Has anyone in Chiang Mai obtained Thai citizenship

[THAIJAMES]

For anyone wishing to apply for PR (permanent residency) status; You require a non-refundable deposit of 97,000 Baht which is not drawn upon unless your application is approved. To the best of my knowledge (my applications date back many years) no one in the north has ever been approved, Advantages? Only if your intention is to seek citizenship.

That is incorrect information. You pay 7,500 at the time you make the application for PR and only required to pay either 97,000 (married) or 193,000 (single) if approved.

I am a PR and live in Chiang Mai me and another lady from Chiang Mai were approved last year.

You don't need PR to apply for citizenship if you are married - only if you are single like I am.

I will in the future be applying for Citizenship and know that it can be done in Bangkok and know it is best to apply there, however If anyone has been successful in Chiang Mai I would rather do it here as I would not need to move my Tabien Baan and the hassles involved.

[Johnniey]

Tried two times. First application returned denied due to a spelling mistake. Second never responded to (in 3 years).

BTW - each application cost 97,000B

The massive thread??? Right.

I don't believe a word of this.

[ARISTIDE]

No the point to become a Thai is to AVOID tax! Have you ask any Thai lately if they pay tax?

at 97k bahts per application, better keep your money and buy you a nice condo with pool and jacuzzi.

all you need is to send a mail by post every 3 month and it will cost you 10 bahts.

no point to become a thai unless you love to pay tax.

[BritManToo]

I guess there is as much chance of getting Thai citizenship as there is of winning the lottery.

I heard that it`s very difficult, an applicant has to become Thai in mind, body and soul and also relinquish their present citizenship. It has to be a 100% commitment. Most of us would not fulfill the requirements.

All you need is to earn a lot of money in Thailand.

Chiang Mai isn't a popular center for Financial firms employing foreigners on long term expat packages, so nobody is eligible.

[Johnniey]

I guess there is as much chance of getting Thai citizenship as there is of winning the lottery.

I heard that it`s very difficult, an applicant has to become Thai in mind, body and soul and also relinquish their present citizenship. It has to be a 100% commitment. Most of us would not fulfill the requirements.

All you need is to earn a lot of money in Thailand.

Chiang Mai isn't a popular center for Financial firms employing foreigners on long term expat packages, so nobody is eligible.

40,000 baht is all you need to earn if you are married to a Thai. Please don't post about things you know nothing about.

[BritManToo]

I guess there is as much chance of getting Thai citizenship as there is of winning the lottery.

I heard that it`s very difficult, an applicant has to become Thai in mind, body and soul and also relinquish their present citizenship. It has to be a 100% commitment. Most of us would not fulfill the requirements.

All you need is to earn a lot of money in Thailand.

Chiang Mai isn't a popular center for Financial firms employing foreigners on long term expat packages, so nobody is eligible.

40,000 baht is all you need to earn if you are married to a Thai. Please don't post about things you know nothing about.

Who earns that in CM, as a full time employee (eligible), not yearly contracts (ineligible)?

Almost nobody.

Seems I know these things, and you don't.

[THAIJAMES]

Plenty of Foreigners in Chiang Mai own their own business and are able to pay themselves a high enough salary.

Many international schools hire quality teachers which get paid 40K month.

Plenty of NGOs, consular, etc, pay their staff more than 40K

Not sure if it is still the case, but in the past to get a business visa and work permit, I had to show at least 60K salary per month.

When I went to the Police to enquire about citizenship application, they mentioned that they had hundreds of applications on file already. So each of these would need to meet the minimum requirements to be accepted.

Probably thousands more that quality but can't be bothered to apply or don't see any benefit to Thai citizenship.

Edited May 2, 2016 by THAIJAMES

[JaseTheBass]

No the point to become a Thai is to AVOID tax! Have you ask any Thai lately if they pay tax?

at 97k bahts per application, better keep your money and buy you a nice condo with pool and jacuzzi.

all you need is to send a mail by post every 3 month and it will cost you 10 bahts.

no point to become a thai unless you love to pay tax.

8 Thais pay tax in my company...

[BritManToo]

Plenty of Foreigners in Chiang Mai own their own business and are able to pay themselves a high enough salary.

Many international schools hire quality teachers which get paid 40K month.

Plenty of NGOs, consular, etc, pay their staff more than 40K

Not sure if it is still the case, but in the past to get a business visa and work permit, I had to show at least 60K salary per month.

