Are you contemplating a permanent relocation to Thailand? If that’s the case, permanent residency in Thailand would be worth considering. It entitles you to reside permanently in Thailand. You can now reside in Thailand and fly in and out whenever you want without worrying about permits. It is also the first stage in the process of obtaining Thai citizenship.
But why Thailand? There are many answers to this question, but the major reasons to allure you to the Land of Smiles are –
- Full of Nature and Greenery
- Low Cost of Living
- Affordable Housing Facilities
- Great Healthcare System
- Friendly and Helpful Thai Citizens
- A peaceful nation with the least disruption in daily life
Above were a few of the most important points or reasons which are attracting people from all over the world to Thailand. There are tales stating that many foreigners visited Thailand as tourists and later they applied for permanent residency. Another reason behind this attraction is the easy process of application. Now let us check the process of applying for a Permanent Residency in Thailand.
Qualifications for Permanent Residency in Thailand
To apply for a residence permit, you must have a non-immigrant visa and have been in Thailand for at least three years consecutively with the same extension of stay. During the application process, your visa extension must be active. For example, if you stay in Thailand for three years on a business visa extension, you can apply for permanent residency.
If you stay in Thailand for three years on a business visa and then move to a marriage visa, you will not be able to apply for permanent residence until you have lived in Thailand for another three years on a marriage visa extension. Other qualifications vary depending on the category for which you apply. There are currently five different categories. Each category’s general requirements are listed in the table below.
| Category | Requirements |
| Investment | Have at least 10 million baht from overseas to invest in a limited company, a public company, the stock market, or state-issued security or a state enterprise’s security in Thailand. |
| Employment | Work in Thailand for at least 3 years with a salary of 80,000 baht for at least 2 years, or run a business in Thailand in a specific role and business category as defined by the Thai government. During the application period, you must also work for the same employer in Thailand for at least one year. |
| Social/Humanitarian | Be the biological mother/father of a Thai kid, or be the biological child of a Thai mother/father, for at least two years. |
| Expert | Have a bachelor’s degree and the unique skills required in Thailand. |
| Extra Circumstances | It’s a special category for those that help Thailand in some way. |
Please keep in mind that categories and qualifications vary each year. Check the website of the Immigration Office for the most up-to-date information.
When to Apply?
Each year, the application period is different. The application window can be as short as two weeks. From September to December, it can take up to three months.
The deadline for applications is always the end of December.
You should keep an eye on the news to find out when the application window opens. You can follow Konrad Legal on Facebook for the latest updates on Thailand visas.
However, contacting your local immigration office before the regular application window, such as June, is a preferable option. They can assist you to prepare paperwork ahead of time and give you a clearer sense of the application period for that year if you contact them early. When the application window is open, you can immediately send your documents and begin the process.
You should also submit your application as soon as possible. Many people fail and must wait an additional year simply because they do not have all of the required documentation. They may be missing 1-2 documents that they are unaware of until they are checked by an immigration officer.
What is the Quota?
The number of people who can obtain permanent residency cards in Thailand each year is limited.
Based on recent years, 100 persons per country are expected to arrive each year.
You, on the other hand, do not need to be concerned about the quota. Only two ethnicities, Chinese and Indian, have the potential to exceed the limit.
The number of people granted permanent residence cards for other nationalities is typically less than 100 per year.
How to Apply for Permanent Residency in Thailand?
Obtaining permanent residency in Thailand is a difficult task. It takes a lot of planning, a lot of paperwork, and a lot of steps. Let’s look at what you’ll need to do to apply for permanent residency.
Filing Documents
In Thailand, obtaining a residence permit necessitates a significant amount of paperwork.
Some documents must be obtained from your home country, while others must be obtained from your employer and still others must be obtained from the Thai government.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must also legalise many documents.
Any document issued outside of Thailand must first be notarized by your embassy and then legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It’s possible that some documents will need to be translated into Thai.
They essentially want to know everything there is to know about you.
The paperwork you’ll need to prepare could total well over 100 pages. As a result, it’s a good idea to get them ready beforehand so.
To find out what documentation you’ll need based on your category, contact your local immigration office. It differs from person to person and changes every year.
