Thailand Permanent Residency

You must hold a Non-Immigrant Visa and have had annual visa extensions in Thailand continuously for at least 3 years up to the date of application (there must be absolutely no gaps or lapses in your visa during these 3 years).

No. Tourist visas, Visa on Arrival (VOA), and special-stay visas such as the DTV or the Privilege Card are not annual Non-Immigrant categories, so time spent on them cannot be counted towards Permanent Residency.

You are not eligible to apply under any circumstances. The law clearly states that applicants must have a clean residence record. If the system detects any overstay history, the application will be stopped immediately.

You must work in Thailand and have filed personal income tax returns (PND.91/90) continuously for at least 3 years, with the following minimum income: • Single: a minimum salary of 80,000 THB or more • With a family (spouse/child) of Thai nationality: a minimum salary of 40,000 THB or more

You must bring funds from abroad to invest in Thailand worth no less than 10,000,000 THB and maintain the investment for at least 3 years. Eligible assets include purchasing a new (first-hand) condominium, buying Thai government bonds, or investing in a limited company.

Applications are open to those seeking to live with a Thai national or an existing permanent resident, in 3 main cases: 1. husband or wife (with a legally registered marriage) 2. father or mother 3. an unmarried child under 20 years of age

It is granted to foreign nationals with special knowledge and expertise, research work, or advanced skills that benefit the country's development, and requires certification from the relevant Thai government agency or research institute.

It covers special qualifications outside the 4 categories above, decided at the discretion of the Immigration Committee on an individual basis (e.g. having made an outstanding contribution to the country).

Normally, the immigration office accepts applications only once a year (usually announced in the second half of the year, e.g. October - December each year), with a fixed closing date. If you miss that year's round, you will have to wait a full 1 year.

On the day you submit your documents, the current Non-Immigrant visa stamp in your passport must have at least 15 working days remaining. Do not leave it too short, as there will not be enough time to complete the application set.

The background checks, tax file review and approval at Ministry of Interior level are quite thorough and time-consuming. Generally, the process takes approximately 1 to 2 years from the close of the annual application round.

Yes, you can travel, but there is a golden rule: 'you must obtain a Re-entry Permit every time before you fly out', and you must return to Thailand before your existing permission to stay (your current temporary visa) expires.

The foreign national must take an oral interview in Thai in front of the review committee. The questions focus on basic Thai language comprehension, attitude towards Thailand and its culture, and personal background.

The chances of success are very slim, because 'Thai language proficiency' carries significant weight in the assessment criteria. If the committee finds that you cannot communicate in basic Thai at all, your case may be rejected (this is why ethaivisa offers intensive Thai interview preparation for clients before the real interview).

The application fee payable to the immigration office is 7,600 THB per person (non-refundable if the application is unsuccessful).

Fees depend on the category of entitlement: • General case (TM.16): 191,000 THB • With a Thai spouse / child of Thai nationality: reduced to 95,700 THB • (For a replacement of the original book, TM.15 costs 19,000 THB / TM.17 costs 1,900 THB)

This is the most important rule of all! Every time before you leave Thailand, you must take your book for an 'exit endorsement (Endorsement)' and obtain a Non-Quota Immigrant Visa. If you simply fly out without the endorsement, your Permanent Residence certificate will become void and you will lose your rights immediately!

The exit endorsement fee is 1,900 THB, and the Non-Quota visa fee is 1,900 THB for a Single Entry (one entry and exit) or 3,800 THB for a Multiple Entry (multiple entries and exits).

Because you must provide a full 3 years of supporting evidence without any gaps, including company tax returns (PP.30), personal income tax (PND.91), financial statements, civil registration records and employment history. The documents fill a large binder, and if they are out of order or the dates are not calculated precisely, the immigration office will refuse to accept the file right at the counter.

Because PR applications open only once a year, with a quota of no more than 100 people per nationality per year, there is no room for error in your preparation. The ethaivisa team runs a Pre-Audit to check your score and tax history in advance, gathers and verifies your tax documents so they are complete and accurate, and provides an Interview Coaching programme with intensive Thai interview practice. We help you get through the most difficult steps smoothly and secure permanent residence in Thailand with complete confidence.