When I went to the Police to enquire about citizenship application, they mentioned that they had hundreds of applications on file already. So each of these would need to meet the minimum requirements to be accepted.

Probably thousands more that quality but can't be bothered to apply or don't see any benefit to Thai citizenship.

Own company not eligible

International school yearly contract not eligible

NGO paid outside Thailand not eligible

Consular staff in CM were Thai

Edited May 3, 2016 by BritManToo

[arithai12]

For anyone wishing to apply for PR (permanent residency) status; You require a non-refundable deposit of 97,000 Baht which is not drawn upon unless your application is approved. To the best of my knowledge (my applications date back many years) no one in the north has ever been approved, Advantages? Only if your intention is to seek citizenship.

That is incorrect information. You pay 7,500 at the time you make the application for PR and only required to pay either 97,000 (married) or 193,000 (single) if approved.

I am a PR and live in Chiang Mai me and another lady from Chiang Mai were approved last year.

You don't need PR to apply for citizenship if you are married - only if you are single like I am.

I will in the future be applying for Citizenship and know that it can be done in Bangkok and know it is best to apply there, however If anyone has been successful in Chiang Mai I would rather do it here as I would not need to move my Tabien Baan and the hassles involved.

Thank you THAIJAMES for this info.

Can you comment on how long it took for your PR process?

[LivinLOS]

I guess there is as much chance of getting Thai citizenship as there is of winning the lottery.

I heard that it`s very difficult, an applicant has to become Thai in mind, body and soul and also relinquish their present citizenship. It has to be a 100% commitment. Most of us would not fulfill the requirements.

All you need is to earn a lot of money in Thailand.

Chiang Mai isn't a popular center for Financial firms employing foreigners on long term expat packages, so nobody is eligible.

40,000 baht is all you need to earn if you are married to a Thai. Please don't post about things you know nothing about.

How many minimum wage people actually get through the screening process ??

I asked a lawyer years ago, about if I set up a company, paid myself the 65k, etc etc.. To then apply and he said anyone earning the low number had very little chance of ever getting to the top of the pile, perhaps if you had a monk vouching for you and or loads of decent level ongoing donations to temples and charities..

Sure theres the rules, but the process is so opaque, that the rules are only the start of the screening process..

I have met a few people of the years with Pr and citizenship, all either purchased it (40 mil baht investment) or were earning multi 100k a month as a manager on full expat package.

[WorkingTourist]

Reading the requirements for a Permanent Residency application it says:

• You must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of your application.
• Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant visas can not apply. You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify.

Can someone explain to me what this actually means? To me it sounds like you must get a non-immigrant visa that you extend for 3 years, and then apply. So this limits applicants to those on special visas, since the only visa I qualify for is a regular single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa, none of which allow me to stay more than 60 days (with a 30 day extension).

Also, it says: “To be able to leave the country and return to Thailand […] you apply for a re-entry permit”. It sounds like unless you plan to live here year round, you still have to fill out regular application, just when you leave instead of when you arrive (and you can stay longer than 90 days without needing a border run).

[THAIJAMES]

For anyone wishing to apply for PR (permanent residency) status; You require a non-refundable deposit of 97,000 Baht which is not drawn upon unless your application is approved. To the best of my knowledge (my applications date back many years) no one in the north has ever been approved, Advantages? Only if your intention is to seek citizenship.

That is incorrect information. You pay 7,500 at the time you make the application for PR and only required to pay either 97,000 (married) or 193,000 (single) if approved.

I am a PR and live in Chiang Mai me and another lady from Chiang Mai were approved last year.

You don't need PR to apply for citizenship if you are married - only if you are single like I am.

I will in the future be applying for Citizenship and know that it can be done in Bangkok and know it is best to apply there, however If anyone has been successful in Chiang Mai I would rather do it here as I would not need to move my Tabien Baan and the hassles involved.

Thank you THAIJAMES for this info.

Can you comment on how long it took for your PR process?

Mine was extremely long - 8 years as I applied at a time when there was a lot of changes and different governments taking over. I would think that now the process might take only a couple of years.

Although officially its only suppose to take one year. Best to apply now if you can as the process seems to be working correctly now. Never know what will happen in the future.

[THAIJAMES]

Reading the requirements for a Permanent Residency application it says:

• You must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of your application.
• Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant visas can not apply. You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify.

Can someone explain to me what this actually means? To me it sounds like you must get a non-immigrant visa that you extend for 3 years, and then apply. So this limits applicants to those on special visas, since the only visa I qualify for is a regular single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa, none of which allow me to stay more than 60 days (with a 30 day extension).

