Temporary Residence Permits In Thailand
Navigating the Thai bureaucracy for a temporary residence permit can feel like a journey through a lush, mysterious jungle, right? Don’t Worry! We’ve got you covered!
Embracing the allure of Thailand means more than just fleeting visits; for some, it’s about planting roots in this tropical paradise. This guide is your trusty map, leading you through every twist and turn of the process. Let’s start your adventure towards making Thailand more than just a getaway, but a place to call home.
Let’s dive in!
Do You Need A Visa To Move To Thailand?
You must apply for a visa to move to Thailand. Thailand offers different types of visas, but to move there, you must apply for a Thailand Non-Immigrant visa.
The non-immigrant visas are for long-term stays.
How Do You Move To Thailand?
To move to Thailand, you are required to apply for a Thailand non-immigrant visa.
In addition, if you are staying longer than 90 days, you must submit a 90-day Report to the Thai Immigration authorities.
This implies that you must visit your local Thailand Immigration Department location every 90 days while you are still residing there to report your current address, even if it is still the same.
Non-immigrant visas are usually issued for a maximum of 90 days.
Therefore, if you want to stay longer, you have to get a one-year visa extension from the Bureau of Immigration in Bangkok.
Moreover, you should also get a Re-Entry Permit, which can be issued for single or multiple entries.
If you want to move to Thailand for over three months, the following ways are the right choice:
- Move to Thailand for work.
- Move to Thailand to study.
- Move to Thailand for marriage.
- Move to Thailand for retirement.
Moving To Thailand For Work
If you want to move to Thailand and work, you need to apply for a Thai work visa in your country from an Embassy or Consulate.
However, regardless of the work visa, to legally work and live in Thailand, you must obtain a work permit and an extension of your stay.
You must apply for a work permit at the Department of Employment in Thailand. The work permit’s validity is one year or as long as the duration of your work contract.
You can start working after your work permit application has been approved.
Nevertheless, you must request an extension of your stay at the Immigration Bureau to remain in Thailand long-term.
You are entitled to an extended stay for one year starting the day you enter Thailand. After that, you can extend your stay for three years; then, you are eligible for a permanent residence permit.
Moving To Thailand To Study
Suppose you have been accepted into a Thai educational institution. In that case, you must apply for a student visa to pursue your studies. Moreover, to be eligible for the student visa, you also have to:
- Take at least three courses.
- Have at least 15 hours of classes per week.
A Thai student visa is valid for 90 days, but you can extend your stay at the Thailand Immigration Department.
If you are staying in Thailand long-term, you must report your address to the Immigration Department of Thailand every 90 days.
Moving To Thailand For Marriage
If you are married to a Thai citizen and want to join your spouse, you will need to apply for a Thailand marriage visa. The visa is usually issued for 90 days.
To stay long-term in Thailand after entering on a Marriage Visa, you must first obtain an extension of your stay.
After that, you must apply for a re-entry permit, which allows you to exit and re-enter without losing your visa.
Last but not least, you must report your address and stay at the Immigration Department every 90 days you continue living there.
Moving To Thailand For Retirement
If you are over 50 and want to retire in Thailand, you must apply for a Thailand Retirement Visa. Thailand offers two types of retirement visas:
- The One-Year Thailand Retirement Visa (“O-A”). It is issued to all foreigners, valid for a year, and can be renewed annually.
- The Ten-Year Thailand Retirement Visa (“O-X”). It is issued to foreigners of certain countries, valid for five years, and can be renewed once more for a maximum of ten years.
The Thai retirement visa is the only visa for which having adequate Thai health insurance coverage is mandatory.
Upon receiving a Thailand retirement visa, you can enter the country for the duration of the visa. Then you must apply for a Thai re-entry permit to leave and enter the country without any problems.
Moreover, you have to report your address every 90 days to Immigration.
How Do You Get Residency In Thailand?
You can become a permanent resident in Thailand after three years of legally staying in the country.
To do so, you must apply for a permanent residence permit at the local Thailand Immigration Office. The residence permit never expires.
In addition, you have to apply for a Thailand residence certificate. The application can occur at the embassy in your country or the local Immigration office.
The residence certificate is issued to anyone living in Thailand. The document states your address in the country and confirms the legal status of your residence.
What Is The Thailand Residence Permit?
The Thailand Residence Permits are documents that the Thai Immigration Commission issues to foreigners, authorising them to reside permanently or temporarily in the Kingdom of Thailand.
The Government of Thailand issues only one hundred permits every year. Some criteria for qualifying for the permit include family, skill, employment, etc.
