Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[NewlyMintedThai]

I have already gotten the Permanent Residence and would like to ask. If I quit my job now, do I need to inform Immigration?

Thanks,

Paul M.

Nope.

[tombkk]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Collected my ID card...job done.

Congrats!

I want one of those...

[skyaslimit]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Collected my ID card...job done.

Congrats!

I want one of those...

When I recieved my Thabian baan, we had a very very long argument regarding ID, the district office insists that this pink card is only for 3 nationalities i-e: Burma, Combodia and Laos ( means for those who are here in Thailand on temporary basis) at that time I dont had any proof to continue my argument, I contacted some of my freinds on TV but none of them recieved any type of card till I read thaiowl got one....

So I request thaiowl if he can scan his card as an evidence for all of us out here with PRs ( who loves to have one ) to present it to our district offices.

[NewlyMintedThai]

That might result in his being revoked.

[skippybangkok]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Pink ID ? Tell me more. I still got red book

[thaiowl]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Collected my ID card...job done.

Congrats!

I want one of those...

When I recieved my Thabian baan, we had a very very long argument regarding ID, the district office insists that this pink card is only for 3 nationalities i-e: Burma, Combodia and Laos ( means for those who are here in Thailand on temporary basis) at that time I dont had any proof to continue my argument, I contacted some of my freinds on TV but none of them recieved any type of card till I read thaiowl got one....

So I request thaiowl if he can scan his card as an evidence for all of us out here with PRs ( who loves to have one ) to present it to our district offices.

Sorry...I don't want to have my new ID plastered over TV! I wasn't expecting and didn't ask for this ID card. When I got my name put on my tabien baan, the tesabaan just said that they would issue me me with one. And they did.

[tombkk]

Congrats!

I want one of those...

When I recieved my Thabian baan, we had a very very long argument regarding ID, the district office insists that this pink card is only for 3 nationalities i-e: Burma, Combodia and Laos ( means for those who are here in Thailand on temporary basis) at that time I dont had any proof to continue my argument, I contacted some of my freinds on TV but none of them recieved any type of card till I read thaiowl got one....

So I request thaiowl if he can scan his card as an evidence for all of us out here with PRs ( who loves to have one ) to present it to our district offices.

Sorry...I don't want to have my new ID plastered over TV! I wasn't expecting and didn't ask for this ID card. When I got my name put on my tabien baan, the tesabaan just said that they would issue me me with one. And they did.

Understandable. Thanks for sharing your experience though.

[Arkady]

As far as I know the pink card is not limited to 3 nationalities and
having a nationality is not even required. I believe all the different
types of alien ID card were merged into one and this now covers those 3
nationalities as well as stateless hill tribe people, Haw Chinese &
etc. There are 14 groups eligible and no. 14 is a catch all, i.e. all
other groups specified in cabinet resolutions. I am not sure if Thai
Owl's ethnic group has been specified in a cabinet resolution. Actually
I doubt it and suspect it is a misunderstanding by the district
office. The problem to my mind is that the pink cards are only issued
to temporary residents who have special dispensation to stay in Thailand

that can be terminated by another cabinet resolution.

Anyway good for Thai Owl for getting a Thai document that must be

virtually unique for farangs. It will be a useful
thing to carry around in your wallet for ID in banks and things but
better not to show it to Immigration or Special Branch, if applying for
citizenship. I might ask my district office for one too.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Arkady

[skyaslimit]

As far as I know the pink card is not limited to 3 nationalities and

having a nationality is not even required. I believe all the different

types of alien ID card were merged into one and this now covers those 3

nationalities as well as stateless hill tribe people, Haw Chinese &

etc. There are 14 groups eligible and no. 14 is a catch all, i.e. all

other groups specified in cabinet resolutions. I am not sure if Thai

Owl's ethnic group has been specified in a cabinet resolution. Actually

I doubt it and suspect it is a misunderstanding by the district

office. The problem to my mind is that the pink cards are only issued

to temporary residents who have special dispensation to stay in Thailand

that can be terminated by another cabinet resolution.

Anyway good for Thai Owl for getting a Thai document that must be

virtually unique for farangs. It will be a useful

thing to carry around in your wallet for ID in banks and things but

better not to show it to Immigration or Special Branch, if applying for

citizenship. I might ask my district office for one too.

Exactly.... this is what I was talking about, as far as I know these pink cards are for people residing in Thailand on temporary basis, mainly from Burma, Laos and Combodia.

[tamvine]

I know this has been discussed already on the forum still need advice from the experienced TV members.

I have got new passport issued. My Non Quota Immigrant visa is on Old Passport. Old passport has been stamped as cancelled.

Will it be problem with Thai Immegration if I carry both passports and use the old one for the Thai Immegration?

