Permanent Residency information

Visa questions, companies, work permits, employment, insurance, banking and finance, and legal issues.
Post Reply
SydneyGuy
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:08 am

Permanent Residency information

Post by SydneyGuy »

Anyone here got tired of the renewing visas, border runs etc and decided to apply for permanent residency?
I understand you can apply on 4 different grounds:

1. Working/Business (i am not working nor here on business)
2. Investment, minimum 3 million-10 million baht in investments (i wont qualify for this)
3. Expert/Academic category (does an expert in drinking count)
3. Thai family support, married to Thai citizen (this is what i would hopefully apply for)

Has anyone gone through the process of applying for PR, or are there any companies in Hua Hin that can assist gathering the correct documents and making an application to the Thai Immigration?

I believe as a prerequisite you need to be here for at least 3 consecutive years, on 3 consecutive Visa's before the Thai Immigration will entertain the idea of a farang applying for PR.

P.S. Only serious replies would be appreciated:)
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10900
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by Nereus »

Send a PM to Vincent, he has done it:

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=377
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
perfectvolley
Member
Member
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:34 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by perfectvolley »

what would be the benefit of a PR? Does it mean you dont have to show up every 90 days? Or you dont have to renew your visa every year?
hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »

You need to have been paying income tax here for at least 3 years and still doing so during the application period. This really means you need to have had, and still have, a work permit. You need to be on minimum 3 years of continuous extensions of stay (not visas).

If you qualify, and married to a Thai, you might consider citizenship instead.

Work permit and paying income tax for 3 years are the key requirements either way.

hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: RE: Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »

perfectvolley wrote:what would be the benefit of a PR? Does it mean you dont have to show up every 90 days? Or you dont have to renew your visa every year?
No 90 days. No yearly renewals. Alien book renewal every 5 years, but only a small fine for forgetting. "Re-entry permits" are required when leaving the country and intending to return. Otherwise not much. Citizenship would be better.
SydneyGuy
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:08 am

Re: RE: Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by SydneyGuy »

hhinner wrote: Fri Apr 28, 2017 10:14 pm
perfectvolley wrote:what would be the benefit of a PR? Does it mean you dont have to show up every 90 days? Or you dont have to renew your visa every year?
No 90 days. No yearly renewals. Alien book renewal every 5 years, but only a small fine for forgetting. "Re-entry permits" are required when leaving the country and intending to return. Otherwise not much. Citizenship would be better.
Thanks for the information, i will investigate the citizenship option, but i thought you needed to be a PR first for 10 years before applying for citizenship

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/tha ... idency.php
handdrummer
Addict
Addict
Posts: 5389
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:58 am

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by handdrummer »

to apply for citizenship you must be able to speak, read and write Thai, sing the national anthem and king's song.
hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »

^^ Not, I believe, if you're married to a Thai.

Sent from my Lenovo K50a40 using Tapatalk

hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »


SydneyGuy wrote:
hhinner wrote: Fri Apr 28, 2017 10:14 pm
perfectvolley wrote:what would be the benefit of a PR? Does it mean you dont have to show up every 90 days? Or you dont have to renew your visa every year?
No 90 days. No yearly renewals. Alien book renewal every 5 years, but only a small fine for forgetting. "Re-entry permits" are required when leaving the country and intending to return. Otherwise not much. Citizenship would be better.
Thanks for the information, i will investigate the citizenship option, but i thought you needed to be a PR first for 10 years before applying for citizenship

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/tha ... idency.php
PR isn't required if you're married to a Thai wife for 3 years (only 1 year if you have children together). More info about citizenship can be obtained from police special branch in Bangkok.

That thaiembassy website is a commercial site not an official government one. The thaivisa forum has extensive guidance from people who have done both PR and/or citizenship.

It's a long time since I did PR and things have changed, especially the bit about needing PR before applying for citizenship. One thing about PR that is easier is the generally shorter time for approval. For citizenship you not only need a work permit at time of application, but also at various steps throughout the process, which can be several years. And the possession of work permit must be without break during the whole time.

PR is done by immigration so you should check there for official info.
perfectvolley
Member
Member
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:34 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by perfectvolley »

Sorry hh. I am a bit confused. Does that mean there is no chance to get the PR if you dont have a workpermit like
all the retieries??
hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »

No work permit, no chance! I think even the 10 mil baht investment path needs the WP, but you could probably find an agent to "help".

It would be best to check out other sources, to be sure. But if you're on a retirement extension I would definitely say there's no way.
VincentD
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1483
Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2004 4:04 pm
Location: Bangkok

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by VincentD »

Things have changed since I did it, but basically you need to have an 'unbroken' record of stay; that means a re-entry permit on your non-imm visa (which is what I got when I got married. Also, a tax record, also unbroken, for at least three consecutive years, so that, too, would entail having a work permit. Think there was a minimum wage requirement somewhere.
The application counter is only open in the last few days of December, so if you miss the window you wait another year. PR applications were not entertained under the previous administration so it is a fairly recent development for them to start accepting applications again.
Last time I looked the official fee is 230,000 baht...
วินเชนท์
hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: Permanent Residency information

Post by hhinner »

^^ Basically in agreement, but I seem to remember reading last year that the application window was changed from just a few weeks in December. Anyone interested should do their own research on the mechanics of applying.
Post Reply