Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[skippybangkok]

Yes that is also the letter I got last week.

Interestingly it warns you that corrupt officials have in the past asked for extra money, but if that happens you should report that to the mentioned hotline numbers.

Lol, a cake is about as far as it goes.

[Flow]

After 20 years in Thailand, a good income, a good job but I am still NOT interested in becoming a PR. The benefits aren't atractive enough to justify the 192.000 something you need to fork out for the PR thing. I know many farangs who've been in Thailand for donkey years and they pretty much share the same opinion on the subject. PR in Thailand? Thanks but no thanks! PR in singapore? Yes, please!

[grtaylor]

After 20 years in Thailand, a good income, a good job but I am still NOT interested in becoming a PR. The benefits aren't atractive enough to justify the 192.000 something you need to fork out for the PR thing. I know many farangs who've been in Thailand for donkey years and they pretty much share the same opinion on the subject. PR in Thailand? Thanks but no thanks! PR in singapore? Yes, please!

A number of people have said this to me when they knew I was applying, and I certainly can't argue with the logic. I have no answer except that - its just something I want to do . . . . I want to feel more permanent than having a visa which gives me seven days to get out after I leave my job.

Singapore is OK for a holiday, but to live, no thanks.

G

[skippybangkok]

Singapore..... lol, get a life. That place is dead.

For me, when I applied, the thought if I ever left my job, that I would need to leave in a jiffy and could only come back on Tourist visa unless I could find another job, did not seem like an attractive proposition. Married now which might give me some more "rights" to stay, but I prefer something more permanent.

If ur happy in Singapore...... Bon Voyage. aint no one stopping u

[younghusband]

After 20 years in Thailand, a good income, a good job but I am still NOT interested in becoming a PR. The benefits aren't atractive enough to justify the 192.000 something you need to fork out for the PR thing. I know many farangs who've been in Thailand for donkey years and they pretty much share the same opinion on the subject. PR in Thailand? Thanks but no thanks! PR in singapore? Yes, please!

In my experience people who make posts like this on PR, and there have been several almost identical, usually don't qualify for PR status anyway for one reason or the other.Most of the farang I know have PR are very well convinced of its value.

[skippybangkok]

After 20 years in Thailand, a good income, a good job but I am still NOT interested in becoming a PR. The benefits aren't atractive enough to justify the 192.000 something you need to fork out for the PR thing. I know many farangs who've been in Thailand for donkey years and they pretty much share the same opinion on the subject. PR in Thailand? Thanks but no thanks! PR in singapore? Yes, please!

In my experience people who make posts like this on PR, and there have been several almost identical, usually don't qualify for PR status anyway for one reason or the other.Most of the farang I know have PR are very well convinced of its value.

Agreed.... get married, and then its 1/2

[sabaijai]

You do have to be put on a tabien baan and that address will be on your documents, so you need to get this sorted out before you go in to Immigration. I wondered about this myself because it must be fairly rare for a foreigner to be on the tabien baan of a rented apartment. My place is rented but I've been there over a decade and am fairly friendly with the owner. It turned out there wasn't any tabien baan for my condo so I got put on the one for the whole building.

My guess is that if your landlord refuses, you'd have to find a Thai friend willing to do the interview and allow you on his tabien baan.

Have any TV members actually done this?

Would they have accepted the yellow 'foreigners' tabian baan you get when you own the condo in your own name?

[skippybangkok]

Would they have accepted the yellow 'foreigners' tabian baan you get when you own the condo in your own name?

Did in my case

[samran]

You do have to be put on a tabien baan and that address will be on your documents, so you need to get this sorted out before you go in to Immigration. I wondered about this myself because it must be fairly rare for a foreigner to be on the tabien baan of a rented apartment. My place is rented but I've been there over a decade and am fairly friendly with the owner. It turned out there wasn't any tabien baan for my condo so I got put on the one for the whole building.

My guess is that if your landlord refuses, you'd have to find a Thai friend willing to do the interview and allow you on his tabien baan.

Have any TV members actually done this?

Would they have accepted the yellow 'foreigners' tabian baan you get when you own the condo in your own name?