If any of the members having PR and such a situation can share experience will be helpful.

[tombkk]

I know this has been discussed already on the forum still need advice from the experienced TV members.

I have got new passport issued. My Non Quota Immigrant visa is on Old Passport. Old passport has been stamped as cancelled.

Will it be problem with Thai Immegration if I carry both passports and use the old one for the Thai Immegration?

If any of the members having PR and such a situation can share experience will be helpful.

I'm in the same situation and went to Chagn Wat. They told me the visa is still valid, and they won't move it to the new passport. I should carry both passports when travelling.

I haven't tried it yet, will do so probably next week and report back. In any case, it was one of the veteran PR officers who told me, and I believe her.

[tamvine]

I know this has been discussed already on the forum still need advice from the experienced TV members.

I have got new passport issued. My Non Quota Immigrant visa is on Old Passport. Old passport has been stamped as cancelled.

Will it be problem with Thai Immegration if I carry both passports and use the old one for the Thai Immegration?

If any of the members having PR and such a situation can share experience will be helpful.

I'm in the same situation and went to Chagn Wat. They told me the visa is still valid, and they won't move it to the new passport. I should carry both passports when travelling.

I haven't tried it yet, will do so probably next week and report back. In any case, it was one of the veteran PR officers who told me, and I believe her.

Thanks tombkk, my travel is 3 weeks away so look forward to hear from you before that.

[Arkady]

It seems pretty clear now that the current immigration regulation regarding new passports for PRs is that they can carry their old passport with their still valid Non-quota imm visa in it when they travel with no need to visit CW again until the visa is expired.

Previously they used to make you get a new visa in your new passport. So this represents an advance that saves us trouble and expense.

[tamvine]

It seems pretty clear now that the current immigration regulation regarding new passports for PRs is that they can carry their old passport with their still valid Non-quota imm visa in it when they travel with no need to visit CW again until the visa is expired.

Previously they used to make you get a new visa in your new passport. So this represents an advance that saves us trouble and expense.

Thanks Arkady, just one more dumb question. Will Thai Immegration stamp new passport or old?

[tombkk]

It seems pretty clear now that the current immigration regulation regarding new passports for PRs is that they can carry their old passport with their still valid Non-quota imm visa in it when they travel with no need to visit CW again until the visa is expired.

Previously they used to make you get a new visa in your new passport. So this represents an advance that saves us trouble and expense.

Thanks Arkady, just one more dumb question. Will Thai Immegration stamp new passport or old?

They'll stamp the new passport.

(Forgive me for answering even though I am not Arkady.)

[Dork]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Pink ID ? Tell me more. I still got red book

For any PR's that are interested I have posted a scan of my "pink" ID card here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/590057-thai-non-thai-id-card-for-permanent-residents/?p=6168381

[skyaslimit]

Got a phone call from the tesabaan yesterday informing me that my pink ID card has arrived. I will collect it today...watch this space!

Pink ID ? Tell me more. I still got red book

For any PR's that are interested I have posted a scan of my "pink" ID card here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/590057-thai-non-thai-id-card-for-permanent-residents/?p=6168381

Thanks dork, for uploading your ID, I am going to see my district officials on 2nd of april.

[Siamfan]

What happens if you loose your passport? Than you cannot take old one with you???

And what would happen, if passport runs out without applying for new one? Can we still stay here on permanent residency?

[Arkady]

What happens if you loose your passport? Than you cannot take old one with you???

And what would happen, if passport runs out without applying for new one? Can we still stay here on permanent residency?

If you lose the old passport with the visa in it, you would obviously have to get a new visa in the new one.

I don't think Immigration or the police would care if your passport expired because your alien book is the document you are legally required to carry and identify yourself with. But try opening a bank account without a valid passport.

[Arkady]

After reading Dork's account of his pink ID card I did a bit more research and came up with the 2008 regulations that are referenced on the back of the template posted by Dork and earlier by Thai Owl and I have attached them here (in Thai). I got them from the Royal Gazette but they are also posted on the website the Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA), the Interior Ministry department that is responsible for all district offices http://ilab.dopa.go.th/internal/legal/knowledge/19/rules2551.pdf .

When Thai Owl first raised this issue last November I came across some earlier regulations from 2004 to do with issuing the pink ID cards that listed 15 groups that are eligible for ID cards, including former members of Chinese Communist Party of Malaya, displaced Burmese refugees of Thai ethnicity etc, etc. However, I now believe these regulations to be out of date.

Thus far I have only scanned the 2008 regulations and have not read every word. However, it seems to me that they are much broader and less specific. The definition of people without Thai nationality who are eligible for the ID cards is:

i) Those with permanent residence in the Kingdom with alien certificate or residence certificate.

ii) Those given special dispensation to remain in the Kingdom - i.e. stateless people, former Chinese Communists, Kuomintang, displaced Thais etc.

