Linnets1961 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) This was my experience today obtaining a Residence Certificate for purchasing a motorcycle. Arrived at 11 o'clock with application form filled out along with 2 photos, copies of passport ID pages, visa and entry stamp, entry card, house lease and Truevisions contract. Presented everything to young lady in foyer who checked everything and gave me a ticket number and sent me to desk 9. Waited about 5 minutes for my number to be called, gave all the documents to the lady behind the desk after she had checked everything she asked for 300 baht and told me to return in 20 minutes. After having a coffee in the place outside (Aroi Dee) it was back inside to pick up the certificate, all told about 45 mins and a pretty painless experience. NB. I had all my original documents with me but apart from my passport they never asked to see them. Edited July 3, 2015 by Linnets1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inzman Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 They are supposed to be free, unfortunately every office has a different fee. Such a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJCM Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) They are supposed to be free, unfortunately every office has a different fee. Such a shame.Inzman,You are 100% right, but think about it that whrn people start to complain about it it could also have the Negative effect of the Office STOP issuing them and what are your alternatives then ? - a trip to your Embassy in Bangkok with much higher costs - getting a Yellow House book - a trip to your Local Police office (and I think they will also want money for it) ? just food for thought;) Edited July 3, 2015 by MJCM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 They are supposed to be free, unfortunately every office has a different fee. Such a shame.Inzman,You are 100% right, but think about it that whrn people start to complain about it it could also have the Negative effect of the Office STOP issuing them and what are your alternatives then ? - a trip to your Embassy in Bangkok with much higher costs - getting a Yellow House book - a trip to your Local Police office (and I think they will also want money for it) ? just food for thought;) Indeed. Neighbouring Maptaput no longer issues them according to this thread on the Eastern Thailand Forum: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826064-mapthaput-immigration-no-more-residence-certificates/. But it would appear from post #3 that those of us who live in Rayong Province can now obtain residence certificates from Jomtien instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 They are supposed to be free, unfortunately every office has a different fee. Such a shame. I've had quite a few done at Jomtien in the past. My last one was 200 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9469 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 They are not supposed to be free. It's just not an official duty of the Thai immigration police to issue residence certificates. Otherwise it had to be mentioned on the board with their fees and stating ‘no fee’. Some immigration offices now refuse to issue these certificates probably because a cheap charley wanted to tell the Thai immigration police what they have to do and what they are allowed to charge. If it was really an official duty to issue residence certificates you could sue them (or file a complaint) when they refuse to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessi Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 There should be NO CHARGE for this. But there are no free lunches in Thailand, I think that the Korat Immigration has stopped this also & they were charging 500B .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9469 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Please tell me an official Thai source that says Thai immigration police has to issue residence certificates and there is 'no charge' for it. And in which country are 'free lunches'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think immigration should call it a service charge instead of a fee and get a receipt book to give people a receipt for it to stop all the complaints. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball53098 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think immigration should call it a service charge instead of a fee and get a receipt book to give people a receipt for it to stop all the complaints. +1 and double ++1 They are doing us a service. What a hassle having to go to your local embassy and most likely pay a lot more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessi Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Please tell me an official Thai source that says Thai immigration police has to issue residence certificates and there is 'no charge' for it. And in which country are 'free lunches'? Please do your own research, you can start with Thai Immigration web site. Free lunches was a tongue in cheek comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9469 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 From http://www.immigration.go.th Fees (adjusted): Residence certificate (TM. 15) Arrival prior to immigration act: 19,000.- Baht per piece Residence certificate (TM. 16) For shared investment or special investment: 191,400.- Baht For employment or expert: 191,400.- Baht For foreigner married to Thai national: 95,700.- Baht For foreign head of family taking care of children of Thai nationality: 95,700.- Baht For spouse of foreign resident in the Kingdom: 95,700.- Baht For children of foreign resident in the Kingdom or of Thai nationals: Underage: 95,700.- Baht Adult: 191,400.- Baht For non-quota immigrants (original resident): 95,700.- Baht Residence certificate (TM. 17) In case of damage or loss or insufficient space in passport: 1,900.- Baht per piece I don’t think this is what you mean but I couldn’t find anything else that they have to issue cheaper or for free. Actually, there is a difference in Thai for the ‘Residence certificate’ above and the form that they use at the immigration for the certificate that you can get for a small fee of 300 Baht (depending on the immigration office). And for this form they don’t use any official number (like TM …). Why should Thai officials do something for foreigners for free they don’t have to do? So you get free lunches at home but you complain about Thailand because you can’t get free benefits here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxyzptlk Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 There should be NO CHARGE for this. But there are no free lunches in Thailand, I think that the Korat Immigration has stopped this also & they were charging 500B .. I believe that Kap Choeng office have also stopped issuing them due to complaints about the fee..