Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[camerata]

I asked the ladies at the Permanent Residence section which documents I should carry around now - they said Passport, Certificate of Residence (Blue Book), and a copy of the Alien Registration (red book).

I think they are just trying to cover all situations, including you perhaps not having a driving licence. No one carries the blue book around with them. Since it functions as your visa once you renew your passport (the PR stamp is not transferred to a new passport), in the unlikely event that you were caught up in an Immigration police raid, I'm sure they would want to see passport + PR, or Alien's Book, or DL. I doubt they would accept just a passport with no current visa.

I wonder how many times folks get asked for their ID by cops in a year? I would think apart from traffic police, who accept a DL, it would mainly be required at upcountry roadblocks. As a bus passenger on the roads near the Burmese and Lao borders, I just show my passport - they never check for a visa or ask for anything else.

While in Bangkok I just carry the DL and a copy of my passport details reduced to credit card size and laminated.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Almost 25 years in Thailand, and have never been asked for ID (except DL when pulled over for an infraction). Not even once.

[howzat]

Today I have received by registered post to my home address confirmation that my residency has been approved. I am 2006 applicant. Good look to others still waiting but seems things are moving forward quickly.

[skyaslimit]

Today I have received by registered post to my home address confirmation that my residency has been approved. I am 2006 applicant. Good look to others still waiting but seems things are moving forward quickly.

congrats.

[jayboy]

Thanks to all for the advice on what to carry around.Though a very recent PR I have many friends with PR of long standing.Those I have asked all give advice in line with Camerata and if truth be told none carry more than DL.As I mentioned elsewhere one PR friend told me recently that the only time in 15 years he ever had to show the Red Book - apart from the annual immigration ritual - was when he applied for an international driving license.

[camerata]

Dealing with everyday bureaucracy is a bit different. For a new driving licence you need to show your Alien's Book, tabien baan and passport with a valid re-entry permit (they insisted on this at Mor Chit office even though it makes little sense). Banks seem to prefer a passport or DL for other-branch withdrawals. If you open a new account and don't have a work permit, they'll need your Alien's Book.

[tombkk]

Why the sudden flurry in approvals?

Don't ask. Just appreciate.

[tombkk]

Today I have received by registered post to my home address confirmation that my residency has been approved. I am 2006 applicant. Good look to others still waiting but seems things are moving forward quickly.

Congratulations!

Me and my friend (both class of 2006) learned when we called by phone that our PRs are approved. I'll believe it when I see it in writing, but it does sound good.

[tombkk]

Congratulations to those who got their PR!

How did you pay the fee of THB 171,000 (half for people married to a Thai)? Cash, cashier's cheque, credit card?

Sent from my LG-P698f using Thaivisa Connect App

I paid in cash last week - this is what immigration said would be easier (only other alternative is cashiers cheque but this takes a while for them to check on). I don't think credit card is an option.

Thanks for the info.

[Richardj]

So would you like to share with us that how you was informed? phone or letter?

Phone call from the lawyer handling my application.

Could someone who has acquired the PR recently advice, What is official mode of information from PR Section of Immegration to them is it Phone or Letter?

I received a letter yesterday. It was posted on 17 September informing that I have 30 days to get back to them. My wife called and made an appointment for next Wednesday. Every day before that is apparently fully booked with appointments. Fingers crossed that everything is going to go well.

About the letter, it is in rather archaic Thai and was quite difficult to understand but essentially, call the Immigration Police, make an appointment, bring all documents listed (in English) on the second page and bring the money.

[tamvine]

With Interior Minister problems mounting, is there nay news from any corner on the next batch of approvals? Or process is gonna stall again?

[tamvine]

So would you like to share with us that how you was informed? phone or letter?

Phone call from the lawyer handling my application.

Could someone who has acquired the PR recently advice, What is official mode of information from PR Section of Immegration to them is it Phone or Letter?

I received a letter yesterday. It was posted on 17 September informing that I have 30 days to get back to them. My wife called and made an appointment for next Wednesday. Every day before that is apparently fully booked with appointments. Fingers crossed that everything is going to go well.

About the letter, it is in rather archaic Thai and was quite difficult to understand but essentially, call the Immigration Police, make an appointment, bring all documents listed (in English) on the second page and bring the money.

Thankyou for the update, could you also advice which year you belong to? Guess 2006?

[Richardj]

Thankyou for the update, could you also advice which year you belong to? Guess 2006?

Yes, 2006.

[sas_cars]

I fear the same. Interior Ministry is having problems at the time.

[Arkady]

Hi, anybody get news from the batch of december 2011?

Thanks

A friend of mine in the class of 2011 had the panel interview at Immigration about two months ago. Nothing further.

[Arkady]

I fear the same. Interior Ministry is having problems at the time.

That other English language daily that may not be mentioned said that the Interior Minister has been instructed to regard himself as suspended from duties pending a clear ruling on his status as a result of the Alpine Golf affair. It seems this can only be definitively clarified by the Constitutional Court but no case has been filed yet. I suppose that approvals that have not yet been signed by the minister will now go back into limbo for a while.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Arkady

[manchestermike]

Hi all, got my PR frow CW today. All went smooth just took a couple of hours. Nice touch to be presented in the VIP room with photograph.

Then local police station for the aliens book. Should get tomw, then house book entry,then back for re-entry stamp.

Only extra piece of advice to check your name translated to thai is spelled correctly. My work permit, condo deed and PR application all spelled slightly different. Went with the Condo deed spelling.

I am class of 2006 and applied based upon employment.

[camerata]

My name was spelled incorrectly (they never asked me) and I didn't notice until after I got the Alien's Book, when it was too late. The Thai name spelling you get with PR is the one that goes into the Interior Ministry's database and ends up on your driving licence, so make sure it's the way you want it!

