be a shame to see it back.

My friend said he wasn't given a receipt for the express fee. Perhaps that was just an oversight by the officers but, given that they have spread out the appointments over several weeks to allow them to process them in an orderly manner, there is no conceivable justification for the express fee. Is there any published regulation that refers to it?

It is what they refer to as Tea money, still common at the immigration department and in the provincial police stations to get the boss's signature on your red/brown book.

There are some grey area's in the process that get exploited.

For example, say you applied on the basis of marriage and dependents 7 years ago. It only now gets approved and the permit is sitting waiting on you to pay your fee and come and pick it up, however you have since been divorced but sat quietly on your permit application visa.

This then becomes a question of whether your permit is based on your current situation or your situation at the time of application and subsequent vetting interview.

As there is no clarity on this, it is a grey area that Tea money will overlook, the alternative being they cancel your "permit application visa" on the spot without any regard to investments, housing and any other commitments you have built up over the last 7 years since you applied.

I am not in favour of tea money but unfortunately it is sometimes the cost of common sense and efficiency, incompetence, delays and bureaucracy is free.

[Michael Hare]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

Yours is for life? When did you get it?

3 Drivers licence. A few weeks later I renewed my 5 year drivers licence. On the old licence was my Thai ID number. But on the new 5 year drivers licence they refused to put this on and put my New Zealand passport number on because this was the new regulation for all non-Thai citizens from this current government. I still think they are wrong but I couldn't be bothered wasting time to argue.

Yes, they were wrong.

My Pink ID card is for life. I got the card at the Ubon Ratchathani city council office but they did not process it. It was done in Bangkok at the Interior Ministry I believe. I applied in February 2013 and the card came through in June 2013. The people at the council offices were also surprised it was for life. It was the first Pink ID Card they had ever seen.

I just presumed all cards have to be issued from Bangkok and they are for life.

I have been a PR for many years and it was only in 2013 that I found out I could get an ID card.

I wrote above that there were over 400 people with PR in the Ubon area. I must be the only one with a Pink ID card.

[manghnanip]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

Yours is for life? When did you get it?

3 Drivers licence. A few weeks later I renewed my 5 year drivers licence. On the old licence was my Thai ID number. But on the new 5 year drivers licence they refused to put this on and put my New Zealand passport number on because this was the new regulation for all non-Thai citizens from this current government. I still think they are wrong but I couldn't be bothered wasting time to argue.

Yes, they were wrong.

My Pink ID card is for life. I got the card at the Ubon Ratchathani city council office but they did not process it. It was done in Bangkok at the Interior Ministry I believe. I applied in February 2013 and the card came through in June 2013. The people at the council offices were also surprised it was for life. It was the first Pink ID Card they had ever seen.

I just presumed all cards have to be issued from Bangkok and they are for life.

I have been a PR for many years and it was only in 2013 that I found out I could get an ID card.

I wrote above that there were over 400 people with PR in the Ubon area. I must be the only one with a Pink ID card.

The Pink card is for 10 years validity and not for Life. after 10 years you need to renew card again.

[Arkady]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

Yours is for life? When did you get it?

3 Drivers licence. A few weeks later I renewed my 5 year drivers licence. On the old licence was my Thai ID number. But on the new 5 year drivers licence they refused to put this on and put my New Zealand passport number on because this was the new regulation for all non-Thai citizens from this current government. I still think they are wrong but I couldn't be bothered wasting time to argue.

Yes, they were wrong.

Strange they should want to do that when BORA has assigned you a Thai ID number for life as a Thai resident which is the best way to track you. Passport numbers change every time you get a new passport but perhaps that is a new regulation for foreigners without PR. It would not be the first time a government department refused to acknowledge that PR status exists.

[Dogmatix]

I have not read this thread for many months and so reading through it today some points came up which I would like to comment on from Ubon Ratchathani experience.

2 Pink ID card. At the Ubon city council offices I found out that they would not issue a new pink ID card with my new address on it. They said the one I had was for life and that there was no need to change my address on it. I argued that when Thai citizens changed their house registration they get a new citizen ID card. The reply was that the pink ID card is just that - an ID card. It does not have to match with the house registration address.

Yours is for life? When did you get it?

My Pink ID card is for life. I got the card at the Ubon Ratchathani city council office but they did not process it. It was done in Bangkok at the Interior Ministry I believe. I applied in February 2013 and the card came through in June 2013. The people at the council offices were also surprised it was for life. It was the first Pink ID Card they had ever seen.

I just presumed all cards have to be issued from Bangkok and they are for life.

I have been a PR for many years and it was only in 2013 that I found out I could get an ID card.

I wrote above that there were over 400 people with PR in the Ubon area. I must be the only one with a Pink ID card.

The Pink card is for 10 years validity and not for Life. after 10 years you need to renew card again.

