Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[sas_cars]

Are there any members from the 2009 batch? Please don't forget to post the updates once you start receiving approval letters.

[Zam]

Hi

Which number we need to call on the impending application for 2009 batch apparently when you call the CW all they have to say is you will be informed by letter and have nothing else to say!

So appreciate if any of you can give this information which will be handy.

[Arkady]

Has Thai Owl or anyone else successfully applied for an alien ID card yet? That computer glitch must have cleared up by now.

[sas_cars]

Hi

Which number we need to call on the impending application for 2009 batch apparently when you call the CW all they have to say is you will be informed by letter and have nothing else to say!

So appreciate if any of you can give this information which will be handy.

Just need to wait for the letter I guess. Keep checking your mailbox (the address which you gave in the application)

[GarryP]

I received the red "Alien" book and the certificate of residence last week.

Today I read on this forum that I should have an ID number which starts with 8 or 6. I checked both books and can't find any number that starts with 8 or 6.

I start to get confused and therefore I like to know on which document or page I can find this ID number (starts with 8 or 6)?

Why is this ID number so important and for what reason I need this number?

By the way, just now I found a number which starts with 8 on my house registration book (13 digits). Is this the ID number?

Your ID number will be issued by your district office when you apply for a blue tabian baan as a permanent resident. The number doesn't appear in your Residence Book or Alien Book, probably because they pre-date the system of tabian baans and ID cards, while government departments resist change and protect their turf. It will start with an 8 for PRs. 6 is for temporary residents with a yellow tabian baan. The reason this number is important is that it will be your permanent ID number. It will be your new tax ID number and will appear on your driving licence. If you ever upgrade to Thai citizenship, the same 8 prefix number will be your Thai ID number.

Thanks, it means I have to inform the tax authorities about my new tax id now? I just ask because I pay every month tax to the government. Or should I inform our accountant from the company about the new tax id? Sorry to ask all this questions, I just feel unsure in this matter!

Inform the person from your company who files the employee tax returns with the Revenue Department. If they don't know the procedure, they must call the RD to find out. My company continued to use my 9 digit foreigner's temporary tax ID number for a couple of years after I got PR because they and I didn't know I should have switched to my new 13 digit ID number which only got into the RD's system when I started with a new company. The accountant there just automatically took my 13 digit ID number from my tabian baan, as she would do for a Thai, and keyed it in without even realising I had previously filed under another tax ID number and without any reaction from the RD. That didn't cause me any problems but it seems better to get it right from the get go, if you know about it. Anyway the RD has announced recently that it is going to move to a system whereby all individuals have to have 13 digit tax ID numbers which presumably means that all foreigners on WPs are going to have to get on tabian baans, something that would be interesting to see and which would make it practical to issue ID cards to them.

If you intend to apply for citizenship in future, it would also be advisable to switch to your 13 digit ID to ensure the 3 years' tax receipts you will have to submit will be in your ID number to avoid giving them the opportunity to argue that was a different person.

Today I attempted to file my tax return online as I do every year. However, upon entering my 10 digit tax ID number (yes 10 not 9), I was redirected to another page and told I had to re-register using a 13 digit tax ID number. The system gave me my new 13 digit number automatically. I do not know if it is linked to my Yellow house registration or not. I will check when I get home, but it is certainly not linked into my PR as I do not have one.

I decided to take this opportunity to correct the spelling of my name in the Revenue Department database, but could not do so, receiving an error message that my name did not correspond with that which was on their records. I then called the number displayed in the error message and talked to a pleasant Revenue Department officer (yes they do exist) about how to correct my data. After confirming my identity by asking a few questions (similar to when you call your credit card company), she suggested I fax in a copy of my house registration book with a covering letter explaining the required correction. I had not raised the issue of house registration with her so assumed she thought I had a blue one just like other Thai people. I then pointed out that I had a yellow one (as a foreigner without PR) and that I would send a copy in on the morrow. She said that would be fine. We will see how things work out, hopefully I will not have to jump through hoops.

It makes me wonder whether this is going to be an issue down the line with my citizenship application as the certified copies of my Por Ngor Dor 91s use an incorrect spelling of my first name.

[tombkk]

THAI JAMES,

Where have you been all this while....I am from your batch and mostly all letters were posted for the 2007 batch within November....As i had mentioned in my earlier post that I was constantly bugging CW with phone calls. I knew of my approval through phone. Actually my letter came after I had secured my PR book. Also my letter was not in my name and someone else's letter came to me and should have been vice versa. I suggest you call them else go personally and check. It has been 5+ years waiting now...due to sudden work load and short of staff at CW there are a lot of mistakes happening...

tamvine, thanks for the advice.