Interview
After you’ve submitted all of your documentation, you’ll have to wait a few months for an interview with immigration officers. The interview will be filmed, and it will actually happen in Thai. A list of frequently asked questions can be found here.
Following the interview, you must sign a Thai statement based on the interview. Henceforth, you may be required to take a Thai multiple-choice test. If you don’t know how to read Thai, an immigration officer will assist you.
The multiple-choice examination normally includes questions about Thailand (for example, how many provinces are there in Thailand), culture, and the immigration process. They may also ask for extra documents as you wait for the interview.
Evaluation
The Immigration Commission, which includes representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Board of Investment, the Royal Thai Police, the Office of the Attorney General, and the National Security Council, will then review, evaluate, and assign points to your application.
To pass the test, you must score at least 50 points out of a possible 100.
Although the Thai Immigration Office does not publicly disclose how the point system works, they do provide a general overview of factors that are considered in the evaluation process, such as education, income, knowledge, skill, relationship with Thai citizens, Thai language fluency, personality, attitude, and even contribution to Thailand and its society.
It is also believed that if you are a member of a charity organisation and donate on a regular basis, you will receive additional points.
Immigration agents may visit your neighbourhood during the evaluation and question your neighbours about your behaviour.
During this time, you don’t have to do anything.
Final Approval
If you pass the evaluation, your application will be referred to the Minister of the Interior for final approval.
It is possible that the full examination and ultimate approval process will take more than a year. It can take up to three years in some cases.
Get Permanent Residency Certificate
When your application is approved, the Immigration Office will send you a letter with complete instructions on how to obtain your certificate of residency.
Typically, all you need to do is prepare a signed copy of your personal documents, take photos, and head to your local immigration office to pay the final charge.
Final Step
You must go to a police station to obtain an alien book and then to a local district office to be listed on a house registration book (Tabien Baan – blue book) once you have received your certificate of residence.
Please be aware that the local district officer may conduct an interview with you and the home’s owner to ensure that you are both familiar with each other.
Advantages of Permanent Residency in Thailand
The ability to stay in Thailand indefinitely isn’t the sole benefit of permanent residency.
Here are some of its other benefits:
- 90-day notifications and TM30 reporting are no longer necessary. A PR holder is not obligated to have them.
- A conventional house registration can be used to list you (Tabian Ban a.k.a. blue book). This means that a residence certificate is no longer required when applying for a work permit, opening a bank account, or obtaining a driver’s licence.
- Your spouse and children may be eligible for dependant visas if you are a permanent resident.
- You no longer need to transmit money from another country to purchase a property in Thailand.
- When entering and exiting Thailand, you can use the same queue as Thais at the airport.
- If both you and your partner hold PR status, your children will be eligible for Thai citizenship.
- After 5 years of residency, you can petition for Thai citizenship.
- In Thailand, you can become a director of a public corporation.
How much does Thai PR Cost?
You must pay 7,600 baht for the initial government fee when applying for permanent residence.
Following the approval of your permanent resident status, you must pay a government fee of 95,700 baht or 191,400 baht, depending on your category.
For example, if you apply for permanent residence based on marriage, the fee is 95,700 baht, and if you apply under the job category, the fee is 191,400 baht.
This does not, however, include the expense of document preparation, such as translation, notarization, and legalisation, which varies greatly from person to person.
Document preparation can easily cost more than ten thousand baht.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
It is all up to you. Most of the applicants obtain permanent residency in Thailand with the assistance of a lawyer.
The biggest benefit of hiring a lawyer is that they can assist you in preparing all of the necessary documents as well as preparing you for the application procedure.
An experienced lawyer, for example, can tell you what you need to do ahead of time to improve your profile and earn bonus points from immigration inspectors.
They can also assist you to prepare for an interview by conducting a mock interview.
If you intend to stay in Thailand permanently, you need to apply for a permanent residence permit. You will never have to worry about your visa again if you have it.
However, even though they are eligible, some people choose not to participate. They don’t want to deal with the lengthy and difficult procedure. Furthermore, obtaining permanent residence is significantly more costly than obtaining a visa in Thailand for more than ten years.
We hope that this article can answer most of your queries on Permanent Residency in Thailand. For all types of legal and issuance support, feel free to share your requirements by writing us a mail at [email protected].