I have come across workers from Laos and Burma who have the alien workers' version of the 10 year pink card which is nearly exactly the same but has a slight difference in wording. The funny thing is that they all seem to believe the pink card is like a green card and, as long as they also have a valid passport, that gives them total freedom to work at any job they feel like, including bars and massage parlours etc. I imagine that they all got the pink cards in the first place because they were employed in a factory, a farm or a construction site. It's easy to see how such a misunderstanding could arise and it's odd that the government give them the same 10 year pink card as minorities born in Thailand and PRs, when they are actually supposed to go home after four years AFAIK, depending on the type of WP they have.

It seems that documentation for aliens is really confused. Foreigners who should have the most rights in Thailand, i.e. PRs are being lumped in with stateless people and alien labourers, who actually have an easier time getting pink cards than most PRs.

[manghnanip]

The Pink card( Baby Pink with Logos printed )for Residents... clearly states... mi by samkhan thin thee u mimi sanchart Thai ( means Holder is resident Not Thai)card is for 10 years,

Loas and Burmese - their pink card ( its Fuschia not Pink) different

once you get the resident then the 13 digit no is mentioned on driving license and no more mention of passport number.

another thing even if you have a resident , still you need a work permit

[Arkady]

The Pink card( Baby Pink with Logos printed )for Residents... clearly states... mi by samkhan thin thee u mimi sanchart Thai ( means Holder is resident Not Thai)card is for 10 years,

Loas and Burmese - their pink card ( its Fuschia not Pink) different

once you get the resident then the 13 digit no is mentioned on driving license and no more mention of passport number.

another thing even if you have a resident , still you need a work permit

Definitely need a WP. When WPs were first introduced in the early 70s, permanent residents who were working at the time were given a WP for life, on condition that they didn't change their profession. Don't know why that was a one-off. It was a good concept, although should have allowed change of profession. That way they would still protect the prohibited occupations, although they seem to be quite happy nowadays to let Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians work in all of the unskilled prohibited occupations.

[Zam]

Hi All,

I am among the candidates who got the PR approved after a 5 year wait, I wanted to know for applying PR for the children in Dec 2015 if its announced and am hoping this year it will be on track considering all back log has been cleared by the government this time around. Are the following docs only needed since they are being primarily supported by my PR.

1-- PR copies

2-- Passport copies all pages

3-- Medical certicate from government hospital

4-- Certificates to be attested byt the foreign ministry

5-- Police clearance certificate from the embassy

6-- Heard that there will be a DNA test also required

Other than this for the PR holder are there any docs required to be submitted other than passport and work permit if available.

Would appreciate if any of the members can help with the guideline for preparation of docs, I do understand the fee is 50% for the dependants as and when its approved.

Many Thanks

Zam

[sas_cars]

Hi Zam,

I am in the same boat as you, recently acquired PR. I recently read the guidelines on applying for PR for dependants and found that all requirements are the same as when you applied for yourself. They are not as simple as you or anybody with PR think should be. So I thought to skip it and will rather apply citizenship for my dependants directly, once after I become a thai citizen, which is my ultimate goal.

[Zam]

Thanks for that however in my case children are 18 years old and this route of applying this year seems the best bet to go through the grind once again seems the only option, Citizenship could take minimum 3 years to apply for I was told by the immigration.

[sas_cars]

Thanks for that however in my case children are 18 years old and this route of applying this year seems the best bet to go through the grind once again seems the only option, Citizenship could take minimum 3 years to apply for I was told by the immigration.

Yes, if your dependants are 18 years old already, then you have no choice but to apply PR for them this year, in order for them to avoid the visa hassles later when they turn 20. Do it quick !

[PhuketFr]

Hi! Class of 2013 (December). Just learn that my PR is approved. Need to prepare documents and go to BKK CW to retrieve the documents. Do you know if it can be done in a single day or need to spend a night in BKK ?

Edited October 5, 2015 by PhuketFr

[sas_cars]

Hi! Class of 2013 (December). Just learn that my PR is approved. Need to prepare documents and go to BKK CW to retrieve the documents. Do you know if it can be done in a single day or need to spend a night in BKK ?

First of all congrats. Secondly, usually they dont give it on the same day, need wait of few days involved for the boss to sign. You may get it on the same day if you sweeten the pot a little, around 5000 baht (that was what i was asked)

[onthemoon]

Hi! Class of 2013 (December). Just learn that my PR is approved. Need to prepare documents and go to BKK CW to retrieve the documents. Do you know if it can be done in a single day or need to spend a night in BKK ?

First of all congrats. Secondly, usually they dont give it on the same day, need wait of few days involved for the boss to sign. You may get it on the same day if you sweeten the pot a little, around 5000 baht (that was what i was asked)

Congrats PhuketFr!

sas_cars, my experience is the exact opposite. I went in the morning and got all completed within the same day, and that was the same for all successful applicants that day. No "sweetening the pot" was ever asked from me at the PR division.

Ever.

Edited October 5, 2015 by onthemoon