Siam Legal International

Thai Permanent Resident

Applying for a Thai Permanent Resident status begins with the filing of an application in the appropriate government agency. All applications for Thai Permanent Residency are processed by the Royal Thai Immigration Commission. The Kingdom only allows a certain number of applicants from various countries to obtain the status of Permanent Resident every year. At present, the country’s current quota is one hundred applicants per country. Most applications are processed from the beginning of October until the end of December. This period usually marks the most hectic and arduous phase of the application process.

In order to become a Thai Permanent resident, every applicant must meet the following criteria: First, he or she must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of his or her application. Holders of multiple non-immigrant visas cannot apply. Also, the applicant must have had 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify. Second, the applicant must be a holder of a non-immigrant visa at the time he or she submitted his or her application. Third, the applicant must fall within the following categories – investment category (a minimum investment of 3 to 10 million Thai Baht is required), Working or Business category, Support a family or Humanity Reasons category (in which case, it is required that the applicant has an existing relationship with either a Thai national or alien who possesses a residence permit), Expert / academic category and other categories as determined by the Thai Immigration Office.

Once an application has been favorably acted upon, a residence blue book shall be issued in favor of the applicant. He or She must then register his or her place of residence at the local Amphur in order to obtain a house card. After a week from the receipt of the residence certificate, one can then apply for an alien book at a local police station. This document is an equivalent of the Thai National ID card. The same must then be re-registered on a yearly basis. A Residency Permit never expires unless revoked. When a Permanent Resident leaves the country temporarily, he or she must apply for a re-entry permit.

A Permanent Resident may eventually apply for naturalization after holding Permanent Resident status in Thailand for 10 consecutive years.