Also, it says: “To be able to leave the country and return to Thailand […] you apply for a re-entry permit”. It sounds like unless you plan to live here year round, you still have to fill out regular application, just when you leave instead of when you arrive (and you can stay longer than 90 days without needing a border run).

It means that you need to have had at least 3 full one year extension that were done at a local immigration office. You would need a work permit for the 3 years and a minimum of 80K salary unless you are applying under the married category.

Retirement visas do not count as you must have a work permit. Also leaving the country and obtaining a visa does not count. It must be 3 consecutive one year extensions.

A re-entry permit is for people that have a one year extension and need to leave the country and then re-enter. It has nothing to do with the PR process.

[Tywais]

A re-entry permit is for people that have a one year extension and need to leave the country and then re-enter. It has nothing to do with the PR process.

Indirectly it does. If you leave without a re-entry permit your permission of stay is cancelled and you have to start the 3 year process over again as you have broken the previous continuous extensions.

[BritManToo]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

There may be a few, but it's very rare. If it were easy, I would have gone the 'bogus company' citizenship route already. Create a shell company, employ 4 Thai family members on minimum wage, employ myself, etc., doesn't work.

If it were easy, I would have gone the International school teacher route (I'm a registered high school teacher in the Uk for Math and Science), but nobody would employ me on anything other than rolling contracts, so no go.

A lot of the company owners I know appear to be on tourist visas, or visa runners.

Maybe you know some who can fulfill the requirements, more likely they are lying about their VISA and WP.

So lots of people think it's possible for a man, but none of you have managed to do it?

Just one person claiming PR (and that person female?).

Maybe the reason is because, it's not as possible as you would like to think for men.

Unless you are a foreign woman married to a Thai man, which is a lot easier.

Edited May 4, 2016 by BritManToo

[LivinLOS]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

I would think the exact opposite.. When your working for another you always have the issue of contract termination, changing companies, etc.. When you work for yourself, you simply pay your bills and keep the company open.

[BritManToo]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

I would think the exact opposite.. When your working for another you always have the issue of contract termination, changing companies, etc.. When you work for yourself, you simply pay your bills and keep the company open.

I've explained to to you, but I can't understand it for you.

[BritManToo]

I am not talking about "bogus" companies.

If the Thai 51% didn't use their own money and don't have 51% voting rights, it's a bogus company.

Edited May 4, 2016 by BritManToo

[WorkingTourist]

[…] To me it sounds like you must get a non-immigrant visa that you extend for 3 years, and then apply. So this limits applicants to those on special visas, since the only visa I qualify for is a regular single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa, none of which allow me to stay more than 60 days (with a 30 day extension).

[…] You would need a work permit for the 3 years and a minimum of 80K salary unless you are applying under the married category.

OK, so work, marriage, or possibly education visa (with the person staying in Thailand the full 3 years w/o leaving)?

I was unsure about the work visa because the same page says: “Getting a work permit is also made easier once you have PR status” which makes it sound like you’d get a PR before appling for work permit. But I assume that would be for foreigners married to a Thai, or possibly people on education visa.

[Tywais]

[…] To me it sounds like you must get a non-immigrant visa that you extend for 3 years, and then apply. So this limits applicants to those on special visas, since the only visa I qualify for is a regular single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa, none of which allow me to stay more than 60 days (with a 30 day extension).

[…] You would need a work permit for the 3 years and a minimum of 80K salary unless you are applying under the married category.

OK, so work, marriage, or possibly education visa (with the person staying in Thailand the full 3 years w/o leaving)?

I was unsure about the work visa because the same page says: “Getting a work permit is also made easier once you have PR status” which makes it sound like you’d get a PR before appling for work permit. But I assume that would be for foreigners married to a Thai, or possibly people on education visa.

It means if you have been working here with a valid WP for 3 years continuously and you then obtain PR, the process of obtaining further work permits is easier, more streamlined.

[thedemon]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

I would think the exact opposite.. When your working for another you always have the issue of contract termination, changing companies, etc.. When you work for yourself, you simply pay your bills and keep the company open.

I've explained to to you, but I can't understand it for you.

I don't understand you either.

Which is strange since I am self employed and a PR holder.

[BritManToo]

Which is strange since I am self employed and a PR holder.

But not a citizen, and this thread is about citizenship.

[thedemon]

Which is strange since I am self employed and a PR holder.

But not a citizen, and this thread is about citizenship.