If you have a yellow one cause you own your aparment, with the PR approval in principal, I assume it means you can get a blue Tabieen Baan now for your condo to replace the yellow one.

[camerata]

Would they have accepted the yellow 'foreigners' tabian baan you get when you own the condo in your own name?

The approval letter isn't specific but I'm sure they would. I think the intent is simply to get you into the tabien baan system so they know where to find you.

[EdtheTruth]

Yes that is also the letter I got last week.

It tells you to PREPARE the money, but not to come in and pay it. Interestingly it warns you that corrupt officials have in the past asked for extra money, but if that happens you should report that to the mentioned hotline numbers.

It does seem a bit early for the final letter to pick up the residence book.

Yes, you are correct. You guys saved me a trip to immigration with 95,000 baht in my pocket. Obviously, my wife didn't read the letter very closely.

Interestingly, when my wife called in to talk to my contact, my contact said that they sent out the letter because so many applicants had asked them what was going on with the applications that they got tired of telling them to wait for the Interior Minister to sign the apps. If you ask me, the letter causes more confusion than it solves.

The long and short of it is, Immigration has no idea when the apps will be signed off on.

-Ed

[skippybangkok]

Yes that is also the letter I got last week.

It tells you to PREPARE the money, but not to come in and pay it. Interestingly it warns you that corrupt officials have in the past asked for extra money, but if that happens you should report that to the mentioned hotline numbers.

It does seem a bit early for the final letter to pick up the residence book.

Yes, you are correct. You guys saved me a trip to immigration with 95,000 baht in my pocket. Obviously, my wife didn't read the letter very closely.

Interestingly, when my wife called in to talk to my contact, my contact said that they sent out the letter because so many applicants had asked them what was going on with the applications that they got tired of telling them to wait for the Interior Minister to sign the apps. If you ask me, the letter causes more confusion than it solves.

The long and short of it is, Immigration has no idea when the apps will be signed off on.

-Ed

Good to share info anyway, made me take another look just to be sure. As for the signing date, it will be most likely before december . I think we have lived long enough here to know things will happen, its just a matter of when. 12 years of living here have taught me to be patient

[samran]

After 20 years in Thailand, a good income, a good job but I am still NOT interested in becoming a PR. The benefits aren't atractive enough to justify the 192.000 something you need to fork out for the PR thing. I know many farangs who've been in Thailand for donkey years and they pretty much share the same opinion on the subject. PR in Thailand? Thanks but no thanks! PR in singapore? Yes, please!

In my experience people who make posts like this on PR, and there have been several almost identical, usually don't qualify for PR status anyway for one reason or the other.Most of the farang I know have PR are very well convinced of its value.

From this thread and others, I'm reasonably convinced that, especially for someone working here with a track record of stability, PR is definetly possible. You don't have to be a expat high flier so to speak. I've always thought that this thread has been a good way of breaking down the illusion that getting PR is next to impossible.

But, in light of Flow's comment, I'm wondering what peoples thoughts are on the viability (and the reality) of getting PR for a person who's main reason for being here is other than work?

[CDB]

I agree it's a lot of money, but my reasons are:

* I want to progress to Thai nationality and of course PR is a prerequisite. Nationality has a lot of benefits and I am fortunate to come from a country that will happily allow me to renounce my original nationality and then come back later and claim it back again.

* I am not married and it is usefully practically as well as great peace of mind not to have to leave Thailand and find a new job quickly if I leave my current one.

* I am not married and the lines of business I am involved in generally require quite a lot of foreigners with work permits. By having PR I save an extra 2 million of registered capital and, more importantly, find it easier to get around the Thai to farang ratio rule. There are other options such as BOI, but it's a great help to have PR.

* I own my own condo but it would nice to be able to buy property without the rigmarole of sending money in circles. More importantly, financing is available for farangs with PR wanting to buy condos. I know there are options like BBL in Singapore for non PR people but that is not very practical (10 year repayment, 30% down, high loan amounts.)

* Same for buying cars and so on.