I was there personally a few days ago, it looks like mine got left behind somehow and brought it to their attention. I think however they were still asking me for information 2 years ago, since I applied under the special category. So it may have been submitted in a later batch once all the paper work was in order. I will remind them in a week or so as I was told that the interior ministry would be having another meeting and approving more applications in the middle of this month.

Sorry for asking: What's the special category?

[tombkk]

My passport is full and I am applying for a new one. Now that I have the PR and no more extensions of stay, do I still need the letter from the embassy for immigration, stating that old passport number 12345 has been replaced with new passport number 56789?

I have changed passports several times since getting PR and no one has ever asked for such a letter from the embassy. When you go along to CW with your new passport you have a choice of having your latest endorsement transferred to the new passport, for which there is I think a small fee, or getting new 1-year endorsements in your passport and residence book for the normal fees, which is worth it, if the endorsements have nearly expired. As your endorsements must be new, it would be better to transfer them over.

I just got my new passport this morning, and hurried to Chaeng Wat armed with old and new passport, PR book, Alien Book, letter from the embassy, money and passport-sized pictures just for good measure.

I was told that they don't transfer visas from the old passport to the new passport. I will just have to carry both passports when I travel abroad until the visa in the old passport has expired, and then I can get a new visa in the new passport. That's it. No fee to pay today. No need for the letter from the embassy.

The lady I talked to is one of the old hands in the PR department, I've dealt with her for many years, so I believe her.

[thaiowl]

Has Thai Owl or anyone else successfully applied for an alien ID card yet? That computer glitch must have cleared up by now.

No news yet. They said the card would be ready by the end of December. Maybe the glitch hasn't been resolved or they think they have made an error and won't issue me with a card. I'll give it a few more weeks before giving them a call.

[Arkady]

My passport is full and I am applying for a new one. Now that I have the PR and no more extensions of stay, do I still need the letter from the embassy for immigration, stating that old passport number 12345 has been replaced with new passport number 56789?

I have changed passports several times since getting PR and no one has ever asked for such a letter from the embassy. When you go along to CW with your new passport you have a choice of having your latest endorsement transferred to the new passport, for which there is I think a small fee, or getting new 1-year endorsements in your passport and residence book for the normal fees, which is worth it, if the endorsements have nearly expired. As your endorsements must be new, it would be better to transfer them over.

I just got my new passport this morning, and hurried to Chaeng Wat armed with old and new passport, PR book, Alien Book, letter from the embassy, money and passport-sized pictures just for good measure.

I was told that they don't transfer visas from the old passport to the new passport. I will just have to carry both passports when I travel abroad until the visa in the old passport has expired, and then I can get a new visa in the new passport. That's it. No fee to pay today. No need for the letter from the embassy.

The lady I talked to is one of the old hands in the PR department, I've dealt with her for many years, so I believe her.

Interesting. I have always opted for a new one year endorsement, as it was within a couple of months of expiry, but I was under the impression I was given the option having the old one transferred. It could be interesting explaining to people like bank tellers why there is no visa in your passport at all, let alone no TM form.

[sas_cars]

My passport is full and I am applying for a new one. Now that I have the PR and no more extensions of stay, do I still need the letter from the embassy for immigration, stating that old passport number 12345 has been replaced with new passport number 56789?

I have changed passports several times since getting PR and no one has ever asked for such a letter from the embassy. When you go along to CW with your new passport you have a choice of having your latest endorsement transferred to the new passport, for which there is I think a small fee, or getting new 1-year endorsements in your passport and residence book for the normal fees, which is worth it, if the endorsements have nearly expired. As your endorsements must be new, it would be better to transfer them over.

I just got my new passport this morning, and hurried to Chaeng Wat armed with old and new passport, PR book, Alien Book, letter from the embassy, money and passport-sized pictures just for good measure.

I was told that they don't transfer visas from the old passport to the new passport. I will just have to carry both passports when I travel abroad until the visa in the old passport has expired, and then I can get a new visa in the new passport. That's it. No fee to pay today. No need for the letter from the embassy.

The lady I talked to is one of the old hands in the PR department, I've dealt with her for many years, so I believe her.

Interesting. I have always opted for a new one year endorsement, as it was within a couple of months of expiry, but I was under the impression I was given the option having the old one transferred. It could be interesting explaining to people like bank tellers why there is no visa in your passport at all, let alone no TM form.

Can't we just apply for a new one year endorsement and reentry permit on the new passport? And discard the older ones in old passport?

