Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[mruniverse]

Progress report : Interview confirmed for mid May

Same here Looking forward to it.

[brianinbangkok]

Just in case ppl want to know if the PR department made any changes to the proces.

Did another re-entry / endorsement last week.

Handed it in 10:30 picked it up after lunch about 1:30

No changes compared to last year.

Edited May 4, 2016 by brianinbangkok

[Bubbha]

I need to travel outside of Thailand a full week before my current re-entry / endorsement expires. How long before the date of expiration can I renew? Someone told me up to one month. Do others have experience with this? Thanks

[thedemon]

I need to travel outside of Thailand a full week before my current re-entry / endorsement expires. How long before the date of expiration can I renew? Someone told me up to one month. Do others have experience with this? Thanks

I'm pretty sure you can renew any time you like. I have certainly done it more than a month prior to expiry.

Of course you won't get any credit for the unused portion of your current re-entry / endorsement though.

[brianinbangkok]

I need to travel outside of Thailand a full week before my current re-entry / endorsement expires. How long before the date of expiration can I renew? Someone told me up to one month. Do others have experience with this? Thanks

I'm pretty sure you can renew any time you like. I have certainly done it more than a month prior to expiry.

Of course you won't get any credit for the unused portion of your current re-entry / endorsement though.

Indeed any time you like.

[Bubbha]

I am a new PR (2015) and didn't know you can renew the re-entry / endorsement anytime.

This is very useful information - thanks very much.

[brianinbangkok]

I am a new PR (2015) and didn't know you can renew the re-entry / endorsement anytime.

This is very useful information - thanks very much.

You can get single or multi entry.

Passport/Blue cert of residency/red police id book is what is needed.

Few photo's.

And money of course ☺

5700bt for multi

Also do check the date in that red police ID for foreigners book.

Needs to be valid.

Edited May 4, 2016 by brianinbangkok

[Jsu360418]

Last year I received my PR and had the endorsement put into my passport. Three months later my passport was running out of pages and the Embassy wouldn't add anymore to my book (even though I still had 5 years to go). So I had to get a new passport. From a PR and endorsement perspective Immigration will NOT transfer over an endorsement from an old to new passport. So I could either carry two passports with me until I renewed my endorsements 9 months later or pay for a new 1 year endorsement. I opted to pay for a new 1 year multiple entry endorsement even though I still had 9 months to go on the original one issued when I got my PR.

I just didn't want the hassle and risk of having to carry two passports and the PR booklet. Things could get lost , stolen or who knows what else. The extra money spent was worth the convenience for me.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Bubbha]

This is an excellent example in response to my question. Thanks for sharing

[thedemon]

Last year I received my PR and had the endorsement put into my passport. Three months later my passport was running out of pages and the Embassy wouldn't add anymore to my book (even though I still had 5 years to go). So I had to get a new passport. From a PR and endorsement perspective Immigration will NOT transfer over an endorsement from an old to new passport. So I could either carry two passports with me until I renewed my endorsements 9 months later or pay for a new 1 year endorsement. I opted to pay for a new 1 year multiple entry endorsement even though I still had 9 months to go on the original one issued when I got my PR.

I just didn't want the hassle and risk of having to carry two passports and the PR booklet. Things could get lost , stolen or who knows what else. The extra money spent was worth the convenience for me.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

I would agree with you. I have renewed it early every year so as to minimise the risk of being unexpectedly stuck outside the country when the re-entry expires.

If you think of it as THB500/month to maintain the re-entry/endorsement then, in my opinion, it isn't worth the risk of leaving it until expiry because losing PR would be a hefty price to pay if something unforeseen happened.

[Zam]

Hi,

In case you have a re entry expiring you can renew it as early as one month before the date you intend to travel all it takes to fill in the form and pay the fees in the morning at 10am and you can collect the book back with the stamp in 2 or 3 hours max.

its pretty straight forward and simple.

Also heard that the interviews have begun and will complete the first batch by 16th May 2016.

