Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[sas_cars]

any update if the PR are being signed by the new minister Jarupong! The wait has been extremely long!!!!

lol. He hasn't even taken office yet. And I really bet that signing PR applications would be on top of his agenda once he takes office.

[GabbaGabbaHey]

On my side (2008, still waiting) I am confused by two different statements in the past weeks, one was that several hundred applications and possibly the entire batch of 2006/2007/2008 had been signed and all were back to the immigration, the other one was that at the moment, beside the 2006 and few 2007 PRs issued, no more signed applications were at CW. I now put my faith in an older post mentioning the 99% chances that all approved applications could be cleared by the end of the year...

[sas_cars]

On my side (2008, still waiting) I am confused by two different statements in the past weeks, one was that several hundred applications and possibly the entire batch of 2006/2007/2008 had been signed and all were back to the immigration, the other one was that at the moment, beside the 2006 and few 2007 PRs issued, no more signed applications were at CW. I now put my faith in an older post mentioning the 99% chances that all approved applications could be cleared by the end of the year...

The 99% chance was in the case the older interior minister would still be at the office. But since he's gone, so the 99% hope.

Now the new 99% chance is that, no more PR are going to be signed within this year. lol.

2006 batch and few 2007 PR are few real lucky chaps.

[stbkk]

Hi all,

I'm one of the lucky 2006 batch, and finally received my book on Monday.

There were 4 of us who received books that morning (2 Koreans and a Japanese, in addition to me, a Brit), and a pile of about 20-30 or so sets of documents still in the corner of the room. My guess is thats all that's left of the signed ones, so if you have not had any communication from them by now, you are probably out of luck and back in the wait state.

As I have a friend in the 2008 batch, I enquired specifically about the progress of that set, and I'm afraid its the old 'we don't know' reply.

It doesn't sound too hopeful on the surface, but you never know. Maybe by the departing minister breaking the deadlock the new guy wont feel that he will be setting a precedent, and may find time to sign a few himself.

All I can say is that I had just about given up hope, and it finally came through in the end.

Good luck to all of you still waiting!

[tombkk]

I have never had the "old" 'we don't know' reply. Over all the six years I was waiting the staff of the PR desk were always friendly and looked up my case (of course, I had to tell them the case number). Has their attitude changed?

[stbkk]

I didn't say they weren't helpful and friendly, just that they were back to the old situation of not knowing when any more applications would be signed.

[tombkk]

One more thing: I now have a non-quota immigrant visa in my passport. It is valid for a year "if passport remains valid".

Well, my passport won't remain valid much longer, as it is almost full. I asked the nice lady at immi whether I'll have to move the visa. She said no, I will have to take two passports when I travel.

Hm. The old passport will become invalid when I get the new one. She said I should ask the embassy to not stamp it invalid, but of course I won't have that option.

Anybody with experience? Do I have to move that visa, or travel with two passports (one invalid but with visa, another one current)?

[Mario2008]

An old passport becomes invalid as means of ID, but any active visas in it remain valid, provided the embassy doesn't invalidate the pages with the visas on it. Embassy staff will know this.

Normal practise is to punch a few holes through the ID page and some other pages of the passport, or to cut out a triangle, with leaving the visa pages intact.

[lopburi3]

This was the person placing the immigrant visa in your passport that said this? As believe you have PR and this is an immigration issued visa not sure why they can not make a new entry in new passport but in general a visa itself is not issued by immigration so they can not transfer and it would work as stated above. I would make sure they are aware you are talking immigrant visa rather than non immigrant visa if any possibility of a misunderstanding.

[Dork]

One more thing: I now have a non-quota immigrant visa in my passport. It is valid for a year "if passport remains valid".

Well, my passport won't remain valid much longer, as it is almost full. I asked the nice lady at immi whether I'll have to move the visa. She said no, I will have to take two passports when I travel.

Hm. The old passport will become invalid when I get the new one. She said I should ask the embassy to not stamp it invalid, but of course I won't have that option.

