Retirement visa to PR?

[Jaray]

Next year I will have had my third consecutive 1 year visa renewal and afterwards I would like to apply for Permanent Residence.

My one-year visa is 'Retirement' category (with enough money in a Thai bank).

Today I enquired at a visa service office (in Chiang Mai) whether they had a service for helping to prepare for PR, but to my surprise I was informed that I couldn't apply (in the future) for PR after a Retirement Visa! - They thought that I must first change my 'Retirement Visa' to a 'Marriage Visa'. Does anyone know if this is correct - or is this visa service office just not familiar with PR requirements?

Any thoughts/info much appreciated.

[johnatong]

You cannot apply for PR whilst holding an extension of stay based on retirement.

To obtain PR you would need and appropriate visa + several years tax payment documents (based on working in Thailand) etc.

[ubonjoe]

Changing the reason for your extension would not help. You do not qualify for PR. You have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years to apply for it.

[Pib]

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/thailand-permanent-visa-us.php

Qualifications

To become eligible to apply for Permanent Residency Permit, the applicant must meet any of the following criteria:

Applicant must present 3 years of tax statements proving the above income

• Must hold 3 consecutive 1-year visa extensions.
• Must have a valid work permit for 3 years at the date of application.
• Must earn 30,000 Baht monthly income (for those married with Thai spouse for 5 years) and 80,000 Baht monthly income (for those who are single).

[ubonjoe]

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/thailand-permanent-visa-us.php

Qualifications

To become eligible to apply for Permanent Residency Permit, the applicant must meet any of the following criteria:

Applicant must present 3 years of tax statements proving the above income

• Must hold 3 consecutive 1-year visa extensions.
• Must have a valid work permit for 3 years at the date of application.
• Must earn 30,000 Baht monthly income (for those married with Thai spouse for 5 years) and 80,000 Baht monthly income (for those who are single).

Rather than looking at that commercial website that is known to have errors on it the best option is the immigration website. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=residence

[RBOP]

I believe 20 years ago there was also a yearly quota and can take years for your number to come up. Might have changed now

[csabo]

Slight hijack, what are the benefits of PR?

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

I believe 20 years ago there was also a yearly quota and can take years for your number to come up. Might have changed now

There is quota for the number of application that can be accepted each year per country. The immigration act of 1979 states that the maximum is 100 and that the cabinet determines the number allowed for each year. The cabinet normally sets it at 100 every year.

You are not assigned a quota number when you apply.

The last 10 years people have waited for approval for several years because no action was taken by the interior ministry and/or the immigration commission choose not do any approvals.

[Pib]

Sounds like the OP needs to come out of retirement, work/pay taxes for 3 more years, apply for the PR, and continue to work/pay taxes to play it safe in case the govt has questions about your work during the application review process since that process could take years. Probably best to plan on working 5 more years...3 years to meet the application requirement and 2 more years during the probable review process length of time. Me thinks I would just stay in retirement and do the yearly retirement extension of stay.

[SteveB2]

A rough outline of Thai Permanent Residence requirements is given online here and here - however, be aware that there have been many changes introduced during the last few years - much of the information available online including on the immigration departments own web site and most legal advisers web sites is now hopelessly out of date.

Be aware that applications for issuance of PR are on a points based system - the published requirements are the barest minimum for consideration. You should aim to exceed any published requirements by at least a factor of 2 ...maybe 5 to be sure

Applications are made through the Royal Thai Immigration HQ at Chaeng Wattana government center, Bangkok.

There is currently no route that I am aware of (2016) for conversion from retirement visa to PR.

There are a number of good PR threads on thaivisa - check this thread for the most recent info http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882530-permanent-residency-which-route/

There is also Camerata's 2004 guide here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/74654-cameratas-guide-to-the-permanent-residence-process/

Edited May 28, 2016 by SteveB2

[TSF]

I missed the boat. Back in the 1990s I was working for a company with well-connected hi-so Thais in the top positions, I had WP, paid tax, was legally married to a Thai. Should have made my move then.

Today I'm retired on annual retirmenet extensions, no longer married. Not a hope in hell (not that it matters much...:-)

[12DrinkMore]

I missed the boat. Back in the 1990s I was working for a company with well-connected hi-so Thais in the top positions, I had WP, paid tax, was legally married to a Thai. Should have made my move then.

Today I'm retired on annual retirmenet extensions, no longer married. Not a hope in hell (not that it matters much...:-)

Yep, that sums it all up.

[mrfaroukh]

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/thailand-permanent-visa-us.php

Qualifications

To become eligible to apply for Permanent Residency Permit, the applicant must meet any of the following criteria:

Applicant must present 3 years of tax statements proving the above income

• Must hold 3 consecutive 1-year visa extensions.
• Must have a valid work permit for 3 years at the date of application.
• Must earn 30,000 Baht monthly income (for those married with Thai spouse for 5 years) and 80,000 Baht monthly income (for those who are single).

Rather than looking at that commercial website that is known to have errors on it the best option is the immigration website. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=residence

Thank you for putting this link it was very informative. I wonder how long this visa will be valid and what are the benefits of this resident permit for which we must spend almost 200 000 Baht. Hope to get a good link to this question.

[ubonjoe]

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/thailand-permanent-visa-us.php

Qualifications

To become eligible to apply for Permanent Residency Permit, the applicant must meet any of the following criteria:

Applicant must present 3 years of tax statements proving the above income

• Must hold 3 consecutive 1-year visa extensions.
• Must have a valid work permit for 3 years at the date of application.
• Must earn 30,000 Baht monthly income (for those married with Thai spouse for 5 years) and 80,000 Baht monthly income (for those who are single).

Rather than looking at that commercial website that is known to have errors on it the best option is the immigration website. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=residence

Thank you for putting this link it was very informative. I wonder how long this visa will be valid and what are the benefits of this resident permit for which we must spend almost 200 000 Baht. Hope to get a good link to this question.

Permanent residency is what it is. It allows you to stay indefinateley.

This is the dedicated topic for PR where you can find the info you want. Camerata's Guide to Permanent Residence