[Jsu360418]

Last year I received my PR and had the endorsement put into my passport. Three months later my passport was running out of pages and the Embassy wouldn't add anymore to my book (even though I still had 5 years to go). So I had to get a new passport. From a PR and endorsement perspective Immigration will NOT transfer over an endorsement from an old to new passport. So I could either carry two passports with me until I renewed my endorsements 9 months later or pay for a new 1 year endorsement. I opted to pay for a new 1 year multiple entry endorsement even though I still had 9 months to go on the original one issued when I got my PR.

I just didn't want the hassle and risk of having to carry two passports and the PR booklet. Things could get lost , stolen or who knows what else. The extra money spent was worth the convenience for me.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

I would agree with you. I have renewed it early every year so as to minimise the risk of being unexpectedly stuck outside the country when the re-entry expires.

If you think of it as THB500/month to maintain the re-entry/endorsement then, in my opinion, it isn't worth the risk of leaving it until expiry because losing PR would be a hefty price to pay if something unforeseen happened.

I agree. My renewal date is sometime in August. I'll renew it in a month or so to give me enough lead time and not take anything to chance. The money doesn't matter given the repercussions if something gets screwed up.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Zam]

Hello all PR holders.

I was told that now we can use the auto gates at the airport for all PR holders who have a valid passport with minimum 6 months and also who has completed 6 months from the date of issue of the blue book.

Make sure you have atleast 2.30 hours of time before your flight.

After immigration stamping go to the immigration box right after that and contact the officer and tell them you want to have the auto gate access.

He will ask you for your blue book and passport with the boarding pass.

He will give you a form to fill which needs a local thai contact with their Thai id and address with phone number. Once done you give this to the officer.

Sit down and relax he will do the necessary entries in the system.

Then he will ask you to sit infront of the camera and take your pictures

Then he will do the fingerprints and once thats through he will complete the process.

He will take you to the gate outside and ask you to put the passport in the scanner at the auto gate and you must use your index finger for scanning and look at the camera once it recognises gate opens and you are no more in the que waiting on your way in and out

Say Khopun krap and breeze in and out.

Cheers and a must do for all PR holders

I just did mine and its really cool.

[brianinbangkok]

U

Hello all PR holders.

I was told that now we can use the auto gates at the airport for all PR holders who have a valid passport with minimum 6 months and also who has completed 6 months from the date of issue of the blue book.

Make sure you have atleast 2.30 hours of time before your flight.

After immigration stamping go to the immigration box right after that and contact the officer and tell them you want to have the auto gate access.

He will ask you for your blue book and passport with the boarding pass.

He will give you a form to fill which needs a local thai contact with their Thai id and address with phone number. Once done you give this to the officer.

Sit down and relax he will do the necessary entries in the system.

Then he will ask you to sit infront of the camera and take your pictures

Then he will do the fingerprints and once thats through he will complete the process.

He will take you to the gate outside and ask you to put the passport in the scanner at the auto gate and you must use your index finger for scanning and look at the camera once it recognises gate opens and you are no more in the que waiting on your way in and out

Say Khopun krap and breeze in and out.

Cheers and a must do for all PR holders

I just did mine and its really cool.

Seems if your working abroad and need to go in and out of Thailand a lot this will save pages in both the blue book and passport.

Still need the endorsement/re-entry permit I think.

Edited May 4, 2016 by brianinbangkok

[Jsu360418]

This is good info, thank you very much. I'll wait a liitle to see how others make out first. I'm just super paranoid about getting stamps and dates accurately put in my passport and PR booklet. I see how diligently officialdom cross check these things looking for the slightest variation in order to levy a fine, waste time or cause angst. Also, even going through Immigration with a PR for almost 9 months I don't think I've waited more than 10 minutes, both coming and going. I leave at least once a month for business.

I'll enquire for more info on the process when I exit in two weeks.

Again. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Zam]

U

Hello all PR holders.

I was told that now we can use the auto gates at the airport for all PR holders who have a valid passport with minimum 6 months and also who has completed 6 months from the date of issue of the blue book.

Make sure you have atleast 2.30 hours of time before your flight.

After immigration stamping go to the immigration box right after that and contact the officer and tell them you want to have the auto gate access.

He will ask you for your blue book and passport with the boarding pass.

He will give you a form to fill which needs a local thai contact with their Thai id and address with phone number. Once done you give this to the officer.