Anybody with experience? Do I have to move that visa, or travel with two passports (one invalid but with visa, another one current)?

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

[skyaslimit]

One more thing: I now have a non-quota immigrant visa in my passport. It is valid for a year "if passport remains valid".

Well, my passport won't remain valid much longer, as it is almost full. I asked the nice lady at immi whether I'll have to move the visa. She said no, I will have to take two passports when I travel.

Hm. The old passport will become invalid when I get the new one. She said I should ask the embassy to not stamp it invalid, but of course I won't have that option.

Anybody with experience? Do I have to move that visa, or travel with two passports (one invalid but with visa, another one current)?

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

dont forget the work permit

Edited November 2, 2012 by skyaslimit

[Dork]

One more thing: I now have a non-quota immigrant visa in my passport. It is valid for a year "if passport remains valid".

Well, my passport won't remain valid much longer, as it is almost full. I asked the nice lady at immi whether I'll have to move the visa. She said no, I will have to take two passports when I travel.

Hm. The old passport will become invalid when I get the new one. She said I should ask the embassy to not stamp it invalid, but of course I won't have that option.

Anybody with experience? Do I have to move that visa, or travel with two passports (one invalid but with visa, another one current)?

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

dont forget the work permit

Yes, sorry I forgot that one.....

[Maestro]

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

The part about carrying a cancelled passport applies not only to PR holders but to all travellers with a visa valid for more than one entry who get a new passport before the expiration of the visa. You don't have to carry the old passport for life, only until the visa expires. The next visa will be put in your new passport.

tombkk did not post a scan of his non-quota immigrant visa but I guess it is the PR holder's version of the re-entry permit, ie a stamp saying something like "non-quota immigrant visa good for ... return journeys to Thailand until ... if the passport remains valid". The last such visa I have in my old passports is dated 11 FEB 1982 and the text has probably changed somewhat since then.

But another "benefit" of holding PR is that you pay more for the re-entry permit (non-quota immigrant visa) than other people.

[Maestro]

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

The part about carrying a cancelled passport applies not only to PR holders but to all travellers with a visa valid for more than one entry who get a new passport before the expiration of the visa. You don't have to carry the old passport for life, only until the visa expires. The next visa will be put in your new passport.

tombkk did not post a scan of his non-quota immigrant visa but I guess it is the PR holder's version of the re-entry permit, ie a stamp saying something like "non-quota immigrant visa good for ... return journeys to Thailand until ... if the passport remains valid". The last such visa I have in my old passports is dated 11 FEB 1982 and the text has probably changed somewhat since then.

But another "benefit" of holding PR is that you pay more for the re-entry permit (non-quota immigrant visa) than other people, and your residency is only permanent as long as you do not forget to get the re-entry permit before you travel abroad and do not forget to get one of your books – forgot which one – stamped at your local police station every five years.

[skyaslimit]

another newer expereince i have encounterd personaly is that who ever sees my red police book ( police stations, amphoe etc.) always exclaim that this book was carried by the chineese immigrants a long long time ago and a lot of them 've been passed away since! and wow how could I have this with my name on it in 21st century?

[Dork]

tombkk did not post a scan of his non-quota immigrant visa but I guess it is the PR holder's version of the re-entry permit, ie a stamp saying something like "non-quota immigrant visa good for ... return journeys to Thailand until ... if the passport remains valid". The last such visa I have in my old passports is dated 11 FEB 1982 and the text has probably changed somewhat since then.

Just compared it to mine issued last month and it is practically identical, certainly the text is.

1982! Wow! so you're either a Thai citizen now or you haven't left Thailand for 30 years!

[Dork]

But another "benefit" of holding PR is that you pay more for the re-entry permit (non-quota immigrant visa) than other people, and your residency is only permanent as long as you do not forget to get the re-entry permit before you travel abroad and do not forget to get one of your books – forgot which one – stamped at your local police station every five years.

