Frequently Asked Questions about the Thai Permanent Residency
Thai Permanent Residence Visa
A Thai Permanent Residence Visa is for anyone wishing to make Thailand their permanent home. This can be for a variety of reasons and there is no strict type of person who this visa is aimed at, but there are many strict requirements you will need to meet in order for your application to be considered.
A Thai Permanent Residence Visa has many advantages. It allows you to stay in Thailand without having to perform any visa runs or extensions of stay. It also allows you to register your house or any property you may have in Thailand, to your name, and allows you to buy a condo or property without having to transfer money from abroad. It also allows you to apply for a Work Permit with few difficulties.
A Thai Permanent Residence Visa also allows you to legally become a director of a Thai public company, and apply for an extension of stay and Permanent Resident status for your any non-Thai family members. On a Thai Permanent Residence Visa you may also apply to become a naturalized Thai citizen once you have met all the requirements to do so.
Requirements
In order to apply for a Thai Permanent Residence Visa you must have been in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant Visa for at least three years. However, you must have been on the same type of Non-Immigrant Visa for the entire 3 years in order to qualify, and you must still be a holder of the same non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting your application.
In order to apply for a Thai Permanent Residence Visa you must also be able to meet one of the following:
Investment category: Have a minimum 3 Million Baht invested in a limited or public company in Thailand, a Thai state-issued security corp, Thai state enterprise’s security corp, or the Thai stock market.
Business Category: Have been an executive officer and a signatory of a business registered in Thailand with a capital of at least 10 million Baht for at least 1 year, and have earned at least 50,000 Baht per month for two consecutive years prior to submitting the application. This work must also be deemed as in an area of interest to the Thai economy.
Employment Category: Have earn at least 80,000 Baht per month for two consecutive years or filed a tax return for an annual income of 100,000 Baht or more for two consecutive years, having held work a permit for at least 3 consecutive years and worked at your current company for at least 1 year.
Humanity Category: Have been married to a Thai national, or be the parent or child of a Thai citizen.
Expert Category: Hold a Bachelor Degree or higher education and work in a role which requires him/her to work in Thailand for at least 3 consecutive years.
Other circumstances and backgrounds will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The list of required documents for the application depends on the category and circumstances under which your application is made. You must first contact the immigration office at which you wish to apply and ask them which documents they will require. Among the documents required you will need to present:
- The original and a copy of your passport, including copies of all relevant pages.
- The original and a copy of your residence’s House Registration Book Tabien Baan.
- 12 passport sized photos taken within 6 months of your application (4 x 6 cm).
- All fees paid in cash.
How to Apply
All applications for a Thai Permanent Residence Visa must be done so at a Royal Thai Immigration Office. It must be noted that there is an annual quota for granting permanent residency in Thailand with a maximum of 100 persons per country granted each year.
Applications for this visa are usually only considered between October and the end of every year.
Once your application for Thai Permanent Residence Visa has been approved you will receive a blue residence book. Once you receive this book you must register your place of residence in Thailand at the local Amphur after which you will receive a house card.
Once you have received your residence certificate you can then apply for an alien book (red book) at the local police station. Your alien book will be your equivalent of the Thai national ID card and it must be re-registered every year.
Your Thai Permanent Residence Visa never expires unless it is revoked, but if you leave and re-enter Thailand without a re-entry permit your visa may be revoked.
After 10 consecutive years on a Thai Permanent Residence Visa you can apply to become a Thai naturalized citizen.
Important Notes
Interview and tests for permanent residence
As part of your application for a Thai Permanent Residence Visa you will be interviewed by an immigration officer at a Thai Immigration Office. You will be asked questions with regards to the documents you have submitted as well as questions regarding your background and religious beliefs. All of your answers will be documented and you will be asked to sign the documents after the interview.
You will also be asked to answer 10 multiple choice questions. These questions will be written in Thai but if you do not read Thai well the immigration officer is allowed to help you understand them.
You will also be asked to present yourself in Thai, which will be recorded on video camera.
Re-Entry Permit
If you plan on leaving and re-entering Thailand whilst on a Thai Permanent Residence Visa, you will first need to get a re-entry permit in order to not have your visa revoked.
A re-entry permit can be secured from a Thai Immigration Office or International Airport. The fees are 1,000 Baht for a single re-entry, and 3,800 Baht for a multiple re-entry permit.
When re-entering Thailand, make sure to note the number of your re-entry permit on your immigration arrival form in order for your visa to be re-activated.
Bangkok Immigration Tips
There are a lot of great benefits to having a Thai Permanent Residence Visa, these include:
- Staying in Thailand without a visa or having to make 90-day reports or visa extensions.
- Applying for an extension of stay for all non-Thai family members.
- Buying property without having to transfer money from abroad.
- Becoming a director of a public company.
- Obtaining a work permit very quickly and without hassle.
- Obtaining a permanent residence book and alien registration book.
- Applying for Thai citizenship.