Sit down and relax he will do the necessary entries in the system.

Then he will ask you to sit infront of the camera and take your pictures

Then he will do the fingerprints and once thats through he will complete the process.

He will take you to the gate outside and ask you to put the passport in the scanner at the auto gate and you must use your index finger for scanning and look at the camera once it recognises gate opens and you are no more in the que waiting on your way in and out

Say Khopun krap and breeze in and out.

Cheers and a must do for all PR holders

I just did mine and its really cool.

Seems if your working abroad and need to go in and out of Thailand a lot this will save pages in both the blue book and passport.

Still need the endorsement/re-entry permit I think.

[Zam]

U

Hello all PR holders.

I was told that now we can use the auto gates at the airport for all PR holders who have a valid passport with minimum 6 months and also who has completed 6 months from the date of issue of the blue book.

Make sure you have atleast 2.30 hours of time before your flight.

After immigration stamping go to the immigration box right after that and contact the officer and tell them you want to have the auto gate access.

He will ask you for your blue book and passport with the boarding pass.

He will give you a form to fill which needs a local thai contact with their Thai id and address with phone number. Once done you give this to the officer.

Sit down and relax he will do the necessary entries in the system.

Then he will ask you to sit infront of the camera and take your pictures

Then he will do the fingerprints and once thats through he will complete the process.

He will take you to the gate outside and ask you to put the passport in the scanner at the auto gate and you must use your index finger for scanning and look at the camera once it recognises gate opens and you are no more in the que waiting on your way in and out

Say Khopun krap and breeze in and out.

Cheers and a must do for all PR holders

I just did mine and its really cool.

Seems if your working abroad and need to go in and out of Thailand a lot this will save pages in both the blue book and passport.

Still need the endorsement/re-entry permit I think.

Yes you still need to have the endorsement and re-entry permit that is a default system which cannot avoid unless you go on to get Thai citizenship.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Zam

[thedemon]

This is good info, thank you very much. I'll wait a liitle to see how others make out first. I'm just super paranoid about getting stamps and dates accurately put in my passport and PR booklet. I see how diligently officialdom cross check these things looking for the slightest variation in order to levy a fine, waste time or cause angst. Also, even going through Immigration with a PR for almost 9 months I don't think I've waited more than 10 minutes, both coming and going. I leave at least once a month for business.

I'll enquire for more info on the process when I exit in two weeks.

Again. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

The Autochannel has worked fine for me so far. The staff guiding incoming passengers to the appropriate queue can take some convincing but Immigration place a small sticker in your passport to show them.

The TM6 departure/arrival card still needs to be filled out but seems a bit redundant now. There is supposed to be someone collecting them but they don't read what you have written and the last time I arrived no one was there to collect the arrival card so I passed through then just threw it away.

I agree there isn't much advantage at Suvarnabhumi but there can be some nasty queues at Don Muang and then it is definitely worthwhile.

You can also register for the service on arrival at Suvarnabhumi which is what I did. The Immigration office is next to the Premium arrival counters. That is the area with a separate entrance (gold/yellow archway) in between the 2 main arrival halls. Registration took 30-40 mins.

[Jsu360418]

This is good info, thank you very much. I'll wait a liitle to see how others make out first. I'm just super paranoid about getting stamps and dates accurately put in my passport and PR booklet. I see how diligently officialdom cross check these things looking for the slightest variation in order to levy a fine, waste time or cause angst. Also, even going through Immigration with a PR for almost 9 months I don't think I've waited more than 10 minutes, both coming and going. I leave at least once a month for business.

I'll enquire for more info on the process when I exit in two weeks.

Again. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

The Autochannel has worked fine for me so far. The staff guiding incoming passengers to the appropriate queue can take some convincing but Immigration place a small sticker in your passport to show them.

The TM6 departure/arrival card still needs to be filled out but seems a bit redundant now. There is supposed to be someone collecting them but they don't read what you have written and the last time I arrived no one was there to collect the arrival card so I passed through then just threw it away.

I agree there isn't much advantage at Suvarnabhumi but there can be some nasty queues at Don Muang and then it is definitely worthwhile.

