Thai Interior Minister signs residency permit for foreigners

[scorecard]

Great news

When will the lucky ones be notified, by whom and when or is it a case of waiting for the post ??

Anybody know the routine or process ??

In theory yes, a letter will arrive. However once you are aware that others have received a letter (Guess you will read that here) you can call the PR section to check whether you are on the approved list. You don't need the actual letter. In my case in 2012 the letter was never delivered.

When I got the approval letter there was a serious requirement to present the letter to the main Immigration Office (then at Soi Suan Plu) and get the actual PR book issued (dark Blue book). It had to be completed within 7 days of the date of issue of the approval letter.

Then there's a time quick time limit to get your name entered in a Tabien Baan book and also to complete the registration of your name and current address and fingerprints at a bigger regional police station.

I doubt any of the above has changed. If you have the approval letter, act quickly.

[scorecard]

Once you receive approval, how long is it good for? In other words, how long do you have to accept the invitation before it expires?

After recieving approval letter you got 30 days to recieve your PR book and then 7 days to recieve your red police book.

It used to be 7 days to get the PR book issued. Meaning 7 days from the date on the approval letter.

Maybe it's now changed to 30 days?

Needs checking.

[samran]

As an aside, it would be interesting to learn if General Anupong also signed off on the latest batches of approved citizenship applications which have been forwarded to him for his signature. Just asking, like.

Kind of wondering too. Perhaps to bureaucracy was too scared to push too much of the backlog in front of him.

[skyaslimit]

Once you receive approval, how long is it good for? In other words, how long do you have to accept the invitation before it expires?

After recieving approval letter you got 30 days to recieve your PR book and then 7 days to recieve your red police book.

It used to be 7 days to get the PR book issued. Meaning 7 days from the date on the approval letter.

Maybe it's now changed to 30 days?

Needs checking.

I recived the approval letter in 2012, it is 30 days to recive the blue book and 7 days for the red one.

[GarryP]

As an aside, it would be interesting to learn if General Anupong also signed off on the latest batches of approved citizenship applications which have been forwarded to him for his signature. Just asking, like.

Kind of wondering too. Perhaps to bureaucracy was too scared to push too much of the backlog in front of him.

It is my understanding that he does not endorse the approved applications individually, but as a batch. So not too much trouble for him.

[scorecard]

In the years 2004 and 2005 the list of approved names was published on immigration website, although 2006 ( my year of application, later approved in 2012) there was no list, but I do recieved the official approval letter by registered post.

Interesting question.

Maybe this subject is now considered to be private and personbal, therefore no open list for all to see?

[steelepulse]

I tried to find a list of all countries and how many PR's were issued by each country as it seems TH issues very few for a country that has over 80 million people and millions of visitors. The only country I could find after doing a quick search was the US.

>>>>>In 2013, 990,553 foreign nationals became lawful permanent residents

Granted the US has 4 times more citizens, but something is seriously out of line here in TH on number of PR's issued. How many PR's did Norway, Sweden Germany, France, Malaysia, Singapore etc. issue compared to here. Really amazing how xenophobic things are here in regards to issuing citizenship and PR, whether that's good or bad I'll leave that up to you.

[GarryP]

I tried to find a list of all countries and how many PR's were issued by each country as it seems TH issues very few for a country that has over 80 million people and millions of visitors. The only country I could find after doing a quick search was the US.

>>>>>In 2013, 990,553 foreign nationals became lawful permanent residents

Granted the US has 4 times more citizens, but something is seriously out of line here in TH on number of PR's issued. How many PR's did Norway, Sweden Germany, France, Malaysia, Singapore etc. issue compared to here. Really amazing how xenophobic things are here in regards to issuing citizenship and PR, whether that's good or bad I'll leave that up to you.

Look at it from the perspective of how many actually apply. I would have thought the number applying for PR status in the US exceeds the number in Thailand by about 10,000 to 1 or more. It is not just the number granted, you need to look at the number of applications submitted.

[samran]

I tried to find a list of all countries and how many PR's were issued by each country as it seems TH issues very few for a country that has over 80 million people and millions of visitors. The only country I could find after doing a quick search was the US.