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 From http://www.immigration.go.th Fees (adjusted): That is for permanent residence and has nothing to with this discussion Why should Thai officials do something for foreigners for free they dont have to do? So you get free lunches at home but you complain about Thailand because you cant get free benefits here? Because it's their job, and they are supposed to be paid from the state, not directly by foreigners and not without a receipt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9469 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 And why says it's their job? Only foreigners ... They should make it an official task with and an official fee. I don't think at home it's a police task to issue cdertificates of rersidence for foreigners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 And why says it's their job? Only foreigners ... They should make it an official task with and an official fee. I don't think at home it's a police task to issue cdertificates of rersidence for foreigners. It is. They would not do it otherwise, money or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Joe Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Maybe if we complain enough about the fee for an unofficial service that they are not obligated to provide they will just stop doing them like Chiang Mai did. Then I would need an appointment to get one from my embassy and spend a half day doing it and get to pay about 1700 Baht for the residence cert. At least I would get a receipt that I don't care about and just toss in the trash. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Maybe if we complain enough about the fee for an unofficial service that they are not obligated to provide they will just stop doing them like Chiang Mai did. Chiang Mai immigration does the residence letter. Bt 500 Bt given 3 days, free in 2 weeks. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/727302-new-office-open-for-residence-letter-in-chiangmai/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I wish I could, but I can't prove that it is the job of Immigration offices to issue residence certificates. The Immigration Act does not mention it, or does it? Immigration has a form for it, but it neither mentions a fee nor does it say that it is exempt from fees. If there is a Ministerial Regulation or a Royal Thai Police Order about it, I have yet to find it. In any bureaucracy, usually nothing is done, and no fee is collected, bribery excepted, unless there is a rule for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Talking about regulatory requirements, section 38 of the Civil Registration Act makes it an obligation of the District Offices (amphoe) to register foreigners. I have seen posts by some members saying that they got a residence certificate from the local District Office even when they did not have a yellow house registration book. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessi Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 About two years ago I needed a cert so I could get my 5 year drivers license, they charged me 500B I told the officer that a year early it was only 300B and besides it is free, why charge. She said if you want free come back next year. I didnt get a receipt for the 500B This was at Mattaputt, near Rayong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9469 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 So it's not the obligation of the immigration police. They do it only because they want to collect information about foreigners and they can make extra money. Next time I will try the Ampohoe even if I have to tell the people there that they have to read the Section 38 of the Civil Registration Act and it will probably take more than 30 minutes like at Jomtien. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanyaburi Mac Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Maestro "I have seen posts by some members saying that they got a residence certificate from the local District Office even when they did not have a yellow house registration book. " Me, for one. Talked to the nice lady at the ID card section and after some discussion, she told one of the clerks to write up a letter, then she signed it. Seemed so easy, I went back a few months later with my wife and ended up with the yellow tambien ban, also no charge. Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 The point is that the residence certificate is only needed because Thai government bureaucracy says so. And as Thai government bureaucracy wants you to have one, Thai government bureaucracy should also provide the means for you to obtain one at a fixed price and with a receipt, and following a properly defined procedure. Just like it does with driving licences, visa extensions, car tax, etc etc Issuing Thai residence certificates is not the job of consulates of other countries and it is a complete aberration to suppose that it should be. It makes as much sense to suppose that consulates should also sell dog food. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 The point is that the residence certificate is only needed because Thai government bureaucracy says so. And as Thai government bureaucracy wants you to have one, Thai government bureaucracy should also provide the means for you to obtain one at a fixed price and with a receipt, and following a properly defined procedure. Just like it does with driving licences, visa extensions, car tax, etc etc (........) And that is exactly what the Thai government has done. Some immigraiton offices just don't play by the rules, than you can report them (or not). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 The point is that the residence certificate is only needed because Thai government bureaucracy says so. And as Thai government bureaucracy wants you to have one, Thai government bureaucracy should also provide the means for you to obtain one at a fixed price and with a receipt, and following a properly defined procedure. Just like it does with driving licences, visa extensions, car tax, etc etc (........) And that is exactly what the Thai government has done. Some immigraiton offices just don't play by the rules, than you can report them (or not). Nowhere do I see any official and documented procedure for obtaining a residence certificate. I do see proper procedures for obtaining driving licences, house books, car books, property titles, visas, extensions etc. and most offices seem to respect most of these rules most of the time. Certainly not all government offices (Immigration and others) obey the same rules uniformly across the country, but issuing residence certificates seems to be particularly disorganised and vague. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Not all immigration procedures are published. The procedure is that you fill in the required form. As it is a free service, there is no receipt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Not all immigration procedures are published. The procedure is that you fill in the required form. As it is a free service, there is no receipt. An unpublished official procedure and a free service that most people have to pay for? Sounds like double-think to me. Did Orwell ever visit Thailand? He would have felt right at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Nothing to do with Kafka. The government is very clear in that there is no fee. So if you pay a fee, it is not an official one. What is so difficult to understand about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Nothing to do with Kafka. The government is very clear in that there is no fee. So if you pay a fee, it is not an official one. What is so difficult to understand about that? I do understand it and have frequently pointed out how iniquitous and disgraceful this "fee" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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