You can also register for the service on arrival at Suvarnabhumi which is what I did. The Immigration office is next to the Premium arrival counters. That is the area with a separate entrance (gold/yellow archway) in between the 2 main arrival halls. Registration took 30-40 mins.

Thanks, I'll check it out my next trip.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[scorecard]

U

Hello all PR holders.

I was told that now we can use the auto gates at the airport for all PR holders who have a valid passport with minimum 6 months and also who has completed 6 months from the date of issue of the blue book.

Make sure you have atleast 2.30 hours of time before your flight.

After immigration stamping go to the immigration box right after that and contact the officer and tell them you want to have the auto gate access.

He will ask you for your blue book and passport with the boarding pass.

He will give you a form to fill which needs a local thai contact with their Thai id and address with phone number. Once done you give this to the officer.

Sit down and relax he will do the necessary entries in the system.

Then he will ask you to sit infront of the camera and take your pictures

Then he will do the fingerprints and once thats through he will complete the process.

He will take you to the gate outside and ask you to put the passport in the scanner at the auto gate and you must use your index finger for scanning and look at the camera once it recognises gate opens and you are no more in the que waiting on your way in and out

Say Khopun krap and breeze in and out.

Cheers and a must do for all PR holders

I just did mine and its really cool.

Seems if your working abroad and need to go in and out of Thailand a lot this will save pages in both the blue book and passport.

Still need the endorsement/re-entry permit I think.

Edited May 5, 2016 by scorecard

[Zam]

Hi,

I wanted to know from any of our members for the immigration interviews which are held what are the questions asked for children who are studying in higher classes like O levels and University.

Any one who have had the experience and shares it will be greatly appreciated.

[skyaslimit]

Hi,

I wanted to know from any of our members for the immigration interviews which are held what are the questions asked for children who are studying in higher classes like O levels and University.

Any one who have had the experience and shares it will be greatly appreciated.

Their age, school, nationalities, language abilities, in my case the also ask for their student ID and progress card.

[mruniverse]

Hi guys a quick one from me and a friend who are both in the 2015 PR group under the working/business category:

When PR is eventually issued and you go to receive it - do you need to at that time again reconfirm your business / working status by presenting your work permit or in any other way?

What would happen if you changed jobs in the meantime? Or more importantly if you had lost or left your job and were not at that particular time working in Thailand but were staying in Thailand based on a PR bridging visa? In the latter case assume that the applicant still intended to continue to live in the Kingdom and find other employment or start a business.

Thanks all.

[Jsu360418]

Good question. In my experience there was not an issue. That said this is Thailand. Each circumstance and situation maybe different.

I have two examples, one direct and another indirect. I originally applied in 2009 and didn't receive my PR until 2015. During that time I was always on my work permit visa. My company wanted to transfer me to another country which would have involved me giving up my work permit visa and moving to the PR visa. I was worried the same as you might be. So, my lawyer and I went to CW Immigration sometime in 2011/2012 to ask the same question. The officer said that since my application had been accepted and approved by Immigration then it wouldnt matter so no issue. And it wasn't. Secondly, my friend with similar PR circumstances and timing quit his job. He took a year or two off while on the PR visa, then got a new job in Thailand (with a work permit) and received his PR in 2015. There was no impact.

All that said my lawyer always felt that it was preferable to be on the work permit while your PR application was under consideration.

Second, I believe, according ti my lawyer, that since my PR application had been approved (whatever that means) by Immigration and forwarded to interior ministry that I was already in the system. I can't recollect but I'm not even sure I even brought my work permit to Immigration to get my PR.

Those are my experiences. The best thing to do would be to go to CW and ask the Immigration officers. I always found them helpful.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[thedemon]

Hi guys a quick one from me and a friend who are both in the 2015 PR group under the working/business category:

When PR is eventually issued and you go to receive it - do you need to at that time again reconfirm your business / working status by presenting your work permit or in any other way?

What would happen if you changed jobs in the meantime? Or more importantly if you had lost or left your job and were not at that particular time working in Thailand but were staying in Thailand based on a PR bridging visa? In the latter case assume that the applicant still intended to continue to live in the Kingdom and find other employment or start a business.

Thanks all.