I can't see any suggestion that it is necessary to be either stateless or migrant labour from Burma, Cambodia or Laos.

I still think the pink ID cards are intended for the 15 minority groups and/or migrant labourers but it is possible that DoPA has come up with some overlapping regulations which don't exclude PRs who come from the business quota because it makes sense for minorities with PR to have pink IDs. Minorities and stateless people can also obtain PR in certain circumstances. People in the hill tribe areas, for example, are expected to carry a Thai or alien ID card. So one can imagine it makes sense for district offices to issue them with pink IDs in addition to their alien books which are cumbersome and not understood by many officials.

I am not sure where to find the law about carrying ID at all times but I assume a government issued ID card would fit the bill as well as an alien book. The condition on the back of the ID card requiring permission to leave the district that issued it might be a problem though and could require carrying the alien book as proof of permission to leave the district - Catch 22.

The regulations seem to stipulate the exact time you can apply for an ID card, i.e. 60 days after becoming 5 years old or when your name is entered in a tabien baan. If your name was entered on a tabien baan many years before the 2008 regulations came into force, that could be another Catch 22. LoL.

Anyway I am going mull over whether I want to go along to my district office with a copy of the regulations and the manual posted by Dork. My all of life driving licence has so far proved good enough ID to carry for traffic police and checking into hotels. It might interesting just trying to push the envelope though.

Rules for ID cards for non-Thais 2008 TH.pdf

Edited March 4, 2013 by Arkady

[bkkfoxi]

in the near 20 years I have lived/worked here I carried 1) a HK ID card and 2) a Thai driving License (lost both of them to police never bothered to get them back - going back 15 years now) since then never carried any ID and although I sometimes get stopped by police (every 6 months or so at some road stop or another) I just say I forgot it at home bla bla smile nicely and more often than not pay a small 200-500 Baht fine depending on how late I am to be where I am going and whether or not the nice policeman can speak English or on that merit if I can speak Thai ....

Apart from driving here and being asked for ID I have NEVER been asked else where once...

[Bangel72]

This is just an FYI in case anyone goes through the same situation as I.

I'm part of the 2009 application and still no news on approvals yet.

I left my job on 6th of March and I had mistakenly thought my 7 days grace was until tomorrow, I went with my now ex-companies lawyer this morning to have my work visa cancelled at Chamchuri Square, whilst she did her best asking people there at the 'One stop centre' :-) etc but nobody new how to re-activate my 'visa associated with my perm residence application' and I left there with my work visa cancelled and a nice stamp saying required to leave Thailand by the 12th of March (7 days includes the day you leave).

Rather the try and find a flight, I was concerned that now that my multiple entry visa had been cancelled should I leave Thailand this would make my PR application void? so I headed across to Chang Wattana.

At this time of year section D is pretty empty so best if you walk straight up and ask rather than wait with a ticket, again the lady was helpful but needed the documentation from my visa cancellation from Chamchuri square, the stamps in my passport were not enough. I managed to get two of these documents faxed over from the young lady who had helped me in the morning, there does not seem to be a specific name for these documents but they are in Thai and basically confirm you employment ended with the previous company. I'd suggest take a copy of everything if you are doing this.

Once we had these and completed the basic one page stay extension form, duration: 180 days reason: 'waiting for permanent residence decision' I got my visa stamp updated until September. No cost associated with this.

There was one confusion, I was told this stamp allowed multiple entry to Thailand but there was no multiple entry stamp, I'll play safe on this one and not leave without re-checking this.

Hope this is of use to anyone else who may have some gap time between jobs.

[PH59]

This is just an FYI in case anyone goes through the same situation as I.

I'm part of the 2009 application and still no news on approvals yet.

I left my job on 6th of March and I had mistakenly thought my 7 days grace was until tomorrow, I went with my now ex-companies lawyer this morning to have my work visa cancelled at Chamchuri Square, whilst she did her best asking people there at the 'One stop centre' :-) etc but nobody new how to re-activate my 'visa associated with my perm residence application' and I left there with my work visa cancelled and a nice stamp saying required to leave Thailand by the 12th of March (7 days includes the day you leave).

Rather the try and find a flight, I was concerned that now that my multiple entry visa had been cancelled should I leave Thailand this would make my PR application void? so I headed across to Chang Wattana.

At this time of year section D is pretty empty so best if you walk straight up and ask rather than wait with a ticket, again the lady was helpful but needed the documentation from my visa cancellation from Chamchuri square, the stamps in my passport were not enough. I managed to get two of these documents faxed over from the young lady who had helped me in the morning, there does not seem to be a specific name for these documents but they are in Thai and basically confirm you employment ended with the previous company. I'd suggest take a copy of everything if you are doing this.