[Arkady]

Can't we just apply for a new one year endorsement and reentry permit on the new passport? And discard the older ones in old passport?

Yes.

[THAIJAMES]

THAI JAMES,

Where have you been all this while....I am from your batch and mostly all letters were posted for the 2007 batch within November....As i had mentioned in my earlier post that I was constantly bugging CW with phone calls. I knew of my approval through phone. Actually my letter came after I had secured my PR book. Also my letter was not in my name and someone else's letter came to me and should have been vice versa. I suggest you call them else go personally and check. It has been 5+ years waiting now...due to sudden work load and short of staff at CW there are a lot of mistakes happening...

tamvine, thanks for the advice.

I was there personally a few days ago, it looks like mine got left behind somehow and brought it to their attention. I think however they were still asking me for information 2 years ago, since I applied under the special category. So it may have been submitted in a later batch once all the paper work was in order. I will remind them in a week or so as I was told that the interior ministry would be having another meeting and approving more applications in the middle of this month.

Sorry for asking: What's the special category?

There is a special circumstances category. The year that I applied 2007 there were 4 people that applied in that category. If you can prove that you have been of special benefit to Thailand and can get the head of one of the qualifying ministries to sponsor you. usually this is the education minister, health minister, science minister or one of the 5 heads of the law enforcement branches. It could be an outstanding contribution in medicine, education etc.

It was a lot of trouble going this route I don't recommend it. They ended up asking me for all the information in the Business category anyways and all the supporting information of how I benefited Thailand. The fact that I had someone very important backing me did not seem to make any difference.

[sas_cars]

THAI JAMES,

Where have you been all this while....I am from your batch and mostly all letters were posted for the 2007 batch within November....As i had mentioned in my earlier post that I was constantly bugging CW with phone calls. I knew of my approval through phone. Actually my letter came after I had secured my PR book. Also my letter was not in my name and someone else's letter came to me and should have been vice versa. I suggest you call them else go personally and check. It has been 5+ years waiting now...due to sudden work load and short of staff at CW there are a lot of mistakes happening...

tamvine, thanks for the advice.

I was there personally a few days ago, it looks like mine got left behind somehow and brought it to their attention. I think however they were still asking me for information 2 years ago, since I applied under the special category. So it may have been submitted in a later batch once all the paper work was in order. I will remind them in a week or so as I was told that the interior ministry would be having another meeting and approving more applications in the middle of this month.

Sorry for asking: What's the special category?

There is a special circumstances category. The year that I applied 2007 there were 4 people that applied in that category. If you can prove that you have been of special benefit to Thailand and can get the head of one of the qualifying ministries to sponsor you. usually this is the education minister, health minister, science minister or one of the 5 heads of the law enforcement branches. It could be an outstanding contribution in medicine, education etc.

It was a lot of trouble going this route I don't recommend it. They ended up asking me for all the information in the Business category anyways and all the supporting information of how I benefited Thailand. The fact that I had someone very important backing me did not seem to make any difference.

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

[THAIJAMES]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

[sas_cars]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

So it means that the earlier reports that the new minister has indeed signed hundreds of applications were just false then?

[Arkady]

Seems like the simplest application is the best approach, i.e. a single person under the business category. If you have Thai family, they want to do a thorough investigation of your marriage and kids, even though you apply under the business category for which you don't need any Thai family to qualify. I am not sure what evidence they would need to prove that someone has performed a special service to Thailand. It seems an open ended proposition. With the benefit of hindsight it seems better for those with high level connections to apply under the business category and ask their big noodle connections to repeatedly call the Interior Minister on their behalf. Anyway I hope THAIJAMES gets good news soon.

[THAIJAMES]

Seems like the simplest application is the best approach, i.e. a single person under the business category. If you have Thai family, they want to do a thorough investigation of your marriage and kids, even though you apply under the business category for which you don't need any Thai family to qualify. I am not sure what evidence they would need to prove that someone has performed a special service to Thailand. It seems an open ended proposition. With the benefit of hindsight it seems better for those with high level connections to apply under the business category and ask their big noodle connections to repeatedly call the Interior Minister on their behalf. Anyway I hope THAIJAMES gets good news soon.

Arkady,

I agree, in hindsight it would have been much easier and faster.

[THAIJAMES]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

So it means that the earlier reports that the new minister has indeed signed hundreds of applications were just false then?

No the reports were correct,

The way the system works is in batches, regardless of the year that you have applied. Every few months they send applications that have already passed an internal review to an outside committee which consists of officials from a number of government departments for approval. If the committee requests more information (as in my case) your application is then sent back for more information (or rejected). When you provide this information, your application is then put in the next batch for review by the committee. Once reviewed and approved by that committee it then waits for approval by the minister.