Once issued, the permit becomes a legal document that affirms your residency as a foreign national in the country.
It bears your current house address in Thailand and any other necessary info. To maintain a bank account, obtain a driving permit, etc., you must have a valid residence permit in Thailand.
There are two types of residence permits in Thailand;
- Temporary Residence Permit: The first residence permit you get when you come to Thailand. If you intend to stay in Thailand longer than 90 days, you need a temporary residence permit. For this permit, you need a valid visa to apply once you get to Thailand.
- Permanent Residence Permit: A Thailand permanent residence permit is the kind you get after you have lived in Thailand for a while on permanent residency. Usually, you need to have lived in Thailand for up to three (3) years to get permanent residency.
What Are The Eligibility Requirements For A Thailand Residence Permit?
Like most countries, there are strict criteria you must fulfil before the Immigration Commission considers you for a Thailand Residence Permit.
To get it, you must meet at least one of the following criteria;
- Hold employment in Thailand for a minimum of three years. To hold a job in Thailand, you must possess a Thailand Work Visa and a Thailand Work Permit.
- Earn up to THB 80,000 a month at a minimum for two straight years or pay tax on a yearly income on a minimum income of 100,000 Baht for two consecutive years.
- At the time of your application, have an extension of your stay in Thailand because of your job,
- At the time of your application, stay with your current employer for a minimum of a year.
- Have a bachelor’s degree and be engaged in a job/career role for a minimum of three straight years.
- Have invested THB 3,000,000 at a minimum in a Thai-based public or limited liability firm.
- Be a direct relative of a Thai citizen — either as a parent, a spouse, or a child of a citizen of Thailand.
From time to time, the Thai immigration department may specify other eligibility criteria for a Thailand Residence Permit.
However, you only need to meet one of the above criteria to qualify for Thailand Residence. Also, as noted earlier, the ministry only issues a hundred permits a year.
So, if you don’t get your permit, it does not necessarily mean you were ineligible; the limit might have just been reached for the year.
What Is The Application Procedure For A Thailand Residence Permit?
The procedure for obtaining your Thailand Residence Permit is relatively straightforward. Here are the steps you need to follow;
- Visit the nearest Thai immigration office. The Thailand residence permit application process can only commence at the local immigration office in Thailand. You must go there in person.
- At the office, one may inquire about the documents required and when applications for the permit are due. The documents required differ based on one’s “immigration status,” that is, the type of Thai immigration visa you hold.
- When the application window for the Thailand residence permit opens, return to the immigration office and submit your application. Ensure you take all required documents with you. This window is usually open between October and December.
When you submit your application at the immigration office, you will need to:
- Go through an interview and write a multiple-choice test. Both examinations would be in the country’s official language, Thai.
- Undergo fingerprint and general biometric capture
- Pay a processing fee for your Thailand residence permit. A Thailand Residence Permit currently costs THB 7,600.
While the commission processes your Thailand residence permit application, they automatically extend your stay in the kingdom by 180 days.
Once they approve your application, you will get your house registration details, and you will be required to get an alien certificate at your local police station.
What Are The Required Documents For A Thailand Residence Permit?
The documents you need to present when applying for a Thailand residence permit include;
- Passport-sized photos of yourself; 12 in number and no older than six months. It must have a white background, a 4cmx6cm dimension, and show your face entirely with a neutral expression.
- Your national passport and a separate copy of the following information: date of issue and expiry, personal details, entry and exit stamps, and previous and current Thai visas.
- Your completely filled-out application form for a Thailand residence permit. You can obtain this form at the immigration office/local embassy.
- Your Yellow Tabien Baan, i.e., the House Registration book, original, and a copy
- Processing fee receipt.
- One copy of your financial statements going back a minimum of three years.
- Of course, you will also be submitting any other documentation that the Thai immigration office would request from you.
Additional Requirements For Temporary Residence:
For a temporary Thailand residence permit;
- Proof of Thai residency, e.g., your house address (your Yellow Tabien Baan also serves this purpose),
- Your departure card, i.e., the TM.6 cards,
- A copy of the TM-30 form with your landlord’s signature, if living in a rental building.
What Is The Cost Of A Thailand Residence Permit?
The Thailand Permanent Residence Permit processing figure is 7,600 Thai Baht. Still, you must pay another figure if the ministry approves your operation.
The additional fee is 95,700 Thai Baht if you apply for Permanent Residency based on your marriage to a Thai citizen.
114,400 Thai Baht if you applied for a Permanent Thailand residence permit based on your employment, investment, expertise, etc.
What Are The Benefits Of Getting A Thailand Residence Permit?