Once we had these and completed the basic one page stay extension form, duration: 180 days reason: 'waiting for permanent residence decision' I got my visa stamp updated until September. No cost associated with this.

There was one confusion, I was told this stamp allowed multiple entry to Thailand but there was no multiple entry stamp, I'll play safe on this one and not leave without re-checking this.

Hope this is of use to anyone else who may have some gap time between jobs.

Why did you not just get the 180 day extensions from when you applied for PR?? They are free and require just 1 application form. No the piles of paerwork required for other extensions such as B or O. Also the 180 extension doesnt cover leaving the country at all you need a re entry permit just like with ny other extension. If you leave without one your PR application will be void. I have been on the 180 day extensions since 2009 hence the comments.

[Bangel72]

Why did you not just get the 180 day extensions from when you applied for PR?? They are free and require just 1 application form. No the piles of paerwork required for other extensions such as B or O. Also the 180 extension doesnt cover leaving the country at all you need a re entry permit just like with ny other extension. If you leave without one your PR application will be void. I have been on the 180 day extensions since 2009 hence the comments.

I need to put this down to ignorance on my part and general lack of clarity on the extensions and the visa that is being extended. I switched companies in 2010 and as they were part of BOI (this may or may not be relevant but it did come up in conversations today as different ownership in immigration offices) they wanted me on their specific visa associated with their company and everything was done through Chamchuri who have no connection with the PR extension options. So when that visa was put in place I let the PR application visa lapse as I didn't think I needed the extensions or two visa's active at the same time, are you suggesting that I should have continued renewing the PR visa and kept both visa's active, would this not cause confusion when travelling abroad? Anyway despite the slight confusion today it was only 30 minutes effort at Chang Wattana and 2 faxes so not much different.

[PH59]

Why did you not just get the 180 day extensions from when you applied for PR?? They are free and require just 1 application form. No the piles of paerwork required for other extensions such as B or O. Also the 180 extension doesnt cover leaving the country at all you need a re entry permit just like with ny other extension. If you leave without one your PR application will be void. I have been on the 180 day extensions since 2009 hence the comments.

I need to put this down to ignorance on my part and general lack of clarity on the extensions and the visa that is being extended. I switched companies in 2010 and as they were part of BOI (this may or may not be relevant but it did come up in conversations today as different ownership in immigration offices) they wanted me on their specific visa associated with their company and everything was done through Chamchuri who have no connection with the PR extension options. So when that visa was put in place I let the PR application visa lapse as I didn't think I needed the extensions or two visa's active at the same time, are you suggesting that I should have continued renewing the PR visa and kept both visa's active, would this not cause confusion when travelling abroad? Anyway despite the slight confusion today it was only 30 minutes effort at Chang Wattana and 2 faxes so not much different.

when the extension you had at time of applying for PR expired ( in my case was Sept 2010) you could have just got an extension the sameas the one you have just got 180 days and renew each 180 days no charge. and no paperwork except for the 1 page to apply. and takes all of 5 mins. you dont have 2 visas and 1 replaces the other. much simpler and ok for WP. only down side is renew every 180 days. but gives you excuse to go to PR section and see if any progress. dont forget you must have rentry permit also to leave the country

[sas_cars]

Apart from your extension, did you ask the PR section about any updates on your PR application status?

[Andrew Eldritch]

I applied in 2009 under the business category. I changed jobs in 2011 and went to CW to confirm if I needed to leave in 7 days or do anything with my regards to my current or next 180 day extension. I was prepared to change to a marriage extension, but they told me no immigration processes were required.

They told me I had the option to change from 180 stamps to a 1 year extension of stay based on employment or marriage if I wanted to submit all the required documents. The change would not affect my PR under consideration status, but would mean that only annual renewals would be required. I kept with the 180 day stamps.

I got another 180 days in late February. I was told that 2009 applications were now back at the MoI and that they did not know when they would be approved.

[Time Traveller]

For those waiting, do you have to stay in Thailand until you get the PR? What happens if you are out of the country when they finally notify you to pick it up?

[ubonjoe]

You would not have to stay in the country for the entire time. But you would want to keep getting extensions and using re-entry permits to keep them valid.

If out of the country you would get the notification at the last address you gave them which hopefully would still be valid. Then return and get it done.

Edited March 13, 2013 by ubonjoe

[skyaslimit]

I have a question for all PR holders on this forum i-e: when I recieved my PR last year they provided my a list of steps to follow to recieve the Alien book and Thabian baan it also states that being in a blue thabian baan for 5 years you are eligible to apply for "Naturalization" for Thai citizenship. Any one have any experience regarding this matter? if yes then what is the normal procedure?