That is the reason why some people from the 2009 batch have already been approved while others from previous years are still waiting for processing.

Thanks for the support.

[PH59]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

So it means that the earlier reports that the new minister has indeed signed hundreds of applications were just false then?

No the reports were correct,

The way the system works is in batches, regardless of the year that you have applied. Every few months they send applications that have already passed an internal review to an outside committee which consists of officials from a number of government departments for approval. If the committee requests more information (as in my case) your application is then sent back for more information (or rejected). When you provide this information, your application is then put in the next batch for review by the committee. Once reviewed and approved by that committee it then waits for approval by the minister.

That is the reason why some people from the 2009 batch have already been approved while others from previous years are still waiting for processing.

Thanks for the support.

Hi have some from 2009 been processed....havent heard anyone on here from 2009 advising they have received notificastion??? Perhaps I have missed something?? also in 2009 batch

[sas_cars]

Is it possible for a PR holder to apply for a PR for his foreign dependant wife and children, who are on a yearly extension of stay on being dependants of a PR holder?

[ubonjoe]

Yes wife and children. Info: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=residence

[tombkk]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

So it means that the earlier reports that the new minister has indeed signed hundreds of applications were just false then?

No the reports were correct,

The way the system works is in batches, regardless of the year that you have applied. Every few months they send applications that have already passed an internal review to an outside committee which consists of officials from a number of government departments for approval. If the committee requests more information (as in my case) your application is then sent back for more information (or rejected). When you provide this information, your application is then put in the next batch for review by the committee. Once reviewed and approved by that committee it then waits for approval by the minister.

That is the reason why some people from the 2009 batch have already been approved while others from previous years are still waiting for processing.

Thanks for the support.

Are you sure the Immigration Committee meets every month? I think I was told (many years ago, as I was in the 2006 class) that they meet every 3-6 months. Things may have changed in the meantime though.

[fcbkk]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

That info is not fully correct as i have received confirmation from CW. I did not get a letter but they called to confirm approval. I paid the fee end of last week and can collect PR booklet next week. My application is from the 2011 batch, i have no info whether others or earlier 2009 applications have also been processed.

Good luck to all waiting for news.

[skyaslimit]

its an amazing progress if 2011 applicants are getting approvals. i was 2006 batch and get my approval letter in 2012.

[PH59]

its an amazing progress if 2011 applicants are getting approvals. i was 2006 batch and get my approval letter in 2012.

Interesting news. as havent heard of any 2009 applications being advised yet??? or 2008?.

[THAIJAMES]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

That info is not fully correct as i have received confirmation from CW. I did not get a letter but they called to confirm approval. I paid the fee end of last week and can collect PR booklet next week. My application is from the 2011 batch, i have no info whether others or earlier 2009 applications have also been processed.

Good luck to all waiting for news.

Sorry I was referring to my own application, not everyone else in general.

[THAIJAMES]

Are you sure the Immigration Committee meets every month? I think I was told (many years ago, as I was in the 2006 class) that they meet every 3-6 months. Things may have changed in the meantime though.

I don't think I mentioned them meeting every month. I think you are correct that they meet every 3-6 months. The fact that someone from 2011 has been notified when some from 2007 and 2009 have not, clearly shows that they work in batches based on when the application package was complete and approved by the committee. Its good that a change of minister has not impacted the process! I hope the government stays stable for while.

[sas_cars]

Guy, Which number to call and check for our PR application status? I am also from 2011 batch

[PH59]

hi not sure understand your point re batches. i am from 2009. all completed by end 2010. including multi agency panel interview. a colleague also is in exactly the same position

so from early 2011 was awaitin IM signature

How does a 2011 applcation that would have only been completed sometime in 2012 become in an earler batch

Same goes for 2008 application which would have been completed much earler than mine

Edited January 20, 2013 by PH59

[PH59]

That's a pity to hear. So did you get any news on new approvals yet which were supposed to be happening mid Jan?

I called again today and nothing has happened yet! They are just waiting for the minister to sign the next batch. The answer from this person is we don't know when that will be.

Thanks for your support

That info is not fully correct as i have received confirmation from CW. I did not get a letter but they called to confirm approval. I paid the fee end of last week and can collect PR booklet next week. My application is from the 2011 batch, i have no info whether others or earlier 2009 applications have also been processed.

Good luck to all waiting for news.

iI note from an earlier post of yours that you where to finish working and posted re not having a WP. did you have the WP when you went to CW last week with to pay the PR fee?