I was issued PR in 2012 having applied in 2006. A bloke I was chatting to while waiting for the documents to be issued at CW had retired during the 6 year waiting period so no longer had a WP. He had no problems. In my own case, my WP had been somehow mislaid between my office and the lawyers office so I didn't have it to present. Neither did I have a copy with me.

I was somewhat concerned because the letter from Immigration summonsing a successful applicant to immigration to receive PR has a list of documents the applicant should bring with them, one of which is Work Permit.

The PR officer dealing with my case said it was no problem for Immigration that my WP was missing but explained that they ask for it in order to ensure that the Thai spelling of the applicants name on their WP matches that on the PR documents.

So the short answer is that, at least in 2012, it was OK to no longer have a WP when PR was issued.

[Michael Hare]

I only renew my re-entry if it is expired when I want to leave the country. Some years I never leave Thailand at all and hence there is no need for a re-entry permit/visa.

My current multi-re-entry expires in June 2016. I have no plans to leave Thailand until February 2017. I will then get a new multi-re-entry a couple days prior to departure.

[thedemon]

I only renew my re-entry if it is expired when I want to leave the country. Some years I never leave Thailand at all and hence there is no need for a re-entry permit/visa.

My current multi-re-entry expires in June 2016. I have no plans to leave Thailand until February 2017. I will then get a new multi-re-entry a couple days prior to departure.

Yes that would be sensible but only if you are certain that you won't need to travel at short notice.

The problem is that PR's can't get re-entry/endorsement done at an airport as those with non-immigrant status can.. If it was a situation like last week where immigration offices were closed for 5 days in a row a PR might be stuck for almost a week.

[mruniverse]

Jsu360418 and thedemon - thanks so much guys for taking the time to write up your experiences. Very helpful, and very much appreciated.

- Mr Universe

[Michael Hare]

Maybe there is an advantage in living upcountry like I do in Ubon Ratchathani. Easy to get the re-entry permit at local immigration. Takes a hour or so for the guys to one-finger tap the information into a computer and then get the stamps.

Anyway, I am never in a rush to depart. I guess if one is in business ( I am also), then urgent business may develop overseas. Even with myself, when overseas family have departed and I am going back for the funeral, getting the re-entry permit takes very little time. Okay, there was a five day holiday last week, curtsey of the current government. But I certainly would not rush into paying 5,700 baht for a multi-re-entry visa which I may or may not use.

[Haddo]

This is good info, thank you very much. I'll wait a liitle to see how others make out first. I'm just super paranoid about getting stamps and dates accurately put in my passport and PR booklet. I see how diligently officialdom cross check these things looking for the slightest variation in order to levy a fine, waste time or cause angst. Also, even going through Immigration with a PR for almost 9 months I don't think I've waited more than 10 minutes, both coming and going. I leave at least once a month for business.

I'll enquire for more info on the process when I exit in two weeks.

Again. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

The Autochannel has worked fine for me so far. The staff guiding incoming passengers to the appropriate queue can take some convincing but Immigration place a small sticker in your passport to show them.

The TM6 departure/arrival card still needs to be filled out but seems a bit redundant now. There is supposed to be someone collecting them but they don't read what you have written and the last time I arrived no one was there to collect the arrival card so I passed through then just threw it away.

I agree there isn't much advantage at Suvarnabhumi but there can be some nasty queues at Don Muang and then it is definitely worthwhile.

You can also register for the service on arrival at Suvarnabhumi which is what I did. The Immigration office is next to the Premium arrival counters. That is the area with a separate entrance (gold/yellow archway) in between the 2 main arrival halls. Registration took 30-40 mins.

Thanks for this info - I have PR and tried to do this (get access to the e-gates/autochannel) today on arrival at Suvarnabhumi.

However the officials said that they couldn't do it as I have less than 6 months remaining on my re-exit/entry permit! (it is due for renewal in August). I'm not sure why this should cause a problem - but it does - so be aware if you're trying to do it.

This would be a great thing to have as with all of the stamps I fill up a 48 page passport usually in about 18-24 months - but I'm a little worried how you confirm your entries/exits if they aren't stamped in your passport? Obviously immigration will know, but to other embassies when you apply for visas, it might look a bit odd.