Finally, call me naive and optimistic but I believe there is tacit acceptance at the highest levels of government that the current system of requiring PR holders to have a work permit does not make sense. Who knows what the future may hold? Holder of PR in the future may gain additional benefits as Thailand follows the norms of immigration laws internationally. And if the converse happens -- that crackdowns continue and it gets harder to make your life here, PR will also be useful in that event.

For me the cost of PR is around one month's earnings. I can certainly conclude that if you are earning the minimum amount for PR, it might not be worthwhile, but for those that can reasonably afford it and qualify for it, I am sure that it is very valuable.

[grtaylor]

I agree it's a lot of money, but my reasons are:

* I want to progress to Thai nationality and of course PR is a prerequisite. Nationality has a lot of benefits and I am fortunate to come from a country that will happily allow me to renounce my original nationality and then come back later and claim it back again.

* I am not married and it is usefully practically as well as great peace of mind not to have to leave Thailand and find a new job quickly if I leave my current one.

* I am not married and the lines of business I am involved in generally require quite a lot of foreigners with work permits. By having PR I save an extra 2 million of registered capital and, more importantly, find it easier to get around the Thai to farang ratio rule. There are other options such as BOI, but it's a great help to have PR.

* I own my own condo but it would nice to be able to buy property without the rigmarole of sending money in circles. More importantly, financing is available for farangs with PR wanting to buy condos. I know there are options like BBL in Singapore for non PR people but that is not very practical (10 year repayment, 30% down, high loan amounts.)

* Same for buying cars and so on.

Finally, call me naive and optimistic but I believe there is tacit acceptance at the highest levels of government that the current system of requiring PR holders to have a work permit does not make sense. Who knows what the future may hold? Holder of PR in the future may gain additional benefits as Thailand follows the norms of immigration laws internationally. And if the converse happens -- that crackdowns continue and it gets harder to make your life here, PR will also be useful in that event.

For me the cost of PR is around one month's earnings. I can certainly conclude that if you are earning the minimum amount for PR, it might not be worthwhile, but for those that can reasonably afford it and qualify for it, I am sure that it is very valuable.

All good points CDB, many of which were my reasons. In my case, a little over a months salary, but worth it.

G

[marquess]

Camarata, what would the postion be for some who has been married for a number of years, and studied here on a students visa for a number of years, but has never officially worked. If say that person were PhD grad from a Thai Uni, any chance or no chance? I had heard that studying here was another way of doing things?

[grtaylor]

Camarata, what would the postion be for some who has been married for a number of years, and studied here on a students visa for a number of years, but has never officially worked. If say that person were PhD grad from a Thai Uni, any chance or no chance? I had heard that studying here was another way of doing things?

There is a category in their documentation described as "Extra circumstances on a case by case basis", which might very well cover such a situation. Perhaps an informal enquiry would be the way to go. I have a higher degree from Assumption University, and it was commented on very favourably by the lady who interviewed me!

G

[camerata]

Camarata, what would the postion be for some who has been married for a number of years, and studied here on a students visa for a number of years, but has never officially worked. If say that person were PhD grad from a Thai Uni, any chance or no chance? I had heard that studying here was another way of doing things?

I don't know, really, but as grtaylor suggested you can go to Immigration and ask. At the end of the day I think they are looking for people who can take care of themselves financially, so I think they'd want to see some evidence of that.

[grtaylor]

Camarata, what would the postion be for some who has been married for a number of years, and studied here on a students visa for a number of years, but has never officially worked. If say that person were PhD grad from a Thai Uni, any chance or no chance? I had heard that studying here was another way of doing things?

I don't know, really, but as grtaylor suggested you can go to Immigration and ask. At the end of the day I think they are looking for people who can take care of themselves financially, so I think they'd want to see some evidence of that.

I agree - that does seem to be the main thrust of their documentation!

G

[skippybangkok]

Anybody know whats going on with the PR's ..

[grtaylor]

I'm fairly sure I saw something on their notice board at one stage which said they would be making an announcement mid-July, but the last time I looked the notice wasn't there.

I'm not expecting to hear anything this soon, I would imagine they're still interviewing.

