Thailand now accepting applications for permanent residency

Thailand is now taking applications for permanent residency from now until December 30, 2020. The number of expats who can apply is capped at 100 per nationality plus 50 stateless individuals. But permanent residency isn’t easy to get in Thailand and applicants need to speak Thai. Local blogger and Samut Prakan school employee Richard Barrow posted on Facebook saying he tried applying a few years ago, but he wasn’t accepted. He says he will apply again this year and could use some advice on how to get accepted.

Richard recommends visiting the website Thai Citizenship, which is run by Chris Larkin, a citizen in both Thailand and Australia.

Here’s the main qualifications for permanent residency:

• Hold a Thai work permit for at least 3 consecutive years.
• Work for the current company for at least 1 year.
• Earn an annual income of at least 80,000 baht per month for at least 2 years, or have filed a tax return for an annual income of 100,000 baht for at least 2 consecutive years.

Applicants will also need the proper documents to file an application. The Thai Immigration has copies of the documents on its website, click HERE to visit. He’s the documents applicants need:

• TM.9 application form
• Form of personal information sheet
• Health certificate from a government hospital
• Map of residence and place of work form
• Salary certificate
• Letter of employment to the Department of Labour

It costs 7,600 baht to file an application. If it’s approved, the residency permit costs 191,400 baht. The permit costs 95,700 baht for spouses and children of those with a residence or who are Thai citizens.

If the application goes through, the applicant will then go through an interview at immigration with a panel of around 7 to 10 officials. Chris calls it a 5 to 10 minute “semi-formal chit-chat” were the applicants talks (in Thai) about themselves and why they want to remain in Thailand (The Thaiger was doing ok up to that part).

If immigration accepts the application, then it goes through what Chris describes as the Ministry of Interior “Black Hole.” He says the process is more “obscure” and approval is at the discretion of the Minister of Interior. In the past, the process took years, but he says recently it has been a lot faster.

Here are the benefits of permanent residency…

• You are granted to stay permanently. In other way, you don’t need to apply for an extension of stay anymore
• You will receive a certificate of alien registration
• You will be able to have your name in a House Book (Ta Bian Ban) not a yellow one, a blue one
• You can enter in the same counter as Thai citizens for immigration passport control for arrival or departure
• A child whose both parents are permanent residents in Thailand must be granted Thai citizenship
• You will be able to buy a condominium in Thailand without transferring money from abroad
• You will be able to apply for citizenship 5 years after your name is registered in a blue ta bian ban
• Able to become director of a Public Thai company
• And you will be exempted of notification of your address every 90 days

To file an application…

…go to a local immigration office.

If in Bangkok, go to: Sub-division 1,Immigration Division 1, The Government Complex Commemorating His Majesty The King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary,5th December, B.E. 2550 (2007), Building B, 2nd Floor, Counter D, 120 Moo 3, Chaengwattana Road, Thungsonghong Sub-District, Bangkok, 10210.

SOURCES: Thai Immigration | Thai Citizenship | Facebook: Richard Barrow