- When you get a permanent Thailand Resident permit, obtaining a work permit or a renewal of a previously held permit is much easier.
- You don’t need to get a Thai Visa Extension every time; you would not need one.
- You might not have to submit a 90- 90-day report. Do check with the local Thai immigration office for more details on this.
- You can buy property in Thailand without having to transfer finances from abroad.
- Your children can easily gain Thai citizenship.
- If you have children in Thailand, you can get house enrollment in the blue Thai House Book, the Ta Bian Ban.
- You can legally become a director in a public company based in Thailand.
- You can apply to extend the stay of or for a permanent hearthstone for your non-Thai family members
- You can apply for Thai Citizenship by naturalisation after five straight years of residency.
You should note that if you leave the country while still a permanent resident, you will still have to apply for a Thai Re-Entry Permit if you wish to return.
How To Achieve Permanent Resident Status In Thailand Afterwards?
The government of Thailand only bestows permanent residence status to around 100 applicants of each nationality every year.
So, acquiring permanent residency in Thailand can be tricky. The processing fee for the Thailand Permanent Residence Permit is THB 7,600 ($220.67).
If you succeed in your application, you’ll have to pay an extra 95,700 Baht if you qualify for permanent resident status via a spouse, as in a Thai wife or husband.
It will cost you THB 191,400 ($5,557.49) if applying through expertise, investment, or work.
Suppose you are a close family member of a Thai citizen. If you have a Thai parent, child, or Thai spouse, the Immigration Department considers you eligible for Thai permanent residency.
You can also smooth a Thai permanent residency application with a THB 3,000,000 ($87,108.03) investment in a limited or public company in Thailand.
The expert category refers to holding a bachelor’s degree as the bare minimum. On the work front, you must have been continuously employed for three years by a company.
Benefits of Thai PR status include being able to work without needing to have a Thai non-immigrant visa.
A permanent residence permit means permanent residence without the hassle of having to extend a visa every year.
Thai PR status is the definitive answer to the question: How do I stay in Thailand forever? Yes, you can live in the Kingdom happily ever after by having a permanent residence permit in Thailand.
A permanent residence permit makes you eligible to become a director of a Thai public company and have the chance to apply for Thai citizenship.
A Permanent Resident Permit Leads To Thai Citizenship
After enjoying permanent resident status in Thailand for five years, you are eligible to apply for Thai citizenship.
Also, if you have children born in Thailand, they will automatically receive Thai citizenship.
It’s important to note that non-Thai family members cannot help you obtain Thai citizenship unless they are permanent residents themselves.
Thus, only having Thailand permanent residents will help you on your path to becoming a Thai citizen.
Why Live In Thailand?
Located in Southeast Asia, with a diverse population of nearly 70 million, Thailand has become an increasingly popular choice for nomad capitalists seeking a new home base. So, why should you choose Thailand?
Let’s explore the reasons.
Firstly, the quality of life in Thailand is exceptional. The country offers a warm, hospitable atmosphere that quickly makes newcomers feel welcome.
The breathtaking scenery of this place varies from vibrant urban centres such as Bangkok to tranquil seashores and verdant forests, attracting nature enthusiasts.
Moreover, the living expenses are remarkably low, enabling you to relish life’s luxuries without exceeding your budget.
When it comes to taxation, Thailand presents a highly attractive system for expatriates and investors.
Previously, the country operated on a territorial basis, meaning you are only taxed on income generated within its borders.
This provided a significant advantage for those with global investments, as foreign-sourced income was generally exempt from taxation so long as it was not remitted to Thailand within the same calendar year.
However, as of 2024, Thailand is changing the way it taxes foreign income, whether it’s earned income or savings.
Tourists and short-term workers will be exempt, but the specifics for retirees remain unclear.
Although some are claiming this is the end of Thailand as a tax-friendly country, that is not necessarily the case, and if you don’t spend 180 days in Thailand, then you are not a tax resident, and this doesn’t apply to you.
Lastly, Thailand offers a wealth of investment opportunities.
The country offers countless ways for nomad capitalists to expand their portfolios and maximise returns in this thriving economy.
These include property investments in thriving real estate markets and entrepreneurial endeavours in sectors like technology, tourism, and agriculture.
Conclusion
As we conclude our expedition through the intricacies of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Thailand, remember that every step is a stride towards making your dream of living in this vibrant nation a reality.
With patience, persistence, and the right information, your vision of life in Thailand’s enchanting landscapes and rich culture is within reach. So, gather your documents, take a deep breath, and step confidently into your new life under the Thai sun.
Dream Realized!
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