G

[Basset]

I both work in Thailand and am married to a Thai, if I apply for PR on the work side of things do I have to pay the higher payment or the 92000 Bt

[grtaylor]

I both work in Thailand and am married to a Thai, if I apply for PR on the work side of things do I have to pay the higher payment or the 92000 Bt

My guess would be that, if you apply in the "Work" category and don't mention that you're married you would pay the higher price. Why would you want to do that though? Why not apply in the "Married" category and pay the lower price. You still need to be legal (and that means having a work permit if you're working) but the monthly salary requirement is also less (I think).

Cheers,

G

[skippybangkok]

Got no clue when the Dec 2005 clan will get the final letter to pick it up. Guess Songkran is on the way.... so maybe May, June, July ?

[brianinbangkok]

http://www.thaivisa.com/residency/residenc...t-thailand.html

At the bottom of this page it says this :

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

If approved, a residence blue book is issued to the alien. The foreign resident must register the place of residence in Thailand at the local Amphur Office and obtain a house card. 7 days after receipt of the residence certificate you then apply for an alien book (red book) at the local police station. You must re-register there every year, and the fee is 200 Baht.

The Residency Permit itself never expires, unless revoked. To be able to leave the country and return at will, though, you need to apply each year for a re-entry permit (endorsement) at 1,000 baht (multiple entry). If you don't leave Thailand, you don't need to have an endorement done.

Also, you must present yourself at the police station covering the area where you are resident once every five years for a stamp in your book.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

So do I have to report once every five years at the local police station or every year ?

ps I know this "7 days after receipt " should read "within 7 days of receipt" !

[skippybangkok]

did you get notice already to pick it up ?

[brianinbangkok]

did you get notice already to pick it up ?

Well if your asking me this question : yes I did more then a year ago

I received mine early 2006...

One more question they took my arrival card out at the immigration section when they filled out the details of the recidency permit in my passport will this be a problem when I leave thailand ?

[brianinbangkok]

http://www.thaivisa.com/residency/residenc...t-thailand.html

At the bottom of this page it says this :

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

If approved, a residence blue book is issued to the alien. The foreign resident must register the place of residence in Thailand at the local Amphur Office and obtain a house card. 7 days after receipt of the residence certificate you then apply for an alien book (red book) at the local police station. You must re-register there every year, and the fee is 200 Baht.

The Residency Permit itself never expires, unless revoked. To be able to leave the country and return at will, though, you need to apply each year for a re-entry permit (endorsement) at 1,000 baht (multiple entry). If you don't leave Thailand, you don't need to have an endorement done.

Also, you must present yourself at the police station covering the area where you are resident once every five years for a stamp in your book.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

So do I have to report once every five years at the local police station or every year ?

ps I know this "7 days after receipt " should read "within 7 days of receipt" !

Just read this in the post by Camerata :

Obtaining the Alien Registration Book

You take the Residence Book and the letter they give you to the police, along with 4 photos, tabien baan (House Registration book), and copies of your passport, Residence Book and tabien baan. Plus the police will need the names of your mother and father in Thai script. Pay 400 baht for the current year and 800 baht for the next 5 years. Pick up the Alien Registration book a couple of weeks later. Then start the process to get put on the tabien baan.

Well I found 2 receipts from the police office for these amounts.

So seems the thaivisa info is not correct ?

http://www.thaivisa.com/residency/residenc...t-thailand.html

[camerata]

did you get notice already to pick it up ?

Well if your asking me this question : yes I did more then a year ago

I received mine early 2006...

One more question they took my arrival card out at the immigration section when they filled out the details of the recidency permit in my passport will this be a problem when I leave thailand ?

It works in reverse after you get PR. When you leave the country you ask for an embarkation card and they leave half of it in your passport until you come back. Then they remove it.

[bow]

I might try to get a PR in the "married" category.

There is, however, one thing that worries me; I just a poor teacher. I make 36 000 / month, split into 25 000 salary and 11 000 "accomodation allowance". I pay about 900 / month in income tax. I have no other assets.

Is it hopeless ?