Last year I got the certificate of residence...for the driving licence... without charge from Khon Kaen immigration

Today the same lady demanded 500 Baht. I shook my head and reminded her that it was free last year. "Up to you" she said as she threw the papers at me.

By coincidence a big boss was visiting the office...they had received him like they would the American president. I waited half an hour hoping to ask him, but then left.

Does anyone know? Is there an official fee for this certificate? Like the 1900B extension and the 1000B re-entry permit.

BTW I had 100B ready as a tip, same as last year. And my next extension, thank God, will be at another office.

There is no official fee for it. The unofficial fee varies from 200 to 500 baht dependent upon the office doing it.

You can only get one from your local immigration office so pay the fee and keep quiet or you might annoy them which means no driving license for you !

You can only get one from your local immigration office so pay the fee and keep quiet or you might annoy them which means no driving license for you !

That's not true, you can get one from your embassy and really pay through the nose! US, 1600baht, I think UK is over 2000 baht.

"BTW I had 100B ready as a tip, same as last year. And my next extension, thank God, will be at another office".

You tip an immigration officer?.....that's the most ridiculous thing I've heard for some time.

It is 500 Baht in Kap Choeng. No list price, no receipt.

It is 500 Baht in Kap Choeng. No list price, no receipt.

Go to your local cop shop 100 baht max.

There is no official fee for it. The unofficial fee varies from 200 to 500 baht dependent upon the office doing it.

Thanks ubonjoe.

Strange that immi. HQ don't impose an official fee. It would be a nice earner and avoid unpleasant inconsistencies like my experience today.

@ukrules.

Last year free, today 500, next year 1000? and keep quiet all the time?

@uptheos.

I am happy to give a small tip to avoid the "misunderstandings" that caused me to visit immi 5 times last year for my first extension. If you have ever paid for this certificate, you have also tipped unwittingly. Not so painful, or ridiculous I think.

@Khwaibah

Thanks for the tip. Next time, with family connections, it might work and would save me a 170 km round trip

It is 500 Baht in Kap Choeng. No list price, no receipt.

Confirmed! Got one for myself today to renew 5 year driving licence - 500 THB thank you. Quick and relatively painless - no receipt.

I'm suprised members are willing to pay for what is a free service.

Refuse to pay. Take your Thai partner with you and get them to point out to the officer that the service is free.

I've never paid for a residents letter.

I'm suprised members are willing to pay for what is a free service.

Refuse to pay. Take your Thai partner with you and get them to point out to the officer that the service is free.

I've never paid for a residents letter.

Where does it say that such a service is free.

Either there is a service (for which a fee is normally payable) or, they do not provide the service.

It is not a service that is advertised nor is the price. 500 Baht is not unreasonable unless you re a real cheap Charlie.

Still, they have your card marked and revenge is a dish best served cold.

I'm suprised members are willing to pay for what is a free service.

Refuse to pay. Take your Thai partner with you and get them to point out to the officer that the service is free.

I've never paid for a residents letter.

Where does it say that such a service is free.

Either there is a service (for which a fee is normally payable) or, they do not provide the service.

It is not a service that is advertised nor is the price. 500 Baht is not unreasonable unless you re a real cheap Charlie.

Still, they have your card marked and revenge is a dish best served cold.

The service is supposed to be free. You have already paid for it by paying 1,900 baht for your non-immigrant visa ( and reporting every 90 days ).

I can understand paying for it if you are staying in Thailand on a Tourist visa.

There are no tariffs or costs mentioned in an immigration office because it is supposed to be free. Nor will you be given an official receipt.

If refusing to pay "Tea money" or bribes is being a "Cheap Charlie" then I'm happy to be one. I'd rather call it common sense. As to having my "card marked" I'm sure my local immigration office will have my picture posted on their wall. The least of my worries.

Keep on paying tea money and bribes if you want to. It's up to you !

I tip immigration every year when I do my yearly extension. I usually take a big box of Pomelo (in season in November) and lemons from my orchard when I go. They're happy to get the fruit and it goes to waste otherwise.

As far as paying for the certificate, why do you think that it's free because there's no designated charge on the immigration website.By not posting a charge it's left up to the individual offices. I'd much rather pay 500 baht for one there than travel to Bangkok and pay $50 at the US Embassy. The DLT office that I use, Takhli, will not accept a letter from the local police anymore. !0 years ago they did but when I renewed 5 years ago they wouldn't accept it and I had to get one from immigration. Did the same this year. If you go into a Thai barbershop to get a haircut and there's no price posted do you think that it's free?

...As far as paying for the certificate, why do you think that it's free because there's no designated charge on the immigration website...

That's an interesting way of looking at it. Come to think about it, there is also no listed fee for putting arrival and departure stamps in passports. Also no listed fee for taking your photo with that little camera used at the immigration counter at the airport, and I understand that so far only the re-entry permit desk is collecting money for it.

Regarding a levy for the arrival stamp, I read recently that immigration at Phuket airport occasionally sets up a fake Ebola lane for this purpose.

Got my POR a couple of weeks ago , asked how much , the lady told me it was free.

Last year i went to Khonkaen immigration for certificate of residence 500 baht lady said.Ithought it was free, i said up to you she said.

Now i have yellow tabien bahn, so never need certificate of residence anymore.

300baht at jontien for one, 500 baht for two

As long as officials want to be "tipped" (aka bribed) just to do their job properly Thailand will still just be a third-world country masquerading as something better.

I find it astonishing that the provision of residence certificates does not have an official price list that is respected by all. After all, at Jomtien there is an entire desk, office and numbering system devoted entirely to providing these letters. They also have a deep drawer full of banknotes for which receipts have not been given. Totally shameful.

It's worth pointing out that your local police station or town hall is also competent to issue this letter, though many of them may be unaware of it.

Edited December 20, 201411 yr by KittenKong

300baht at jontien for one

There is no official price at Jomtien, just as there isnt one everywhere else. You can get it for free if you are prepared to wait a few days, or for 200B if you will wait till the next day.

These visiting big bosses don't hang around for question time from farangs.

Receiving flowers not queries!

You can get one at the local Ampur office, in Phetchabun the cost is 20 baht.

Also paid 500 Baht at Hua Hin immigration when I had to renew my drivers license in August this year.

I love the one Phrase shameful to who You I do not think the Thais feel tht way. I believe they use this money to cover office parties and other extras. I have no problem paying it as I do not want to pay 50 dollars at US Embassy, now thats a real rip off.

Keep on feeling shameful, and thinking your one act of defiance will change Thailand and we will find you back here next year complaining about the same old stuff.

It cost me 500 baht at the Korat immigration office.

.. 'officially there is no charge'......so does that mean that it is free......for Thais only....???

...didn't this government say that they would stop illegal fees.....double pricing......corruption...etc..etc....???

Free at Nakhon Phatom immigration 6 months ago.

You can get one at the local Ampur office, in Phetchabun the cost is 20 baht.

This is a reasonable price that corresponds to the amount of work involved in providing it.

yellow tabien bahn, at Kalasin council office 50 bht good for ever

Does anyone know just how long a time period the residence certificate remains valid? One week from date of issue? One month?? Two months???

This topic has been discussed dozens of times.

It is and unofficial fee not a bribe or any other form of corruption. The money does not go into anybodies pocket.