Every post you have made here is spreading misinformation. It is obviously a subject that you know little about.

So do everyone (especially the op) a favour and move on. Please.

[THAIJAMES]

I am not talking about "bogus" companies.

If the Thai 51% didn't use their own money and don't have 51% voting rights, it's a bogus company.

I own 100% of my company and have 100% voting rights. No Thais shareholders. Please stop spreading wrong information.

Look up Thai American Amenity treaty.

[THAIJAMES]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

There may be a few, but it's very rare. If it were easy, I would have gone the 'bogus company' citizenship route already. Create a shell company, employ 4 Thai family members on minimum wage, employ myself, etc., doesn't work.

If it were easy, I would have gone the International school teacher route (I'm a registered high school teacher in the Uk for Math and Science), but nobody would employ me on anything other than rolling contracts, so no go.

A lot of the company owners I know appear to be on tourist visas, or visa runners.

Maybe you know some who can fulfill the requirements, more likely they are lying about their VISA and WP.

So lots of people think it's possible for a man, but none of you have managed to do it?

Just one person claiming PR (and that person female?).

Maybe the reason is because, it's not as possible as you would like to think for men.

Unless you are a foreign woman married to a Thai man, which is a lot easier.

You are all mixed up with all your information.

I am a PR holder and I am a male.

According to the Police Special Division here in CM there are about 500 PR holders in Chiang Mai. Based on them having to renew their stamp on their red book every 5 years.

(some could have left the country or passed away)

This discussion is about Citizenship.

I know that at least one person has been approved last year because I went to talk to BORA (interior Ministry) a few months ago and they showed me his application had been approved.

I am assuming that there may be more as hundreds of applications were on file as Special Branches in Chiang Mai.

I am hoping that on of these hundreds of applications reads Thai Visa and is able to update us on his or her progress.

[arithai12]

It means that you need to have had at least 3 full one year extension that were done at a local immigration office. You would need a work permit for the 3 years and a minimum of 80K salary unless you are applying under the married category.

I know the thread is about citizenship, but since PR has come up as well I'd like to get the latest.

It's the first time that I hear about a minimum salary, and 80k! Can you confirm, or point to the source?

thanks

[LivinLOS]

Where does it say that company owners are not eligible? May I ask where you got your info from?

Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years.

I would think the exact opposite.. When your working for another you always have the issue of contract termination, changing companies, etc.. When you work for yourself, you simply pay your bills and keep the company open.

I've explained to to you, but I can't understand it for you.

But you didnt.. you logic that 'Company owners usually find it hard to fulfill the work permit and visa extension criteria for 3 continuous years' is plainly false.. I know many people who have their own businesses and work permits and have done for years, some a decade plus.. Staying on a business visa and extension isnt that hard if you have a real normal company.

As I said, it seems to me far easier to control your own situation, by your own company, than it is to rely on the whims of others.

[Tomtomtom69]

The Thais here don't seem to have any problem obtaining Thai citizenship - they just get born and it happens. Why would you want Thai citizenship? It offers absolutely no advantages over the passport that Westerners already carry.

You could buy and own a house and land!

No trips to Immigration.

No reporting where you are staying.

To list just a few.

Of course. If you want to live in Thailand, then ideally you want to have a Thai ID card. If you will be moving on in 6 months, then it doesn't matter. However, why is it always the foreigners who have lived in Thailand (or other places in Asia) for decades and know full well they will die here who claim that Thai/ other Asian citizenship is "useless"? What a stupid remark. Yes, Thai citizenship is useful. Extremely useful and much more useful than any western passport when visiting or living in Thailand!

Thai citizenship is also useful for travelling to another ASEAN country. You don't need a visa. Additionally, if you cross a locals only border, you will be allowed to cross using just an ID card (no need for a passport) and although you won't be allowed very far, it can be useful because you can travel to say Myeik in Myanmar from Dan Singkorn using just a border pass, for example, whereas foreigners would have to obtain a Myanmar visa and travel to Myeik by plane or bus from Yangon or by road from Kanchanaburi via Dawei.

What else? Well working! You can get a job without needing a work permit. You will also be considered for a job where in many cases Thai employers don't want to hire you simply because doing the paperwork to hire a foreigner is complicated and time consuming. It also costs a lot of money.

[LivinLOS]

I am not talking about "bogus" companies.

If the Thai 51% didn't use their own money and don't have 51% voting rights, it's a bogus company.

Doesnt stop people being on extensions on them for years though does it ??