[NewlyMintedThai]

It is possible to get the spelling changed, though it requires some running around. Been there, done that.

[mania]

Why the sudden flurry in approvals? Good luck and congrats to others waiting or accepted though.

Hopefully it is just improved government processing, but also perhaps they

realize there is a lot of income for Thailand sitting there in unprocessed fees.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Why the sudden flurry in approvals? Good luck and congrats to others waiting or accepted though.

Hopefully it is just improved government processing, but also perhaps they

realize there is a lot of income for Thailand sitting there in unprocessed fees.

A couple million bucks. Not exactly peanuts, but it isn't exactly going to turn the economy around.

[mania]

A couple million bucks. Not exactly peanuts, but it isn't exactly going to turn the economy around.

For sure but it all helps.

I remember when some States back in the USA started speeding up building permits

because they realized a lot of fees were possible not to mention future taxes.

Good news either way for all those folks that have been waiting though

[tombkk]

Could someone who has acquired the PR recently advice, What is official mode of information from PR Section of Immegration to them is it Phone or Letter?

I received a letter yesterday. It was posted on 17 September informing that I have 30 days to get back to them. My wife called and made an appointment for next Wednesday. Every day before that is apparently fully booked with appointments. Fingers crossed that everything is going to go well.

About the letter, it is in rather archaic Thai and was quite difficult to understand but essentially, call the Immigration Police, make an appointment, bring all documents listed (in English) on the second page and bring the money.

I received the letter this morning. It's not archaic Thai but official language. I don't know where you're from but in Germany, the official language that is used when you receive letters from the government is also often difficult to understand for the general population. It's just the way governments communicate.

Does anybody know whether there is a photographer somewhere near the immigration office in the CW complex?

By the way, class of 2006.

[brianinbangkok]

There is a copy shop down in the basement of the cw complex that also makes photo's.

Edited September 27, 2012 by brianinbangkok

[tombkk]

There is a copy shop down in the basement of the cw complex that also makes photo's.

Thanks!

[camerata]

It is possible to get the spelling changed, though it requires some running around. Been there, done that.

The police told me it would be "very difficult" so I took the hint and didn't even try. I did try to get my "cheua chaat" changed, as it was incorrect and the District Office made a big deal out of it when I registered on the tabien baan. When I went back to Immigration they just laughed and said, "This is Thailand! No need to worry about small things like that."

Better to get everything right the first time. Cheua chaat is your father's nationality, not necessarily your own.

[sas_cars]

Just read the news that the Interior Minister is gonna resign today. So surely unsigned applications will go into limbo for quite sometime yet again. Until new Interior Minster is appointed and starts working. And even then, I don't think that signing PR apps would be on top of his agenda anyways.

[Arkady]

Could someone who has acquired the PR recently advice, What is official mode of information from PR Section of Immegration to them is it Phone or Letter?

I received a letter yesterday. It was posted on 17 September informing that I have 30 days to get back to them. My wife called and made an appointment for next Wednesday. Every day before that is apparently fully booked with appointments. Fingers crossed that everything is going to go well.

About the letter, it is in rather archaic Thai and was quite difficult to understand but essentially, call the Immigration Police, make an appointment, bring all documents listed (in English) on the second page and bring the money.

I received the letter this morning. It's not archaic Thai but official language. I don't know where you're from but in Germany, the official language that is used when you receive letters from the government is also often difficult to understand for the general population. It's just the way governments communicate.

Does anybody know whether there is a photographer somewhere near the immigration office in the CW complex?

By the way, class of 2006.

Congratulations Tom.

[Arkady]

It is possible to get the spelling changed, though it requires some running around. Been there, done that.

The police told me it would be "very difficult" so I took the hint and didn't even try. I did try to get my "cheua chaat" changed, as it was incorrect and the District Office made a big deal out of it when I registered on the tabien baan. When I went back to Immigration they just laughed and said, "This is Thailand! No need to worry about small things like that."

Better to get everything right the first time. Cheua chaat is your father's nationality, not necessarily your own.

The district offices now have a computerised system with codes for different nationalities which are I think the same as Cheua Chaat, and they can't key in anything that they have no code for. Brits should be aware that they can only classify you as British now, not English any more as they used to in the past and as Immigration, the Labour Ministry and the police stations still can. It's advisable to ensure that you have the same nationality and Cheau Chaat in all your documents, since variations can cause problems in future, as I found out to my cost. It's an absolute bitch to change any details in your residence book and alien book. It took me three months to do this including several lengthy interviews, visits to immigration, the police station, my current district office and the office that issued my original tabian baan. I think the same would apply to name spellings in Thai too. The spelling that goes in your residence book is the definitive version and all other documents should follow that. I had to make a couple of extra trips to the Labour Ministry after I noticed they had mispelled my name in Thai on my WP.

[Arkady]

Just read the news that the Interior Minister is gonna resign today. So surely unsigned applications will go into limbo for quite sometime yet again. Until new Interior Minster is appointed and starts working. And even then, I don't think that signing PR apps would be on top of his agenda anyways.

This must be bad news for anyone waiting for PR and probably citizenship too. Whatever else he may have done, Yongyuth put his insider knowledge gleaned from nearly 40 years at the ministry before going into politics to good use for many foreigners by breaking the logjam of PR approvals. He also seems to be have been very active approving citizenships for the Thai people who became stateless after fleeing from districts that became part of Burma after a border demarcation agreement. The new Nationality Act that recognised them as Thai only came into law this April and hundreds of them were naturalised as Thai under Yongyuth's signature last month. At least his resignation means that there will no case in the Constitutional Court which could have led to approvals signed by him being annulled.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Arkady