I'm only kidding, not complaining about the "benefit" thing but I think the 2006ers are so relieved it's over there is almost an element of Stockholm Syndrome creeping in.

[tombkk]

That's another benefit we get with PR.. Not only does our cache of documents include a valid passport, residence certificate, Alien certificate and a Tabien Ban but we also get to carry a cancelled passport around.

The part about carrying a cancelled passport applies not only to PR holders but to all travellers with a visa valid for more than one entry who get a new passport before the expiration of the visa. You don't have to carry the old passport for life, only until the visa expires. The next visa will be put in your new passport.

tombkk did not post a scan of his non-quota immigrant visa but I guess it is the PR holder's version of the re-entry permit, ie a stamp saying something like "non-quota immigrant visa good for ... return journeys to Thailand until ... if the passport remains valid". The last such visa I have in my old passports is dated 11 FEB 1982 and the text has probably changed somewhat since then.

But another "benefit" of holding PR is that you pay more for the re-entry permit (non-quota immigrant visa) than other people.

Yes, my visa looks the same.

I have no re-entry permit any more. I have this immigrant visa which is valid for multiple entries (I think the price is the same as the non-imm re-entry permit), and in addition, I have an "endorsement" in my PR book which attracted another fee. Non-imms will be jealous of this extra stamp!

[tombkk]

This was the person placing the immigrant visa in your passport that said this? As believe you have PR and this is an immigration issued visa not sure why they can not make a new entry in new passport but in general a visa itself is not issued by immigration so they can not transfer and it would work as stated above. I would make sure they are aware you are talking immigrant visa rather than non immigrant visa if any possibility of a misunderstanding.

Yes, this non-quota immigrant visa was issued by Immigration at Chaeng Wat, counter E1. Same counter and same time as the endorsement of the PR book. And the immigration officer who handed my passport and PR book back to me said that.

[lopburi3]

Yes the same price as re-entry permit in multi entry form - but more expensive if single.

Non-quota immigrant visa outside the annual quota for immigrants admitted to the Kingdom:

Single entry: 1,900.- Baht

Multiple entries within 1 year: 3,800.- Baht

[Maestro]

1982! Wow! so you're either a Thai citizen now or you haven't left Thailand for 30 years!

I moved to Switzerland to work for a company there and I abandoned the PR, which my Thai employer had arranged for me. Too much hassle keeping it up, since at that time one needed a tax clearance certificate for every departure from Thailand and this took three working days to get. You guys have it easier today.

[Dork]

1982! Wow! so you're either a Thai citizen now or you haven't left Thailand for 30 years!

I moved to Switzerland to work for a company there and I abandoned the PR, which my Thai employer had arranged for me. Too much hassle keeping it up, since at that time one needed a tax clearance certificate for every departure from Thailand and this took three working days to get. You guys have it easier today.

Understandable. Fortunately I just missed having to get those tax clearances but I remember friends complaining about it. Apparently they had to spend hours queuing up at the unairconditioned revenue office on Rachadamnoen. And if you had say a family emergency and needed to leave urgently you couldn't. We have Anand Panyarachun to thank for getting rid of that nonsense.

[camerata]

The weird thing about the Tax Clearance was you had to have a "financial guarantee" (presumably in case you under-declared tax and then disappeared forever), so you paid 200 baht to one of the dodgy agents hanging around outside the door. I think my regular guy worked for a company called Bert's Travel.

[Arkady]

1982! Wow! so you're either a Thai citizen now or you haven't left Thailand for 30 years!

I moved to Switzerland to work for a company there and I abandoned the PR, which my Thai employer had arranged for me. Too much hassle keeping it up, since at that time one needed a tax clearance certificate for every departure from Thailand and this took three working days to get. You guys have it easier today.

