Good day,

In the next few weeks, I will be looking to obtain a Thai drivers license and have a few questions that someone may be able to assist me with. I am a U.S citizen currently on a tourist visa, (Non-O early next year) and live in Somdet. I will be going to the Kalasin DLT for the license using my currently U.S. DL.

1. Can I get a Thai DL with a Tourist Visa?

2. Residence Certificate: There seems to be some variance on where to go to get the Res Cert. Do I go to Sakon Nakhon Immigration (85km) or can I get a letter from the local police station? If not, do I go to the US embassy?

3. If the Res Cert is obtained from Immigration, is there still an unofficial 500 bhat fee? If so, do I get the Cert in one day?

Overall, not to worried about the actual process once I get to the DTL, just trying to figure out where to start and minimize the travel time and expense to get this done.

Thanks for the assistance,

Troy

As far as I know, you cannot get a DL on a Tourist visa. First get your Non-O, then apply for your DL.

As far as I know, you cannot get a DL on a Tourist visa. First get your Non-O, then apply for your DL.

On temporary visa: only temporary license (2 years), on non-immigrant visa or extension of stay: 5 year license.

Even on visa exempt it is possible to obtain a DL.

1) yes but you will only get a temporary license (valid 2 yrs)

2) easiest to get residence certificate from your embassy. They can mail it to you.

3) I don't know, I always got it from my embassy.

4) I also got a medical certificate from a clinic. I think cost me 80 or 100 baht.

As far as I know, you cannot get a DL on a Tourist visa. First get your Non-O, then apply for your DL.

On temporary visa: only temporary license (2 years), on non-immigrant visa or extension of stay: 5 year license.

Even on visa exempt it is possible to obtain a DL.

Thanks Steven for correcting me. I was wrong Please ignore my comment.

As far as I know, you cannot get a DL on a Tourist visa. First get your Non-O, then apply for your DL.

On temporary visa: only temporary license (2 years), on non-immigrant visa or extension of stay: 5 year license.

Even on visa exempt it is possible to obtain a DL.

And unless something has changed, even a person on a long stay visa/extension only gets the 2 yr license initially...when going to renew then they get the 5 yr license.

Thank you for the heads-up on getting a DL while on a Tourist Visa. It is pretty much what I have been reading.

Question: Can I get a Residency Certificate from the local police station, or do I need to go to Immigration?
Travelling to Bangkok from here is a two day affair at best, and I would prefer to handle as local as possible.

Thanks!

As far as I know you must get it from the local immigration office but until you have one 90 day address report accomplished they probablywon't give you one...and based on the type of visa you have you won't be doing a 90 day report since you'll be exiting the country at least every 90 days. This means getting the certificate from your home country consulate.

As far as I know you must get it from the local immigration office but until you have one 90 day address report accomplished they probablywon't give you one...and based on the type of visa you have you won't be doing a 90 day report since you'll be exiting the country at least every 90 days. This means getting the certificate from your home country consulate.

I hadn't done a 90 day report before getting my licenses. I was doing a border run every 90 days on a non-imm B.

As far as I know you must get it from the local immigration office but until you have one 90 day address report accomplished they probablywon't give you one...and based on the type of visa you have you won't be doing a 90 day report since you'll be exiting the country at least every 90 days. This means getting the certificate from your home country consulate.

I hadn't done a 90 day report before getting my licenses. I was doing a border run every 90 days on a non-imm B.

Did you get a residence certificate from your immigration office? If so, when was that?

As far as I know you must get it from the local immigration office but until you have one 90 day address report accomplished they probablywon't give you one...and based on the type of visa you have you won't be doing a 90 day report since you'll be exiting the country at least every 90 days. This means getting the certificate from your home country consulate.

I hadn't done a 90 day report before getting my licenses. I was doing a border run every 90 days on a non-imm B.

Did you get a residence certificate from your immigration office? If so, when was that?

I got a yellow house book which I used when I transferred my UK license to toy one.

As far as I know you must get it from the local immigration office but until you have one 90 day address report accomplished they probablywon't give you one...and based on the type of visa you have you won't be doing a 90 day report since you'll be exiting the country at least every 90 days. This means getting the certificate from your home country consulate.

I hadn't done a 90 day report before getting my licenses. I was doing a border run every 90 days on a non-imm B.

Did you get a residence certificate from your immigration office? If so, when was that?

I got a yellow house book which I used when I transferred my UK license to toy one.

Since the question was about residence certificates, you're comment was totally off topic and confusing the issue.

Did you get a residence certificate from your immigration office? If so, when was that?

Two years ago, Chiang Mai, on a 60 day triple entry tourist visa.

Last year got yellow house book, so them days is over