>>>>>In 2013, 990,553 foreign nationals became lawful permanent residents

Granted the US has 4 times more citizens, but something is seriously out of line here in TH on number of PR's issued. How many PR's did Norway, Sweden Germany, France, Malaysia, Singapore etc. issue compared to here. Really amazing how xenophobic things are here in regards to issuing citizenship and PR, whether that's good or bad I'll leave that up to you.

While I agree for its own sake Thailand should take more (and provide PR with work rights to spouses) it really is a supply and demand issue.

People want to go to the U.S. In the scheme of things, Thailand offers little in the eyes of the worlds wanna be migrants.

[Asheron]

I tried to find a list of all countries and how many PR's were issued by each country as it seems TH issues very few for a country that has over 80 million people and millions of visitors. The only country I could find after doing a quick search was the US.

>>>>>In 2013, 990,553 foreign nationals became lawful permanent residents

Granted the US has 4 times more citizens, but something is seriously out of line here in TH on number of PR's issued. How many PR's did Norway, Sweden Germany, France, Malaysia, Singapore etc. issue compared to here. Really amazing how xenophobic things are here in regards to issuing citizenship and PR, whether that's good or bad I'll leave that up to you.

Well for you information a very large majority of the people "moving" (very wrong word for what they are really doing) to Sweden have no education, 2-7 children (huge cost) and quite a few can't even read or write. For instance anyone and i mean anyone who says they are from Syria automatically get a permanent residence in Sweden. There are many many reports (anonymous of course) from Migrationsverket that people who aren't even close to Syrian (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon) are saying that they need asylum in Sweden and get it. The interviewer at Migrationsverket knows they are lying but they still get to stay. There are even reports of arabic people who have lived years and years in Europe already that come to Sweden and get a second identity this way... and about 92-95% of all the people seeking asylum in Sweden lack any kind of identifications yet they can stay. And what has happened because of this? Well, the third largest city in Sweden has a minority ethnic swedish population for a while now (Malmö).

My point is... don't wish Thailand to turn into Sweden. I really don't want to start learning Khmer or Vietnamese in the future.

[Arkady]

Permanent residency in Thailand: maximum new residents permitted per annum, 100 per country.

China population 1.4 billion, 100 allowed.

India population 1.3 billion, 100 allowed.

San Marino pop. 33,000, 100 allowed.

Nauru pop. 10,000, 100 allowed.

The original intention of annual quotas which began in the early 50s was to put an end to wholesale Chinese immigration which it did very effectively. Thousands were coming annually and PR was available soon after arrival in the those days, as long as you could demonstrate an employable skill. There were no work permits, retirement or marriage extensions etc. AFAIK it is still only Chinese nationals who have regularly hit the limit, although Indians have also hit it occasionally. I don't think any other nationalities have ever got close to it. Your guess is probably as good as mine as to how they select the 100 lucky Chinese applicants each year but in the 90s I once met a very charming Pol Maj Gen at immigration, a Thai Chinese who spoke fluent Mandarin, who seemed to be lobbied by Chinese applicants. The quota is still serving its original purpose today.

[Arkady]

Once you receive approval, how long is it good for? In other words, how long do you have to accept the invitation before it expires?

After recieving approval letter you got 30 days to recieve your PR book and then 7 days to recieve your red police book.

It used to be 7 days to get the PR book issued. Meaning 7 days from the date on the approval letter.

Maybe it's now changed to 30 days?

Needs checking.

I recived the approval letter in 2012, it is 30 days to recive the blue book and 7 days for the red one.

Correct. The Immigration Act prescribes 30 days to get the blue book and this is non-negotiable, as it is in the law. So they will cancel your PR, if you don't get the blue book in time.

Section 47 : The alien who is allowed to take up residence in the Kingdom must apply for a Residence

Certificate from the Director General or from a competent official deputized by the Director General within

30 days from the date receiving written notification from a competent official.

I nearly had an issue as I got my red book just after New Year and the police were trying to say it was more than 7 days after getting the blue book and I had no idea this was a requirement. Luckily they recounted cutting out public holidays and I was just within the limit. They said the whole thing would have been cancelled otherwise. I don't see that in the Act, although it might be a ministerial regulation. Immigration didn't warn me about this and it was just coming up to NY holidays.

Be warned anyway that you need to arrange your schedule to able to get the books as quickly as possible. Otherwise all may lost.