Well the PR was a lot easy to get and much cheaper then. So it was swings and round-a-bouts. I don't remember much about getting tax clearances. It was just a piece of paper my secretary gave me along with my flight ticket before going to the airport. It certainly wasn't of a hassle, if you paid someone a modest fee to get it done but I objected to the principle of having to get it and the fact that it wasn't possible to travel at very short notice.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Arkady

[tombkk]

Yes, I remember having to fill in a tax declaration whenever I had stayed more than 90 days, and actually pay taxes (for the amount I presumably spent) whenever I had stayed more than 180 days in a calendar year. And I was on tourist visas back then (backpacking). That was back in the 1980s.

But then, this topic is about PR, isn't it?

[skyaslimit]

Yes, I remember having to fill in a tax declaration whenever I had stayed more than 90 days, and actually pay taxes (for the amount I presumably spent) whenever I had stayed more than 180 days in a calendar year. And I was on tourist visas back then (backpacking). That was back in the 1980s.

But then, this topic is about PR, isn't it?

I kept some of those tax slips, though I still could'nt figure out why I paid those taxes when I was on a tourist visa and backpacking. But I am wiser now and happy with my PR status

[Arkady]

Yes, I remember having to fill in a tax declaration whenever I had stayed more than 90 days, and actually pay taxes (for the amount I presumably spent) whenever I had stayed more than 180 days in a calendar year. And I was on tourist visas back then (backpacking). That was back in the 1980s.

But then, this topic is about PR, isn't it?

I kept some of those tax slips, though I still could'nt figure out why I paid those taxes when I was on a tourist visa and backpacking. But I am wiser now and happy with my PR status

Still off topic but I was forced to pay Bt 40,000 in tax for multiple short visits on transit visas when I applied in person (as one had to do then) for my first tax ID number in the 80s, even though the total didn't amount to anything like 180 days in a tax year. They went through my passport and made an arbitrary decision in about 5 minutes that I had been working in Thailand, calculated a tax liability and presented me with a bill. I thought it was over the top since there was no prima facie evidence I had been working that could have stood up in a rule of law jurisdiction and no way I could have got a work permit for all those business visits as there was no office until I had set it up. Anyway they only wanted the cash and there was no suggestion of making a case with Labour Dept or Immigration, so I just shelled out and charged it as a business start up expense. It seemed to be a racket and maybe they had some way of syphoning off the cash , even though they gave a receipt, or maybe got a reward. They probably did something similar to long stay backpackers in those days. Also happy to have got PR when things were easier.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Arkady

[pablomeng]

Hello, I successfully passed the interview at the begining on this year (2012). Now they allow me to extend the visa for every 6 months. My questions are:

1. Anyone has updates about when we will receive it the real PR so we don't need to go every 6 months?

2. Last time was the first time that I didn't extend the working visa by submitting all the documents, and it seems like everything was fine. So, can I switch my work place?

Anyone that has any updates or experience, welcome to reply

[stbkk]

As far as getting the PR is concerned, the 2006 and some (I undestand) of the 2007 received theirs over the last few months or so.

This was the first set of significant numbers of approvals for over 5 years.

But since then the Interior minister (who has to sign off all applications) has resigned.

There is no information about if/when the next minister will sign any.

But as it sounds like you are a 2011 applicant, there are a lot ahead of you in the queue! Many months wait for sure, years possibly. I waited nearly 6 years for mine to be approved (I applied in 2006 and got it last month).

Be patient is the best advice I can give, and be polite on your 6 monthly trip to Immigration....!

[Dork]

Hello, I successfully passed the interview at the begining on this year (2012). Now they allow me to extend the visa for every 6 months. My questions are:

1. Anyone has updates about when we will receive it the real PR so we don't need to go every 6 months?

2. Last time was the first time that I didn't extend the working visa by submitting all the documents, and it seems like everything was fine. So, can I switch my work place?

Anyone that has any updates or experience, welcome to reply

Yes you can change jobs while in the waiting period. Many in the present queue have done that and some even stopped working altogether.