If you have lived in Thailand for a considerable number of years, you can apply for Thailand Permanent Residency, provided that you have been living there with one of the eligible visa types.
This article will detail the Thailand Permanent Residence Permit: the benefits, who is eligible, how to apply for one, as well as the requirements.
What Are the Eligibility Criteria for Permanent Residency in Thailand?
In order to be eligible to receive a Thailand Permanent Residence Permit, you must fulfill one of the following criteria:
- Employment: You have held a Thailand Work Visa and Work Permit for at least three years, and:
- You have an Extension of Stay based on Employment at the time of application
- You have worked at your current company for at least one year at the time of application
- You had a monthly salary of at least 80,000 Baht for two consecutive years or you filed a tax return for an annual income of at least 100,000 Baht for two consecutive years
- Investment: You have invested at least 3 Million Baht in a limited or public company in Thailand
- Family: You are a close family member of a Thai citizen (parent, child or spouse)
- Expert: You have at least a BA Degree and are employed in a position in which you have to work in for at least three consecutive years.
- Other categories that the Immigration Department considers eligible.
However, in addition to that, everyone who applies for a Permanent Residence Permit in Thailand cannot be over the allotted number of permits per country. The Thai government only issues 100 Permanent Residence Permits per country every year.
What Are the Benefits of the Being a Permanent Resident in Thailand?
If you get Permanent Resident status in Thailand, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- You can get a Work Permit more easily
- You do not need to get a Thai Visa Extension every year
- You do not have to submit a 90-Day Report (although there is conflicting information in regards to the 90-Day Report, so you have to double-check this when you actually apply).
- You can buy property in Thailand without having the funds transferred from abroad
- You can get an Alien Registration Certificate
- If you have children in Thailand, your children will get Thai citizenship
- You can get house registration in the blue Thai House Book (Ta Bian Ban)
- You can become a director in a Thai public company
- You can apply to extend the stay or for permanent residence for you non-Thai family members
- You can apply for Thai Citizenship by naturalization after five years
Note: You still have to apply for a Re-Entry Permit if you want to leave Thailand and re-enter.
How to Apply for a Thailand Permanent Residence Permit?
You have to apply for a Thailand Residence Permit at a local Thai Immigration Office. The application process is as follows:
- Gather the required documents. There is usually a large number of documents that you have to submit for Permanent Residence Permit applications. So, you have to start gathering them in advance, especially because there is a timeframe when applications are accepted.
- Wait for the opening dates. There is a window of time during which you can submit a Thai Permanent Residency application. Usually, this is from October to December, although in 2019, the timeframe for submitting Permanent Residency applications was announced to be from June to December.
- Submit the application at your local office of the Immigration Department, where you have to:
- Attend an interview as well as take a multiple-choice test, both of which are in the Thai language.
- Pay the Thai Permanent Residence Permit processing fee (7,600 Thai Baht per person)
- Submit your fingerprints
- You will receive a 180-day extension of stay, which allows you to remain as a legal resident while your application is being processed.
- Once your application has been processed and approved, you will receive your house registration (Ta Bian Ban) and you have to apply for an Alien Certificate at the local police department.
What is the Cost of a Thailand Permanent Residence Permit?
The Thailand Permanent Residence Permit processing fee is 7,600 Thai Baht.
If your application is approved, you have to pay another fee for the Permanent Residence Permit Certificate:
- 95,700 Thai Baht if you applied for Permanent Residency on the basis of marriage to a Thai citizen.
- 191,400 Thai Baht if you applied for Permanent Residency on the basis of employment, investment, expert, etc.
What Documents Do I Need When I Apply for Thailand Permanent Residency?
When you apply for Permanent Residency in Thailand, you must have several documents which support your application. The documents differ depending on the type of visa you held at the time of making the application. However, these roughly include:
- Your passport along with a copy of all the relevant pages of your passport (personal information page, issue/expiry date, previous Thai Visas as well as entry and exit stamps)
- Passport-size pictures of your self, taken within the last six months (include about 12), with the following specifications:
- Dimensions: 4 x 6 cm
- White background
- You must be staring ahead with a neutral facial expression
- Your entire face has to be visible
- Application Form for Permanent Residence in Thailand (TM.9), completed and signed
- Your House Registration Book (Yellow Tabien Baan) as well as a copy of it
- A copy of your Work Permit
- A Certificate of Work Background, issued by the Alien Occupational Control Division of the Department of Employment.
- Copy of your monthly income tax form
- A copy of your financial statements, such as balance sheets, profit, and loss statements, etc. of the previous 3 years.
- The fee for Permanent Residence application processing
- Any documents that the Immigration Department requires you to submit.
Note:
This is not an exhaustive list of requirements. The documents differ based on the purpose for which you seek Permanent Residence status in Thailand.
Several of the documents you have to submit must be legalized both by your embassy as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok before submission.
The immigration officers may request additional documents throughout the process, which you have to provide as needed.
What is a Thailand Residence Certificate?
The Residence Certificate in Thailand is issued to any foreigner who is living in Thailand, permanently or temporarily. It is a document that confirms the legal status of your residence in Thailand and states your current address in Thailand.
You need this document for several reasons, such as obtaining/renewing a driver’s license, setting up a bank account in Thailand, or buying a vehicle.
How Can I Get a Thailand Residence Certificate?
There are two ways through which you can get a Thailand Residence Certificate:
- At the embassy of your country in Thailand
- At your local Immigration Office
When you submit your application for a Thailand Residence Certificate, you must have the following documents with you:
- Your original passport, along with signed photocopies of the following pages:
- Your personal information and photo page
- The page showing your Thailand Visa
- The TM.6 (Departure) Card
- Application Form for Residence Certificate, completed and signed (you can find it at the Immigration Office when you apply)
- Two passport-sized pictures of yourself, taken within the last six months which have the following requirements:
- Dimensions: 4 x 6 cm
- White background
- You must be staring ahead with a neutral facial expression
- Your entire face has to be visible
- Proof of address in Thailand, such as a rental/lease agreement or the House Registration Book (Yellow Tabien Baan)
- TM.30 form signed by your landlord
Applications for a Thailand Residence Certificate are processed in about 10 – 15 working days.